The 2015 Midwest Mashie - Minnesota - FINAL RECAP AND OBSERVATIONS

[Buck Wolter]

I didn't get to spend a lot of time with Richard but was very impressed. Definitely thoughtful, incredibly well-spoken and gave a lot of insight into the process of a muni project and the conflicting agendas -- in particular when it comes to trees!  Keller is one of the best and most interesting munis I have ever played -- if I win the powerball tonight he leads my Waveland muni restoration project in Des Moines.

Here's a link to his upcoming affordable golf seminar in Canton OH .

http://www.symposiumonaffordablegolf.com/

Buck

[BCowan]

Good luck to Team East today!  I can't think of a more deserving Captain then Ken Fry!  One of GCA's finest. 

[BHoover]

After day 1, Team East 3.5 and Team West 2.5.

[PCCraig]

East wins 9.5 to the West's 8.5!

[PCCraig]

Well, the 2015 Midwest Mashie is in the books, with the East Team squeaking out a 1-point victory thanks to Captain Fry's leadership and the motivational quotes he e-mailed late Saturday evening to his team.

As with any GCA event, it's always terrific to see old friends, to put faces with names, and to make new friends. We could not of asked for a better group of guys to share a few Minnesota courses with under three days of perfect blue skies.

Many thanks to Jason Topp who coordinated and hosted us at Windsong Farm on Saturday for golf and an awesome dinner. The Windsong experience is just fantastic!

I took a bunch of random photos over the last couple of days, which hopefully might recap a bit of the weekend:

The 4th hole at Windsong. Note the perfect blue skies and Windsong's new bunkering:


The rough was up at Windsong


Joe and Brian Hoover, our Day 1 opponents:


The 16th at Windsong Farm


A picture of the 17th at Windsong at dusk:


And a picture of the 18th looking back at dusk:


Cocktail hour at Windsong Farm (Ken Fry is in the front and he's happy...):


....Because his East Team is up after Day 1:


Post-dinner firepit at the Murphy House:


Day 2 at Town & Country

Another perfect weather day. Here is the view from the top of the 9th at T&C:


Watching the third grouping of Jason, Rich, Neil, and Joe finish the 18th:


Our group assembled watching the matches come in:


The Mashie came down to the wire...with the East Team narrowly avoiding a West Team comeback:


Captain Fry with his trophy:


Thank you again to everyone who made the trip up to Minnesota for the 6th Midwest Mashie! It was a great time and really good to see and meet everyone. I hope everyone enjoyed our cities and the itinerary of courses that we put together.










Sent via Blackberry Classic

[PCCraig]

Bump.

For those who attended the Mashie... I look forward to seeing your photos and reading your analysis/discussion of the courses you played over the weekend.

[BHoover]

I'd like to publicly thank both Pat Craig and Jason Topp for organizing the details and logistics. Also, thanks to Dan Kelly and Jeff Shelman for allowing us to play Midland Hills. Finally, thanks to Ken Fry for leading Team East to a big victory!

After my first time playing Town & Country, my thoughts are that it is very quirky and very fun. For a course of "only" 6400 yards, it sure as hell took all I had. By the end, I was running on empty after 90 holes in 3 days. I'd like to play it again when I don't feel like I'm on the verge of physical collapse.

I also want a rematch against Jeff Shelman!

[PCCraig]

After my first time playing Town & Country, my thoughts are that it is very quirky and very fun. For a course of "only" 6400 yards, it sure as hell took all I had. By the end, I was running on empty after 90 holes in 3 days. I'd like to play it again when I don't feel like I'm on the verge of physical collapse.

Thanks Brian, I'm glad you had a good time and that you enjoyed T&C. We will certainly get you out there again soon.


Did you have any favorite holes at T&C? Any you didn't like?

[BHoover]

My favorite holes at T&C were probably 6 and 12 because of the green complexes and the connected chipping areas. I also really like 13 because it was a great risk-reward driveable par 4 (and I came close to driving the green and made birdie), although I'm not sure I would enjoy it as much from the back tee because of the need to thread the needle between trees. (Selfishly, I also enjoyed 14 because I hit it to about 18" from 243 yards!)

