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.

1st hole at Bear Slide GC

The first hole at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana features two groupings of pot bunkers behind the green in the shapes of bear paws.

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Bear Slide GC: 3rd hole

The 426-yard 3rd hole at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 4th hole

The 4th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana is only 166 yards, but it's got all sorts of danger both right and left of the green.

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Bear Slide GC: 5th hole

The 494-yard 5th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana is a brutal, bearish par 4.

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Bear Slide GC: 6th hole

The 186-yard 6th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 7th hole

The 469-yard 7th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana is another monster of a par 4.

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Bear Slide GC: 8th hole

The 533-yard par-5 8th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 9th hole

The 429-yard 9th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana is the number-one handicap hole.

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Bear Slide GC: 5th green

Behind the green on Bear Slide Golf Club's ninth hole.

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Bear Slide GC: 10th hole

The fairway on Bear Slide's 446-yard 10th is vexingly short on level lies.

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Approach to Bear Slide's 10th hole

The approach on Bear Slide's 10th hole must clear the namesake Bear Slide Creek.

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Bear Slide GC: 11th hole

The 344-yard 11th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 11th hole

The 583-yard 12th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 12th green

You do not want to be long on Bear Slide's par-5 12th hole.

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Bear Slide GC: 13th hole

The 448-yard 13th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 15th hole

The 337-yard 15th at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana.

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Bear Slide GC: 16th hole

The 188-yard 16th at Bear Slide looks like an easy target, but the Bear Slide Creek will grab you if you come up a little short.

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Bear Slide GC: 17th hole

The only angle from which the 376-yard 17th hold at Bear Slide looks easy is from behind the green.

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Bear Slide GC: 18th tee

The tee shot on the 449-yard 18th at Bear Slide is the tightest on the entire golf course.

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Bear Slide GC: 18th green

The 18th green at Bear Slide Golf Club in Cicero, Indiana is tucked into a hillside and fronted by that damnable ever-present creek.

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