Lakewinds, Alexander City, Ala.

I wasn't sure what to expect upon arriving at this rural course in Tallapoosa County just a stone's throw from Lake Martin. I knew Lakewinds, located along U.S. Highway 280 beyond Jackson's Gap, wasn't exactly going to be Augusta National, but I don't need a plush course to have a good time.

What I found was a golf course set on a hilly terrain with extremely small greens, brown grass in the fairways and locations in the rough that weren't fit for hitting a golf ball. The rough was hard in some locations -- either rocky or filled with above-ground tree roots. No problem. I just moved my ball to safer spots. Is this cheating? Maybe. But I didn't bend my 4-iron.

But let's get past this course's maintenance blemishes and tough terrain. It's a fun little course that offers a ton of challenges. The hills create pretty views from the tee boxes -- some uphill, some downhill.

There isn't a lot of water to navigate, but you must carry the water off the tee on three holes, including the par 3 No. 14, which is pretty close to being an island hole. My favorite hole was the par 4 No. 15, which offers a sharp dogleg to the left.

Another interesting hole is the par 5 No. 8, which offers a long, straight fairway with woods to the left and water to the right before forcing the player to turn his focus beyond the lake to a green located on a hill to the right.

The par 5 16th forces you to carry the ball 150 yards over water before climbing a sharp hill on the second shot. But players cannot see what lies on the other side of the hill, which can make for an interesting second shot. Beware of the lake to the left on your approach.

The par 70 Lakewinds has two distinguishing characteristics: it's very short (5,500 yards from the back tees) and it has some of the smallest greens I've ever seen. The small greens really put a premium on your approach shots and wedges.

Greens fees are reasonable, $23 for 18 holes with a cart. There is no driving range. Lakewinds won't make Golf Digest, but it's a unique challenge worth taking on a Saturday afternoon.

For more information, check out the course's Web site at http://www.alexcitypr.com/golfcourse.htm

Fun: 8
Value: 8
Conditions: 3
Amenities: 3
Difficulty: 7
Overall: 5.8