5Mike113

The Crossroads Course at Majestic Oaks is the plain Jane sister to the more popular Signature Course. The course is not very long, 5,879 yards from the middle tees, and not very difficult, with a 68.9 rating and 118 slope from the middle tees. Nevertheless, the course does provide an interesting golf round, with both long and short holes, a few doglegs, and several forced carries on tee shots and approach shots. The terrain is fairly flat, with no elevation changes to speak of. Fairways are generously wide, but OB does lurk on one side or the other on most holes, as the course winds through a large townhouse development. We played very late in the season, mid-November, but the course was still in great condition, The greens were a little slow but rolled very true. Proper placement of tee shots is imperative on many of the holes. The dogleg left 463 yard par 5 third hole is an example. Unless they can rely on a draw, long hitters run a risk of hitting their drive through the fairway. A fairway wood or hybrid may be a better choice off the tee. Similarly, the 285 yard par 4 fourth hole requires that the tee shot favor the right side of the fairway in order to have a clear approach to the green. The par 5 12th is almost a double dogleg, requiring some thought to the second shot depending on where your drive ends up. The Crossroads is a good choice for walkers, seniors, and others who may not be ready for the challenge of the more difficult (and more expensive!) Signature Course at Majestic Oaks.

With its no-frills pro shop/clubhouse, Loggers Trail Golf Course at first glance may turn off some golfers who haven’t played the course. But once they’ve played it, they will understand that this course provides one of the best golf experiences in the East Metro. I had not played the course in quite a while, but was glad to see that it was still open the second week of November. Despite the lateness of the season, the course was in surprisingly good condition, an indication that it must have been playing really great earlier in the year. It’s easy to see that management has been investing in improvements to the course, including putting and chipping greens and practice bunkers. One major improvement was around the long narrow green on hole number 4. There used to be a bunker all along the right side of the green which was often waterlogged and had really deteriorated. Most of the former bunker area is now a grassy collection area and there is a shallow bunker toward the back of the green on the right. I had the opportunity to learn that the sand is well-conditioned and easy to play out of. The par 3 6th hole has a new tee box situated to the right of the middle tees and elevated about six feet above the old tees. This gives a very different look to the tee shot and makes a pin on the left side of the green more accessible. The long cavernous bunker that sits in front of the 15th green, bisecting the fairway, is also being redone and will be made smaller and less foreboding, a change that will save many golfers lots of strokes. My round reminded me of how much I like this course, and I will definitely make sure to play it more often in the next golf season.

Chisago Lakes Golf Course is a great example of what a small town golf course can be- well laid out, well maintained, friendly staff and clientele, a small but well-stocked pro shop, and a spacious pub-like grill for your after round dining and drinking. The course has five sets of tees ranging from 6,600 yards to 4,099 yards and two additional rated and sloped combo tees on the card so low and high handicappers, women, seniors and juniors can all enjoy the course at an appropriate level of difficulty. Although there are a few straight holes, most have some degree of bend and there are several right and left dogleg holes. Although the front nine is mostly flat, the back nine has some rolling terrain but no significant elevation changes. We played the course the last week of October, and were pleased to see that the fairways were in great condition. (Note: it snowed two days after we played the course.) Unfortunately, the greens had been aerated a few weeks earlier and hadn’t fully healed, so they were quite bumpy. Our general impression was that they had interesting but not severe contours and would probably be very playable under normal conditions. Depending on the tees, water can come into play on about half of the holes. Tree coverage is moderate, with large mature oaks and evergreens lining many holes, and drives must be carefully placed to avoid interference from trees on approach shots to several holes. One example of this is the 360 yard (from the back tees) par 4 15th, a slight dogleg right with water lining the right side of the fairway. You can cut off as much of the dogleg as you dare, but if your drive ends up on the right side of the fairway, you’re likely to be blocked from a direct shot to the green by a large oak that sits at the inside corner of the dogleg. Better to hit less than driver and make sure you’re on the left side of the fairway. Similarly, your drive on the 12th, a 495 yard dogleg left par 5, should favor the right side of the fairway in order to avoid having your second shot being blocked by trees on the inside of the dogleg. I enjoyed playing this course despite the less than optimal conditions and look forward to returning next golf season.

