There have been very few complaints about soft aprons or hard greens lately at my home course, Oak Glen Country Club in Stillwater, Minn. Here’s a tour of holes 10 through 15, taken Feb. 7, 2004:
#10, looking backward from the green. Note the edge of the pond to the left and the creek that crosses the fairway 100 yards short of the putting surface (you can also make out the Tudor-style warming shack -- I mean, clubhouse -- on the hill in the distance.) One of the most demanding holes in the Twin Cities area -- especially now that the run-up approach is not likely to meet with success:
The walk up to the tee on #11. You might want to tuck your pants into your boots – or shoes – here:
The tee shot on the 500-yard, dogleg left par-5 11th. There’s room to go right, but if you hook it here, the only chance your ball has to return to the course is if it’s spit out by a snowblower:
The second shot to the par-5 11th from the fairway. Not much roll today!:
A view from behind the tricky par-3 12th. You need to avoid the bunkers both right and left, and don’t be distracted by the glitter decorating the pine trees behind the green:
From behind the green on the dogleg left par-4 13th. Note the pond guarding the front right of the green. Birdies can be had here – and you can play your ball off the pond for at least another month:
The view from the tee on 14, a tight 500-yard par 5 (including a number of tiny, recently-added pot bunkers):
Despite O.B. left and right, and pond left of the fairway at 300 yards, you won’t lose your way to the green on 14, thanks to a thoughtful forecaddie:
A closeup of the 14th green. Note architect Don Herfort’s clever bunkering short left and back right. It’s also out of bounds if you go long. Good thing the ball is holding these days:
Back uphill on the 420-yard par-4 15th. We’d go farther, but the footing becomes treacherous beyond this point:
We take our leave at 15. Notice, if you will, that though we could have had better conditions, it isn’t particularly good hockey weather, either:
