Spirit Hollow: Golf in Burlington, Iowa

Southeast Iowa Regional Airport (FAA identifier BRL) is, in the airport's own published location, "2 miles SW of Burlington, IA"; Cape Air serves it from Chicago and St. Louis, with additional service from American Airlines and United Airlines. Spirit Hollow's own site advertises the airport as a duration rather than a distance; using the airport's published coordinates and Spirit Hollow's own coordinates, OSRM's driving profile puts the two 2.5 road miles apart. Spirit Hollow's own site otherwise gives every other city on its list only as a drive time, never a mileage or a road number; OSRM supplies the corresponding road distances instead: Davenport, Iowa, 82.5 miles; Iowa City, Iowa, 80.9 miles; Moline, Illinois, 91.6 miles; Peoria, Illinois, 99.3 miles; Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 104.1 miles; Springfield, Illinois, 140.8 miles; St. Louis, Missouri, 212.7 miles; Naperville, Illinois, 221.8 miles; Chicago, Illinois, 248.7 miles. The operator's page names no road or highway number for any of these routes.

Spirit Hollow is the only "Public" course on Golf Digest's eight-course Iowa list -- every other entry reads "Private" -- and it is a daily-fee course with no membership requirement. The operator's own policy page states, "Starting times may be reserved up to 14 days in advance," and adds that golf groups of 16 or more players wanting to book further ahead should contact the pro shop directly to arrange tee times; cancellations require a minimum of 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged. Spirit Hollow closes for a winter season: its hours page distinguishes "While the golf course is open" from "Once the course closes for the season," when Lambo's and the Shankopotamus Golf Academy move to reduced hours. The operator does not publish an opening or closing date for the season. As of this writing, tee times are bookable and the 2026 Tournament Series lists events scheduled through October 10.

Rick Jacobson designed Spirit Hollow. Founder Randy Winegard's own account of hiring him: "Rick Jacobson got the job because he was the only one bold enough to tell me my design was bad." Winegard acquired the property in 1991. From the Gold tees the course plays 7,550 yards at a 74.8 rating and 134 slope; the Black tees play 6,580 yards, the White tees 6,010, and the Rust tees 5,053. Spirit Hollow has hosted Iowa Golf Association events including the Iowa Amateur (2002 and 2012), the Senior Amateur (2009), Match Play (2005 and 2009), the Mid-Amateur (2015), the State Four-Ball (2016), the IWGA Women's Amateur (2018) and the Golfweek Conference Challenge (2011-2016). Golf Digest's own ranking history for the course reads: "Ranked second, 2015-'16. Ranked fifth, 2013-'14. Ranked sixth, 2011-'12. Ranked seventh, 2017-'18, 2025-'26. Ranked eighth, 2019-'24." And separately: "Previous ranking: 8th. 2025-'26 ranking: 7th." The club's own site repeats the second-place figure without a date -- "a course now ranked #2 Best in Iowa by Golf Digest and Golf World" -- presenting a 2015-'16 result as though it were current. Golf Digest's current placement for Spirit Hollow is seventh.

Spirit Hollow's own rates page, headed "2026 GOLF RATES," states: "All 2026 golf rates are exclusive of sales tax and subject to change." Monday through Thursday: All Day Play $125, Single Round (59 and younger) $100, Senior (60+) $75, Junior (17 and under, after 12pm) $45, 9 Hole (after 12pm) $50. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays: All Day Play $135, Single Round $110, Senior (60+) $110, Junior $50, 9 Hole $60. All rounds include use of a cart and the driving range. A 2026 Season Pass costs $2,100 before February 15, 2026, and $2,400 after.

The Lodge at Spirit Hollow, on site at 5592 Clubhouse Dr, has 8 guest rooms with, in the property's own words, "spectacular views of the golf course." Guests must be at least 21 years old and provide a valid photo ID to reserve a room. Lambo's, also on site, is not a dining option: the operator states that it offers bar service only, with no food service. It operates Sunday through Tuesday, sunrise to sunset, and Wednesday through Saturday, closing at 9pm; the operator's two pages disagree on the weekday opening time, so none is stated here.

Flint Hills Municipal Golf Course, at 12842 102nd Ave, Burlington, IA 52601, is also in Des Moines County and is city-owned, with its contact address on the burlingtoniowa.org domain. The operator's own description: "Flint Hills Municipal Golf Course is one the finest municipal courses in Iowa. The par 71, 6,246 yard course has watered fairways and varied topography throughout the entire course." Its own site adds: "Flint Hills is located just north of Burlington." Its rates page ties a $25 season-pass gift card to purchases made by 2/28/26; on the same page: Weekday Special 18 holes with cart $38.00, Senior Weekday Special $35.00, Juniors (17 and under) 18 holes every day $14.00, 9-hole weekday special $25.00, Weekend adults 18 holes $25.00 ($40.00 with cart), Weekend seniors (62+) 18 holes $22.00 ($38.00 with cart), Weekend 9 holes $17.00 ($25.00 with cart). No resident/non-resident tier is stated.