Vale at Echo Valley Country Club

Echo Valley Country Club sits in Norwalk, a southern suburb of Des Moines, where Larry Packard designed the course to work with the rolling terrain characteristic of south-central Iowa. Packard, a prolific Midwestern architect active from the 1960s through the 1990s, built numerous courses across Iowa and neighboring states, typically emphasizing playability for a range of skill levels while incorporating natural land movement into his routings. The property features elevation changes and wooded corridors that frame holes and define playing corridors through what was once agricultural land.

The layout reflects Packard's straightforward design approach, with holes that follow the contours of the land rather than impose dramatic artificial shaping. Greens are typically moderately sized and protected by bunkers positioned to challenge approach shots, while fairways offer reasonable width to accommodate the membership. The course serves a traditional country club community in the Des Moines metro area, providing a familiar setting for member golf, social events, and local competitive play.

Echo Valley functions as a neighborhood club where families and recreational golfers make up the core membership. The facility includes the standard amenities expected of a Midwestern country club from this era—clubhouse dining, practice areas, and a calendar of member tournaments and social gatherings that anchor the club's role in the Norwalk community.