Ienjoygolfing75

I have played here before and have always been a fan of this track. While many courses in the twin cities are currently fighting winter kill, Rush Creek looks pristine. The course in phenomenal shape. It is a fun track with a good practice facility, along with a clubhouse that rivals the best. Give it a shot.

I made my way back to the Dunes for my yearly Florida visit. The course was in great condition, even better than last year and I was quite impressed last year. Bunkers seemed a lot cleaner this year and the gator population was much more prevalent. I love seeing gators on the course and I was not disappointed. The back 9 is one of my favorite stretches of holes. A short track but definitely not one you take lightly, I played here two times during my trip and the second round we caught the wind, nothing quite like heavy wind and a lot of water to set your ego straight. I love it here and would recommend to anyone. The price is a little high but the amenities and scenery help create value.

I see there is a recent review involving the condition of this course, I have played this course multiple times a year for a matter of years and this trip provided the best conditions yet. Still some work to be done, some greens had some damage and a few GUR in the fairways, but compared to last year they have made some significant strides. I was very impressed. No, there is not a driving range. If you want one on the island, you will have to go to the aqua range where you essentially are working off of feel. The chipping and putting green was great in my opinion, that was where I noticed the changes immediately. A few less trees on the back 9 provides some more water views, I saw the crocodile on the tee box of 3 which was pretty cool, staff continues to be top of the line. Very nice people who are genuinely glad to see you at their course, they appreciate the business and there is something to be said for that. I really enjoy this course, Not the longest track ever but 6000 is respectable, especially for being on the island. A few houses being worked on and built provided for some noise but there is only so much anyone can do about that. Give it a shot, I love running around this track.

This course is as sharp as they come. A very classy place with plenty of charm. Pro shop is huge, and the course is great. I was lucky to play here through work, and I really enjoyed it. Some sharp turns on a few holes really makes you play the game in a smart way. I loved this course and hope to be back.

I managed to get to the Refuge for a second time this season and I pleased. This course will always have a place in my heart as the course that really sparked my interest in golf. It was the local course for me when I was growing up and I always heard it was really tough. I love this course, tips are around 6500 so a respectable distance, I would like it to be a little longer but you can't argue with the length. This outing was better than the first, conditions had improved and everything grew in a little more. Greens were a little beat up this time though from people not fixing their marks. This is a fun course with cool views and it provides a challenge, you won't walk all over this track that is for sure. Strategy is key here. As long as they keep the course up, I will continue my trend of 3-4 rounds a year here.

I loved this course, I went into it with an open mind but I had high hopes given its a TPC track. I really enjoyed everything about TPC Scottsdale and although its a totally different course, the TPC feeling, service, and atmosphere was top notch. TPC Twin Cities followed suit, I loved it. Great club house, huge pro shop, nice range, and a heck of a course. There are a lot of houses so if you get nervously holes with houses lining them, get ready. They have a lot of very enjoyable holes that are gorgeous to look at, and a real challenge to play. This course is private, I was able to play here and if you get a chance, I would recommend going. This is a great course with great conditions, and it is a ton of fun. Cant wait to come play again.

This place is a golf powerhouse with multiple courses which are all very popular. I opted for the big boy, the Straits course. Clubhouse is incredible, make some time just to explore the whole building. The front doors alone put most clubhouses to shame. Pro shop is stocked with items, and with the Ryder Cup coming in 2020, they have a lot of Ryder Cup gear as well. Only pro shop I have been in with a fireplace, and it was lit, that was a neat touch. This course is no where near cheap, it is very expensive. So, enjoy it as you don't shell out that kind of money on a round every day. Driving range was nice, free tees, bug spray, many targets to aim for, all around a great range. Also had a chipping area which was nice. They also had a few practice putting greens which were very nice. This is a walking course, there are no golf carts. This adds a new dynamic to the course and it is an awesome touch. I loved how everyone had to walk and I enjoyed the walk as well. They have caddies, use them. They add to the experience and help a lot. We had Berry and PJ, both were knowledgable and fun caddies. They helped immensely and really brought some fun to our group. The course is tough, with 1100 bunkers, you need to accurate. Most of the bunkers serve a cosmetic role, unless you are a very wild shot. You need to be accurate here, if you are not, you will not enjoy the scorecard. Your driver has to be dialed in or you may want to opt for a different club, if you are not in the fairway off the tee you will be fighting for par, if not bogey. Its an awesome course, extremely pretty and maintained very well. They have 6 tees, 7790 from the Blacks down to 5564 from the Reds. I played the Blues at 7142 and found it to be very fun and challenging. Play the right tee though, I felt like the Blues were just fine for me, and it made it very enjoyable. The course has multiple holes that run along Lake Michigan, its incredible and the most memorable set of holes I have played. The lake is great and really adds to the beauty of the course. Greens were true, they rolled well and were fairly quick. Not as fast as I was thinking they would be but they were still nice. My favorite hole was 7, named Shipwreck, 205 par 3. This is a once in a lifetime type course, absolutely a bucket list member. Playing here is a treat and no matter how you play or what the scorecard looks like, you will enjoy it immensely. One of my favorites I have played and I absolutely recommend playing here.