The hole I didn't like was probably 18, because of the screen of pines behind the green and I generally don't care to finish on a par 3. But admittedly I was running on empty and didn't have the energy to play the hole; I just wanted to be done and take a cold shower at that point.

[Rick Shefchik]

No. 6 at T&C has always been a very tough par 4 -- 458 yards, the last 200 over a steep ridge to a blind green. As I get older, it feels more an more like a mislabled par 5 (although we all know par is irrelevant.) Finding myself already down three to the tenacious Steve Wilson, who was 1 over par at that point, I hit the two best shots I've ever hit on #6, a 260-yard drive and a 200-yard hybrid, to the middle of the green -- surely the first time I've ever hit that green in regulation. Alas, my two-putt par wasn't good enough to win the hole. Getting a shot from me, Steve made the most routine 5 imaginable. It was at that point that I was tempted to begin silently weeping.

[Dan Kelly]

It was at that point that I was tempted to begin silently weeping.

I wept a bit for you when I looked over to 2 green and saw him sink that endless putt from the fringe (or the very edge of the green).

[Richard_Mandell]

Guys,


I had a great time at Keller Friday afternoon.  Thanks for coming out and making it the warm-up for the Midwest Mashie.  It was good to see some old friends as well as put some more names to faces.

[BHoover]

It was at that point that I was tempted to begin silently weeping.

I wept a bit for you when I looked over to 2 green and saw him sink that endless putt from the fringe (or the very edge of the green).

I nearly wept (and verbally expressed dismay) when Jeff Shelman somehow made par literally from the middle of the hillside overlooking the 10th green. It was probably the most impressive recovery I've seen all year.

[Dan Kelly]

It was at that point that I was tempted to begin silently weeping.

I wept a bit for you when I looked over to 2 green and saw him sink that endless putt from the fringe (or the very edge of the green).

I nearly wept (and verbally expressed dismay) when Jeff Shelman somehow made par literally from the middle of the hillside overlooking the 10th green. It was probably the most impressive recovery I've seen all year.

I climbed up to the top of that hill, myself, to look for Doug Siebert's 2nd shot (which we never found).


My ankle is weeping today, from the trip back down. I should say from the *voyage* back down; had I tripped, I might have killed myself.


BTW: That 6/12 area is my least favorite part of T&C.  The greens and the mutual chipping area look ... out of place to my eyes -- and, more to the point, out of the time of the course. And I love the par-3 18th (except for the screen of arborvitae behind the green, which, like the green screen behind No. 3, would be better off dead, IMO).


My favorite holes: 2, 5 (because it's so outrageous a hill), 8, 10 (particularly if that hillside to the right is maintained such that balls will release or at least be found), 11, 17, 18.


I would add 15 to that list if the entire hillside were mowed as fairway.


But of course: To each, his own.

[Ken Fry]

As Captain of the victorious East Team, victorious for consecutive years now, I have one last full disclosure to provide:  I didn't do a darn thing this past weekend.  People think the Ryder Cup Captaincy is ceremonial?  At least they have to figure out pairings and outfits.  I didn't do anything.  The Men of Minnesota stepped up this past weekend and put on a hell of a show, especially Pat Craig for taking the lead with so many details.

Thanks to Dan Kelly and Jeff Shelman for organizing a round at Midland Hills CC.  Thanks to Pat Craig and Richard Mandell for a great tour and discussion of Keller Golf Course.  Thanks to Jason Topp for organizing the first round of the Mashie along with the post round reception and dinner at Windsong Farm.  Finally to Pat Craig for setting up Town & Country Club, not only arrangements to play but for literally choosing tee and pin locations.  The Mashie this year was Pat's show and he nailed it.

I can't recall playing four such different golf courses in a trip before.  I left Minneapolis with the strong belief it could be one of the most underrated areas for golf in the country.  It's unfortunate the average golf fan will only recognize the name Hazeltine.  Minneapolis and St. Paul are blessed with some very solid course choices.

