Monday, October 24, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
New Handicap
Last weekend the last official handicap report for the Minnesota golf season came out. I dropped again to a 6.3.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Golfing Mississippi Dunes
Today's forecast is for wind and lots of it so my Friday afternoon round of golf at Mississippi Dunes might be a real challenge.
So as expected, the wind was a challenge during this round. I played with three genetleman, Steve, Matt, and Dave. The round started off brilliantly with me popping up my drive off the tee. The winds did not seem too bad initially but they got worse as the round went on. On the back 9 it seemed like every hole was either straight into the wind or with the wind directly behind.
On the par 5 14th I hit my drive (with the wind behind me) nearly to the 151 yard plate. That equates to nearly a 330 yard drive! On the par 3 17th which was playing at about 154 for the day, I hit 3 extra clubs to make the green. It was definately an interesting day trying to guess club selections with the wind. It was fun trying to control the trajectory on shots to keep them low into the wind or high with the wind.
The course was in pretty good shape. T he greens have recovered well from the aeration and were smooth. There are a lot of trees on the course but downed leaves were not much of a problem since the wind was keeping the greens mostly clear of the big stuff.
Overall, I played well. I ended up with an 83 for the day, which taking the wind into account, was not bad at all.
The par 3 hole 2. With the massive doming, missing the green is not a good thing. Too bad the wind was directly into your face on this hole. Getting a short iron to not baloon and come up short proved to hard for me. I did manage to chip a good one and got up and down for par.
Hole 3, the uphill par 5 tee shot, offered some nice fall colors today. Playing golf in Minnesota in the fall has to be some of the greatest golf you can get, especially once there has been a frost and there are no more bugs.
The approach to the green on 3. My second shot hit a tree and ended up next to the cart path on the far left. I don't know I have ever played this hole from over there.
The par 3 4th. The tees were up so the hole was only playing about 150 with wind from right to left.
The green on 4 is the largest on the course. Somehow I managed to miss it when my ball caught the wind and sailed left of the green.
The pretty par 3 6th. I actually hit the green here, something that does not happen too often.
More color off the tee on number 7.
The green on number 7 showing the rolling topography and the mounded green.
The green on the par 5 11th. I hit my drive to the end of the first fairway wityh the aid of the wind and had 190 yards to the green. I hit a great shot that was right at the pin...and sailed over the green. Wind helps and wind hurts. I managed to save par but had a chance at eagle or bird that was squandered.
The tee shot on 13, a tough shot normally but today it was straight into the wind making it even tougher.
The approach from 100 yards to the green on 13. I hit a 6 iron from 120 yards dead into the wind and still came up short!
The moguls on 14. The second back to back par 5, this one was with the wind and I hit a booming drive that caught the breeze.
My ball came up just short of this marker- a distance off the tee of around 330 yards!
The massive cross bunker about 90 yards out on 14. You can just see the pin over the top of the bunker. This bunker is not only intimidating it makes for a blind shot to another severly mounded green.
The back tees on 17 with some great color on the hole. This one was into the wind.
I hit three extra clubs here and had my shot play perfectly into the wind and drop just behind the pin about 3 feet.
The green on 18 with the clubhouse in the back.
Kermit came out to enjoy the sun on this warm fall day. Highs were in the 80s today and besides the wind it was a great day to be out golfing.
This was my last round at Mississippi Dunes with my Common Man card, and with time running out on the season, my last round of the year here.
So as expected, the wind was a challenge during this round. I played with three genetleman, Steve, Matt, and Dave. The round started off brilliantly with me popping up my drive off the tee. The winds did not seem too bad initially but they got worse as the round went on. On the back 9 it seemed like every hole was either straight into the wind or with the wind directly behind.
On the par 5 14th I hit my drive (with the wind behind me) nearly to the 151 yard plate. That equates to nearly a 330 yard drive! On the par 3 17th which was playing at about 154 for the day, I hit 3 extra clubs to make the green. It was definately an interesting day trying to guess club selections with the wind. It was fun trying to control the trajectory on shots to keep them low into the wind or high with the wind.
The course was in pretty good shape. T he greens have recovered well from the aeration and were smooth. There are a lot of trees on the course but downed leaves were not much of a problem since the wind was keeping the greens mostly clear of the big stuff.
Overall, I played well. I ended up with an 83 for the day, which taking the wind into account, was not bad at all.
The par 4 5th is a tough hole. Aiming at the hill in the fairway my ball kicked left into the bunker. The second shot is often blind at the green and will play long unless you carry the hill off the tee.
This was my last round at Mississippi Dunes with my Common Man card, and with time running out on the season, my last round of the year here.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Golfing Southern Hills Golf Course
For my birthday, my brother in law took me out for a round of golf with his dad and another friend. We went down to Southern Hills in Farmington, MN. I have never played this course and overall enjoyed it. The greens had just been aerated so the playing experience was not the best but the company was terrific and the layout was pretty good.
