Getting To Know: The Preserve on Rathbun Lake

An Insightful Interview With Darin Fisher, PGA Director of Golf

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Darin Fisher who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
The Preserve on Rathbun Lake, located within the rolling landscapes of Honey Creek Resort State Park, is the DNR's newest and only resort and golf destination. Nestled on 850 acres bordering Rathbun Lake in South-central Iowa - just 90 scenic minutes south of Des Moines - this perfect union of golf resort and recreation will showcase Iowa's commitment to preserving its natural resources as well as it's passion for the game of golf. We guarantee you'll love this pristine and quiet setting. Opened for play in the fall of 2008, our facility is sure to treat each golfing patron to a unique and memorable experience. The layout will be favorable and enjoyable for players of all ages and skill levels, making The Preserve a perfect fit for you and your guests. At The Preserve our motto is "the customer comes first and details matter". We are committed to providing our guests with a unique experience where hospitality and trust are the cornerstones of business. We sincerely thank you for your time and look forward to the opportunity to host your event.

The Preserve on Rathbun Lake - Golf and Recreation Amenities

Championship Golf Course, playable for all ages and skill levels
Open 7 Days a week - 12 months a year (weather permitting)
On Site PGA Professionals specializing in tournamnts, family reunions, and special events
Courteous and professional staff eager to help you with your event
2013 Club Car golf carts equipped with Visage GPS technology
The extravagant Honey Creek Resort State Park Lodge
(www.honeycreekresort.com)
Rathbun Lakeshore Grille - specializing in American cuisine
6,500 square foot Buccaneer Bay indoor water park
50-slip Marina with boat, jet ski, pontoon, & aquatic equip. rental
Award winning PGA professionals staff
Individual and Family season passes with membership-like amenities

Coming in 2013...
2013 USGA Junior Am. Qualifier - June 20th
2013 IPGA Match Play Championship May 20-21
4th Annual Preserve Pro AM - June 14th

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
Ranked #3 in Iowa for best public courses, The Preserve is Southern Iowa's only course on the list. Not only will the proxiity to the metro suprise you, our friendly staff and amazing views await you. A golf course in excellent shape, full practice facility, and on-site PGA professionals are just a few of the reasons The Preserve should be first on your list.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
The Preserve is a links style design. Accuracy and patience are key factors in enjoying the day. Tall grass and native prairie grasses line our generous fairways so driver may not always be the right play. 5 sets of tees on every hole allow for all skill levels to enjoy the facility.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
Awards:
2009 #10 Best New Public Courses - Golf Digest
2009 #6 Best New Public Course - Links Magazine
2009 Runner Up - Development of the Year - Golf Inc.
2009 Hon. Mention - Best New Public Golf Courses - Golf Magazine
2010 Iowa Section PGA Merchandiser of the Year - Resort Courses
2012 Iowa Section PGA Merchandiser of the Year - Resort Courses
2012 #3 Iowa - Best Public Golf Courses - Golf.com

I am also extremely proud of our growth over the past 4 years

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
Our 5th hole, a scenic par 5 is our most often referred to hole. Only 500 yard in length, the tee shot demands both distance and accuracy down hill over a small portion of Hamm Creek to a small landing area. Once you navigate this shot, the remainder of the hole is straight up hill to a two-tiered green. Missing the green on either side will require a shot with touch from a potentially uneven lie. Par is a good score here.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
My favorite is #16. This long Par 4 showcases 2 distinctly separate lines of play. The left (or upper) fairway plays somewhat longer but leaves a visible approach to the green. The right (lower) fairway, while risky, offers a slightly shorter yet blind shot to the green. Chose enough club on your 2nd to avoid the bunker directly in front of the green. Pay special attention to the hole location so par stays in the plans. A back pin will add at least one club to your 2nd shot to a relatively flat green.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
We are very well known for our burgers at The Preserve. Be sure not to miss out on a chance to put your hands on one before you head home.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
We have 5 different course record holders from each of our respective teeing areas. They are as follows:

Black Tees - 62 - Andy Peterson
Green Tees - 63 - Darin Fisher
White Tees - 64 - Justin Zaputil
Yellow tees - 73 - Rollo Fisher
Red Tees - 69 - Anna Cullinan

Clearly all amazing rounds, something they should be very proud of!

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 6988
Slope: 129
Rating: 73.2

More Information
The Preserve on Rathbun Lake
12633 Resort Drive
Moravia, IA, 52571
641-724-1400
www.honeycreekresort.com

Revised: 02/11/2013 - Article Viewed 35,741 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.