Clinton Stock Yards, IA Health and Fitness

The nationally certified personal trainers at Summit Fitness motivate clients to reach wellness goals with the gym's cardio, circuit, and weight-lifting equipment. Punctuated by the metallic sounds of weights settling into racks and RoboCop crying after his first loss at arm wrestling, the instructors sculpt fitter frames in one-on-one personal-training sessions. In group fitness classes, which include Pilates, cardio cross training, and interval workouts, they tap into energy reserves with up-tempo music, and on-site baby-sitting is available to occupy tykes. After leaving elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and treadmills, students walk past tanning booths to locker rooms. Electronic locks admit guests at all hours to the 24-hour gym.

Patchy forest to the north and 265th Street to the south border Cedar Valley Golf Course, separating the grassy haven from miles of Iowa farmland on the other side. Within the oasis lie ponds that enter play on all but five of the holes, including hole 13, where the green juts out into a large water hazard that regularly swallows up overly-forceful approaches. Players will find themselves facing other risk-reward scenarios throughout their bout with the course, such as on hole 5, where they must either lay up or go for the green, and on hole 16, where they must decide between hitting a 210-yard shot that carries the water or just picking the ball up and carrying it to the hole.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course

• Total length of 6,497 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 71.2 from the back tees

• Course slope of 129 from the back tees

• Three sets of tees per hole