Heading out to River Oaks Municipal Golf Course, I was expecting an over-played and under-maintenanced, tired, ordinary track. I’m glad to say I was mistaken. Entering the bright and spacious pro shop, I was surprised to see a very nice seating area with comfortable lounge chairs occupying about half of the space. The pub/restaurant is an equally inviting area, with complementary coffee for golfers on the day I played. Very nice!
The course itself was in outstanding condition from the tee boxes to the greens. The fairways were healthy and green. Unfortunately, it had rained for two days prior, so it was impossible to tell how they would run out in normal conditions. The greens were smooth, relatively fast and rolling true. I was pleased to see very few unrepaired pitch marks on the greens, an indication that the “regulars” take good care of their course. The rough is kept relatively low, so finding balls that strayed from the fairway was not much of a problem. Water is in play on only two or three holes- the River in the course name can only be seen in the distance. The main defense on most holes are the bunkers that protect most of the greens. The terrain varies from relatively flat to gently sloping, so there aren’t any major elevation changes from tees to fairways or from fairways to greens. Most of the par 4’s and 5’s have a slight bend or an actual dogleg, so if you don’t like a course with many straight holes, this track would be a good choice. This was my first time playing this course, and the most memorable holes for me were both par 3’s. The 7th plays to 152 yards from the White (men’s middle) tees. The hole has woods on the right, and bunkers right and left protecting a sloped and undulating green. Finding the green on the tee shot does not guarantee a par on this hole. The 12th is 169 yards from an elevated tee and all carry over water to a large green that slopes significantly from back to front. Again, finding the green is not an automatic par. Reasonable greens fees and a number of discount rates make this course a good choice for golfers on the east side of the Twin Cities metro area.

Emerald Greens Golf Course comprises two 18-hole tracks named Silver and Gold. This review covers only the Silver course, which is a bit of a par 73 beast at 7,163 yards from the back tees and a 74.2 rating. Three other sets of tees are at 6,792, 5,953 and 5,184 yards. Like its companion course, the Gold, this track is partly set on boring flat terrain with half-grown trees lining the fairways and partly on more rolling and visually appealing ground. The rough is relatively short, making it unlikely that you’ll lose any balls that stray from the fairway. There are some “natural grassy areas,” but these are set quite a bit off the fairways, so they shouldn’t be a problem. The greens are really smooth and in great condition, rolling moderately fast and true. The first four holes of the front nine are set on the more rolling part of the course. The dogleg left 347 yard (from the middle tees) par 4 2nd requires a long drive from an elevated tee box. Interestingly, the course discourages trying to cut too much off the corner by placing OB stakes between this hole and the adjacent hole. There are also some fairway bunkers along the inside corner. A good drive in the fairway should leave a short iron to an elevated green protected by a large bunker on the right and a grassy slope on the left. Holes 5 through 12 are flat, mostly straight and boring, except for the par 3 6th with its island green surrounded by water. The last four holes are what really makes this course a treat to play. The par 3 15th requires a shot from an elevated tee between (or over) trees set like goal posts protecting a wide but not very deep green. This is followed by a 632 yard (from the back tees, but only 576 from the middle tees!) par 5 that curls around to the right almost like a large capital C. Again, OB stakes prevent long hitters from playing into the adjacent fairway. Making the hole play even longer is the fact that the second and third shots are uphill. Par is a really good score on this hole. The 17th is a 503 yard (from the middle tees) par 5 that doglegs uphill to the left. The fairway is the fun here, as it undulates like a mini roller coaster. You’re almost guaranteed to have either an uphill or downhill lie on your second and third shots. The finishing hole is a 404 yard par 4 with a fairway that splits at about 180 yards from the tee into a high side on the left and a low side on the right. The hole has a slight curve to the right, but there is water on the right which makes taking the low road a bit risky. There is also a water hazard about 40 yards in front of the green, so if your lie won’t let the approach shot carry this hazard a layup is the wise choice. Par is a good score on your last hole of this round. Emerald Greens is about a half hour drive from the Twin Cities, but the Silver course is well worth the drive.

Emerald Greens Golf Course comprises two 18-hole tracks named Silver and Gold. This review covers only the Gold course. The first impression one gets when driving into the course property is that the terrain is as flat and uninteresting as the surrounding corn and bean fields. This turns out to be only partly true, as the driveway serves as a sort of dividing point between the flat fairways on the north and a few more gently rolling fairways on the south. The north fairways are sparsely lined with trees that are not yet very tall, as the course is only 17 years old. The rough is cut fairly low so losing a ball is not likely except in a few areas left as more “natural” prairie grass, but reaching these would require being quite a bit off the fairway. The greens are very well kept and very smooth, with no severe contours, and moderately fast. Most of the front nine is flat and boring, except for the 5th hole, a par 3 with a peninsula-type green surrounded by water on the left, and the 6th hole, a 210 yard par 3 with a pond to the left of the green ready to catch shots are pulled. The back nine provides a great deal more interest, especially the 15th, a slight dogleg left 413 yard par 4. Your drive from an elevated tee box must be long and right in order to have a good view of the elevated green. A tree guards the left side of the green, so a drive on the left side of the fairway will require a long high draw to reach the green. The 17th is a dogleg left 429 yard par 4. A bunker protects the inside corner of the dogleg and another fairway bunker on the opposite side of the fairway will catch a drive that goes straight instead of drawing into the fairway. Reaching the severely elevated green will probably require taking two more clubs than the straight line yardage. The course is not overly long, only 6,585 yards from the tips and with three additional set of tees going down to 5,004 yards. This, along with the wide open and mostly flat layout, makes the course a good choice for beginners, seniors, and walkers. No frills, but a decent course for the money.

Island View Golf Club is set on rolling terrain so there are moderate elevation changes, sloping fairways, and lots of uphill and downhill shots. With five sets of tees ranging from 6,570 yards to 5,019 yards, the course is playable for most skill levels. The fairways are lined with relatively short rough and moderate tree cover. You'll be able to find your ball but you'll probably have to punch back into the fairway. Water comes into play on about five holes and there are well-placed fairway bunkers on many of the longer holes. The greens provide a great deal of variety, some are slightly elevated with a false front and others allow run-up shots, some have berms or mounds as backstops to catch long approach shots, some are somewhat flat and others have significant slope. The one constant is that they are all FAST. Every member of our group agreed that these were the fastest greens they'd played this season. This sentiment was usually uttered when a putt went screaming past the hole after just being nudged downhill. One of the prettiest holes on the course is the par 5 third. From an elevated tee you have a view of water on the right that you'll have to avoid on your second and third shots. Trees framing the fairway will provide a spectacular view in the Fall. The 351 yard par 4 13th is an unusual hole because it requires two carries over the same body of water. Your tee shot will have to find the landing area between the pond on the right and fairway bunkers on the left. Except for an extreme left pin placement, you'll have to go over the water on your approach shot also. Take enough club, because a berm behind the green will stop any shots that go long. The 14th, a 567 yard par 5, has water on the right that may be distracting on the tee shot, but really shouldn't be in play. In front and left of the green is another pond that may be trouble if you don't keep your second shot toward the right side of the fairway. Only about a half hour from downtown Minneapolis, the views of the lake and the mature tree cover give the course a feeling of being quite a bit farther into the hinterlands. It's definitely worth the drive.

You won't get bored playing a round at Daytona Golf Club. Set in the middle of nicely rolling farmland with moderate tree cover and water in play on a few holes, the course has right and left dogleg holes, long and short holes, and moderate elevation changes. You won't need driver off every tee, but you'll definitely want to use driver on two par 5's that measure 542 and 544 yards from the back tees. Those back tees, by the way, add up to only 6,245 yards, so Daytona is one of the few courses where senior golfers can confidently play “from the tips.” Two other tees are set at 5,318 and 5,245 yards. The fairways are very well maintained and quite firm. Unfortunately, the greens had been aerated about a week before we played, so putting was an adventure. However, it was apparent that they would run fairly fast under normal conditions. The rough was not very high and not very thick, so straying from the fairway was not terribly punitive. Three of our foursome were playing the course for the first time, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our guide pointed out that the green of the 294 yard par 4 5th hole, a right almost 90 degree dogleg, was only about 250 yards from the tee. One member of our group went for it, and ended up just off the putting surface. The others took the more traditional route and one matched his birdie. The 358 yard par 4 8th looks simple from the tee, but your approach shot must carry a water hazard that protects the green. Happily, you can go for it without having to worry about any bunkers around the green. The 11th is a 363 yard par 4 with a sharp dogleg right at about 200 yards from the tee and a pond paralleling the fairway up to the corner. Long hitters can cut the corner over the pond and leave themselves with a wedge for an uphill approach shot to a smallish green. The rest of us must stay left of the pond on our drive and have a mid to long iron approach shot. The course continues to give golfers interesting drive options and approach shots throughout 18 holes. It's not too far from the Minneapolis, and the greens fees are quite reasonable, with lots of specials. This was my first time playing Daytona Golf Club , but it definitely won't be the last.

