
Bent Tree Course
Bent Tree Golf Club

About this course
Bent Tree Golf Club sits in Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha, Nebraska. Designed by Jeff Brauer and opened in the mid-1990s, the course represents the work of an architect known for practical, playable designs across the American Midwest and Southwest. Brauer, who studied under Pete Dye and Joe Lee, typically emphasizes strategic variety and sustainable maintenance practices in his layouts. The course occupies rolling terrain characteristic of the Loess Hills region, where wind-deposited soils create distinctive undulating landforms. This topography allows for natural elevation changes and varied hole corridors, with several holes playing along ridgelines or through valleys. The routing takes advantage of these contours to create visual interest and strategic options, particularly in approach play where green complexes are often set into slopes or elevated above fairway level. Bent Tree serves as a daily-fee facility accessible to the broader Council Bluffs and Omaha metropolitan area. The course provides a straightforward test of golf without excessive length or severe hazards, reflecting Brauer's design philosophy of accommodating a range of skill levels while maintaining strategic interest for better players. Mature tree plantings and native grasses frame many holes, and water features come into play on several holes, typical of prairie-style courses in the region.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in IA
Quick facts
- Location
- Council Bluffs, IA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 2000
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Jeff Brauer
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,022 yards
- Difficulty
- 74.4/130
- Course Vaults score
- 7.8
Getting there
Bent Tree Golf Club sits in the rolling terrain just south of Council Bluffs, most easily reached via Eppley Airfield (OMA), Omaha's primary commercial gateway located roughly forty minutes to the north across the Missouri River. The drive south from Omaha carries you through the gentle agricultural landscape of southwestern Iowa, where the terrain gradually shifts from flat prairie into the subtle bluffs and creek valleys that define this corner of the state. As you approach Council Bluffs proper and then venture into the countryside beyond, the manicured fairways and tree-lined corridors of Bent Tree emerge from the native Midwestern terrain - a refined sanctuary carved thoughtfully into the region's natural topography.

FAQ
Common questions about Bent Tree
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Bent Tree has a Course Vaults score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 43 logged golfers.
Bent Tree was designed by Jeff Brauer.
Yes. Bent Tree is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Bent Tree is 72.
Bent Tree plays 7,022 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Bent Tree is 130.





