MAJORKI COURSE
Road: originally the cart path along right side was a road that took a 90 degree turn just before where the pond is now. The road continued to a utility building adjacent to the pump house (oldest structure on the course). A rite of passage for young golfers hitting from the blue & white tees was to reach the road crossing the fairway (~230 yd) with their tee shot. Ask Mayor Dan Rickord his thoughts concerning the dangers of geese, based on his 2015 experience.
Crab Apple: Currently a small crab apple cluster remains on the right about 150 yards from the green. When the course was built, two large grass bunkers backed by a thick crab apple grove filled and guarded the right side of the fairway starting approximately 180 yards and extending to 215 yards from the tee. During a Busick Outing, George (Todd Gerke) knocked one in from under the tree (right side of fairway ~70 yards out) for Eagle –greatest shot of his life.
Legacy Deuce: This short par three plays to a green which has its lowest point front right, sloping up to the left and the back. This green was historically for the second hole. The original second hole tee box is where the #2 white tees are now. The intended second hole tee ball for the then dogleg right would be just past the crab apples, allowing a shot into the ‘face’ of the green. Tara Rickord and Craig Bultemeier were playing, different foursomes, in an 2000 Elks tourney. They both aced this hole that day.
Original Trey: When the course was created this was the third hole, a par four and the number one handicap. The original tee box was tucked way up behind where the current #3 bunker is now. Thus, the hole played 80 yards longer, frequently into a head wind out of the west.
Quattro: This short par three was the fourth hole in the original 1940s course design. After the tough previous hole, this was a breather before the challenging historic fifth, whose tee box used to be behind the pump house which is now the target in playing the Biggs-Kreigh first hole. Hard to imagine this green was relegated to being the course burn pile from the mid 70s until 2019. Back in ’63, H.S. Juniors Gary Schultz and AJ Kalver were on this hole when Gary topped his tee shot, rolling it down the fairway, through the bunker, across the green and into the hole for a “ONE.”
Boy Scout: When Luke Majorki redesigned the course in the 1950s, he created the new green for the number two hole, a tee box for the number three hole (now playing to the old second green), took the fourth hole out of play (i.e. current #5) and built a new tee box behind the Boy Scout building of Hanna Nuttman Park. Cutting a narrow path through the woods, over the creek, and still playing to the original #5 green the new fifth hole (now #6) became part of course history.
Gemini West: Holes 7 & 8 are near twin, 100 yd, side by side par threes. Play began on these two new holes in the Fall of 2019.
Gemini East: Holes 7 & 8 are near twin, 100 yd, side by side par threes. Play began on these two new holes in the Fall of 2019. There can only be one first, Cole Coshow (2020) recorded the first ace on this hole (blue tees).
Utopia Right: The Majorki finishing hole par five is straightaway, with woods guarding the left side the only trouble. The historic smart play has been to hedge your bet to the West, since golfers have pretty much all of Indiana to play from on that side. Paraphrasing the colorful wisdom of Coach Keith Blythe to his H.S. players, “You have the whole State of Indiana to the right! Never hit it left!”
BIGGS-KREIGH COURSE
Pump House: the small building, the oldest structure on the course, is a target for your tee shot. Just past the pump house, golfers can still see the stair step original tee boxes for the old fifth hole. Bill Stuckey’s playoff eagle here won the Fall Classic for his team in 2016, when this was the old #10 hole.
Bressler: Max Bressler was an avid golfer and perennial supporter of Cross Creek. He now keeps a sweeping, watchful, heavenly eye over the course, in a grander fashion to the back tee view of this hole across Holt House Creek & a pond, between the trees, to a large inviting green. A green as grand, giving and receptive as Max’s heart. Gary Sheets has five career holes-in-one, with only one at Cross Creek, but it was a doozy. He knocked in a $10,000 Hole-in-One here in 2003, during a Jim Daniels Memorial tourney.
Biggs Hitter: Many tee shots will end up 150 yards or so out looking down a significant slope to an inviting view of the green well below the golfer’s feet. However, the long or ‘big’ drivers will reach the bottom of the hill for a much easier shot to the green. Ralph Biggs was (now his son, Kevan, is) keenly involved in ownership of Cross Creek Golf Club. This hole in their memory.
High Tension: Making optimal use of the area, the designers of the Cross Creek Golf Course and Housing Subdivision, utilized the power company right of way for this hole. Simply follow the electric wires tee to green. No worries, hit a pole or power line, you have the option to replay the shot.