I'll chime in with thoughts on specific courses as discussion develops but again, to all that had a hand in organizing the 6th Midwest Mashie, thank you!!

Ken

[PCCraig]

My favorite holes at T&C were probably 6 and 12 because of the green complexes and the connected chipping areas. I also really like 13 because it was a great risk-reward driveable par 4 (and I came close to driving the green and made birdie), although I'm not sure I would enjoy it as much from the back tee because of the need to thread the needle between trees. (Selfishly, I also enjoyed 14 because I hit it to about 18" from 243 yards!)

The hole I didn't like was probably 18, because of the screen of pines behind the green and I generally don't care to finish on a par 3. But admittedly I was running on empty and didn't have the energy to play the hole; I just wanted to be done and take a cold shower at that point.

Thanks, Brian. I love the commentary. T&C can be a polarizing golf course so it's always fun to hear what people have to say...good and bad.


I like the 6th/12th green complex in its current state as well. I personally prefer short grass to thick rough in almost all cases. If I had my way I would have more short grass near and around other greens at T&C. Before the bunker renovation, that area was pretty worn down...there used to be a line of evergreens along an old wire fence and there were trees and rough between the greens/tees. During construction they actually found a survey map and found that our property line was a few feet beyond the existing fence therefore a new retaining wall and fence was built adding valuable real estate in an already crowded area of the course.


I really like #13 for much the same reasons you do. There has been significant tree removal near the green in recent years and it's made it a much better hole. My preference would be to clear cut the trees on the left side of the hole so the green is more easily visible from the tee.  I also agree that the back tee shot is too narrow and at least one of the two trees that are there now should be removed to open it up a bit.


Personally, I enjoy #18 as a par-3 as I think it lends itself to some fun finishes in matches. I agree that the arborvitae need to be removed (badly) and hopefully that will be accomplished in the near future. There are some plans floating around for the #18 hole, 1st tee, and 10th tee which if they are ever completed would really transform the area for the better.

[BHoover]

Regarding trees on 13 at T&C, I was referring to the trees around the tee as being the ones to thread the needle. If playing the back tee from the flat spot between 6 and 12 greens (a feature which I like very much by the way), one would need to thread the needle to get past the forward tee box. Those trees could be removed.

But I do actually like the tree on the left side of the landing area. I'm probably in the minority here, but I liked having to carry that tree with a driver. Maybe because I did just that, I'm biased in favor of that shot. Had I hit the tree, my opinion may have been different, but I actually liked that tree.

[PCCraig]

No. 6 at T&C has always been a very tough par 4 -- 458 yards, the last 200 over a steep ridge to a blind green. As I get older, it feels more an more like a mislabled par 5 (although we all know par is irrelevant.) Finding myself already down three to the tenacious Steve Wilson, who was 1 over par at that point, I hit the two best shots I've ever hit on #6, a 260-yard drive and a 200-yard hybrid, to the middle of the green -- surely the first time I've ever hit that green in regulation. Alas, my two-putt par wasn't good enough to win the hole. Getting a shot from me, Steve made the most routine 5 imaginable. It was at that point that I was tempted to begin silently weeping.

Thanks Rick. I hope you had a good time yesterday, despite the outcome of your match!


I agree that most of the complaints about #6 are founded in it's par. When Jeff Mingay made a couple of trips earlier this summer, he had made that exact point in defense of not tearing the hill down. (There was a plan to "knock" the hill on #6 down that was scheduled for this fall, but thankfully that project has been shelved). I can't speak to the specifics, but Jeff had an idea about moving the 5th green to the east and down the hill a bit and then moving the tees back on #6 to restore it to the par-5 that it was originally.

[PCCraig]

Guys,


I had a great time at Keller Friday afternoon.  Thanks for coming out and making it the warm-up for the Midwest Mashie.  It was good to see some old friends as well as put some more names to faces.

