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Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Minnesota Gems
« on: November 03, 2002, 06:45:45 PM »
;D Spent the month of August in MN for a couple Amateur tournaments and had the pleasure of playing some great old courses in the Twin Cities area... First, thanks to Conley for the advice on where to play, and thanks to everyone else who offered their comments... Second, if you have the chance to play any of the courses I'm about to list, I would HIGHLY recommend it!

1) North Oaks Golf Club - Stanley Thompsons last design in the United States. According to the history, Thompson wanted the course to be a championship venue that would host US Opens and National Amateurs, much like the mission statement of Hazeltine National Golf Club. However, there is no parking and the membership seems to happy with that... More recently, the PGA spoke to North Oaks about hosting the Senior Event that now takes place at the TPC-Blaine. Once again, the problem was parking... Either way, the course is fantastic. Tough opening (#1 -531 par 5, #2 -462 par 4, #3 -420 par 4) lots of water, great bunkering, medium sized greens with some killer breaks. Back nine was shorter and more on the sporty side, which lent itself to a GREAT golf course. The neat thing about the course was how big it was in design. You could easily imagine the galleries wandering about the course and could see the vision of Thompson in the routing and layout of the course. Played 36 in one day with my father and couldn't have asked for a better day. Small range, great clubhouse, fantastic pro shop, nice members.

2) Somerset Country Club - Talk about a golf club that is about the golf and nothing else. Old houses for the clubhouse and restaurant. Built in the twenties? and designed by Donald Ross? Not sure on both accounts, but I'm sure the Conley will set the record straight. 150 members, lots of hills, great bunkering, smack dab in the middle of West St.Paul. The kind of course that you could easily play everyday with a smile on your face. Funny story on how I came to play the course. Sitting in the bleachers on the 16th at Hazeltine during the PGA's. Older couple to the left that I started talking with about the tournament. Grand son of the older couple walks up with an autograph on a Somerset CC scorecard. I asked to see the card, next thing you know I have an invite to play the following day. Turns out the older couple have been members forever and a day... Fun, Fun, Fun!

3) Town & Country Club - Oldest course in MN. Happened to play with a member at Somerset who was also a member at T & C. Apparently, one belongs to Somerset for the golf and T & C for the amenities and facilities... Someday, maybe. Either way, classic parkland with small greens, huge trees and some holes that challenged the ego to technology. Once again, great course!

I also played Alexandria Golf Club (1928, classic parkland, TOUGH greens, not much for bunkering, tight fairways and ROUGH rough. Played in the Resorters tournament and plan on returning every summer from now until ? Might be partial as I grew up in Alexandria, so it will always be my personal Masters. Fun course, not too long, but plenty of trouble if your hitting your drives off-center!), Greystone Golf Club (a prairie links? Tom Lehman Signiture Design, though I have a feeling that Don Herefort and Kevin Norby were largely responsible for the genius behind the course. Great condition for a new course, hard, fast fairways, large greens with plenty of undulations and shaping. Great bunkering, lots of trouble in the form of wetlands and the occasional trees. Worth a play if your in the Alexandria area.), Minnewaska Golf Club (1929 design for original 9, Joel Goldstrand 9 recently completed. Changed the routing of the holes so the old is mixed in with the new. Classic parkland with a links feel on the new 9. Elevation galore, tough greens, not much for bunkering, but still a fun course.) and finally Geneva Golf Club, which is a typical "new prairie links" design that didn't do much for me...

I'm waiting on some photos of North Oaks, Somerset, T & C, Greystone and Alexandria GC. When I have them, I will post them for one and all.

As a sidenote, had the pleasure of playing Wildhorse in NE on my return home. Crashed at the Super 8? and arrived in the morning before the pro shop was open. Sup invited me to play, so I got in a morning 18 with no wind and the entire course to myself for the front 9. Played another 18 in the afternoon with a strong wind and a couple locals in tow. Everything that I've read on this site about the course is TRUE. Wildhorse is a true gem, starting with a FUN putting area and going from there. Took a bunch of photos and sunrise, etc. that I will post when I get them scanned.