I had The Classic at Madden's on my list for awhile and was finally able to drive 3 hours north in order to add this course to my list. I really, really enjoyed this course. I teed off (alone) around 8am and it was chilly but really nice. Great club house, nice restaurant with a pro shop that has a lot of items. Side note, yardage books are free which is nearly unheard of, and its one of the nicer books in my 30+ collection. As you approach the first tee, there is a small putting green for a few quick putts before head off. There is also a cool bridge which you take your cart over and it brings you to a nice driving range. These bridges are all over the course, as seen in the pictures, and its very cool and adds some definite character. They have 6 tee options ranging from 7102 to 4850. I played the tips and found it to offer a great challenge. I really enjoyed this round and can see why so many websites and Minnesota golfers says The Classic is their favorite course. Many websites have this course ranked in their top 5, which I completely agree with. It is also a top 100 course in the country. I will say my favorite MN course is still The Wilderness, but this course is still phenomenal and a total blast. First hole is a 545 yard par 5 dog leg left with a pretty steep slope about 150 yards and in. Awesome opening hole that can reward you immediately, or put you on your heels within your first shots of the day. My favorite hole was #17, easily. 160 yard par 3 shooting over a swamp/pond, a cool bridge off to the right, and some incredible white sand bunkers in the back. Awesome, awesome par 3 and one I will always remember when I think of this course. Another hole I loved was #11, a 444 yard par 4 that looks storable on paper, but is a real shotmakers dream when you get on the tee box. The tips are tucked back in a chute, and if your drive is 10 yards offline either way, you will hit the trees and still be in the chute. If you get through the chute clean, you better hope you have the distance because the fairway starts really deep on the hole. Once you are clean there, you have multiple options of how to play the hole. The green is protected by bunkers behind, water in front, OB on the right and a BIG tree which seems to be placed just perfect to line up with the common pin placements. The green is off to the right, but the fairway plays to the left. You either bail out left and play for par at best, or you pull a few tricks out and spin it into the green. Tough par but one of my favorite MN holes. Greens were perfect, fairways were fantastic, and the course was in impeccable shape. I told the staff that their course had some of the best conditions I had seen this season. Their staff was great, starter was very welcoming and told me all about the course and resort, the bag drop guys were fun and seemed genuinely happy that they were helping me out. This is an awesome course that should be on your list to play. I will be back and next time, I will be playing with previous experience. Time to go low!

Bearpath is an absolute treat. This is a private course, so if you are lucky enough to be invited by a member, do not pass on it. Everything about Bearpath is wonderful, the amenities are incredible, the pro shop is top class (Many top 100s) and the food is the best CC food I have had. Now to the golf, they have a practice chipping green and putting green, as well as a bunker to sharpen your beach skills. Very well taken care of and a wonderful facility. The range is awesome, I loved it and so will you. The course is pristine, fairways were great and clean, greens were fast and true like glass. They do a great job maintaining the course and they should be recognized for that. Multiple tee options so everyone can play, and they have some very cool holes on this course. #16 is a fun hole with an awesome green complex, don't be short or you are in big, big trouble. I also really enjoyed #12. The whole course is fun and makes you wish you were a member the whole time, the staff is wonderful and welcoming and makes you feel right at home. Top class course and amenities, great people and a great time.

I finally played the Crossroads course, as I have always played the Signature course. I like Signature more but I haven’t always been a huge fan of Majestic Oaks. It’s nice for weddings and receptions but I just haven’t fallen in love with the courses. The courses seem sprawled out to me, and it’s almost as if you are in a neighborhood with a golf course inside of it. Houses every inch of the course. Crossroads was fun, 6396 for the atypical gold tees. I prefer longer courses but 6300 is on par with similar caliber courses in the area. Some dog leg holes, a little bit of water you have to avoid, and some well placed fairway bunkers. Greens were better than they have been in the past, pretty dented from the lack of people fixing marks. They were fairly true as well, which I was a tad surprised by. This course is worth playing if you have an afternoon to burn and have to stay local. I personally would not choose this course as one to play if I had an afternoon to burn, but it is worth the consideration of others. The clubhouse is nice, they just renovated it and it’s very well done. The restaurant is and always will be my favorite part. I really enjoy their food, their appetizers are great and the food is overall very good. The range is fine. Nothing special, pay for balls and at least we were on grass. Decent course with plenty of trees and things to avoid. I’ll be back at some point, just not sure when as I will side with others.

I will start this review by saying this is my favorite golf course I have ever played, period. Out of every course I have reviewed, this course is my favorite. I love my northern Minnesota courses and the Arizona big hitters but this course hits the box for everything that I enjoy in a golf course.

The clubhouse was great, nice big building with a great restaurant, pro shop was a good size but could probably be updated a little bit. They sell an awesome yardage book if you like those, very nicely done. Plenty of clothing options and many different things for “Collectors.”
The range was pretty cool, not huge but another mountain backdrop which will never get old. A few practice putting greens and a nice wedge area to chip and such. We started there and then the loud speaker welcomed us, by name, to the 1st tee box.
The starter was very informative, helpful and nice. He gave us some tips and told us about the bears and what not. We didn’t see any which is good, but I was a little bummed. This course is awesome, with 7 different tee combinations. Black tees play at 6938 yds and Reds play at 4478 yds. I played the Blacks and found this course to be challenging and extremely enjoyable. A bad hole on my end was very hard to stress about when you see the views and character of this place.

A historic Stanley Thompson design that opened in the 1920’s, you can feel the history when you step on the course. I absolutely loved it. Their website has an awesome timeline feature where you can learn all about the course. You are almost doing yourself a disservice by not learning a little about this place before playing it.

Now to the fun part, the track itself. As I said earlier, I played the tips and found it to be a challenge and loads of fun. You start of on a 414 yd par 4 that slightly turns to the left. It is a nice hole to get yourself going and slow down a little. You then move onto hole 2, a 171 yd par 3 that is awesome. This starts a nice stretch of holes that have Rundle mountain as a backdrop and its incredible. It’s a very cool view to watch your ball against. The signature hole is obviously #4, the 192 yd par 3 named “Devil’s Cauldron” This hole is noted as being one of the top 18 holes in the entire world, and it means business. This hole is on a whole different planet, it is elevated, you are shooting over an awesome looking pond, a beautiful green complex and Rundle mountain in the back. I hit the right back bunker and bogey’d, but I will always remember this hole, what I played and how it went. This course is worth playing simply for this 1 hole, the other 17 are just icing on the cake, a very delicious icing that is. So many holes on this course that are amazing. Holes 8 through 15 run alongside a river, this is the coolest stretch of holes I have been on. The water is incredible looking and it provides an awesome sound while you are playing. Hole 15 has a tee shot that is just as memorable, elevated tee box that is next to the original clubhouse (which is now a good German restaurant) You overlook the mountains and it is an incredible view. I was told by someone helping at the carts that no matter what tee I was playing from, to go and play the Black tees on 15, I quickly understood why. Multiple pictures were taken from this tee box.

Beautiful fairways, nice bunkers (not white sand which I hoped for) but they were clean and maintained, greens were pure but not the fastest I have played, a little slower than the other 2 Canada tracks I played. This was a little upsetting but I also teed off around 8 so we had a little dew going. Carts were brand new, stocked with water, towels, divot tools and all.

All in all, this place is magical, simple as that. It is a steep green fee, but that should not make you flinch. You are not considering this course because it is a cheap muni course, you are at this course because it is a historic powerhouse with some of the best holes and scenery you will ever play. I cannot wait to get back to Alberta and Banff and play a few more courses, this will be the main show though. 10/10, play it, enjoy it, and don’t forget your camera.

Stewart Creek is an amazing place, the course runs on top of an old Anthracite Coal mine which provides some unique traits. The clubhouse is very nice, this course is a semi-private course so it has a country club feel with a public option. The restaurant is nice with a balcony, it gives you the chance to eat outdoors and overlook the practice area and range. The pro shop was very nice, quite large with a solid selection. No yardage book, only a yard card, which was kind of a bummer as I like to collect them. The carts were new and nice, staff was very nice, especially the starter. We had a good chat before teeing off and I enjoyed that. The course was very fun, scenic and challenging. I had played Silvertip before this round and was told that I would see some clear differences. They were correct, although this was not a negative. Just a different feel, Stewart Creek felt more like a high end metropolitan country club compared to Silvertip. More houses, more activity, a little busier area than Silvertip. Truth be told, I preferred Silvertip over Stewart Creek but I think that was simply due to my preference of courses with a quieter feel. There are 5 tee options, ranging from Black at 7009 yds to Red at 5035 yds. I played the Black tees and enjoyed the course very much, some very challenging holes which make you take chances, and one of my favorite par 3s I have played in #9. #9 is a 212 yd par 3 with a tee box that is elevated to max, it is an awesome view and a great, great hole. The par 5s are pretty long which was awesome, they a very fun and offer risk/reward opportunities and a few double fairways. There is also a very unique part to this course which I have not seen anywhere else, a few of the holes have a large bell which you are asked to ring in order to tell the group behind you that you are in a safe spot and will not be hit. Blind tee shots are common on this course, so the bell is a creative way to help prevent issues. This was very cool, I loved hearing the bell as I traveled around the course. It echoed around and it was awesome. Very cool part of the course. Greens were fast and pure, I loved them. Bunkers were typical sand, I wish It was white sand but it still played just fine. I think you will like this course, it is extremely nice and a high class course. You will enjoy this course just like I did.

Silvertip, I am not sure what else to say but wow. This course is special, and after playing it I am not surprised by the fact that it is highly regarded in Canada. I loved this course, it checked nearly every box of things that I like in a golf course. First off, the clubhouse is extremely nice. Nice big pro shop with multiple items, including a great yardage book and nice logo ball. They have a restaurant and a bar area, the bar is very nice with multiple televisions and some doors that swing open and connect it to the best patio seating area I have seen. Awesome patio that looks over the 18 fairway and green as well as the tee box and fairway of 10. Food was great and the people were nice. The course is incredible, so many trees and the views are top notch. Mountains everywhere you look, it is really something. It is extremely quiet even though there are a few small housing areas on the course, I didn’t mind that. The greens were great, vert fast and they were smooth as glass. White sand bunkers are always a plus, the only thing I would have liked a little more was a newer golf cart, this one wasn’t that old and it had GPS on it but I still am a sucker for newer carts. The driving range was very cool, hit balls into a mountain back drop. Very nice range. First hole takes you down a few switch backs with the cart which is fun.

6 sets of tees to make it fun for everyone, 7140 yds from the tips down to 4822 from the reds. Plenty of length options to choose from. The very first hole is 345 from the tips, dog leg left. You can cut the corner or play a draw around the bend and hit a hill which will roll you even closer. Awesome hole to start the round and a fun one to see how close you can get. Every hole on this course was fun and provided different challenges, tons of elevation change gives you some great tee views and makes every hole pretty easy to remember. The tips give you some really long holes especially #8 at 555 yds, #14 at 598 yds. #18 is a 464 yd par 4 with an awesome tee shot that dog legs to the left, and drop in elevation heavily. You play your tee shot towards elevated sign that is a bear, and let the hill do the work. Awesome hole, as you come down the hill the views are incredible and there is a nice pond as well as the club house. Makes for a very memorable round. I wont forget this one soon and am already looking into coming back to Banff to play Silvertip again, as well as try a few new ones. Highly recommend, this is in my top 5 for sure.

I had a good time at this course but it was just too short for my liking. 4 different tees - red to blue. 6395 from the blues, that is a fair number especially for blue tees but I personally enjoy a little more yardage. Conditions were great and the greens were very nice. Some fun par 3s and short 5s. Driving range was average, we were on grass though which was nice. Only issue is you are in prime pull territory at their range. 3 golf balls came flying through the trees behind us while we were there, with them landing within 10 feet of people. This is clearly people who are errant off the tee but I do like being at driving ranges where I don't have to worry about somebody hooking one and hitting me while I range. Clubhouse was also average, nice from the outside but pretty bland on the inside. Small pro shop, small bar, outdoor seating. Its fine but nothing special. Bunkers were dirty but it did rain so I don't want to knock them too much. Its a fun course but I will be choosing others in the future.

I really enjoyed this course, I had this on my list to play due to it being highly ranked by many online outlets. I would agree with their assessments, I think this course is wonderful. The clubhouse is very nice, looks brand new, large pro shop, cool restaurant with an outdoor patio area with a "Drive in" spot to grab food on the turn. Pretty neat. Nicely landscaped with great practice greens. Driving range is decent, not the greatest I have been on but they provided yardages which was nice. This course is challenging but it gives plenty of scoring opportunities. Greens were awesome, beautiful greens that rolled nicely. White sand bunkers which is always a plus. Some very cool par 3 holes, I really enjoyed them. Plenty of tee options, we played the tips and it was great. Pace was never an issue, plenty of bev cart passes, nice staff and a great round of golf. I recommend this course. Every other review on this site is fairly old, I would not judge the course based on those at all. I have played many high level courses and I think this one is very, very nice. I am glad I came and I agree with this being a top MN public course. Give it a shot.

