Playing Stonebrook

Sunday I headed down to Shakopee, MN with Michael Vigen to play Stonebrooke Golf Club.  Stonebrooke is an upscale public course built in 1988 and designed by Tom Haugen.  The famous hole here is the 8th hole, a par 4 that requires a pontoon ride across a lake after your tee shot.  I haven't played here in a while but it is a fun course.

The course is relatively short- only 6475 yards from the tips.  Despite the relative shortness, it is pretty challenging with a slope and rating of 135/71.7.  Even at 5728 yards, the white tees are no cake walk.

Hole 1- Par 5 (544/526/512/440)
The first hole is a par 5 that doglegs left then right to the green.  Off the elevated tees you can either try to carry the creek that crosses the fairway, or lay up to a generous landing area short.  There is water off to the left that is not visible from the tee.  Both sides of the hole are tree lined.

The second shot should be played to set up the third shot in.  Getting on in 2 is really not a likely scenario.  The best angle in to the green is from the left side but the fairway slopes left and there is a hill on the left that will run anything shot too far down away from the fairway.

The green drops off left right and back.  The following shows the green from the number 2 tee.

Hole 2- Par 3 (159/135/130/110)
A short par 3 that is blind into the green as the green is flat and elevated just enough to not have a good vantage from the tee.

The green is tree lined and is narrow but deep.

Hole 3- Par 4 (373/355/330/310)
A drive here is not a smart play as the fairway slopes right towards wetlands down that side.  THe hole is short enough that driver is likely not needed anyways.

From the fairway you will need likely need to hit over the wetlands into the green that is somewhat tucked in behind them.

Hole 4- par 3 (168/157/139/134)
Another green nestled in amongst wetlands.  Anything right is obvious trouble.  There is room to miss left but there is also a bunker over there.

Hole 5- (550/519/486/377)
A long par 5 that requires an immediate carry over wetlands.  A creek runs down the left side of the hole.

Your second shot is likely to be just short of a creek that bisects the fairway.  From there it is a set up to your third shot in.  This hole is accessible to get on in 2.

The green is elevated from the fairway.  Here is a shot back down the hole.

Hole 6- Par 4 (405/381/355/325)
A par 4 from elevated tees.  The best play here is just to the left edge of the bunkers down the right.  Over the hill, the hole slants left.  The green is basically in line with the bunker down the right.

A shot into the green on 6 from the far left rough.

Hole 7- Par 3 (133/124/110/100)
A tricky short par 3.  Anything left is wet.  Short right is a hidden bunker.  Deep is also wet.  For such as small hole I always seem to have a nightmare on this hole.

Hole 8- Par 4 (380/340/320/190)
The signature hole on the course you must hit your tee shot across the lake to the fairway that turns right.  It is about a 250 yard carry from the back tees.  After hitting you need to take a ferry ride across and unload to continue.  I heard the original intent of this hole was to have a bridge (like Wild Marsh) across the lake but the DNR would not allow it so the course came up with the boat ride idea.

The ferry has a phone and menu to order food and drinks at the turn.

The hole turns right after the lake and is uphill to a small green that seems harder to hit than it should be.  Deep is dead here as a small creek runs all along the back side of the green.

Hole 9- Par 4 (398/379/365/335)
The first rather open tee shot of the day on the final hole of the front. There is a pond far right but it should not come into play.  2 fairway bunkers on either side are more likely to cause problems.

The approach into the 9th green is slightly uphill.  There is not a lot of room behind or right of the green to miss on your approach.

Hole 10- Par 4 (345/326/306/288)
The back nine starts with a dogleg left par 4.  The dogleg is about 80 yards from the green.  I have driven this green over the trees.  Playing more conventionally, play between the bunkers.  Hitting to the left shortens the hole.

At the dogleg, the hole does slope towards the left.  The green is downhill from the fairway from about 100 yards out.

Another shot of the green.  It falls off behind and slopes right to left.

Hole 11- Par 3 (215/187/161/142)
A long par 3 to a massively two tiered green.  Anything short will roll down the hill in front.  Hitting to the correct tier is necessary to have a chance at par.

I missed, hitting into the slope but the ball carried forward to the back edge of the green.  From there it is a putt downhill about 10 feet from the upper tier.  I know of someone who had an 8 putt on this hole.

Hole 12- Par 5 (510/492/438/322)
A dogleg left par 5.  You must carry the water off the tee to a fairway running perpendicular to the tee.  You can cut off as much distance left as you think wise.

As you approach the green, a series of bunkers frames the hole down the left side.  The green is just to the right of the closest pine tree down the right.

The green is protected in front by a bunker.  It is narrow but deep.

Hole 13- Par 3 (188/160/146/133)
A straight forward par 3.  Anything straight is fine but right is wet and down the left runs bunker.

Hole 14- Par 4 (410/395/380/315)
A narrow driving hole, there is water down the left side on this hole which turns right and then back left to the green. Down the right are trees and water also.

Luckily for me, the grass near the water was not too short.  Your second shot is uphill to the green.

A shot back down the hole.

Hole 15- Par 4 (395/377/351/254)
My favorite hole on the course.  A creek runs across the fairway at the base of the lone tree.  There is water reachable down the left side.  Down the right is OB.

The green is tucked behind the water down the left side.  The bunkers behind the green are for looks only and should never come into play.

Hole 16- Par 4 (317/303/293/275)
A short straight ahead par 4.  Down the left side is lined by a tall hedge row and is OB.  There are bunkers in play down each side of the hole.  Originally this hole did not have the hedges down the right but the neighbors were so upset by all the balls coming there way that the course was told to do something about it- hence the bushes.

The green is relatively small and the road behind is in play (hence no driver off the tee).

Hole 17- Par 5 (595/568/538/449)
A dogleg right par 5. Hitting over the bunkers down the right is the best play off the tee.  Down the far right, water comes into play.  Down the left, the hole falls off towards the trees.

Past the bunkers the hole falls downhill and then straightens out.  With a good drive you can be within striking distance into the unprotected green.  With a less than ideal drive, you should lay up short of the creek that bisects the hole.

A shot into the green from the far right on the hole

Hole 18- Par 4 (390/380/365/320)
The finishing hole is a hole that rises most of the way as it turns left to an elevated green.  It is possible to carry the cart path bisecting the fairway.

Your shot into the green needs to take the uphill slope into account.  I often come up short on this hole with the elevation change.  The green is shallow but wide.  There is a bit of elevation change between the left and right side of the green.

On the 5th hole we were challenged by a ranger that if we finished our round in under 4 hours we would get a round free.  We finished the front nine in 2 hours exactly but then had to wait at the turn.  On the 17th hole, our cart ran out of gas.  We ended up finishing in 4 hours and 5 minutes but talked our way into the free round due to our cart issue.  I ended up shooting an 82. 

Stonebrook is a fun course. $58 to play on the weekend.  If you book online, the cart is free,  Another great thing about this course- all you can eat crab legs are served on the menu in the off season!

 
http://www.stonebrooke.com
2693 County Road 79
Shakopee, MN 55379
Tel: (952) 496-3171