At 6,427 yards from the tips, a 70.0 rating and 115 slope, Shamrock Golf Course is not very long, not very difficult, and not very interesting. The course is set on what appears to be former farmland that is mostly flat, with sparse tree coverage and very little water. The rough is cut just above the level of the fairway, and there are very few bunkers on the course. What you have then is a wide open course where you can let 'er rip off the tee and then take dead aim at every flag. This is not necessarily bad, and is probably desirable for beginners, seniors, and high handicappers who might be put off by more difficult courses where they might not break 100 and also lose a few balls in the process. The fairways are well maintained, as are the greens. I found very few unrepaired ball marks on the greens, which rolled smooth and true. Unfortunately, they were also quite slow and I found it difficult to adjust my stroke and so kept falling short of the hole. Again, this might be desirable for some golfers. And I must admit that the course appears to be very popular as there were quite a few cars in the parking lot and many groups on the course, including the senior fivesome that was in front of us. The only truly memorable hole on the course is the first, a 533 yard (from the middle White tees) par 5 with a pond paralleling the fairway on the right side. Two good shots will leave you with an uphill short iron approach shot to a green that is smaller than you might expect for a par 5 green. The hole is really pretty, and it's unfortunate that there aren't more holes like this on the course. Shamrock is located in an area where there are several other courses with similar greens fees, as well as some more upscale courses. As a result, longer hitters and low handicappers will probably find that these other courses may be more suitable to their game.

Indian Hills Golf Club is a parkland style golf course located on rolling land with moderate tree cover. The course has five sets of tees ranging from 6,769 yards down to 5,399 yards, with the middle men's (white) tees at 6,416 yards. The course had experienced several days of rain prior to the date we played, so the rough was high and very wet and the fairways and greens were very soft. This meant that balls in the rough stopped almost immediately and we got very little roll on our drives in the fairway so the course played longer than we expected. The soft greens were very receptive to middle and short iron approach shots. The greens were beautifully manicured, relatively fast despite the wet conditions, and rolled smooth and true. The round started with a 370 yard par 4 with a slight dogleg left. The tee box aims you toward water that is reachable with a decent drive, so you need to be sure to resist the suggestion and just aim left. Cleverly placed water hazards are a feature of several other holes on the course. Where there isn't water, fairway bunkers await the careless drive. The 5th hole, a 349 yard (from the white tees) par 4 has ponds both right and left of the fairway in the landing area. In addition, the approach shot requires that you carry water that crosses the fairway in front of the green. None of our foursome managed to par this hole. The back nine starts with a 354 yard par 4 that is similar to the 1st hole, except that the water enters the picture on the approach shot. Depending on your fairway position and pin placement, you may have to carry the pond all the way to the green, and long is no good because of the slope of the green. Probably the most visually striking hole on the course is the par 3 11th. From an elevated tee you have 170 yards to a long green that curls around water on right. Bailing out to the left will leave a difficult up and down. As a private club, Indian Hills is not easily accessible to non-members. However, the club does host a number of tournaments sponsored by outside entities. Finding and playing in one of these (under drier conditions, hopefully) would be truly worthwhile.

Wapicada Golf Club is an overlooked gem of a course located just east of St. Cloud, Minnesota. This parkland-style course has fairly tight fairways lined with mature oaks and other trees, and greens that are surprisingly fast. Putting downhill on most of the greens is an adventure, and more than one putt from our foursome ended up off the green. The course is fairly tight in terms of fairways being adjacent to each other, and on several holes the proximity of greens to the following tee boxes leaves golfers in jeopardy of errant approach shots. The course is not overly long, 6,610 yards from the tips and 6,269 from the middle (white) tees. Most of the holes are fairly straight, and there are only two holes that I would call true doglegs. Nevertheless, the layout of the holes combined with forced carries and well-placed fairway bunkers makes this an interesting and fun course to play. Only one of our foursome had played the course before, and the others agreed that they would be happy to come out here again. Among the more interesting holes is the 9th, a 409 yard (from the middle tees) par 4. As seniors playing from the white tees, we all found ourselves about 190 to 200 yards from the pin after our drives. Unfortunately, our approach shots from downhill lies had to carry a water hazard. All but one of us chose to lay up, and all of us were happy with bogey. A hole that golfers will either love or hate is the 12th, a 371 yard par 4. The problem here is the mature oak tree that is almost in the middle of the fairway about 170 yards out. Three of our foursome chose to avoid the tree and ended up in the rough, which is just high enough to make you pay close attention to the lie before choosing a club. One challenged the tree, which caught the ball and left him with a second shot of about 205 yards to the green. Golfers from the Twin Cities may not want to drive to St. Cloud just to play Wapicada. But if you're going up to Brainerd or farther north, it would be a great place to stop and play this course on the way up North or heading back.

