I played from the blacks as this is where the tournament tees will be. Yardages mentioned here represent that.
Hole 1 is a straight ahead par 5, at 495 yards, with danger on the left as the hole is bounded by a road there. This hole, like many on the course plays completely different based on if the wind is hurting or helping. With a helping wind you can easily be inside of 200 yards off the tee. With the wind in your face it can require three to reach. The right side is certainly safer off the tee but there are a couple of waste bunkers there that are hidden off the tee.
Hole 2 looks like it is a dogleg left but the green is actually behind the center bunker off the tee. The best play is just to the left of that bunker on this 385 yard par 4. You can choose to layup short of that bunker. Doing so can leave a lengthy second shot into the green however.
The third hole, a 381 yard par 4, introduces the first water hazard on the course. A pond down the right side. The left side offers a respite for shots not into the fairway but long grass and some mounds make shots from there not that desirable. Don't go long on this green. There is little room behind before your ball will be lost in the long grass.
Hole 4 is the first par 3 you encounter. At 160 yards the right side of this green is trouble with marsh. A large bunker front left protects this side.
Hole 5 is kind of a gimmicky hole but always offers a bit of fun off the tee. A large hill hides the green which is just at the base of the hill on the right. A placard near the tee touts this is the site of the longest hole in one in Minnesota. You need to be able to carry 270 to get near the green. Being on the hill is trouble and the back side is protected by a series of bunkers. Playing to the left of the hill is not bad and offers around 150-130 yards into the green. The risk usually is not worth the reward here. During the tournament this was our first hole. Since it was best ball two people had hit safe shots to the left so I hit over the hill. I had one of my best shots all year and got over the hill and short of the green by about 10 yards.
Hole 6 is an elevated tee shot to a rather wide open fairway on this 375 yard par 4. Both sides of the rough have plenty of sand to find. On the far left is out of bounds but you will likely loose a ball in the long grass before actually going OB. The fairway has a cross bunker on the right side about 300 yards off the tee.
Hole 7 is another gimmicky hole. 2 greens allow for a varied experience on this hole. The right green is closer than the left. On either, hitting the green is critical as danger surrounds both of these small greens.
Hole 8 always seems to be a challenge. An uphill tee shot on this 415 yard par 4. You cant see much danger off the tee. Just aim down the middle here. Sand is on both sides off the fairway but is probably more in play right. The green is narrow but wide and hitting to the correct half the pin is located on is critical.
Hole 9 is a par 5 that requires a long tee shot in order to tempt you to go for the green in 2. Water protects the front of the green and starts about 70 yards from the hole. There is room to miss the green right but left is wet, as is long of the green. There is a couple of bunkers behind the green but the couple of times I have been long it seems like I always miss their saving grace. If the wind is at you it is best to play it safe with three shots on this 479 yard hole.
Hole 10's landscape is as wide open as can be with the driving range right of the tee and the practice loop to the left. The best play here is to the right-center or right of the sand at the left corner of this dogleg left. Playing too far left will find the widest part of the massive waste bunker. If you can clear the sand off the tee then you should have less than 200 yards to the green on this 471 yard par 5. If the pin is front this hole can be a eagle opportunity.
Hole 11 offers two angles off the two to two fairways. Between the fairways is a bunker complex. The left fairway runs out about 260 off the tee and the right at about 300. If you can avoid the sand on your second the green is pretty accessible as it is fairly large.
Hole 12 is a long par 3 at 180 yards to a shallow wide green. A small hill in front of the green bisects the putting surface. With wind this hole can be a brute to find the putting surface. This is my putting surface in the tournament. I had to make a pretty decent 8 foot putt this week for par after we opted to take a tee shot on the fringe for three chances at chipping it close failed.
Hole 13, I like to think of as the transition hole from the links style course played so far to a more Minnesota feeling tree lined course. While this hole doesn't have many trees, it has in fact only one but it is prominent in the middle of the hole. Playing to either side of the tree is OK as the left side is actually usually pretty thin grass. The second shot is to an elevated green that can be tricky if you dont get near the pin. The green falls off back and right.
Hole 14 is a tough par 5. You must hit your tee shot down the right center of the fairway. Anything hit left will be blocked by trees. Hitting right can find OB in people's yard. The hole doglegs left slightly and turns into the woods. The green is tucked back in the woods and getting on in 2 here is a really really good accomplishment. The green has 2 tiers front and back, so hitting to the correct one is critical but undulations make either tier a challenge.
Hole 15 is the final gimmick hole and my least favorite on the course. A sharp dogleg left, the fairway ends about 230 yards out and going that long can bring trees into play on your second shot. The best play is to try hit the 150 yard marker in the fairway. From there it is an uphill second to a green that has some bunkering and slope from back to front.
Hole 16 is a tough par 4 at 381 yards. The fairway is bisected by a large hill. The right side of the fairway extends out further on the top tier. The left side of the fairway ends shorter and once you go over the hill danger can await if too far left. The best play is center right over the hill. Make sure you have enough off the tee though as several bunkers are at the bottom of the hill before the fairway picks up again. The second shot will be uphill to a green tucked into trees. The green is fairly large and since the second shot is uphill, hitting to the correct spot on the green is hard to judge.
The 17th is the last par 3 and one of the nastiest greens on the course. The green has a center spine that runs off both left and right and is sloped pretty sever back to front. Hitting the green of the tee does not guarantee a par. Also with the elevated tee and wind in your face it can be hard to reach this green without an extra club or two. It seems my favorite spot is the pot bunker short and left. The most accessible pin location is lower left as balls collect there easiest.
Hole 18 is a long finishing par 3 at 408 yards that seems to always have wind in play. A bunker complex in the left rough will catch anything hit there. Water comes into play on the right at about 100 yards out and is in play all the way to the green.
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