Turning what used to be a floodplain into a golf course may seem like a daunting task, but that is exactly what the owners of Coldwater Golf Links have done at their facility.

The course, designed to resemble the courses of Scotland and England, opened in July.

“It’s a really nice alternative to Veenker. It’s nice to see another eighteen-hole course in the area,” said Brandon Jones, senior in family resource management and consumer science. Veenker Golf Course, Stange Road, is a part of the ISU campus.

Ground was broken for Coldwater, located just east of Jack Trice Stadium, on S. 16th St., in August 2001 with the hopes it could be true to golf’s Scottish heritage.

The course, designed by Tripp Davis, features bumpy fairways, deep bunkers and fast, expansive greens — the norm for courses in Scotland.

To accomplish this feat, Davis contracted Niebur Golf, Inc., to use the dirt from dug-out ponds in constructing the holes. Niebur Golf has constructed golf courses all over the country, from Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell, Mont. to Orchard Hills Golf Course in Atlanta to the Boone Golf and Country Club in Boone.

The course also has tee boxes that play to several lengths. The yardage ranges from 5,057 total yards from the Challenger tees to 6,787 yards from the tournament tees.

The holes are open, with no trees in the fairways and only a few along the sides. This leaves Coldwater a little more susceptible to the elements, especially the wind.

“The wind creates a bit more of a challenge to keep it on the fairway, but it’s nice to have that challenge there,” said Brian Santi, Des Moines.

Brian Maloy, course superintendent, graduated from Iowa State and has spent the last eight years as an agronomist for the United States Golf Association. In those years, Maloy has been able to gain experience in the maintenance of different grasses. That experience enables him and his crew to use traditional bent grass at Coldwater, while also mixing in more native grasses to fill in along the fairways and into the heavy rough.

The course also features a hybrid grass in many of the fairways to give the ground a spongy feeling that allows the ball to sit up more on the fairway.

Coldwater Golf Links also has a new clubhouse and pavilion that are available for rental for group outings or parties.

“It’s been great to see people just stopping in to have lunch and watch the golfers,” said George Volger, clubhouse manager.

Par for the course is 71 strokes. The course is also available for corporate outings and group get-togethers.

According to its Web site, www.coldwatergolf.com, the suggested dress code for the course is collared or sleeved shirts, hemmed pants, shorts or skirts and soft spikes.