Blackberry Ridge Golf Course is located in farm country on the periphery of Sartell, Minnesota. The course is a combination of wide open fairways with very few trees and a few narrow fairways lined with mature oaks and evergreens. There are lots of undulations to the fairways and some elevation changes, but nothing too dramatic. The rough can be problematic, being just high enough to hide a ball unless you're right on top of it. Greens are surprisingly fast. Combined with some severe slopes, this makes putting downhill a matter of bump it and hope it'll hit the hole. At 6,992 yards from the back tees, 74.2 rating and 144 slope, the course is quite difficult. The middle (white) tees are a little more friendly at 6,238 yards, and that is what we played. It was still a difficult round. You'll start with a truly unique opening hole, a 356 yard dogleg left par 4. About 170 yards downrange, the fairway almost splits into a Y. At the center of the Y angle is a water hazard. You can choose to hit your drive straight, keeping the water on your left, but if you hit more than about 230 yards (from the white tees) you'll run out of fairway. A draw is dicey, because if you don't draw enough you'll be in the water and if you draw too much you'll be in the trees on the inside of the dogleg. All in our foursome chose to hit straight and one found the hazard. The others were left with short irons and wedges to the green. The remainder of the course includes long and short holes, straight holes and doglegs, and some forced carries over water. You won't be bored, you won't need driver on every hole, and you'll probably use every club in your bag. The par 4, 408 yard 7th has a fairway as wide as a soccer pitch, one of the widest fairways I've seen in Minnesota. But if you overswing and miss the fairway you might find yourself OB or in one of the well-placed fairway bunkers. For first-time players, the 478 yard par 5 12th seems like a simple hole from the tee box. There is water that must be carried to reach the fairway, but it's not more than about 150 yards. The surprise comes when you get ready to hit your approach shot and you notice the large oak tree protecting the front left of the green. You'll have to shape your shot, go really high, or bump and run it to the green. All in our group gave high marks to the course, except for one thing. Remember that the course is located in farm country. The proximity of farm animals and their waste products lent a definite atmosphere to the course on several holes. It was truly rank! Despite this one objection, I will probably be back to play the Blackberry Ridge.

Bellwood Oaks Golf Course is a typical small town family-run golf operation, very basic, no frills. The clubhouse/pro shop has about 10 tables, microwaved prepackaged hot dogs and a few cold sandwich offerings. and limited beverage choices. The course itself is in surprisingly good condition. Fairways and greens are well manicured, the greens roll smooth, true, and moderately fast. Flower beds near tees and greens are an attractive touch. The rough is not too thick and is kept at at a low enough height that you shouldn't lose a ball that strays off the fairway. The course isn't long (the front nine is only 3,098 yards from the middle tees), so the two par 5 holes on the front nine play to 480 and 482 yards from the middle tees. Unfortunately, for the most part the layout of the course is disappointingly bland. The first few holes have flat fairways, sparse tree cover, and circular, flattish greens. The course shows a different face, when you reach the 7th tee box, and see some rolling terrain and mature oak trees bordering the fairways. This is really the best part of the course. Ending the front nine and beginning the back you return to the flat, open, boring Bellwood Oaks. The 380 yard dogleg right par 4 11th presents a bit of a challenge. You must reach the dogleg on your drive or be blocked out from the green by a nice stand of oak trees. But a long drive could go through the fairway and leave you in woods on the other side. Hit a 200-225 yard cut shot and you'll be in the mayor's office. Several of the following holes have elevated tee boxes and well-placed fairway bunkers. You won't need driver off the tee on most of these holes. Everything is in front of you, so plan a strategy before reaching for a club on the tee box. The 387 yard par 4 15th is a good example. Two bunkers pinch the fairway about 220 yards from the middle tees. You can choose to challenge the bunkers or lay up short of them. Probably the most difficult hole to par is the 184 yard par 3 17th. You must carry a bunker to reach the severely sloped green. If you go over the green, it is almost impossible to keep a chip from rolling down all the way off, so you'll be chipping back up. Good luck. Bellwood Oaks is one of the more inexpensive courses in the area. Better players may be put off by the plain vanilla and unchallenging front nine. But for the rest of us the rolling and wooded portion of the course, combined with the low greens fee, will have us coming back.

