Guy Cook
Guy Cook
Overview
Located on a beautiful property cut with ravines and depressions in south Des Moines, Wakonda is a textbook example of what happens when golf courses age: they tend to get more narrow, overgrown, restricted by trees and grasslines, and lose the character that made them exemplary in their day. Wakonda was built by William Langford, a master of the Classical Era, but little of his architectural expression remains. A major renovation by Tyler Rae beginning in 2023, however, will reestablish his principles and style, namely large plateau greens, steepfaced bunkers cut into their bases and more spacious fairways that set up strategic driving lines off the tee. Wakonda is well-respected now, but the restorative work could push the course into the top two or three in Iowa.
About
Awards
100 Greatest: The course was part of Golf Digest's original 200 Toughest Courses list from 1966-'68.
Best in State: Ranked first, 1985-'95, 1999-2001. Ranked third, 2011-'14. Ranked fifth, 2015-'18, 2021-'22. Ranked inside the top 5, 1977-2010. Ranked sixth, 2019-'20, 2023-'24.
Current ranking: Sixth.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Great bunkering and use of elevation, needs a proper restoration"
Read More2018
Readers
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