Golf Guide: Des Moines - IA

As one would expect of any capital city, Des Moines, Iowa grants visitors an array of cultural opportunities, a variety of entertainment options and umpteen dining choices.

The Des Moines Art Center houses a collection of prized works by renowned artists, including Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keefe. The State Historical Museum, the Salisbury House & Gardens and the Capitol Building will satisfy those visitors who possess an appreciation of the past, horticulture and architecture.
Adventureland and the Blank Park Zoo should bring smiles to the young at heart, and travelers who can't enjoy themselves at the Iowa State Fair, held each August, may want to consider becoming hermits.

Yet even humbugged recluses will likely enjoy themselves while playing Waveland Municipal Golf Course, one of the country's first 100 courses, according to the USGA. Built in 1894, this course delivers old-school toughness, employing elevation changes and well-protected greens as its primary defenses.

Woodland Hills Golf Course, built in 1928, features an excellent practice facility, so players can feel good about their games before they tee it up on this course, which features wide fairways. The Legacy Golf Club serves up a knee-knocking 137 slope from the tips, and Copper Creek Golf Club's fairways maneuver through mature oaks, and a round on this course will please the wallet, since golfers can walk it during the week for $26.