Once again, to everyone on CGA, thanks for all of the input!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

WPM

Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2002, 07:08:29 PM »
Wow! sounds like fun. Nest year you should try and play Golden Vally CC.  Its a great Tillie course with some awesome holes.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2002, 08:59:56 PM »
;D Thanks for the tip... I've heard great things about Apple Valley CC, but haven't heard anything about Golden Valley CC.  Any idea if they have a website, or if they are amiable to letters of introduction for those non-members (such as myself). I've also heard REALLY good things about Minneapolis Golf Club, and spoke with the Pro before I left for MN this summer. Unfortunately, $200 is the price for unaccompanied guests... Oh well. A man could play Wildhorse for an entire week for that price!  :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

Tyler Kearns

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2002, 11:05:21 PM »
Comtngolf,
         I'de really be interested in seeing the pictures of the Town & Country Club. I played there 4 or 5 times one week in a junior tournament between we, the Manitoba junior golf team and the Minnesota junior golf team. I've forgotten some of the details and some pictures would certainly refresh the mind and bring back some fond memories.
         What I do remember is the quirkiness of the routing, namely the back-to-back par 3's at #2 & #3, and the final stretch of par 3-5-5-5-3. Secondly, the greens were not only small, but extremely undulating making iron shots into the relatively short holes a much more difficult task.
         I second your comments about the amenities of this course, it was lavishly posh, certainly making me feel a little out of place on the social ladder.

Tyler Kearns
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Paul Richards

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2002, 05:01:34 AM »
comtngolf:

Having played Somerset last summer, I agree very much with your assessment.  Golf - and just golf.  Wonderful stuff!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

John_Conley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2002, 09:34:47 AM »

Quote
;D Thanks for the tip... I've heard great things about Apple Valley CC, but haven't heard anything about Golden Valley CC.  Any idea if they have a website, or if they are amiable to letters of introduction for those non-members (such as myself). I've also heard REALLY good things about Minneapolis Golf Club, and spoke with the Pro before I left for MN this summer. Unfortunately, $200 is the price for unaccompanied guests... Oh well. A man could play Wildhorse for an entire week for that price!  :)

Haven't heard anything about Golden Valley?  Then you haven't talked to me enough.  I tell everyone about how great it is and have posted extensively on the site.

As for Somerset, you are right about it being wonderful.  Seth Raynor designed it.

T&CC is one of the few I haven't seen in the Twin Cities.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2002, 09:51:18 AM »
:) I was thinking that Somerset was designed by Raynor, but wasn't 100% so I went with the "when in doubt, D. Ross did the route." Somerset was fun, and just a great time completed immersed in the game. Nothing more, nothing less. They even open the hills on the course to sledding and snow boarding in the winter for the public... And the story about Bob Hope still resonates in the clubhouse between those that thought it was a mistake on the part of the club president and those that thought it was the fault of Hope. BTW, Hope ended up playing at T & C that day, and never again did play Somerset!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

WPM

Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2002, 02:42:02 PM »
comtngolf-
I have to say that ive played Minneapolis GC and found it to be very disappointing.  Too many straight bland holes, but don't get me wrong, it is still a pretty good golf course, but not great.  Golden Valley is far superior is my opinion.  A couple great holes around the creek and awesome greensites.  Its a must play, some of the holes there are unbelievable.  
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2002, 03:39:11 PM »
Okay, John, I'm convinced. For some reason when I played Golden Valley back in the late '80s, it didn't have the same affect on me that Interlachen, Somerset, White Bear Yacht Club and Woodhill did. Now I've moved Golden Valley up to #1 on my local wish list -- even ahead of Spring Hill, a Fazio course (hard to play, harder to get on.)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

Paul Richards

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2002, 07:13:32 PM »
For a modern "gem" check out Spring Hill. :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

Tyler Kearns

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2002, 01:13:11 AM »
Has anybody played Wildflower CC in Detroit Lakes, Mn., a Joel Goldstrand design. I found it to be an enjoyable course with some quirkiness, namely the basement foundation wall bunker on #2, the two-tiered horseshoe green at #11 with the protruding tongue cut as fringe and finally the two-tiered green at #15, with two seperate, small circular greens acting as tiers. The only hole I had to grip about was #8, a double dogleg par 5. It appears it was built to ensure a par of 72, because a real nice long two-shotter could have easily filled this piece of the property.

