The Preserve on Rathbun Lake Golf Course

Golf Course Overview: The Preserve on Rathbun Lake Golf Course

Insights From An Insider With Darin L. Fisher, PGA Director of Golf/Head Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Local and traveling golfers love to research courses before playing them, whether it is to gain some local knowledge or to set an expectation before their upcoming round. Below is an interview with Darin L. Fisher who shares some valuable insight about the property, its most talked about holes and the signature dish/drink to consume at the 19th hole.

Provide a brief description of the golf course/property, the terrain and best times of the year to play.
Beautiful setting, outstanding golf course, incredible price for the caliber of golf course you'll experience!

The Preserve is consistently rated in the top 5 in most reputable publications for Iowa's best public golf courses.

Links style layout with 5 sets of tees is enjoyable for all ages and skill levels. Bent grass tees, fairways, and greens with GPS enabled golf carts. Audubon Certified Sanctuary Golf course

Any tips on playing and reading the greens?
The golf course can play from 5,200 - 7,000 yards and bunkers are well positioned to catch errant tee balls so choose the right tee markers for your skill level. The fairways are generous however most are lined with prairie grass so driver may not always be the prudent play. Greens are receptive and quick with subtle breaks. Our local knowledge says "When in doubt under-read the break and play it firm". Five par 3's all using different clubs will test your mid to short iron game! The views are great - don't forget to take them in!

Starting on hole #1, are there any tips to get your round off on the right foot?
With back to back par 5's to start you can really get your round going OR you can dig yourself a big hole. Use the terrain with a sligt draw on #1 to get some extra roll and a shot at the green in two. A second shot missed short and right will still give you a chance at 4. A well positioned drive off #2 will have an iron in hand for your second and a shot at the "big bird". Take note of where the pin is located and make sure your miss doesn't leave you short sided if you want a chance at birdie.

What is your favorite par 5, and how would you recommend playing it?
Par 5 - #5 is our signature hole and a relatively easy par 5 if played with patience. At only 505 and a steep downhill tee shot driver is an option but the fairway narrows significantly at that distance. I feel a fairway wood or hybrid will easily cross the penalty area and leave you with a hybrid up the hill to an accessible green. The 2nd shot plays uphill 12 yards and noting where the pin is will dictate what side of the green to favor on your 2nd. A great shot gives you a great chance at eagle, the proper miss still leaves the potential for birdie!

What is your favorite par 3, and how would you recommend playing it?
#13 - Par 3 - (214 Black tees) A very picturesque backdrop, the hole plays about 7-8 yards downhill (from all tees) to a very wide green complex. Any S, SW, or W winds are often blocked by the woods behind the green so choosing the right club to navigate both elements is essential and making sure you successfully clear the hazard that guards the front of the green.

In your opinion, what is the hardest hole and do you have any tips on playing it?
#16 - Par 4 - 476 (Black Tees) Our longest par 4 often played into a SW wind making the hole feel even longer. With a split fairway at 280 off the tee you have options.. GO right and have a much shorter 2nd that will be a blind shot up a small rise OR GO left and have a longer 2nd shot but a clear view at the pin. 4, 5, & 6 irons are often pulled for the 2nd shot into this green that is well guarded by bunkers short and right. I would stay to the left off the tee and your 2nd (or 3rd) will have unimpeded access to the front of the green.

As a golfer plays the final three holes, is there a chance for salvation? (any tips on closing out the round?)
#16 (Par 4) and #17 (par 3) are strong holes so par is a good score on both. #18 has potential for a birdie with a well placed tee ball. This 535 yard par 5 is reachable in 2 for the longer hitters and has a split fairway from 150 in for those laying up for a strategic 3rd shot. Pay close attention to the hole location so your layup is on the correct side of the fairway. The front and right sides of the green are guarded by deep bunkers that make an up and down difficult. Some false edges back right and back left will catch a shot that is too long and add some stress to your pitch.

Contact Course
The Preserve on Rathbun Lake Golf Course
12633 Resort Drive
Moravia, Iowa, 52571
641-724-1400

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Revised: 03/03/2021 - Article Viewed 16,001 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.