I wanted to wax poetically about my round in rural North Dakota today, but the words I want aren't finding their way to the surface. I played a round of golf on a course that's a really fine example of what is right in the world of contemporary golf construction.
The Links of North Dakota is much like Sand Hills and Wildhorse in that it stands in the middle of nowhere. The town of Williston, small by anyone's standards, is 27 miles away, and one must take about five miles of unfinished road to reach the layout.
Which is just really good. The routing is strong, flowing effortlessly across some very unique farmland. A wide section of the Missourri river stands off in the distance, offering remarkable views while allowing for some serious wind. The greens are humpy-bumpy fun, with swales and rolls that make for intersting putts on every green. The bunkering, while lacking artistic flair, is very well placed, often dictating alternate routes. My only real complaint woulf be the finishing holes, 17 and 18, which run along power lines and the entry road. After 16 serene holes, they are a decided letdown.
I played The Links with my father, a 26 handicap golfer who doesn't share my passion for golf course architecture. Even he walked off 18 wondering how such a course ended up where it did.
Holes of note:
2. A short par four split into two fairways by a bunker complex that forces the golfer to bite off as much as he can chew. Most architects would have stopped there, by Kay then builds a green overlooking the river that is flanked down the left by three more bunkers and divided by a legitimate ridge. Serious fun, and while I won't go into this kind of description on every hole, the thought Kay put into the design exists everywhere.
3 and 11.
Two great short par 3's that have top-notch greens. 3 runs sharply off the back while eleven is a neat punchbowl.
12-16.
A wonderful stretch of par 4's that range from 350-475. While five par fours in a row can be tiring, here it's not. The pacing and direction of the holes ensure that difficulty is never overwhelming, using the wind and rolls in the ground to make sure that four-irons and wedges will both be needed on approach shots.
The round cost $75 for my father and I (combined) and they had a fleet of pull carts available. One gentleman ran the whole ship, from greens fees to food.
Everything I like about golf was present at the Links. A good course that was walker friedly. No tee-times (you don't need them there). Affordability. Fun.