laying Ridges at Sand Creek golf course is almost like playing two completely different courses at the same time. Seven of the holes, the beginning and end of each nine, are wide open and quasi-links style. The rest of the course winds along the valley of Sand Creek, featuring fairways lined with mature trees, elevation changes, and forced carries over the creek. After playing the second hole, you'll cross the street of a housing development and enter the Sand Creek part of the course, and feel like you've been transported to a Northern Minnesota course. This was definitely my favorite part of the course. You'll use most of the clubs in your bag playing the course, and you won't need your driver on every hole. The par 4 14th, for example, plays 280 yards from the middle (White) tees, but Sand Creek crosses the fairway about 200 yards away. Best to lay up to a comfortable wedge distance. Favor the right side of the fairway, because a tree will block your approach from the left. The par 4 6th hole is a left dogleg requiring an approach shot over the creek. Trying to cut the corner is risky, because the woods on the left are not marked as hazard, so losing a ball is a possibility, as one of our foursome demonstrated. The par 4 8th on the more wide open part of the course is interesting. A split fairway is divided by a large bunker right in the middle. Left of the bunker is the shorter approach, but the right side probably has a better view of the green. The greens were a pleasure to putt on, moderately fast, smooth and rolling true. The fairways were well conditioned, but starting to show the effects of several days without any significant rain. Ridges at Sand Creek has five sets of tees, ranging from 6,961 yards to 5,136 yards, so players of varying skill levels will feel comfortable playing the course. For those living in the southern or western part of the Twin Cities metro area, Ridges at Sand Creek may be an under-appreciated hidden gem. Try it, and you'll almost certainly like it.

Prestwick Golf Club is a public daily fee course with a definite country club feel. The street leading to the club is lined with enormous upscale homes, and the first view of the clubhouse surrounded by well-tended flower beds and shrubbery might have you thinking you took a wrong turn and ended up at the local country club. Five sets of tees ranging from 6,876 yards to 5,295 make the course accessible to a wide range of golfers, but that doesn't mean it's easy. We played the white tees at 6,374 and found the course to be moderately difficult, with fast, subtly breaking greens protected by numerous bunkers, about a dozen ponds scattered throughout the course, and lots of really well-placed fairway bunkers. The fairways were smooth and well-manicured, set on rolling terrain with some elevation changes, nothing really severe. Rough was deep enough that our foursome was unable to find a few balls that strayed off the fairway. Set in the middle of an upscale housing development, the course has houses adjoining many of the fairways, close enough that OB in someone's back yard is a definite possibility on several holes. Even with the houses visible throughout the course, it is still a very attractive track. One hole that stands out is the dogleg left 8th hole. From an elevated tee, you see the fairway set at an angle and a large pond running parallel to it that must be carried to reach the fairway. The hole is only 321 yards from the white tees, so longer hitters can carry the entire pond to set up a wedge approach. Others will take a safer, shorter bite of the pond and have a mid-iron shot to the green. The 9th hole is a par 5 with a pond protecting the green. A second shot that goes too far left will leave an approach that must carry the pond in order to reach the green. Keep your second shot to the right and you'll have a more comfortable approach with the pond on your left. Green fees at Prestwick are more than comparable courses like Eagle Valley, but less than StoneRidge. It's a good value for a pleasant golfing morning or afternoon.

