Ames, Iowa · Ames & Central Iowa
Veenker Memorial Golf Course
Perry Maxwell's 1937 design, built by the WPA. Squaw Creek crosses five holes, and Arnold Palmer was a medalist at the 1949 NCAA Championship here.
- AmesLocation
- May 12, 1938Opened
- Perry MaxwellArchitect
About Veenker Memorial Golf Course
Veenker is Iowa State's course, public and owned by the university, and it's a Perry Maxwell design from the same run that produced Southern Hills and the first nine at Prairie Dunes. Maxwell laid it out in 1937 and the WPA built it the next year; it officially opened on May 12, 1938. George Veenker, the Cyclones' football coach and athletic director, pushed for a course built with Depression-era labor so it would cost the school little, and it was renamed for him in 1959.
It's a par 72 of just 6,680 yards from the back tees, so length isn't the problem. Squaw Creek splits the property in two and comes into play on five holes, and every hole has a name, from Grand Canyon at the 3rd to Squaw Creek at the 16th and Glory Hole to finish. Renovations in 1971 and 1988 changed four of the holes.
It has real tournament history. The 1949 NCAA Championship was played here, with a Wake Forest player named Arnold Palmer among the medalists, and the Iowa Masters has been held here every year since 1938. Golfweek put it on its list of America's Best State Public Access Courses in 2003.
It's one of 3 courses in Ames on Yoink, and the closest alternative is Coldwater Golf Links, about 7 miles away — handy when your first choice is booked solid.
Booking a tee time at Veenker Memorial Golf Course
Book online through the course's foreUp page or call the clubhouse at 515-294-6727; the course recommends booking ahead. Summer green fees, as posted in September 2026, are $35 for 18 Monday through Thursday and $40 Friday through Sunday and holidays, with a riding cart at $18 a seat (a push cart is $6). ISU students pay $23 for 18 on Mondays and Thursdays. Shoulder-season rates can run a little lower.
How to get a tee time at Veenker Memorial Golf Course
Yoink
Golfers across Ames & Central Iowa know the drill: the good times at courses like Veenker Memorial Golf Course are gone within minutes of release, and cancellations come back without warning.
Instead of refreshing the booking page, let Yoink do it. Pick Veenker Memorial Golf Course, choose your day and time window, and Yoink alerts you when a tee time that fits opens up. You always book straight with the course.
- Pick Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Yoink.
- Choose your day, time window and number of players.
- Get an alert when a matching tee time opens — then book it directly with the course.
Golf courses near Veenker Memorial Golf Course
- Coldwater Golf Links · Ames · 7 mi
- Ames Golf & Country Club · Ames · 11 mi
- River Bend Golf Course · Story City · 12 mi
- Radcliffe Friendly Fairways · Radcliffe · 19 mi
- Otter Creek Golf Course · 20 mi
- Cedar Pointe Golf Course · Boone · 21 mi
- Tournament Club of Iowa · Polk City · 23 mi
- Talons Golf · Ankeny · 25 mi
All 15 Ames & Central Iowa courses in Iowa · Iowa golf courses
Veenker Memorial Golf Course FAQ
Where is Veenker Memorial Golf Course?
Veenker Memorial Golf Course is in Ames, Iowa, in the Ames & Central Iowa area — about 7 miles from Coldwater Golf Links.
Who designed Veenker Memorial Golf Course, and when did it open?
Veenker Memorial Golf Course was designed by Perry Maxwell and opened in May 12, 1938.
Is Veenker Memorial Golf Course open to the public?
Veenker Memorial Golf Course is university (Iowa State), public, run by Iowa State University, Department of Operations and Finance.
How do I get a tee time at Veenker Memorial Golf Course when it's booked up?
Set a watch for Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Yoink with your date, time window and group size. Yoink monitors the course's tee sheet and alerts you the moment a matching time opens, including cancellations. You book directly with the course.
What golf courses are near Veenker Memorial Golf Course?
Nearby options include Coldwater Golf Links, Ames Golf & Country Club and River Bend Golf Course. Yoink watches 15 courses in the Ames & Central Iowa area.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these pages, checked 2026-09-28. Rates and booking rules change, so confirm with the course.
- golfnewsstoriesonline.com · media
- veenkergolf.com · official
- en.wikipedia.org · media
- veenkergolf.com · official
- veenkergolf.com · official
- veenkergolf.com · official
Never miss a tee time at Veenker Memorial Golf Course
Yoink watches the tee sheet so you don't have to. When a time you want opens up, your phone buzzes — you book direct.