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Looking at the scorecard, Manitou Ridge golf course looks very ordinary- not too long (6,401 yards from the blue tees and 6,043 yards from the white tees) and not too difficult (70.7 rating and 127 slope from the back and 69.1/121 from the middle tees). However, when you actually get out on the course, it immediately starts to get appealing. The starting hole is a 312 yard (from the white tees) dogleg right par 4. The fairway is fairly flat, and the green has a little back to front slope. Take your par and move on. At 380 yards the par 4 second hole is more challenging. The fairway has plenty of undulation, which is a feature of most of the fairways on the course. Manitou Ridge is situated on one of the most elevated tracts of land in Ramsey County, and there are significant elevation changes throughout the course. There are enough trees to make you want to stay in the fairway, but if you do stray the rough is cut fairly low so you'll probably be able to find your ball. One place you might lose a ball is on the third hole, where the front left of the green is protected by a water hazard that can't be seen from the fairway unless you've really hammered your drive. My playing partner was kind enough to warn me about the water, but of course that just made me pull my approach into the hazard. The front nine ends with a short (280 yards from the white tees), pretty hole that plays downhill to a flat landing area that is bordered on the right by water. Stay left and you'll be rewarded with a wedge shot to the green and a potential birdie. The starting hole on the back nine is a 192 yard par 3 over a pond to an elevated green. Make par here and you'll have momentum for the rest of the round. You'll need it because the most difficult hole on the course is the par 4 14th, not terribly long at 358 yards from the middle tees, but it will be hard to find a level lie on the undulating fairway to hit your approach shot to the elevated green with a false front. If you do hold the green on your approach shot, don't be too aggressive on your putt, because you might find your ball going off the green. The penultimate hole is a real beauty, 157 yards from an elevated green over a pond to a wide but not very deep green that lies almost perpendicular to the line of the shot. The danger here is taking too much club in order to ensure carrying the water, but then going too long and through the green. Chip back on and secure your par. If it sounds like I had fun on my first time playing this course, it's because I did. For a county-owned course, it is far from ordinary, and a real treat to play.

There are many positive aspects about The Refuge golf course, along with a few negative ones. The course has an excellent practice area, including a large driving range, an enormous putting green, and practice bunkers and chipping green. A good warmup will prepare you for the first hole, a short (314 yards from the middle tees) par 4 with water all along the left side of the fairway and woods on the right. The fast green slopes severely from back to front, so if you haven't tested the speed on the practice green you might find yourself putting a long way past the hole. Remember the speed, because most of the greens will be similarly fast. The second hole is an S-shaped par 5, not too long at 531 yards from the back tee and 468 from the middle tee. As you move on to the following holes, you will never be bored, as you will find right and left doglegs, forced carries over marshland, water on many of the holes, and strategically placed bunkers. The 9th hole, a short dogleg right par 5 (510 yards from the back tee and 403 yards from the middle tee) is a real gem. The first four tee boxes are actually set on islands that have been built in the middle of the marsh. (You'll find similar island tees on several other holes.) The tee shot must carry the marsh and not run through the fairway. Reaching the 200 yard marker in the middle of the fairway is really not terribly difficult if a golfer has chosen the correct tee box, requiring only a 203 yard shot from the middle tee. Nevertheless, the psychology of the shot, looking at that expanse of marsh grass, makes it more difficult. Most foursomes will find at least one member losing a ball. Assuming a golfer is successful in carrying the marsh, what's left should be an easy 4 shots for a par. But the long, undulating green is protected by a complex of bunkers on the left and lots of trouble right and long. Maybe that's why it's the number one handicap hole. The few negatives that I mentioned earlier start with a very slow pace of play. Five hours on a Monday afternoon is really not acceptable. Foursomes ahead of us spent way too much time looking for balls lost in the woods and we never saw a ranger on the course to keep groups moving on. There is also no drinking water on the course, and there were no ball washers on any of the tee boxes. Courses in Minnesota remove the ball washers in the winter, but September seems a bit early to have done this. No ball washers on the carts, either. Finally, even though the carts are equipped with GPS, I was never able to get the one on my cart to work, and the GPS on my playing partners' cart went in and out throughout the round. Very annoying. The bottom line is that I really like this course and plan to continue coming out occasionally, but I really can't give it a five star rating.

Driving up to Sundance Golf Course for the first time, I had strong misgivings. The road leading to the course was lined with cornfields on the right and beanfields on the left. Naturally, I expected a plain vanilla course with flat fairways echoing the topography of the cornfields, flat, straight, and boring. My uncertainty increased when I walked in the nondescript building and found a full size bowling alley and a sports bar. To reach the pro shop one has to go outside and then in another door. My misgivings began to recede when I walked out to the putting green and looked out onto the course and saw rolling terrain, water, elevation changes from tee to green, and contoured greens. The course isn't terribly long- 6,430 yards from the back tees and 6,171 from the middle (white) tees. However, that includes two 550-plus yard par 5 holes, so longer hitters will have an advantage. Water, OB, and strategically placed bunkers make ball control imperative in order to score well on this course. The first hole, par 4 and 395 yards from the middle tees, sets the stage for much of what is to come. If your tee shot goes too far right, you'll end up OB in the practice range. Your second shot must avoid water on the right and bunkers guarding the green on both right and left. The speed of the greens may surprise you, as they are faster than many public courses in the area. More than a few times, a member of our foursome found himself putting back to the hole after hearing the dreaded words: “Still your turn.” Speaking of greens, Sundance features a variety of approach options. A few greens are elevated with false fronts that will reject a ball that comes in a little too short. Other greens allow run-up shots, but some have very narrow entrances, while others are wide open. Of course, as a first-time player, most of this isn't apparent until you actually reach the green. Sundance offers long and short holes, a few right and left doglegs, and forced carries over water. The course is really fun to play. You'll have the opportunity to use about every club in the bag. Yes, if you hit a big hook drive on some holes it will end up lost in a cornfield. But playing this course is really worth losing one or two balls.

The Wilds Golf Club is one of the more difficult courses in the Twin Cities metro area. From the back (Black) tees, the course is 7,012 yards long, and plays to a 74.3 rating and 150 slope. That's right- 150! For purposes of comparison the corresponding numbers for the TPC Twin Cities course are 7,164, 75.7, and148. The course scorecard provides recommendations on the appropriate tees for golfers to play based on their handicap and driver distance. I played the forward men's tees (5,978 yards, 69.6, 140) and was glad I didn't play the longer tees. Unlike many newer golf courses that are set among housing developments that were formerly cornfields, The Wilds is built on rolling, treed terrain, with significant elevation changes throughout. The houses are there, but they are sufficiently set back from the course so that going out of bounds into someone's back yard requires a really wicked hook or slice. One negative aspect of the elevation changes on the course is that there are many blind shots from the tee. The golf carts are not equipped with GPS, so if you are not familiar with course, you might have to drive forward to see what you'll be hitting into from the tee. Of course, this will also be required when you are hitting from the fairway up to an elevated green. The rolling terrain means that you won't find many level lies even when you are in the fairway. The greens are large, many of them with at least two distinct levels and lots of undulations. Straight and level putts will be hard to find. On the sixteenth green, one member of our group was putting from the front of the green to the pin which was in the back of the green, at least seventy feet away and on a sort of shelf. The putt went part of the way up to the shelf, to about six feet from the cup, and then rolled back about twenty feet. Opportunities to lose strokes abound on the course. There are forced carries, water, woods, and bunkers. Lots of bunkers, both in the fairway and surrounding the greens. And most of them are deeper than you'll find at most Twin Cities courses. If all this sounds as though I didn't enjoy the round, think again. I really loved the course. It may be challenging, but it's also fun and a beautiful layout. The view from the 14th tee is really special. It takes some effort to take your eyes off the scenery in the distance and focus on where to aim your drive. At the standard rate, The Wilds is one of the pricier courses in the Twin Cities, $77 walking and $93 with a cart. However, they do have special rates after 12 on weekends and for seniors that bring the price down to $60 or $66 riding. At that rate, this course is a real golf value. Try it!

he first thing I noticed when I walked to the putting green at the St. Cloud Country Club was the Mississippi River less than a lob wedge away. I expected that the river would come into play on several holes, and the scorecard indicates lateral water hazards on nine holes, but the truth is that the river is only an esthetic factor unless your shots go wildly off course. And it really is an esthetic factor on the 174 yard (from the white tees) par 3 third hole. The elevated tee looks down on a large green that is framed by bunkers right and left with the river in the backyard. A really beautiful hole! (The picture on this website is of this hole.) I don't know which hole the members consider to be their signature hole, but this gem would be a serious candidate. The course is not excessively long- 6,676 yards from the back (blue) tees- and is not terribly difficult, 71.5 rating and 127 slope for the middle (white) tees. The fairways on the front nine are lined with mature oaks and other trees and have serious undulation, so that a flat lie is hard to find. The greens, on the other hand, tend to be disk shaped and without significant undulations or multiple levels, relying on speed and slope to make putting a challenge. The back nine fairways tend to be flatter than the front. As noted earlier, the river doesn't present much of a hazard, even though it runs the length of the tenth fairway, unless you really have a crazy hook. There are really only two holes, the par 3 twelfth and the par 5 fifteenth, where water comes into play. The creek that crosses the fifteenth fairway in front of the green cannot be seen from the fairway following an average drive, so a golf GPS device that shows hazards really comes in handy here. As a private course, this track is not available to the public. However, if there is an opportunity to play the course for a charity scramble or other such event, I would really recommend signing up. The course really is fun, and the amenities are a welcome change from what you find at the munis.

Established in 1926, Northfield Golf Club is one of the oldest golf courses in Minnesota and the generous fairways lined with mature trees give it a truly traditional look. You'll use every club in the bag on the variety of long and short holes, straight holes and doglegs, flat holes and holes with elevation changes. The course also offers several risk-reward challenges and opportunities. The first such opportunity is on the starting hole, a dogleg left par 5 where your tee shot must carry a creek that crosses the first part of the fairway and then runs along the left side for the remainder of the fairway. This means that you can aim left to cut across the dogleg and get additional distance, but any miscalculation will leave you in the water. On the other hand, if you're too long you'll go through the fairway and end up with a sidehill lie on the slope that forms the right side of the dogleg. Get used to playing across that creek, because you'll see it on six more holes. The course plays 6,728 yards from the back (black) tees, or 6,270 and 5,760 yards from the other “men's” (blue and white) tees. The forward tees are set at 5,204 yards. Difficulty of the course is indicated by a 73.5 rating and 143 slope for the back tees, and a little easier 68.9 rating and 138 slope for the white tees. Although the course is set on the edge of residential area, you won't see many houses on the older part of the course. The stands of trees, undulating topography, and the creek running through several holes give it a feeling of seclusion. The newer holes, which were added in the 70's and 90's, have a different look and feel. This is especially true of numbers 4 and 5, built in 1997 on what must have been a cornfield previously and look like many newer suburban courses. These holes are relatively flat, with only a few small evergreens along the fairways, and many McMansions all around. The par 5 number four hole provides another risk-reward opportunity on the tee shot. You can maximize your distance by going directly over the pond that faces the two back tees, or you can play safe by aiming left, avoiding the water, and leave yourself with a longer second shot. The Northfield greens are generally large and undulating, and you must land your approach on the correct level in order to have a birdie putt. I would like this course much more if it didn't have the jarring difference between the old course and the two newer holes. Nevertheless, it is an enjoyable course, challenging but not excessively so, and fun to play. The Northfield Golf Club, even though it is a private club, does allow non-members to play the course eight times during the season. If you try it once, you may want to go back seven more times.