Rich,


Thank you again for being such a terrific host at Keller on Friday. I hadn't actually been to the course since Rich was nice enough to give me a construction tour a couple of years ago, so it was awesome to see the final work. I really liked Keller before, but after Rich's work I really love the place. It's such an unassuming, fun golf course and place that it's hard not to enjoy yourself, in my opinion. And as I've said before on here, I think #12-18 stacks up with any course in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Those holes are really good.


Personally, I think Keller is now the best public golf option in the Twin Cities, hands down.


It was also a supreme treat to be able to have Rich join us for our round and for him to talk about his work to the group afterwards. That was awesome!


Thanks again,


Pat

[PCCraig]

It was at that point that I was tempted to begin silently weeping.

I wept a bit for you when I looked over to 2 green and saw him sink that endless putt from the fringe (or the very edge of the green).

I nearly wept (and verbally expressed dismay) when Jeff Shelman somehow made par literally from the middle of the hillside overlooking the 10th green. It was probably the most impressive recovery I've seen all year.

That is a nearly impossible up and down from up there, in particular this year with all of the rain we've gotten. Usually the grass is thin up there and the ground hard, leading to balls running back down the hill. Well played, Mr. Shelman!

[Dan Kelly]

Thanks Rick. I hope you had a good time yesterday, despite the outcome of your match!

Let the record show that Rick won his match!

[PCCraig]

BTW: That 6/12 area is my least favorite part of T&C.  The greens and the mutual chipping area look ... out of place to my eyes -- and, more to the point, out of the time of the course. And I love the par-3 18th (except for the screen of arborvitae behind the green, which, like the green screen behind No. 3, would be better off dead, IMO).

My favorite holes: 2, 5 (because it's so outrageous a hill), 8, 10 (particularly if that hillside to the right is maintained such that balls will release or at least be found), 11, 17, 18.

I would add 15 to that list if the entire hillside were mowed as fairway.

Thanks Dan.


That approach to #15 has been expanded a bit each year for the last couple of years. I, too, would love to see it completely restored to a super wide fairway approach. Hopefully it'll happen in the near future.


I personally think the short grass near #6 and #12 is a huge improvement over what was there before. It has made #6, already the hardest hole on the course, infinitely more playable as with most players missing the green in two at least you now have more options around the green than just hacking a SW out of thick greenside rough.


And I agree with you 10000% on the trees behind #3 and the arborvitae behind #18.

[PCCraig]

Thanks Rick. I hope you had a good time yesterday, despite the outcome of your match!

Let the record show that Rick won his match!

Whoops! Sorry Rick!

[PCCraig]

As Captain of the victorious East Team, victorious for consecutive years now, I have one last full disclosure to provide:  I didn't do a darn thing this past weekend.  People think the Ryder Cup Captaincy is ceremonial?  At least they have to figure out pairings and outfits.  I didn't do anything.  The Men of Minnesota stepped up this past weekend and put on a hell of a show, especially Pat Craig for taking the lead with so many details.

Thanks to Dan Kelly and Jeff Shelman for organizing a round at Midland Hills CC.  Thanks to Pat Craig and Richard Mandell for a great tour and discussion of Keller Golf Course.  Thanks to Jason Topp for organizing the first round of the Mashie along with the post round reception and dinner at Windsong Farm.  Finally to Pat Craig for setting up Town & Country Club, not only arrangements to play but for literally choosing tee and pin locations.  The Mashie this year was Pat's show and he nailed it.

I can't recall playing four such different golf courses in a trip before.  I left Minneapolis with the strong belief it could be one of the most underrated areas for golf in the country.  It's unfortunate the average golf fan will only recognize the name Hazeltine.  Minneapolis and St. Paul are blessed with some very solid course choices.

I'll chime in with thoughts on specific courses as discussion develops but again, to all that had a hand in organizing the 6th Midwest Mashie, thank you!!

Ken

Ken,


It was an honor being your rival Captain for the 6th Mashie. It's ironic as the first time we met was at the very first Mashie at Lost Dunes! I'm glad you guys had a great time in the Twin Cities and I hope you guys make a return trip sometime soon...you have an open invitation!

[John Crowley]

Pat, Jason,


THANKS for making all the arrangements!


John