The course was built in 1991 and designed by Joel Goldstrand. Joel has built a large number of Minnesota courses, including some I have played: The Links at Northfork, Creeksbend, Hidden Greens, and The Pines in Brainerd.
Farmington is in the middle of Minnesota prairie land so the course doesn't have a lot of elevation changes- though it is not flat. I would call it gently rolling. The layout of the course is very open. While it is not links style, there are very few mature trees to contend with. The overall feel of the course is that of a new course, event though it has been open 20+ years.
The course is short- only 6343 yards from the blue tees, but plays to an impressive 71.6/140 rating and slope. There are two other sets of tees: white and red.
We had the second tee time of the day and it being early October we had about an hour frost delay. Ah, the joys of Minnesota late season golfing.
Hole 1- Par 5 (504/489/422)
The first hole is a par 5 that requires an accurate tee shot. Left is OB and the driving range. Right has a creek running down nearly the entirety of the hole.
Hole 2- Par 3 (194/180/132)
A slightly downhill par 3. There is water to the right of the green as well as behind the hole. There is a little room to miss left- but not much. The green is not guarded by any bunkers.
Hole 3- Par 4 (317/297/240)
The third is a slight dogleg right that plays uphill the second half to a shallow but wide green.
Hole 4- Par 3 (174/159/135)
A par 3 with a large bunker down the left side of the green and a deep but narrow green.
Hole 5- Par 4 (369/361/296)
The 5th is a straight ahead par 4. There are a few small trees framing the landing area off the tee. Wide left is OB on the boundary of the course. The tee shot is slightly uphill. From the tee the green is not visible.
Hole 6- Par 4 (435/421/316)
Similar to the last hole, this par 4 plays straight ahead. OB is down the left side, framing the northern edge of the property. Off the tee right is water but that should not come into play. The fairway rises up in the landing area before falling towards the green.
Hole 7- Par 4 (376/363/311)
The 7th hole is a straight ahead par 4 that requires a lengthy carry to reach the fairway. The hole is pretty wide open other than trees set a ways off the fairway. The green here is protected short left by a single bunker. The green falls off behind and to the right.
Hole 8- Par 3 (206/196/164)
A long uphill par 3 which offers no view of the green from the tee. A single bunker on the left side of the green protects this hole.
Hole 9- Par 5 (472/462/403)
A dogleg left, this hole has 5 bunkers located on either side of the dogleg. From the tee, the left bunkers are hidden.
Hole 10- Par 4 (417/411/341)
The back nine starts with an uphill par 4. Extreme right is OB and extreme left has a grove of trees.
Hole 11- Par 3 (163/155/121)\
A downhill par 3 to a green with a small bunker short center and a slightly larger one short left. Behind the hole is another bunker and the hole falls of into the corn, for anything hit over the shallow green. The green is slightly elevated on all sides here.
Hole 12- Par 5 (547/534/446)
A dogleg right hole with the dogleg early in the hole. Off the tee, you can cut distance off by hitting down the right side.
Hole 13- Par 4 (351/339/258)
Your tee shot must thread the 2 sets of bunkers flanking the fairway on this dogleg left par 4.
Hole 14- Par 4 (407/383/312)
A dogleg left on this par 4 with OB down the right side. At the turn there is a large, long bunker down the right side.
Hole 15- Par 3 (147/128/119)
The most elevated par 3 on the course, a single bunker left protects the green. The right side of the green is marshland.
Hole 16- Par 4 (366/358/277)
A long tee shot to the fairway must carry a rock outcropping that runs parallel down the hole.
Hole 17- Par 4 (355/347/264)
With a creek running down the right side of the hole, this par 4 plays slightly uphill for the first half. The fairway tends to slope right so hitting down the left side is the best play but a large fairway bunker guards the left side over the hill.
Hole 18- Par 5 (514/490/413)
A finishing par 5. The right side of the hole has a creek running down its length. The hole slopes off in that direction once off the fairway. On the left side of the hole, a grove of trees stands guard for wayward tee shots in that direction.
There are 5 circular bunkers surrounding the green and 6 large bunkers flanking the fairway short to catch any shots attempting to reach home in two that come up short. The fairway rises the last 130 yards to the green.
So my first impressions of Southern Hills were mixed. I enjoyed playing the course but the greens were worthless to put on with their recent aeration. The greens seem like they are in good shape and would be fine during normal play. The course offers few tree hazards but the design of the course makes the hazards that are there count. Par 5s are well guarded and make up for their lack of length with risky shots in.
The rates here are $37 on weekends plus $15 for 1/2 a cart. it is a bit of a drive for me but is a course I would like to play again with normal greens.
18950 Chippendale Ave
Farmington, MN 55024Tel: (651) 463-4653
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