PTA25

Yeah, it stinks that this course is out of the way but very nice course. Ii's about a 35-minute drive from Fargo but once you get out there you won't regret the drive. The first two holes are challenging (par 4, par 5) but if you go left off the tee you'll lose your ball. Hole 3 is a driveable par 4 but if you miss left or right you'll be in a hazard. Hit seven-iron down the middle to 50-60 yards out. Hole 4 is another tough driving hole with the smallest yet levelest green on the course. Hole 5 (par 3) is a long par three with a pond to the left. A good miss is short left side. Hole 6 is the second par 5 on the course with out of bounds all the way up the left side. Keep it right or in the fairway for a high chance at birdie, however, they are putting a pond about 70 yards out on this hole. Hole 7 is a driveable par 4 if you are a big hitter but the best play is to hit it to 100 yards out and bang a wedge in. Hole 8 is short par three but the green is super tiny and you don't want to miss left. Hole 9 is a driveable par 4 for those big hitters but it's a risk reward type of hole with a tricky slopped green. The course is in real nice shape right now. The biggest thing I hear people get upset about is that the greens don't hold anything. This is a course where a bump and run master will lead the pack. Nothing really stikes on the greens and from 100 yards out your score will be better at the end of the round if you land the ball short and let it run up. Greens are small but it's a challenge nine-hole course. The staff is great, the food is wonderful and the beer is cheap and cold. They offer a nice three-year membership deal that I believe will start next season. Also a course that has a lot of fun tournaments including the club tournament for members.

Out of all the nine-hole course, I've played in North Dakota this year, Goose River Golf Club is the greenest of them all. Also, this course has the best driving range I've seen for a nine-hole course. The lady in the clubhouse didn't seem to understand golf as she didn't understand paying per seat for a cart. The course isn't challenging but it's in good shape. Big greens but they aren't the fastest I've played on but you can get a ball to stick. Hole 1 is fairly easy with trees on the right side. I think this hole has the biggest green on the course. Hole 2 is another par 4 that looks long off the tee but as long as you stay in the fairway you'll have a shot at birdie. Hole 3 is my favorite hole and another par 4. Trees/river/hazard to the left and trees to your right but if you do pull your drive left there is a chance that it stays in play because it opens up more than you think to the left. Hole 4 is a par 3, pretty easy hole. Hole 5 is a par 5 with hazard on your left and trees on your right. Just stay in play and shot at birdie will happen. Hole 6 is a long par 3 with trees to your left and a two-tiered green. Remember the greens aren't that fast so maybe take that extra club if the hole is on the top tier. Hole 7 is another par 5 with a right-to-left tee shot. The hole gets narrow the closer you get to the green. Hole 8 is the hardest hole on the course according to the score card I believe. A tough tee shot and almost has to be hit down the pipe and if it's not you'll have tree trouble on both sides. Elevated green but it's not that sloped. The course ends on a par 3, which kind of sucks but it's a tough 160 with a green that drains everything off the sides. If you hit the green left or right your ball probably will end down below the hole. The biggest bump I hear about this course is that you are driving/walking back to the next tee box from the green you are on, which isn't awful but it's something to point out if you are willing to walk the course. The flip side is that the course is in wonderful shape. Tee to green everything is green. Also, because I was in the trees and rough on a few holes, the rough is thick rough.

Sidenote: the putting green is two-tiered and has enough holes for multiple people to be practicing at the same time.

Overall score, on the scale of nine-hole courses in North Dakota, keeping everything in mind from staff to driving range, I give this course a 7.8/10 and has to be a Top 5 nine-hole course in North Dakota.