Toad Valley Public Golf Course

Toad Valley Public Golf Course sits in the rolling farmland east of Des Moines near the small community of Runnells. The course was originally designed by Harold McCollum and later redesigned by Tom Brady, reflecting the evolution common to many Midwestern public facilities that have adapted over decades to serve their regional golfing communities. The layout takes advantage of the natural terrain characteristic of central Iowa, where modest elevation changes and open prairie landscapes shape the playing experience. The course occupies land that transitions between agricultural fields and wooded creek corridors, a typical setting for Iowa golf courses built on former farmland. This topography creates variety in the routing, with some holes playing across open ground and others framed by mature trees along drainage corridors. The design incorporates the practical considerations of public golf in the region—playability for a wide range of abilities while maintaining enough challenge to engage regular players. Toad Valley serves the eastern Des Moines metro area as an accessible daily-fee option, drawing golfers from surrounding communities who seek straightforward golf without the formality or cost of private club play. The facility reflects the character of Iowa's public golf landscape, where courses often function as community gathering places and provide affordable access to the game across generations of local families.