Willinger's Golf Club is a beautiful, difficult, and totally fun course to play. Located in a rural area about 35 miles from the Twin Cities, the course is totally isolated from housing developments and traffic. Wiillinger's is visually striking, with some rolling topography, water, marshes and beautiful wooded areas. The course is not excessively long: 6,809 yards from the back “tournament” tees, while the “championship” and “regular” tees play to 6,310 and 5,936 yards. But as I'll describe later, the length isn't what makes the course difficult. And with ratings of 74.3, 72.3, and 70.5 and slopes of 147, 143 and 142 respectively for the three sets of tees, the course is difficult. (There is also a forward set of tees at 5,167 yards, so a lack of length should not deter golfers from playing the course.) The first thing that catches your eye on the first tee is the water that borders the right side of the fairway for about the first 200 yards. Since the hole is a dogleft right, the last thing you want to see on your first drive is the dreaded slice. If you don't hit the fairway, you'll notice that there is no intermediate cut of rough off the fairway. There is fairway and there is rough, and the rough is high enough to completely obscure your ball. Unless you get lucky with the lie, you won't be hitting any more than a short iron to return to the fairway. The water on the first hole is a harbinger of things to come, as water comes into play on about half of the holes. Where there isn't water bordering the fairway, you'll find woods and other stuff you don't want to be in. This course will punish you if you don't find the fairway. The second hole, a par 5, illustrates another of the features that makes the course difficult. The fairway varies significantly in width, from generous to very stingy. You must choose your club carefully and be sure of your distances in order to reach the preferred landing areas, unless you are accurate enough to hit the narrow parts of the fairway. Be sure to pick up a yardage guide that is provided in the pro shot in order to see exactly how the fairways vary in width so you can pick the right club. And pay attention to the Pro's Advice for each of the holes. This advice is especially handy when dealing with the significant elevation changes on the back nine. Several holes have you driving from an elevated tee and then back up to an elevated green. Unfortunately, the Pro can't help you once you reach the green. These greens are large, averaging 7,750 square feet, so you need to be aware of the pin placement in order to choose the right club for your approach shot. They are also undulating, smooth, and fast. It took a while for our foursome to adjust to the speed, especially on downhill putts that would not stop until they were well past the hole. Did I say the course was difficult? This was my first time to play the course, and I have to admit that the course won. But with very reasonable green fees for a high quality golfing experience, I'll gladly make the drive to come play again.

Goodrich Golf Course is a compact, tight layout set in a suburban residential/mixed use neighborhood. The course is short, only 6,200 yards from the back tees, and not too difficult (back tee rating of 69.9 and slope of 125). Four sets of tees make the course playable for a variety of skill levels. This makes the course very popular with locals, and when I played it many of the golfers were senior couples playing from the front tees. Goodrich doesn't have any major elevation changes, but some of the course is rolling with some slight elevation. The fairways are in fairly good condition, firm and very playable. With a few exceptions, the greens are smaller than you'll find on comparable courses, and they are fast and smooth. Some greens are severely sloped from back to front, and a putt from above the hole that is struck too firmly may end up off the green. Some golfers will find the layout to be quite pedestrian and boring. You go up one fairway to the green and then find that you just reverse direction at the next tee and the fairway is directly adjacent to the last. There are no sharp doglegs, most of the holes are either straight or have just a slight bend left or right. The lack of imagination in the layout is best demonstrated by holes 16 and 17. These are both par 3's, and differ in length by only one yard on the scorecard, 190 yards for number 16 and 189 yards for 17 from the back tee. The only difference is that 16 is slightly uphill and 17 is slightly downhill. The finishing hole is a very vanilla 382 yard par 4, with a straight, flat fairway leading to the green. No drama, no risk-reward here. Maybe that's why there were so many senior couples playing the course.

