
Par-3 Course
Jester Park Golf Club

About this course
Jester Park Golf Club's Par-3 course is located within Jester Park, a Polk County recreation area northwest of Des Moines near Granger, Iowa. The facility sits along the shores of Saylorville Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Des Moines River. Dick Phelps, a regional golf course architect active in Iowa and the upper Midwest during the latter half of the twentieth century, designed the layout. The course serves as an accessible introduction to the game and a practice venue for experienced players working on their short game. The routing takes advantage of the park's wooded, rolling terrain characteristic of central Iowa's glacial landscape. Holes play through mature hardwood stands and across modest elevation changes, with several offering views toward the lake. The design emphasizes variety in distance and shot requirements, with holes ranging from short pitch shots to longer iron approaches that test club selection and trajectory control. Natural features and strategic bunkering provide challenge appropriate to the format. Jester Park Golf Club functions as a public facility within the broader park system, which includes camping, trails, and other recreational amenities. The Par-3 course complements the property's regulation eighteen-hole layout, offering a quicker playing option for families, beginners, and golfers seeking focused practice. The setting integrates golf into a multi-use outdoor recreation destination serving the greater Des Moines metropolitan area.
Quick facts
- Location
- Granger, IA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1971
- Designer
- Dick Phelps
- Holes
- 9
- Par
- 27
- Length
- 996 yards
- Difficulty
- 28.5/89
Getting there
The journey to Jester Park Golf Club begins at Cedar Rapids International Airport (CID), situated roughly thirty minutes to the northeast, or alternatively through Des Moines International (DSM), a drive of approximately forty-five minutes to the south. From either hub, the route transitions from Iowa's interstate corridors into the quieter rural landscape surrounding Granger, where rolling farmland and tree-lined county roads signal the approach to this intimate, members-only sanctuary. The final miles unfold through the gently undulating terrain of central Iowa, a landscape of genuine Midwestern character that frames arrival at Jester Park Golf Club with understated grace - a private refuge where the art of the short game meets the serene countryside.

FAQ
Common questions about Par-3 at Jester Park Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Par-3 was designed by Dick Phelps.
Yes. Par-3 at Jester Park Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Par-3 is 27.
Par-3 plays 996 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Par-3 is 89.
Par-3 is a 9-hole course.



