College GameDay is rolling into Bloomington, Indiana, and if you've been looking for golf near Bloomington Indiana, this is the weekend to go. Homecoming. Defending national champions. A Halloween kickoff at Memorial Stadium. And a forecast in the 70s on October 31, which in the Midwest is basically a clerical error.
Enjoy it, because this might be the last real golf weekend of the year up here. By next week the frost delays start, tee times drift later, and the next forecast in the 70s could be April. Pack the clubs one more time.
Game day at Memorial Stadium, Bloomington.
The game
No. 6 Indiana (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) hosts Minnesota (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) on Saturday, October 31 at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is 3:30 PM ET on CBS. College GameDay is live from the IU campus from 9 AM to noon ET on ESPN, with Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban on the desk. No guest picker had been announced as of October 25.
It's Indiana's homecoming, and the Hoosiers come in as defending national champions, fresh off a 13-6 win at Michigan. Their only loss is a 19-15 home game against Ohio State. Minnesota shows up after beating Iowa 13-10 for the Floyd of Rosedale, which means they're bringing a trophy shaped like a pig. Respect.
Best public golf courses near Bloomington, Indiana
Every course here is public. Bloomington Country Club is private, so it's not on the list. They're in order, closest to Memorial Stadium first.
The Pfau Course at Indiana University (Bloomington) is the anchor and your first tee time. The Steve Smyers and Fuzzy Zoeller redesign plays 6,891 yards from the tips, par 71, and Golfweek ranks it the No. 3 public course in Indiana for 2026. It's right on campus, about five minutes from Memorial Stadium. On football home weekends the Pfau runs its premium rate of $150, versus $125 on a normal weekend morning, with the cart and range balls included. Book early. A GameDay weekend is the busiest weekend this place gets.
Cascades Golf Course (Bloomington) is the city muni and the best value on the list. It covers about 200 acres of rolling hills north of town with three nines that pair into three different 18 hole rounds. A weekend green fee is $31 and a cart is $17 per person, so you're out the door for about $48. It's about 10 minutes north of the stadium, and you'll need a tee time.
The Golf Club at Eagle Pointe (Bloomington) is the resort round on the shore of Lake Monroe: 6,678 yards, par 71, rolling hills, more than 100 bunkers and two waterfalls. The clubhouse has a restaurant and bar for the post round debrief. It runs about $70 with a cart and sits about 20 minutes southeast of the stadium.
Stone Crest Golf Course (Bedford) is the road trip round, about 13 miles and 20 minutes south of Bloomington. It covers 540 acres with three distinct nines, and they pair two at a time, so every visit can be a different 18. There's a range on site, and nine holes with a cart currently run about $52.
Otis Park Golf Course (Bedford) is the historic muni, open since 1920 and about 30 minutes south of Bloomington. It plays 6,308 yards, par 72, with a WPA era limestone band shell, a shelter house and a lighted range. Eighteen with a cart is $35 on weekends and $30 on weekdays, the cheapest full 18 on this list. A 1920 golf course for the price of a pizza.
Taylors' Par 3 Golf Course (Bloomington) is the short game add on, not the headliner. It's nine holes, 1,159 yards, all par 3s, and one flat fee covers unlimited rounds for the day, plus a putting green and practice cages. It's about 10 minutes north of the stadium. Sunday wind down, or a quick tune up if your wedges need a pep talk.
Fall golf in the hills outside Bloomington.
The play
Friday: drive in and play the Pfau in the afternoon. Then Friday night on Kirkwood Avenue, the downtown strip a short walk from campus.
Saturday belongs to the show. GameDay runs 9 AM to noon on campus, lunch on Kirkwood, then the 3:30 PM kickoff. It's Halloween, so expect at least one guy in a full banana suit in your section. If Saturday is your only golf window, book the earliest tee time at Cascades and catch the back half of GameDay instead of the whole thing.
Sunday: sleep in, then play Cascades or Eagle Pointe before the drive home. Same formula as our GameDay in Provo weekend: golf Friday, GameDay Saturday morning, kickoff Saturday afternoon.
Take the extra round if you can. Next weekend's forecast might come with a frost delay. This one comes with sunshine.
Quick answers
What's the best golf course near Bloomington?
The Pfau Course at Indiana University (Bloomington). It's the championship layout in town, Golfweek's No. 3 public course in Indiana for 2026, and it sits about five minutes from Memorial Stadium.
Can I play golf and still make the 3:30 PM kickoff?
Yes, if you golf Friday or Sunday. Play the Pfau Friday afternoon or Cascades Sunday morning, and keep Saturday for GameDay from 9 AM to noon and the 3:30 PM kickoff at Memorial Stadium.
What will the weather be like on Saturday, October 31?
Right now the forecast is around 73°F and cloudy in Bloomington, with only a 10 percent chance of rain during the day. Showers are expected late in the evening, after the game. Bring a layer, because the fourth quarter cools toward the upper 50s once the sun goes down.
Is this the last golf weekend of the year in the Midwest?
It might be. Late October is usually the last stretch of reliable 70 degree days in Indiana before frost delays, shorter tee sheets and winter hours set in. A warm Halloween weekend in Bloomington is about as good a send off as the season gets.
Artwork generated for this post.