Dacotah Ridge Golf Club is a truly interesting and challenging “prairie style” course. That is, while there are few trees and the green layouts lend themselves to run-up shots, it's really not a links style course. The course is set in a spot of rolling terrain with a creek meandering through the property and a lake in play on five holes. The fairways are wide and hard. This is both good and bad, because you'll get a lot of roll on your tee shots, but because many of the fairways are sloped to one side or the other a tee shot in the middle of the fairway may roll off into the rough. And you don't want to be in the rough on this course. One member of our group noted that being in the rough just off the fairway was costing him at least a half stroke per hole. And if you go a little farther off the fairway you'll find yourself in knee high prairie grass, which will cost you at least one, and possibly more, strokes if you find the ball and try to hit it out. Every member of our group agreed that the greens were the fastest he had played this year, and they were also some of the hardest to read. Four-footers were missed much too often. We played the “Regular” tees, 6,217 yards, 70.7 rating, 138 slope. The course is visually very appealing and the layout of many of the holes made it clear how you are supposed to play them. Of course, doing this is easier said than done. Some of the best holes on the course are the ones that wind around the lake, beginning with the 145 yard par 3 4th. From an elevated tee you see a deep green with the lake on the left and a large bunker on the right. Club selection is complicated by the wind that I'm told is always blowing. Take a deep breath and trust your swing. The 5th is a 354 yard par 4 that hugs the lake as it doglegs to the right. A long bunker on the right will save some sliced tee shots from going into the lake. A ridge on the left will catch balls that are pulled or hooked in an effort to avoid the water. The 138 yard par 3 11th is all carry over the lake. If you go long, hope that the ball finds the bunker, otherwise you may go into the deep prairie grass. The par 4 12th plays 352 yard with the lake all along the right side. There is no real advantage gained by challenging the lake, so the smart play is to the left side of the fairway. At the end of the round, no one in our group scored as well he is used to. But all of us agreed that we'd like to return and try to do better.

Baker National Golf Course is one of the best public courses in the Twin Cities area. The course is not easy, as evidenced by the 73.9 rating and 138 slope for the 6,762 yard back tees. Being senior golfers, we played the 6,013 yard silver, forward men's tees (70.7, 130), and the course still won. The course is set in a park reserve area, so there is not a house in sight throughout the course. The terrain is undulating, no flat fairways here. With a few exceptions, the fairways are comfortably wide, and the rough is less than 2 ½ inches tall, so you won't have too much trouble finding a ball that slides off the fairway. However, if the ball goes too far off the fairway it might find the woods or marsh areas that line almost every hole: park reserve area! The greens are fast and mostly large, with humps, valleys, tiers, and surprisingly subtle undulations. A straight, flat putt longer than about 4 feet is almost impossible to find. The course is a major participant in The First Tee, so the practice/learning area is very nice, including a large putting green, practice bunker, and a large driving range with many targets. After you've warmed up sufficiently, the starting hole, a par 4 (466 yards from the back tees, 417 from the silver) beckons. Your drive should leave you with a good look at a downhill shot to a green that is protected by bunkers on both sides and the iconic red barn that will stop your ball if you go long and right. For me, the other memorable hole on the front side is the par 3 7th, featuring an elevated tee shot across a valley and over a pond to a three-tiered green. This hole can be really tough if the pin is set back and right. The back nine starts with a par 5 that looks easy on the card (453 yards from the silver tees), but the green is guarded by a complex of bunkers that will snag almost any ball that is short on the approach. The finishing hole is a picturesque par 4 with a tee shot from an elevated tee down to a valley followed by an uphill approach shot. Strategically placed fairway bunkers pinch the fairway down to a fairly narrow strip, so a long drive may not be rewarded. Par is a good score on this hole. The location of this course makes it very convenient to Twin Cities residents, even those that live on the east side, and the experience makes the drive worthwhile.