High Rise: Originally, this tee was used for old Hole 14 (par 4). However, the design of Biggs-Kreigh divided the previous 14th hole, with the addition of a new green and new tee station (Hole 11), into two challenging par threes. This challenging green is like trying to hit and stay on top of a tall crowned building.
Strategic: This is a classic ‘play smart golf’ hole. Both the second easiest and second shortest par 4 hole on the course requires, placement of a tee shot short of or to the left of the pond, which does not need to be in play, leaving a wedge to the green. Phil Summers is among those that have drove the green and carded an Eagle 2.
Precision: This middle distance par three requires an accurate lofted tee shot to hold on the narrow flat green guarded by water and a bunker in the front and a bunker and steep hill behind.
Onerous: The number one handicap is the longest par five on the course. The fairway is narrow with out of bounds close on the right, two ponds strategically guarding the left and numerous bunkers placed to collect errant shots. Combine this with the fact that the hole frequently plays into the prevailing wind and par can be a good score.
Final Out: The last hole of the first nine starts you back toward the clubhouse. Stay away from the left side pond. The frequent wind, hurting on Hole 8, will help you get home easier here. Grounds Supervisor Brandon Razo lives on this hole. You wondered why this green is so great?
Elementary: The easiest hole on the course is a quite short, wide open par four with nearly no trouble tee to green. The ponds along the left provide visual interest rather than presenting any hazard. A great chance to start the “in” nine right. Landon Shultz drove the green from the Championship tee during the 2021 Decatur City Tournament, almost netting an ace (lipped out), on his way to eagle and an overall fifth place finish in the Championship.
Island: Originally, this green was used for old Hole 14 (par 4). However, the design of Biggs-Kreigh divided the previous 14th hole, with the addition of a new green (Hole 5) and new 11th tee station, into two challenging par threes. Hitting downward to this mounded green has been likened to aiming at an island, especially when the water is up.
Flood Plain: Location, of the first (#2 handicap) of three par 5s on the “in” nine, rewards this hole a couple times of year with a deluge of extra water overflowing from the Holt House Creek of the St. Mary’s River. Mother Nature decides everyone needs to play from the Red Tees on special wet occasions. Hint: Keep your tee shot out of the woods, but left of the cart path or it may get swallowed up by the ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ rough to the right.
Washington: A nice par three along Washington Street across from Hanna Nuttman, the hole can play longer than the yardage, since the green is actually on a slope above the tees and the wind is frequently in your face.
Signature: The shortest par four on the course is an uphill dogleg left, guarded by woods and a creek along the left side. Golfers have the option of playing the hole as designed with an iron shot to the elbow and then a second iron shot up to the green or take out driver and try to cut the corner over the trees in hope of reaching the green in one. This hole truly represents what Cross Creek is about.
Double Eagle: The historic hole #6 was the first of two par fives on the old course. This was the easier of the two and the location of the first and multiple “double eagles” across the years. Course name sake Steve Kreigh made his own Double Eagle here in 1984!! Ask Joey Johnson how, after a penetrating drive, he was lying one behind Majorki #6 green?
Winged Traps: This par three was the 7th hole on the course in the 40s -70s. The green is now faced, but originally was flat with long, wide bunkers extending front to back on both sides. The current traps are much smaller, but the impression of the old ones can still be seen. Ardent golfer & Coach AJ Kalver has 9 career holes-in-one, 3 of them here. Not to be outdone, his fervent rival Kerm Summers too has 9 lifetime aces, 3 here and another 3 on Majorki #3.
Sissy Valley: About 195 yards from the tee, a ~30 yard wide grassy gulley crosses the fairway. In the late 1940s–70s, this was the original 8th hole on the course. Another rite of passage was for golfers to be able to put their tee ball across the ditch. A bit of hazing from your friends resulted, if you did not make it.
Home: In the space where the Pro Shop and Double Eagle Clubhouse Grille are now used to be a 2 story farm house with lower level storage area. The Pro Shop was above. Luke Majorki torn down the original structure in the 1950s and constructed the building that is now present. The Pro Shop was on the lower level and the “home” of Luke and his wife, Nancy, was on the upper floor. Playing this, the original ‘short’ 9th, takes you back to where you began. Mark Bixler was playing Pat Kohne in a $ game some years back. Bix took a penalty after his tee shot and still made “EAGLE.”