Tyler Kearns
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

texsport

Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2002, 09:26:59 PM »
Have played Wildflower twice and found it to be quite enjoyable. Huge, sweeping elevation changes provide dramatic shots and quite a challenge if the wind is blowing. It's kind of remote in Detroit Lakes and both times I've played it, there was almost no one else on the course. A great surprise the first time you try it. It starts rather ordinarily with a little uphill dogleg right par 4 but by the turn you've ascended and descended from the bottom to the top of the course, about 100 feet each way. Fun place to play!

The next Minnesota Gem will most certainly be The Quarry at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. I got to play it late this summer before its opening and it'll knock your socks off. Check out pages 28 & 29 in the December Golf Magazine for a "First Look". If the first course at Giants Ridge isn't the best public course in Minnesota, there's NO DOUBT that the second one, The Quarry, is. Can't wait to get back.

http://www.jeffreydbrauer.com/walkthecourses.asp



Texsport
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:01 PM by -1 »

Derek_L

Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2002, 10:32:47 PM »
Put Fought and Lehman's Windsong Farms on your list for 2003.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2002, 01:43:46 AM »
:) I haven't had the pleasure of playing Wildflower, but have heard good things about the course from friends that have made the journey to Detroit Lakes (used to be THE place for the 4th of July... and let us not forget about We-Fest!). Another course in the area that I've heard good things about is Detroit CC, a 1916 Bendelow (http://www.golf-course-pictures.com/Pages/MN/Courses/D/detroit/index.html). 9 holes, but still FUN!

I had the pleasure of speaking to Brauer this summer, and he was waxing poetic on The Quarry... More of a test of golf and the Legends was what I was told, which makes for a TOUGH course IMHO. Can't wait to play it this summer!

I haven't heard of Windsong Farms... Where is the course located and when is the opening? I did play Lehman's Greystone GC outside of Sauk Centre ("Main Street" by Sinclair Lewis) and found it to be a great "prairie links" style course. Reminded me alot of Murphy Creek in Aurora, CO. And, a great finishing hole to boot!

Other than that, the dream MN golf vacation (cherry) seems to be the following:

The Minikhada Club
White Bear Yacht Club
Golden Valley CC
Somerset CC
T & CC
North Oaks GC
Interlochen CC

Mmmmmm.... Looks like I have my work cut for me next summer ;)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2002, 01:58:35 AM »
::) Sorry about the typos! Here's a great par-3 that makes any one from MN proud ;)(http://www.golf-course-pictures.com/Pages/MN/Courses/A/alexandria/index.html) 150 yards, elevated tee box, into a green in the shape of MN. FUN, FUN, FUN. And a nice shot of Somerset CC (http://www.golf-course-pictures.com/Pages/MN/Courses/A/alexandria/index.html). Golden Valley CC (http://www.golf-course-pictures.com/Pages/MN/Courses/G/goldenvalley/index.html). Finally, Keller GC in St. Paul, host of 3 PGA's, played it this summer and thought that it was a great muni...(http://www.golf-course-pictures.com/Pages/MN/Courses/K/keller/index.html).
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2002, 02:02:20 AM »
;) Here's the Somerset CC photo... A club that represents the essence of the game (http://www.golf-course-pictures.com/Pages/MN/Courses/S/somerset/index.html).
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #16 on: November 14, 2002, 11:29:16 AM »
The photo in the Somerset link -- #13, par 5 -- brings back a vivid lesson: It's the first par five that really managed to get the message across to me that when a treed hole doglegs right, you have to play it down the left side...

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

Jeff Shelman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Minnesota Gems
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2003, 01:29:49 AM »
A couple others worth begging to get on:

Oak Ridge. Tough to get on, but certainly in same ballpark as Minneapolis.

Woodhill: Old Donald Ross. USGA had the women's state team there two years ago.

One of my personal favorites is Northland in Duluth. Another Ross, it overlooks Lake Superior and putts all go to the lake. Great old clubhouse. Just fabulous.

I agree that Alexandria is good, I grew up in Willmar and played some high school tournaments there.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

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