StoneRidge has been on my list of must plays for a while now and I pulled the trigger this weekend and made the drive. What a treat and a work of art. Awesome place and you won't be disappointed. Fastest greens I have played this year with a very well maintained course to boot. We ran into a little bit of a pace issue on the back 9, 3 groups ahead of us slowed down pretty bad and was leaving 2 groupings on the tee. The course recognized this and handled it, they started picking it up again and it got better. It was nice to see a course recognize it, and deal with it. I have no problem with people enjoying their round and not sprinting back to the cart, but I also think you have to respect everyone a little as well and realize you are backing people up. If you hate bunkers, if they make you break clubs, do not play here. You will go insane. This place is a beach with super green grass, its incredible how much sand they have here. Bunkers galore, and it is awesome. It provides a challenge and you either avoid them, or your sand wedge is going to be used a lot. The next thing is the knee high natural grass rough, extremely cool and something you really don't see much in MN. Practice area is great and the clubhouse is very nice with a great pro shop. Spendy round, but in my opinion, this is a Minnesota must play. I recommend this course 100% and then some.

Loggers is a great course with a wonderful practice facility. It is very unique and I liked it alot, the range ties in a replica island green of #17 at Sawgrass. They also have some smaller putting greens with areas to chip from, it is nicely landscaped and is a neat little area with a backyard type feel. Very cool. Course was awesome, fun course with a few holes that scream at you to pull the trigger and take a few risks. Some of the routing of the paths is interesting but you will find your way. I have always heard good things about this course and I can vouch that they were correct. The staff is also very nice which is always good. As always, paying for range balls is a bothersome point for me. I have always known Loggers as a "Top class" type of course (highly rated by many publications) and most of those courses offer range balls with the purchase of your round. This isn't a huge deal but it does put some separation between courses in my mind. All in all its a nice place with a fun track, I recommend playing here.

I really enjoyed this golf course, it offered a great challenge in terms of tee selection and how you wanted to play certain shots. Pretty tough track with some very, very fun par 5s. Clubhouse is pretty nice with some of the best staff I have been around. Gentleman in the pro shop was extremely nice and welcoming. If I owned a golf course, he is the type that I would want to represent my company. My only knock on the course is that there is no driving range, practice greens were nice but I like to warm up the long irons before my round. It should not stop you from trying the course though, but be warned about it. The bunkers are very nice, carts are great and the course is well maintained. If you want to go low on this track, you will have to play some risky shots. This leads to a very fun round, so hit the gas and go.

I have wanted to play CTC for quite a while now, I finally made me way out there this week and I am glad I did. CTC is such a fun course, and there are quirks that make it even better. My favorite part about this course is the fact that you have multiple options to play every hole, from 110% risk to completely defensive. The catch is, both will bite you if you miss. Staff is extremely nice, we felt very welcomed and the staff seemed glad that we came. We were cart path only, but that didn't bother us. Heavy rain the previous two days, so we expected it. Clubhouse was nice, pro shop was stocked with nice items, the logo ball is very nice compared to others, and they have an app you can download that is second to none. If you play here, you should download the app, we thought it was very helpful. The carts have a nice GPS system which is cool. Course is very fun and very well kept up. Zero complaints about the maintenance. My only complaint involves the driving range, the range itself is nice and has targets to aim at, but you have to pay for range balls. With the class this course is in and the courses it is comparable to, range balls come with your round. It is petty of me, but since I am reviewing I figured I would mention it. Obviously, that should not deter anyone from playing here. All in all, very pretty course that offers different options in terms of how to play it, risk vs. reward, etc. Plenty of tees to choose from, we played the tips and it gave us a good challenge. Bunkers were wet when we played so I can't judge them. Go there, play it for yourself, enjoy.

Bluff Creek is a fun course, it is a nice length from the tips and pretty well taken care of. We are still pretty early in the season here in MN, yet they have the course in good shape. The bunkers were great, carts were nice, and some pretty challenging holes. We came to play the "Dream 18" 12th hole, pretty challenging hole that we really enjoyed. The clubhouse was pretty average but the staff was really nice to us. The layout is ok, a few holes are confusing to get to. We had to figure out where we were going a few times, but thats pretty petty. The greens were nice, really only 2 holes had greens that were a little questionable with some dead spots. I think its worth trying, I enjoyed it.