The best private courses in Iowa
Course Vaults is a golf course logging app where members have logged 1,498 rounds in Iowa and rate what they played. These are the 12 highest-rated private clubs across Iowa, ranked by those community scores.
The Harvester Golf Club
Rhodes, IA, USAPrivateKeith Foster
- 5.0Conditions
- 4.9Layout
- 4.4Scenery
- 4.7Facilities
The conditions are unbelievable. The fairways and tee boxes are in pristine shape. The greens not only are so fast but they roll true. The pin positions can be a little dicey and you need to make sure to miss on the proper side of the green.
Written by
@Zheinold105
- Pristine
- Fast greens
- Caddies
Davenport Country Club
Pleasant Valley, IA, USAPrivateHarry S. Colt & C. H. Alison
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.5Layout
- 4.0Scenery
- 4.3Facilities
- Driving range
- Must play
- Views
South
Des Moines Golf & Country Club
West Des Moines, IA, USAPrivatePete Dye
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.4Layout
- 3.6Scenery
- 4.3Facilities
- Driving range
- Must play
- Pristine
Cedar Rapids Country Club
Cedar Rapids, IA, USAPrivateDonald Ross & Ron Prichard
- 5.0Conditions
- 5.0Layout
- 4.7Scenery
- 4.2Facilities
I truly did love this course. Greens, fairways, and bunkers all in incredible shape. So hard to pick a favorite hole as it was great hole after great hole. But I would have to say 1, 8, 9, 10, and 18 were my favorites with number 5 and 14 up there as well.
Written by
@Zheinold105
- Must play
- Pristine
- Hidden gem
Talons of Tuscany Golf Club
Ankeny, IA, USAPrivate
- 4.0Conditions
- 3.5Layout
- 3.5Scenery
- 3.8Facilities
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Wakonda Club
Des Moines, IA, USAPrivateWilliam Langford
- 4.5Conditions
- 5.0Layout
- 3.5Scenery
- 3.9Facilities
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Must play
North
Des Moines Golf & Country Club
West Des Moines, IA, USAPrivatePete Dye
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.5Layout
- 4.0Scenery
- 4.5Facilities
- Driving range
- Must play
- Pristine
Elmwood Country Club
Marshalltown, IA, USAPrivateTom Bendelow
- 4.5Conditions
- 5.0Layout
- 4.0Scenery
- 4.3Facilities
This was the 2nd time I played Elmwood. The first time I was a little underwhelmed and thought the course was too quirky and a little strange. The 2nd time through I was able to pay attention to all the nuances and the finer things of the golf course.
Written by
@Zheinold105
- Fast greens
- Pristine
- Hidden gem
Glen Oaks Country Club
West Des Moines, IA, USAPrivateTom Fazio
- Driving range
- Pristine
- Fast greens
Briarwood Golf Course
Ankeny, IA, USAPrivateGordon Cunningham
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Ankeny Golf & Country Club
Ankeny, IA, USAPrivateLeo Johnson
- 4.5Conditions
- NRLayout
- NRScenery
- NRFacilities
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Lakeshore
Council Bluffs Country Club
Council Bluffs, IA, USAPrivate
- 2.5Conditions
- 1.0Layout
- 2.0Scenery
- 2.3Facilities
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Explore more Iowa rankings
How we rank
Course Vaults ranks private golf courses by Course Vaults Score (CV score), a community rating from golfers who have played and rated each course. Only open courses with at least 5 explicit ratings qualify, and this list is limited to private courses (not guest-friendly). State pages include private golf courses across Iowa. Rankings refresh about hourly as new ratings come in; each page shows when it was last generated.
FAQ
Common questions about private course rankings in Iowa.
The top private golf courses in Iowa on Course Vaults are led by The Harvester Golf Club with a Course Vaults score of 9.3. This page ranks 12 courses, including The Harvester Golf Club, Davenport Country Club, Des Moines Golf & Country Club.
Course Vaults ranks private golf courses by Course Vaults Score (CV score), a community rating from golfers who have played and rated each course. Only open courses with at least 5 explicit ratings qualify, and this list is limited to private courses (not guest-friendly). State pages include private golf courses across Iowa. Rankings refresh about hourly as new ratings come in; each page shows when it was last generated.
Yes. The Iowa list ranks private golf courses across the state that meet Course Vaults eligibility (open, private courses (not guest-friendly), and at least 5 explicit ratings).
The Harvester Golf Club is currently #1 among private courses in Iowa on Course Vaults at 9.3 out of 10.
This ranking was last refreshed Nov 12, 2026, 3:37 AM EST. The page revalidates about every hour as golfers add new explicit ratings that meet the 5-rating minimum.