Burl Oaks Golf Club provides an enjoyable golf experience, not quite on par with the best private clubs in the Twin Cities but still a fun and challenging round. Although not terribly long from the back (Blue) tees at only 6,749 yards, the course is fairly difficult, as evidenced by a 73.4 rating and 142 slope. However, the course has six other tees or combinations of tees that range from 6,585 to 5,222 yards, ratings from 72.6 to 67.3 and slopes from 141 to 129, making it playable for golfers of varying skill levels. You won't get bored playing this course, as the holes feature a variety of right and left doglegs, water hazards, and elevation changes. The fairways are in relatively good condition, especially considering that the club does not provide sand bottles for the carts. Most of the fairways are generously wide and smooth, and the middle of the fairway will usually provide a flat lie. The greens are fast, gently undulating, and roll very true. From the middle (White) tees, the course starts out in fairly benign fashion with a 362 yard par 4 and a 452 yard par 5. The only trouble you might have is water as you approach both greens. Be happy if you start out with two pars, because the rest of the course is not so easy, starting with the 401 yard par 4 sixth hole that requires a forced carry over water to reach the green. Then you'll have the 199 yard par 3 seventh hole, and the 386 yard par 4 eighth with water hazards on both sides, which is the number one handicap hole. You get the idea- it's not an easy course. Eventually you'll reach the 18th tee, where you'll see one of the narrowest fairways flanked by a pond on both the right and left. Long hitters may be able to carry the hazard and reach a wider landing area, but most average players will have to hit a straight shot to land in the fairway. From there it's an uphill approach shot to a large green. Two putts and you've reached the end of your round and you can go have a cold beverage in the very nice clubhouse bar.

Como Park Golf Course is short (5,821 yards from the back tees), hilly with lots of elevation changes (it is used for downhill skiing in the winter), and relatively easy (rating of 67.5 and slope of 122 for the middle tees). Nevertheless, it is a fun course with a few holes that will challenge most golfers. Probably the major negative about the course is that there is no driving range, so you'll have to be satisfied with warming up by stretching and doing some putting on the practice green adjacent to the first tee. The first hole will tell you a lot about how the course will play on any day. The large green is severely sloped from back to front, so when the greens are playing fast a downhill putt may go several feet past the hole. Keep that speed in mind as you proceed. Long hitters will need nothing more than long irons or hybrids off the tee on many holes, and even average hitters will find that a good drive will leave them needing only a wedge or short iron for their approach shot. One exception to this is the par 4 7th hole, which is 410 yards from the middle tees to an elevated green that is sloped significantly from back to front. Most average golfers will need three shots to reach the green, and will then be happy to avoid a 3-putt. By contrast, the par 4 11th hole is only 287 yards from the back tees, so long hitters will be tempted to try to drive the green. Many are successful, but those who pull or hook their shot left will see their ball go OB. The course par is 70, as there are only two par 5 holes and four par 3's. The par 5's (holes 8 and 18) are some of the more challenging holes on the course, as they both have forced carries over water to reach the green. If you are above the hole on the severely tilted 18th green, a 3-putt is very likely. Following the round, the clubhouse provides few options in terms of food and liquid refreshment, but luckily there are many alternatives within a mile or two of the course.

