Burlington, IA Outdoor Activities

In 1928, a committee of Kalona professionals pooled their resources to transform an obsolete cornfield and pasture into a golf course, using a horse-drawn mower to sculpt a layout that originally sported sand greens and cost a quarter to play. More than 50 years later, the course was remodeled and expanded to Kalona Golf Club's current nine-hole layout, a 3,128-yard labyrinth where immaculate, bent-grass greens showcase the efficiency of modern landscaping, whereas rustic bridges and wandering milkmen recall the Club's humble beginnings. Named the nine-hole course of the year by the Iowa Golf Association in 1984 and 2010, the horticultural haven unfurls across pristine, rolling terrain that can create difficult lies, compounded by the presence of mature tree lines and two ponds that come into play on three holes. The course prohibits metal spikes, and players must provide their own set of clubs or titanium-plated sausage links.

Course at a Glance:

• Nine-hole, par 36 course
• Bent-grass greens, winter rye and bluegrass fairways
• Length of 3,128 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 34.7 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard

At Discover Powered Paragliding, pilot Michael Mixer positions aspiring paragliders on proper flight paths with instructional voyages and a complete line of BlackHawk paramotors. Michael’s expertise is the result of seven years of flying ultralight planes, and he continues to fine-tune his skills by taking off on an engine-assisted paraglider at least three times a week. The gliders—tricycle-like contraptions that can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour—allow Michael and a tandem pilot to ascend up to 18,000 feet in the air. Flights depart in the calm air of early morning, as well as two to three hours before sunset, giving passengers the opportunity to admire bursts of color on the horizon and steer clear of the migratory pathways of feral fighter jets.