Public Play · Northwest Indiana
Sandy Pines Golf ClubDeMotte
A Northwest Indiana public course among mature white pines on sandy ground in DeMotte.
Par
72
Yardage
6,801
Rating · Slope
73.4 · 136
Holes
18
Green Fee
$80–$100
The Course
About Sandy Pines Golf Club
About 90 minutes from O'Hare, per Golf Chicago Magazine, Sandy Pines in DeMotte, Indiana, is a public course with on-site cottages that make it workable as an overnight. The owners compare its mature white pines, sandy ground and elevation changes to the Carolinas, and the club cites Pine Barrens-type topography. From its back tees, the I Black set, it plays 6,801 yards, par 72. Soft spikes only, and men need collared or sleeved shirts.
History
Sandy Pines Golf Club — History
William J. Spear's course opened in 1973. After Greg Hamstra and Mitch Van Kley bought it, Tim Nugent led a major overhaul in 2004 that added ponds and bunkers along with bentgrass tees and fairways, per Golf Chicago Magazine. The owners also bought a 40-acre former landfill across the road to improve the 2nd hole; that ground is now among the highest points in Jasper County.
Design
Sandy Pines Golf Club — Design
Van Kley told Golf Chicago Magazine that a ridge runs the length of the course, its sand white-tinted from when Lake Michigan's shoreline reached this far. Hamstra describes a layout that flows tightly from tee to green, balancing challenging holes with scoring holes. The magazine found the par 4s gettable and the long par 3s and par 5s the real test, and the owners decline to name a signature hole.
What Sets It Apart
Why Play Sandy Pines Golf Club
Mature white pines and a sandy ridge left by an ancient Lake Michigan shoreline set the scene, against a card with four par 5s of 549 yards or more and par 3s up to 249 yards.
The Round
The Journey at Sandy Pines Golf Club
I.
The Opening
After a gentle 361-yard 1st comes the 552-yard 2nd, which Golf Chicago Magazine's reviewer called a favorite: an uphill drive over a strip of bunkers to high ground, a fairway that falls away left, and an approach over a pond and three bunkers, with two more bunkers long. The 189-yard 3rd, 333-yard 4th and 367-yard 5th lead to the 340-yard 6th, where a Y-shaped creek runs down the right and then splits the fairway.
II.
The Middle
Trees frame the tee of the 605-yard 7th, whose fairway widens, then pinches with sand and water on the right; the hole has two green complexes, both bunkered. The 249-yard 8th is the longest par 3, where short is safe, long is dead and pot bunkers sit left and right. The 407-yard 9th closes the front. The 554-yard 11th, the No. 1 handicap, sits between the 353-yard 10th and 358-yard 12th.
III.
The Finish
The shortest hole, the 160-yard 13th, opens the closing stretch. After the 372-yard 14th and the 549-yard 15th, the last par 5, the 424-yard 16th is the longest par 4 and the No. 3 handicap. The 205-yard 17th plays across a pond that drifts right, its thin sand rim growing into a large bunker in front of the green; the magazine's advice is to bail left. The 423-yard 18th finishes.
How to Play It
Sandy Pines Golf Club — Playing Strategy
Beginner / High Handicap
Pick a forward set; the magazine lists combo and numbered tees from 6,539 yards down to 4,914. On the 8th, short of the green is the safe miss, and on the 17th favor the left side, away from the pond. On the 6th, leave the driver in the bag, as the creek follows the whole hole.
Intermediate / Mid Handicap
Golf Chicago Magazine's reviewer found the par 4s gettable yet lost most of his shots on them by taking the wrong line off the tee, so commit to a line on each. At the 2nd, play the angle into the green rather than the shortest route, and on the 7th remember that the second shot, not the drive, is where the hole bites.
Advanced / Low Handicap
From 6,801 yards (73.4/136), two par 3s over 200 yards and four par 5s from 549 to 605 test long irons and woods more than wedges. The 6th is the short par 4 where the magazine saw anything from birdie to double bogey; driver brings the forked creek into play. The 16th and 18th, both over 420 yards, close the round.
Signature Holes
Sandy Pines Golf Club — Signature Holes
The Card
Sandy Pines Golf Club Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Yards | 361 | 552 | 189 | 333 | 367 | 340 | 605 | 249 | 407 | 3,403 | 353 | 554 | 358 | 160 | 372 | 549 | 424 | 205 | 423 | 3,398 | 6,801 |
| Handicap | 16 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 8 | — | 13 | 1 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 5 | — | — |
Good to Know
Sandy Pines Golf Club — questions answered
- How do I book a tee time at Sandy Pines Golf Club?
- Find and book live tee times at Sandy Pines Golf Club through GolfNow — Golf in CHI links straight to its tee sheet on this listing.
- How much does it cost to play Sandy Pines Golf Club?
- Green fees at Sandy Pines Golf Club are typically $80 to $100, varying by season, day of week and time. 18 holes with cart, open play to 1 p.m.: $80 Mon-Thu, $100 Fri-Sun and holidays.
- Who designed Sandy Pines Golf Club?
- Sandy Pines Golf Club was designed by William J. Spear; overhauled by Tim Nugent and opened in 1973.
- What is the par and yardage at Sandy Pines Golf Club?
- Sandy Pines Golf Club plays to a par of 72 over 6,801 yards from the championship tees, with a course rating of 73.4 and a slope of 136.
- Is Sandy Pines Golf Club public or private?
- Sandy Pines Golf Club is open to public play. Tee times can be reserved in advance.
- Where is Sandy Pines Golf Club located?
- Sandy Pines Golf Club is located at 10527 Bunker Drive, DeMotte, IN 46310, in the Northwest Indiana area of Chicagoland.
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Dick Nugent · Crown Point
White Hawk Country Club
Dick Nugent's 1998 course at a 36-hole Crown Point club, open to public play.
Larry Packard · Schererville
Briar Ridge Country Club
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