American golfers love The Open Championship for a variety of reasons - the historic venues in The Open rotation, different style of play from traditional United States golf, and high quality golf on television from the moment we rise in the morning. On the outskirts of Wichita resides Terradyne Country Club, a Scottish links style golf course with tall wispy grass, iconic landmarks including its sprawling clubhouse, and the best sunrises and sunsets in the area. Terradyne was designed by Donald Sechrest and built in 1985.
The first of Terradyne's notable landmarks is the three-story red brick clubhouse. It houses multiple dining areas and a variety of businesses on the second and third floors. When finishing on #18 at sunset, the glow of the clubhouse in the distance feels like the only building around. Second, between the 4th and 16th tees is a lighthouse. It's visible from nearly everywhere north of the clubhouse and provides a beautiful scene with dew glistening on tall grass all around in the mornings. Last, but not least, is an old windmill between #11 fairway and #17 tee. It's a reminder that you're in the Flint Hills in case your mind has drifted to Northern Europe.
Landmarks and allure of links golf aside, Terradyne offers a great round of golf. Golfers tee off on the par 3, 1st hole, into a narrow, but long green. Next, #2 is a par 5 with a blind second shot and green protected by water. #3 is a long par 3 surrounded by bunkers with a large, undulated green. #4 kicks off a string of shorter, but not easy, par 4s. #4 has deep-faced fairway bunkers, #5 is a dogleg right with a multi-shelf green, and #6 is a dogleg right par 4, down the hill towards the clubhouse with a steep shelf from the front to the back of the green. Holes 7-9, originally 16-18, provide a difficult finish to the front nine with #7 and #8 playing back into the prevailing wind. #9 is a challenging yet potentially rewarding par 5 with trouble on both sides of the fairway and a spine that runs through the entire green. Each fairway is lined with tall grass, placing a hefty premium on accuracy.
To kick off the home stretch, #10 is a rolling dogleg right par 4 into a big double green shared with #17. For a cool view, take a walk to the top tee box on #11. The entire golf course north of the clubhouse is visible from that tee and particularly at Golden Hour, the tall grass glistens between the fairways and greens. #11 is a straightaway par 5 with a challenging green. #12 is a little par 3 with a pot bunker just in front of the wide, shallow green that can be particularly tricky on a breezy day. #13 is a par 4 with a blind dogleg right to the smallest green on the golf course. #14 and 15 turn back south towards the lighthouse. Both holes feature deep greens with opportunities for low, running links plays. #16 is a dogleg left par 4 into a narrow green. Normal pin placements on #16 can leave players with 6 foot putts that break 6 inches. #17, home of the windmill, is a short, but tight par 5. Accuracy is rewarded with a chance to reach the green in two or a short shot into the green. Last, #18 finishes just with the clubhouse in the background. A personal favorite experience is to catch the colors of a beautiful sunset closing a twilight nine on #17 and finishing on #18 with nothing but the glow from the clubhouse illuminating the pin.
Whether it's the Scottish-looking bunkers, burgundy tartan flags, or long, undulated putts, Terradyne feels like a perfect slice of European golf in the heart of the Flint Hills.
