Golfing Pebble Creek

Last Sunday my Dad and I drove out to Pebble Creek in wonderful Becker, Minnesota.  I have never been to Becker and the only things I know about it are: 1) There is a furniture store there. 2) It is a long ways away.

The course is a member of the Common Man Golf Card so I was able to play here for free.

The course itself has a regulation 18 hole course and another 9 hole executive course.  The course layout is flat (this was a corn field not long ago) but numerous trees offer hazards on every hole.  The course reminded me a lot of Minnehaha Golf course in that regards but the conditions reminded me of Dwan in Bloomington.

We started the day on the "White" 9.  We played from the Blues which runs to 6419 yards.

The first hole is a straigh ahead par 4.  Again, the hole is very flat and the only real danger are trees on either side of the fairway.  Two greenside bunkers are not really in play unless you are crooked on your approach shot. At 420 yards a good tee shot leaves a short approach.

The second hole is a really tough, tight par 5, at 500 yards, that plays as a 3 shot hole due to how the design makes you think twice about driver off the tee.  The second and third shots are not any easier as going either left or right will cause a lost ball.

Hole 3 is a 352 yard par 4 that you need to keep the woods in the bag off the tee.  There is just no room to hit anything longer than the cross bunkers.  Greenside bunkers on either side can collect stray shots.

The fourth hole is a 165 yard par 3 that has water just off the right side of the green.  Any pins to the right should be avoided and you should just aim for the center of the green here to avoid trouble.  A left side bunker protects the opposite side from the water.

Hole 5 is a short 490 yard par 5 that has tree trouble off the tee.  The left side is gone if hit there.  The right side will likely require a punch out unless you get past the trees on your drive.  On your second shot a wide open green invites you with only mild danger posed by 2 greenside bunkers on either side.  They are far enough apart to not appear too trecherous.

The sixth is another par 3.  At 150 yards with an elevated tee, you must hit the green or miss right.  Anything short or left will be wet.  Also a large weeping willow on the left can knock down balls hit over there. A picturesque hole.

Hole 7 returns to a straigh ahead par 4 at 355 yards.  Avoid the left side trees and the bunkers down the right off the tee and you will have a short iron to the green.

Hole 8 is a dog leg left par 4.  From the tee it appears you need to play out to around 220 yards off the tee on this 370 yard hole.  You can cut the corner however and take some distance off, you just need to hit over the trees and bunkers on the corner.

Hole 9 is a par 4 at 320 yards.  The right side is gaurded by trees and is adjacent to the driving range and is considered OB.  Two cross bunkers sit about 100 yards out from the hole.  Long on this hole is the parking lot so don't go long without good insurance!

Hole 10 is a straight ahead par 4 at 385 yards.  A pond gaurds the front of the green. 

Hole 11 is a dogleg par 4 at 345 yards.  You can either play safe and hit to the 150 marker, about 200 yards off the tee or cut the corner if you can clear the trees on that side.  Doing so can save 50 yards or so but brings a lot more danger into play on this short hole.

Hole 12 is a 145 yard par 3. Sand surrounds this green but visually there is a lot of room unless you are not straight at the green.

Hole 13 appears pretty tame from the tee, provided you clear the lake right off the tees but you will notice two red stakes out in the fairway.  These mark water on either side of the fairway.  This is a 420 yard par 4 so you want to get off the tee a fair ways just keep it between the red stakes!

 Hole 14 is a looping dog leg right 500 yard par 5 that has a lake the entire length of the right side.  Avoid the water and the weeping willow off the tee and hit your second shot well to have a good shot into a green protected on the right with water and the left with sand.

15 is another straight ahead par 4 at 372 yards.  Bunkers on either side of the fairway can be in play off the tee.  Miss these and you should have a short shot into the green.  Two additional bunkers protect the green short and you will need to fly these on your second shot.

Hole 16 is a par 5 at 535 yards.  This is the longest hole on the course but really does not have a lot of danger other than trees.  Notice the second picture below.  My dad did not heed the advice to stay away from the trees.

Hole 17 is a long par 3 at 190 yards.  An elevated tee allows for a carry over water.  The water really should not come into play and the green is open except for a bunker to the right.

The finsihing hole is a par 4, 405 yard hole that is dead straight.  You must tee off over a pond and then navigate 2 fariway bunkers.  The green also has left and right bunkers protecting it.

For the day I shot a 85- 42 front and 43 back.  Knowing the course could have saved a few strokes but in general the course is easy to navigate and there are really no blind shots.

My overall impression of the course is that it is nice, but not great.  It is too far away to make it a course I am liekly to play again.  The layout is fairly non-descript and the lack of elevation chnages is pretty boring.  It does offer challenges but they are primarily found in the trees lining most holes.  The conditions were nice.  The greens were smooth and fairly fast.  Somewhere beteen muni courses and the higher end public courses in the city. 

At $41 for weekend green fees the course is not too expensive but given the long drive out there not competitive with the myriad of other choices to play.