Riverwood National Golf Course is only ten years old, but has already matured into a fun, playable track with generous undulating fairways and smooth expansive greens that roll true and just fast enough. At 7,022 yards, the course provides a challenge for low handicappers from the back tees with a rating of 74.2 and slope of 134. However, with five sets of tees the course can be enjoyed by golfers of varying abilities. The middle tees are very playable for average golfers, being 6,065 yards long with a 69.6 rating and 124 slope. The course was built out of former farmland and is set in a residential development. Of course, this means that OB and people's backyards are a feature on many holes, but the good thing is that about half of the holes don't have any houses at all. Several par 4 holes are doglegs where you can't see the green on your tee shot. If you're playing for the first time, it might be a good idea to take the golf cart up and take a look so you can make an informed decision about where to place your tee shot. Water and marshes are a prominent feature on many of the holes, and there are quite a few forced carries, either on the tee shot or on the approach to the green. If you have difficulty finding the fairway with your driver, be aware that the high marsh grass found all over the course is often not marked as a lateral hazard. A lost ball in this stuff will cost you stroke and distance. There aren't a whole lot of bunkers, but they are strategically placed around the greens. However, there aren't any holes with a large bunker directly in front of the green, so except for the holes with forced carries over water, run-up shots are an option. The bunkers are well groomed, with nice firm sand that is very playable. Both the front and back nines end with risk-reward par 5 holes. Long hitters may try to reach the green in two, but if they fail to find the fairway on the tee shot they will pay the penalty. Others may want to play more strategically, being sure to place their first two shots in the wider areas of the fairway. Get on in regulation and putt for a birdie.

As the name implies, Phalen Park Golf Course is located in a city park in the middle of a residential area. Several of the holes are directly adjacent to busy city streets, so you might experience the occasional jerk who blows his car horn or leans out the window and yells “Fore!” in the middle of your backswing. They think it's funny. Despite these distractions, the course provides an enjoyable experience. Phalen isn't long, only 6,092 from the back tees and 5,881 from the middle tees, so big hitters will be using irons or hybrids off several tees. The course is also very compact in terms of land usage, so holes are very close to each other. It's not unusual to see a ball from an adjacent hole in your fairway, even though most fairways are generously wide and lined with trees on both sides. The course gives you a variety of straight holes and both right and left doglegs, some of which seem like they're almost ninety degrees. The fairways are relatively flat, with some occasional undulations but no severe elevation changes. The greens are smooth and relatively fast. One of the more difficult holes on the course, the par 4 ninth, is also one of the shortest at just 325 yards from the middle tees. The tee shot starts off through a narrow chute before finding a wider landing area. The difficulty starts on the approach shot. The green is long, about 40 yards, and narrow, so proper club selection for the pin placement is critical. The green is also tilted from right to left, so any ball that lands on the right side of the tilted green will roll to the left side, often going completely off the short grass. A two putt is a very good result. By contrast, the number one handicap hole, the par 4 seventh, is 408 yards from the middle tees. A good drive will still leave a slightly uphill mid to long iron shot for most golfers. The large green slopes severely from back to front so it is best to be under the pin. It is not unusual for a putt from above the hole to keep going 10 to 12 feet past the hole. Take your 2-putt and move on. For a muni that is usually pretty busy, the course is in fairly good condition, and the pace of play is generally pretty good. Not too many four hour rounds, but not too many five hour rounds either. As previously noted, because it's fairly short and relatively easy (69.1 rating and 122 slope), long hitters and low handicap golfers may find that this course is not their cup of tea. But for most average golfers, it is a good way to spend a summer morning or afternoon.

Like many golf courses in Minnesota, Grand National Golf Club has two different personalities. Part of the course is wide open links-style, with a few evergreen trees here and there, undulating fairways with some mounding and tall grass if you get too far from the fairway. The other part, primarily holes 4 through 8, resemble a north woods golf course with forest-like stands of stately birch trees lining both sides of the fairway. The fairways are very smooth and provide lots of roll. Being a Joel Goldstrand design, there are several holes with forced carries over water to reach the green. The greens are reasonably fast, with subtle contours rather than severe undulations, and roll very true. This was my first time playing this course, and it was a real pleasure. The golf carts are equipped with GPS, which helps greatly in shot selection if you don't know the course well. Having played it once, I think my score will improve on subsequent rounds, so I will be back.

