Congratulations to the Kentucky State Parks system with their opening July 1, 2003 of the Dale Hollow Lake Golf Course. Starting with an overnight stay at the lodge, just minutes from the golf, Rosemary and I had no idea what we were getting into. The lodge itself is actually perched on a cliff, 300 feet above the 28,000 acre Corps of Engineers' man-made lake, offering a majestic view of Trooper Island that is bisected by the Kentucky and Tennessee state lines. There are sightseeing tour boats that showcase the island and surrounding areas.

author Dave Johnson     

The Lodge offers a new, state of the art, conference center adjoining the main lodge. During the second night of our stay, what impressed us the most was the ability of the very friendly staff and employees to accommodate a huge wedding reception, a large class reunion, as well as a family reunion, while maintaining and providing excellent food and service to its lodge patrons without skipping a beat. In the lodge restaurant you can enjoy great Kentucky cooking from the buffet or entrees from the menu.

After about a five-minute jaunt from the lodge, we arrived at the golf course. Ted Beckmann, Head Golf Professional, greeted us, and with a very wry smile, reminded me to critique to him our impression of the course. (Hmmm, what did he know that we didn't.) In the clubhouse, Shirley was so nice and didn't hesitate to answer any and all of our questions.

Before preparing to tee off, the familiar sound of helicopter blades caught our attention. Two helicopters landed right next to the parking lot and the pilots maintained the integrity of the choppers for the next several hours, while the owners paid and proceeded to the first hole.

It was no big deal to Shirley. She was used to this type of activity. But, I looked at Rosemary and she looked at me, and we just burst out laughing. We learned this group has flown in to play Dale Hollow about once a week since it opened.

Once on the course, I want you to read my lips, "there are no weak sisters out there". Just as a crescendo, going from tee to shining tee, the only relief I had was finishing the previous hole. What a great, great golf course!

Seeing is believing, but an example of Dale Hollow can be summed up by the third hole: a 269 elevated par 3, where the landing area can‘t be seen. There is trouble on both sides and the backside, with a trap greenside left, which is more of a blessing than a curse. If you ever prayed to the golfing gods for a straight shot, this is the time.

The fairways are zoysia with bent greens and more sand traps than the Sahara desert. Measuring from the tips at 7300 yards, one sand trap actually covers three-fourths of an acre. The natural environment and hilly terrain frames the course in a magnificent setting. No one that we met on the course could believe that it had only been open a couple of months.

Backtracking slightly, the first hole definitely gets the adrenaline going. As I prepared to tee off, I noticed a guy to my immediate right with a pair of binoculars looking up into the trees. He was unaware that I was ready to "start my engine".

Being curious, I asked, and he replied that he was studying a small yellowish bird that was migratory whose final destination was South America. Suddenly my initial tee shot didn't seem as earthshaking.

If you get a chance, this is a great area to bring your family, business group, or bachelorette party. The wildlife is abundant, the deer are docile, and the lodge and golf course are second to none. In making your plans, you will want to note that Dale Hollow is in the Central Time Zone.

Although I pride myself on being from Kentucky, I definitely was in "hog" heaven.