Playing Mississippi Dunes

Already September and this is only my first time getting out to Mississippi Dunes in Cottage Grove, MN.  This is still one of my favorite city courses and its domes greens will have you in fits if you don't have your distance game down and a solid chipping game.

Warming up on the small putting green gets you ready for the undulating greens on the course.  The practice facility is a car ride away on the edge of the course property.


Today was a beautiful late summer day and playing the course this late in the year gives some great visual imagery of the course with the longer shadows playing off the timbers in the bunkers.

Off we went to play.  I tried from the blues today at only 6509 yards it has a tough 72.6/143 slope and rating.  Distance is not the killer here, it is all about accuracy into the greens.

Hole 1- Par 4 (366/345/293)
From the get go the first tee requires a solid tee shot.  Trees down the left and the Mississippi River down the right, you must hit the fairway on your first shot.

 The fairway runs down towards the river right so your best shot is down the left side short of the bunker complex on that side.

 The hole rises to the green which has a fall off to the right and a bunker short and deep.

 Looking back down the hole you can see the undulations of the fairway which means a good shot in the middle can still leave an awkward lie.

Hole 2- Par 3 (141/130/103)
Club selection is key here and gauging how the wind will affect the shot.  The green is relatively large and is divided down the middle by a spine. 

 You must hit the green for anything not finding it will roll off the massively domed putting surface.  Watch out for the river right.  Anything that misses or rolls off the green right will likely be in the river.

Hole 3- Par 5 (480/438/367)
While not a long par 5, the tee shot here is a demanding uphill shot that must miss just to the left of the big oak at the crest.

 The fairway ends with a grass swale cutting across the hole that is in reach for big hitters off the tee.  I have found myself in this rough more times than not.

Your second shot is all about setting up for the best possible third shot.  The domed green makes getting home in 2 all but impossible.  The green simply wont hold anything from a great distance.

 The green is domed and getting on in 3 is no sure par with some serious contours side to side on the green.

Hole 4- Par 3 (215/196/125)
A par 3 that requires a carry over a massive sand waste bunker, this green is huge.  Again wind can play a big factor in what club you need.  The prevailing wind always seems to be in your face on this hole.

 From the tips, this tee shot is ridiculous.  They need to trim those trees on the right!

 Again, the green is elevated.  This is the biggest green on the course.

Hole 5- Par 4 (396/376/348)
This hole requires 2 great shots to not find trouble.  Aim your tee shot between the mounds in the fairway (Around 220 yards).  The hole doglegs left but it is best not to try to cut that corner as trees await there, along with the #4 tee.

Hitting the fairway just means you have an advantage on the next shot which is just as hard.  You must hit a longer iron into a green that falls off in all directions again.

 The green seen on approach.

 This is where I was in two after my ball rolled off the green to the left.  My final score? A 12.  That's right 10 shots to get my ball in from right here.

Hole 6- Par 3 (187/165/128)
Here is the only advice you need here.  Take an extra club.  An extremely false front here, anything short will roll off and to the left.  You will know where that is by all the divots down there.  Missing right is far better than left.

 Anything short and you will be 40 feet below the green.

Hole 7- Par 5 (546/505/415)
Another hole where you should play it as a solid three shots to reach.  Off the tee, there is a little more room to miss left than it appears.  Right is more problematic.

 Again, set up your third shot for the best chance at hitting this domed green.

Hole 8- Par 4 (490/471/347)
A blind tee shot, aim slightly to the right of center, as the hole curves slightly in that direction.  Your second shot is likely blind too into a green that is downhill from about 100 yards out.

Hole 9- Par 3 (118/105/90)
A shorty, you often need a 3/4 swing with a wedge on this hole.  A bit of a gift hole par is pretty simple as long as you don't miss left.  Right is a grass bunker that once held sand and deep are a couple of bunkers.

 The green is fairly deep but mostly flat.

Hole 10- Par 4(437/416/320)
A trick par 4 that often requires a long shot into the green, the best play here is to the right of the large railroad tie lined bunker.

 Aiming between the large left bunkers and the 3 pot bunkers on the right is the garden spot.

 From the tee there is actually more room to the right than it looks, but not a ton.

 You can also try to take the path less traveled (or is this the one more traveled)

 The 3 pot bunkers can snatch on otherwise great drive.

 The green has single bunker short right.

Hole 11- Par 5 (530/483/448)
The firs legit two shot par 5.  It is not a sure thing, however, especially if the wind is at you.  The tee shot must find the fairway as there is all kind of trouble down both sides.

 Your second shot you can be as brave as you want.  You must clear a pond but should be able to go for the green with a good drive.

 Lisa on her second shot.

 The green here has a large false front but is not domed.  A rarity here.

Hole 12- Par 3 (218/159/135)
This hole does not offer a lot to look at from the tee.  The green is essentially level with you and it is hard to see much.  The green does fall of to the right.

Hole 13- Par 5 (543/492/393)
Another reachable par 5 depending on the wind.  Running in the opposite direction of 11, if you had it easy on that hole this one can be a bear.  The tee shot is nerve racking but you have plenty of room to miss- right,  Left is dead.

 Your second shot from the fairway should be a lay-up to 100 yards or go for it.  Down the left is a large trap and the green falls off on all sides.

 A pretty shot of the 13th green which is relatively shallow.

Hole 14- Par 5 (543//492/393)
Turning back opposite 13, is a second par 5 in a row. This one requires splitting the dual bunkers flanking the fairway.  With the wind you can easily drive past these bunkers.  Into the wind and you will likely be even or short of them.

 Even from the fairway, a flat lie is not assured.

 Your second shot must carry a Normandy-like bunker complex.  The green is somewhere over that.  Making it on in 2 will require a lucky shot to a completely blind green.  Holding from any distance is probably not going to happen.

 Over the massive bunker wall complex, is a smaller deep bunker and an elevated green.

 Lisa didn't clear the bunkers.

 A shot into the domed green.

Hole 15- Par 4 (381/353/278)
If you hit driver you will likely find some sand.  There is a huge wast bunker that bisects this hole.  To far left will miss the sand but brings water into play.

 The green is elevated with a large chipping area surrounding the front and left of the green.

Hole 16- Par 4 (323/307/188)
A pretty par 4 that usually is a bear.  This hole requires a steely tee shot into a hole that rises all the way to the green.  I find it best to just hit 2 irons in on this one.

 Judging the second shot is key to not making a big number.  That and avoiding the sand.

Hole 17- Par 3 (215/177/133)
The last par 3 requires a straight shot into this tree enclosed hole.  The green is large and falls off on all side.

Hole 18- Par 4 (420/408/337)
A dopelganger to hole 8, this tee shot is less blind.  Left is better than right here.  Right is the course parking lot and can be in play. (Not that I would know :) )

 The second shot will be a blind shot to a downhill green.

 Like every other, the green here is domed and is one of the more contoured on the course.

With an adjusted double on 5 (where I actually made 12) I ended up shooting an 84. Not the best but this course always seems to find a way to knock you down a little.  In my case it was less than steller approaches and an inconsistent chipping game.