If you like water, you'll love Boulder Pointe Golf Club. You'll be hitting a ball over water or trying to avoid water or marshland on at least 15 holes on the course. The course isn't long, 6,284 yards from the back tees and 5,928 from the middle tees, so you won't need driver on every hole. The undulating fairways are comfortably wide except for a few places, and there isn't much tree coverage. Rough is high enough that you might have trouble finding a ball that wanders from the fairway (and doesn't end up in water). There isn't a whole lot of sand on the course, most fairways have only one fairway bunker at the most and on many holes there is only one greenside bunker. The greens are well-maintained, smooth, and moderately fast. The undulations provide some surprisingly subtle breaks, so be sure to take a 360 degree look at your putt before addressing the ball. The course is built in a housing development, but the houses don't really intrude on the course and you don't feel like you have to avoid hitting into back yards. Your round begins with a fairly easy 327 yard (from the middle tees) par 4. There is marsh right and water left about 200 yards out, so a drive down the middle is a must. From there, your approach shot is to a green that has no sand around it to worry about. The seventh hole requires that you carry your tee shot over water and at the same time avoid marsh on the left and water on the right of the fairway. The carry isn't much, only about 150 yards from the middle tees, but it's enough to get in your head. The back nine begins with more of what you've seen already- lots of water! The 10th hole (327 yards from the middle tees) features small ponds short right and long left, and a large pond at the end of the fairway about 245 yards out. Take less than driver and you'll have a short to mid iron to the green. The last hole (545 yards, par 5) was my favorite on the whole course. Your drive is from an elevated tee down a valley to a sharp dogleg left. Unless you really trust your draw, it might be best to use a fairway wood or long iron off the tee to avoid going straight into the woodsy marsh. From there, the hole opens up and heads uphill to a large green with only one bunker on the left. Finish with a par and head for your after-round refreshment. Boulder Pointe is only about a half-hour drive from Minneapolis, and well worth the drive.

Hidden Haven Golf Club is a very pleasant little (5,968 yards from the tips) suburban course. My first impression from the modest pro shop staffed by only one person wasn't all that positive. However, once on the course my evaluation became much more favorable. The course is fairly wide open, the front nine has very sparse tree coverage and generously wide, very well maintained fairways. The back nine is a little tighter and has more trees, including some very large oaks and cottonwoods that will hinder approach shots if you stray too far from the fairway. The rough is short enough that you shouldn't lose any balls there. The course is set in what appears to be a housing development, but the houses don't really intrude on the course and only a very hard hook or slice will end up in someone's back yard. The back tees are rated at 68.9 with a slope of 124, so the course is not overly difficult. In my estimation, the greens were the best part of the course. They are in great condition, smooth and roll true. And most of them are contoured like a potato chip. Some of them have two distinct tiers, while others are definitely undulating. A long putt may go up, then down, then up again before reaching the hole. I had seen a review of this course that said the greens were slow. My playing partners, members at the course, told me that this had been true in previous years and that management had addressed this issue. In fact, the greens are now moderately fast. Your putts won't go speeding past the hole, but they also won't die on the way to the hole. The round starts with a pretty 346 yard par 4 with a forced carry over water on the approach shot. The green gives a good preview of what is to come. The sixth hole is a 204 yard par 4 that should be easy pickings. However, the near part of the green slopes from front to back, so going for a front pin might lead to a 3-putt when the ball shoots to the back of the green. The most challenging hole on the back is the 230 yard par 3 17th hole. No one in our group hit the green with their tee shot. The closest found the front right bunker, but managed to get up and down for par. This course is enjoyable and relaxing, and I enjoyed playing it. About the only negative is that there is no driving range for a pre-round warmup or practice. On the other hand, some say that practice is overrated.

Pebble Creek Golf Club is a typical small town Minnesota municipal golf course. The course is not very long, or very challenging. Except for water on a few holes and bunkers guarding the greens there is very little to be concerned about off the tee or on your approach shots. Tree coverage is light, although trees set well back from the fairway do help to frame the holes and maintain separation from adjacent fairways. The rough isn't very high, so losing a ball when you stray from the fairway is not very likely. Compared to other courses in the area, Pebble Creek is just not very memorable. That's not to say it's a bad course. The fairways are very well maintained and smooth, and mostly flat, reflecting the surrounding terrain. Elevation changes are minimal, and only on the par 3 6th hole on the White nine will you have to adjust your club selection due to an elevated tee. (The Championship Course at Pebble Creek consists of two nines, White and Red. There is also a third par 36 nine, the Local). The greens are generously sized, with very gentle slopes. No roller coaster putts here. They are very well maintained, smooth and comfortably fast. Your downhill putts will not roll off the green. Other than the aforementioned White 6th, which is all carry over water, two outstanding holes are the 1st and 5th on the Red nine. The 1st is 385 yards from the blue (middle) tees and requires a forced carry over a pond to reach the green. The 500 yard 5th is a dogleg left that curls tightly around a large pond. Long hitters that want to take on the water to cut the corner may be deterred by a large willow on the edge of the pond. Your approach shot to the green should favor the left, because the water extends all the way to the right of the green. Playing Pebble Creek is a pleasant experience, but the course is not really a “destination” type of course to which one would travel any appreciable distance.