
Willow Lakes Course
Willow Lakes Golf Course



About this course
Willow Lakes Golf Course sits in Bellevue, a suburb immediately south of Omaha along the Missouri River valley. The course bears the Robert Trent Jones Sr. name, associating it with the architect whose career spanned much of the twentieth century and whose designs emphasized strategic bunkering, large greens, and water hazards as central features. The Jones design philosophy typically called for courses that tested accomplished players while remaining playable for higher handicappers through multiple tee positions. The routing at Willow Lakes reflects its name, incorporating water features that come into play on several holes and shape strategic decisions from tee to green. The terrain in this part of eastern Nebraska tends toward gentle rolls rather than dramatic elevation change, and courses here often work with mature tree corridors and open fairway corridors. Jones designs from this era frequently featured bold, sculptural bunkering and greens with distinct internal contours that reward precise approach shots. Bellevue itself is one of Nebraska's older communities and sits within the Omaha metropolitan area, giving the course access to a regional population base. The course serves as a public facility, making Jones design principles available to a broad range of golfers in the area. While not a tournament venue of national prominence, Willow Lakes represents the kind of mid-century American public golf that brought name architects to communities across the country during the post-war expansion of the game.
Quick facts
- Location
- Bellevue, NE, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1963
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones Sr.
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,850 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.5/134
- Course Vaults score
- 5.1
Getting there
The journey to Willow Lakes Golf Course begins at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, a quick fifteen-minute drive north along the western edge of the metro area. The route traces the broad Missouri River valley before turning into the rolling suburban landscape of Bellevue, Nebraska's third-largest city and home to Offutt Air Force Base. As Highway 75 gives way to local roads, the transition is subtle but deliberate - urban sprawl softening into tree-lined residential streets until the course emerges along Willow Lakes Parkway, a municipal gem tucked quietly into the fabric of this historic river town.

FAQ
Common questions about Willow Lakes
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Willow Lakes has a Course Vaults score of 5.1 out of 10 based on 13 logged golfers.
Willow Lakes was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr..
Yes. Willow Lakes is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Willow Lakes is 72.
Willow Lakes plays 6,850 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Willow Lakes is 134.



