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.

 Off the tee, you must play it straight on this dogleg left par 5.

 As you plan your second shot, your best bet is center left.  The creek running down the right widens to a small pond which guards the green that is to the right, as the hole doglegs back that direction at the end of the hole.

The third shot into this green will need to carry the water running in front of the green.  This protects the green from getting on in two, though there is room to miss right of the green.

 The green is protected in the front by a single small bunker.  There is also a larger bunker on the right side of the green.

 A shot of the green as seen from the 3rd 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.

 A shot of the green and back down the 2nd hole.

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.

 The green is elevated above the approach from the fairway.  There is a single pot bunker front left of the green as well as a grass bunker front right.

 The green is shallow but very wide.  There are three tiers from side to side on the 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.

 The hole does slope to the right slightly once over the hill.

The green is again narrow but deep.  It is protected front right by a large bunker. T here is also a bunker on the left of the hole.  Behind the green lies a creek and further trouble.

 

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.

The green is large and circular in shape.  A creek runs across the front of the green and a pond is down the left side.  Behind the green, a series of trees backstops the hole.

 

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. 

 Both Dave and I found the left side bunkers at the dogleg.

 Dave hits out, unable to advance far because of the bunker's lip.

 The hole falls downhill towards the hole at the dogleg.  A creek bisects the hole and makes getting on in two a risky proposition on this hole.

The green is protected on the right by a pair of bunkers and on the left by water.  The veranda wrapped clubhouse can be seen in the background.

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. 

 The second shot is uphill the entire way to the green.

 The green is circular and unprotected by hazards.  A grove of trees stands behind the hole.

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. 

 The green on 11 as seen from the 9th tee.

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.

The only trouble down the right is the single clump of pines that Larry found himself behind.

Dave reached this green in 2.  Of the par 5s so far this is the best chance to get on in 2.  There are no bunkers protecting this large green.  The green is slightly domed on all sides.

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.

A single circular bunker guards the front of the green.  The green does slop from back to front rather severely.

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.

The last 100 yards, which is about the corner of the dogleg, is downhill to the green.

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.

The best aiming point is between the left edge of the outcropping and the right most evergreen down the left.

The approach to the green must avoid a stand of trees down the right side. Directly to the right of the green is a water hazard.  The left side of the green is framed by a sand bunker.

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.

On your second shot, you must hit into a green protected by water short-right, as well as long-right.

Another shot showing the water in front of, and behind the green.

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.

The second shot on the hole should be a layup to just short of the creek that bisects the hole at just over 150 yards out.

Once across the creek, an impressive 11 bunkers make the final approach a bit daunting.
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.

The green itself is narrow but deep.  It is relatively flat.

 

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.

 

http://www.southernhillsgolfcourse.com

18950 Chippendale Ave

Farmington, MN 55024
Tel: (651) 463-4653