Purple Hawk Country Club does not have the ambiance or amenities of your typical country club. No well staffed and well stocked pro shop and no white table cloth dining. It's more like a typical small town golf course, open to all comers, with a bar that serves more beer than wine. The golf course itself is an interesting track, with mostly narrow tree-lined undulating fairways and some surprisingly fast greens. Water comes into play on about half of the holes, with forced carries over water to the green on several holes. Most of the holes are flanked by bunkers, but it would be inaccurate to call them “sand traps.” The crusty, compacted substance filling the bunkers bears little resemblance to what you'll find in the bunkers at most golf courses, especially at country club golf courses. Luckily, we were informed that a local rule allows removal of stones in the bunkers, which certainly saved us some nicks in our wedges. Despite its shortcomings, Purple Hawk is fun to play. If you keep your drives in the fairway, away from the trees and water, and respect the speed of the greens, you'll have a good time and a respectable scorecard.

Chomonix golf course is described on its website as offering a true North Woods experience. While this may be a slight exaggeration, the course is set in a regional park preserve and does make one feel that the urban environment has been left far behind. Water, woods, or both come into play on every hole. While the fairways are of generous width, getting too far afield will cost you. At 6,550 yards from the tips, you don't have to be long at Chomonix, but you do have to be straight. The thick rough is kept at a length that may make it hard to find a ball unless you're right on top of it. The previously mentioned woods or water line almost every fairway, or lurk beyond the green if you go long. Bunkering is minimal, as only three holes have any fairway bunkers, and most holes are guarded by only one or two bunkers around the green. Like the surrounding marshland, the course is mostly flat except for three holes on the back nine that have some slight elevation changes. These are the holes that have the most of that North Woods feel. Wild turkeys, deer, fox and other wildlife are often seen on these fairways. A few of the greens are slightly elevated above the fairway, but most are at the same level as the fairway. The greens do not have any severe contours, are mostly sloped from back to front, and roll relatively fast and true. At 303 yards from the middle tees and no large trees to contend with, the par 4 dogleg left 7th hole seduces many long hitters into going straight at the green. But if their ball doesn't carry 200 yards, it will find the pond that forms the left side of the dogleg. The short par 5 13th is another hole that long hitters love. With a straight fairway and only 445 yards from the middle tees, long hitters can easily reach the green in two. However, water on the right and woods on the left collect a lot of balls from those who overswing and push or pull their tee shots too far. In summary, Chomonix is a moderately challenging course that is truly fun to play. On the negative side, being set in marshland, the course does have some problems with soggy fairways and greens during rainy spells, leading to muddy spots on some fairways and on the 6th and 17th greens. However, I have heard that the management plans to rebuild those greens later during the 2016 season. Patrons may have to deal with temporary greens for a while, but the new greens will make a course that is truly a pleasure to play even better.

Bobby's Legacy golf course at Cragun's Resort is an excellent example of a Minnesota resort course. The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design features expansive undulating fairways, lots of water and woods, and large, fast greens with subtle (and some not-so-subtle) contours. The course is visually stunning, with lake views on many holes. With five par 5 holes and only four par 3's, the course plays to a par of 73. This was my first time to play the course, and it quickly became clear that some thought off the tee is required before deciding which club to take and where to try to place the tee shot. On several holes, it might be better to take a long iron or hybrid off the tee. With a good result, you'll have only a mid to short iron left to reach the green. On the other hand, the 200-plus yard par 3 15th may require a driver off the tee for most average golfers. Don't let false pride keep you from making par on this hole. By contrast, the par 3 9th hole is only 112 yards from the elevated back tees. The peninsula green, with water on three sides, demands a precise tee shot. On a windy day my foursome, which included two single-digit handicappers, managed to leave only one ball on the green. The finishing hole is a classic risk-reward par-5, where you can challenge as much of the marsh as you dare on your tee shot. You can then try for the green in two, or lay up for a better chance to avoid the bunkers and hazard surrounding the green with a good wedge shot. You can then head to the clubhouse, where you can have a cold Minnesota brew on the patio, and watch other poor souls try to keep their balls on that pesky 9th green.

