Bear Slide Golf Club near Indianapolis

Bear Slide Golf Club, located 30-minutes north of Indianapolis in Cicero, Ind., has gathered numerous accolades since opening 15 years ago. Golf Digest has awarded the Dean Refram layout 4.5 stars. It has been ranked among the top 75 affordable golf courses in the nation, and the readers of Great Lakes Golf Magazine voted it the best course in the state in 2005.

At 6,998 yards, par 71, from the tips, Bear Slide can be a, well, a real bear. Even from the 6,571-yard blue tees, it is still a stern test. The 5,966-yard measurement from the whites, however, might be a bit short for some macho types to stomach, leaving them to try their luck from the blues, as well as try the patience of groups behind them.

Bear Slide is all about dense trees, heaving fairways, and club selection. In fact, the two closing holes - the 376-yard 17th and the 449-yard 18th - challenge players with the two toughest tee shots on the entire course. Even if you have a good score going through 16, you can walk away feeling mauled.

Nevertheless, among Bear Slide devotees, this is considered the premier public layout in Indianapolis - a city with a wealth of excellent, accessible golf courses.