I play Stillwater Oaks Golf Course several times a year, and had been concerned that the course had deteriorated since the time when it was called Sawmill Golf Club and under different management. However, during my most recent round course conditions seemed to have improved quite a bit. The greens, which had looked like moonscapes from all the unrepaired ball marks, were healthy, smooth, and reasonably fast. A few tee boxes still had many unrepaired divots, but others looked quite good. Fairways were also in reasonably good condition. All of this is welcome news, because Stillwater Oaks is a little gem of a layout. Rolling fairways, subtly contoured greens, and significant elevation changes make the course fun to play. Trees play a significant role in the challenges facing golfers. On the first hole, a par 5, a cottonwood stands in the middle of the first fairway about 260 yards from the back tees. If your tee shot is too far back from the tree, you'll have to rely on a draw or fade to get past the tree and find the fairway for your third shot. The 12th hole, a par 4 with a slight dogleg, measures 288 yards from the middle tees. Longer hitters may be tempted to go straight for the green, but another huge cottonwood guards the bend and catches the shots of most who try. Probably the prettiest hole at Stillwater Oaks is the 5th, a par 3. There are two sets of tees, one of which is set on a bluff about 60 or 70 feet above the level of the green. Your tee shot must go through a narrow chute of trees and carry 130 or so yards of pond before settling on a generous size green. The course is not for everybody- single digit handicappers and very long hitters may not find it challenging enough. But for the rest of us, Stillwater Oaks will provide an enjoyable round of golf.

Rum River Hills Golf Club is at least partially well described in its name. The Rum River does border part of the course, but one might have a hard time finding any real hills on the property. Designed by Joel Goldstrand, features of the course include his characteristic undulating fairways and forced carries over water on several holes. Indeed, water comes into play on at least twelve holes, either bordering the fairway or near the green. The hazards are the only real opportunity to lose a ball, as the rest of the course is fairly wide open and the rough between fairways is not terribly high. I was very impressed by the greens. They were smooth and rolled true, and were almost totally devoid of unrepaired ball marks. Either the patrons are well schooled in course etiquette or the grounds crew spends a lot time with divot tools. Regardless, they were a refreshing change from the greens at many public courses in the Twin Cities area. My only complaint is that they were fairly slow and it took several holes to make the appropriate adjustment with the putter. The course is not very long, only 6,308 yards from the tips, and not very difficult. Less skilled players may be challenged by the forced carries to several greens, but more experienced golfers won't have a problem. Rum River Hills is moderately priced and has special rates for seniors. It's worth giving it a try.

Ordinarily, I'm not a fan of modern suburban courses that are set in the middle of a housing development with houses bordering almost every fairway. The TPC-Twin Cities course is an exception. What's not to like about a course designed by Arnold Palmer and where the likes of Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples and Tom Lehman play in the annual 3M Championship? The course isn't easy, with a length of 7,154 from the championship tees, a rating of 75.7 and 148 slope. The white tees are set at 6,215 yards, rating of 70.8 and 141 slope. Despite the difficulty, the course is fun to play, with generous rolling fairways that are quite firm and will give your tee shot lots of roll. But be sure to stay close to the fairway or you may lose a ball or two in the native prairie grass that lines many of the fairways. You may also rinse one or two balls, as water comes into play on more than half of the holes. Even if you reach the green in regulation, par is not a given. The greens are quite large, undulating, and fast. Every par you make will give you a real sense of satisfaction, and you'll want to come back to this fun, challenging course.

If you're not a member, or a friend of one, probably the only way you'll get to play the Southview Country Club will be as a participant in a charity tournament. Trust me, even if you have to play with beginners in a best-ball scramble, the experience will be worth it. Southview is one of the prettiest courses in the Twin Cities, with rolling tree-lined fairways and truly excellent greens. Many of the fairways have a definite slant to them so that balls will roll quite a way right or left of where they land. Placing your tee shot in the right place is imperative. The day I played, the greens were Stimping at about 10.5 or 11, smooth and true. Keep your approach shot below the hole or pay the price. Be sure to enjoy the view from every teebox, and look around you when you arrive on the green. Southview is really a treat for the eyes.