Kristazio on Golf: Playing Stonebrooke

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Playing Stonebrooke

Last Saturday I had a chance to play Stonebrooke with my college friends. Like every other round so far, the Minnesota spring has yet to have sprung. Temps were in the mid 40s.

Stonebrooke golf club is in Shakopee. Conditions were still early season rough. The conditions proved particularly hard on the greens as Stonebrooke has some enormous putting surfaces and with slower bumpy greens, putting was a challenge. I managed to rack up 6, yes 6, 3-putts in the round. Aside from my atrocious putting I was hitting the ball qiute well. I actually hit 8 out of the first 9 greens in regulation. Had I not had 5 of my 3-putts on those holes I could have had a really solid front. My one blow-up hole was hole 8, the infamous lake carry.

Stonebrooke touts hole 8 as the #1 hardest water hole in the twin cities and I think it ranks right up there with a couple holes at Edinburgh USA. The tee shot requires a carry of around 200 yards over O'Dowd lake. The worse part of it is the tee shot is too short for Driver as you'll end up hitting through the fairway, but if not struck well, a 3 wood can get you wet. I of course popped my 3 wood up in the air and landed just inches from the shore. After getting across the lake I proceeded to hit a fairly easy approach shot right at the flag stick. Once you clear the lake your approach shot is up-hill to the green. The typical distance on your second shot is probably 150-120 yards. I think I had about 130 yards and hit what I thought was a good shot. Getting up the hill to the green I discovered that I had forgotten they have a little pond surrounding the back side of the green. Any balls that go long of the green will get wet. If this is your first time playing the course make note: DO NOT GO LONG ON 8. So after dunking two balls I chip on the green and tapped in.

Oh well, the rest of the day was fun. It is always great to get the guys together for some golf.

A couple of other holes of note on this course:

Hole 1- A short par 5 that has you start out from elevated tees and makes you decide right away if you want to lay-up short of the creek on your first or try to clear with Driver. The second shot likely will require a lay-up as trees block an easy go at the green. You third shot is to a wide open green.

Hole 3- A par 4 that requires you too either be very straight or hit a long iron off the tee. The right side is marsh and if you hit too long off the tee you will find that area. Your second shot requires you to hit a green that is tucked into the right of the hole with the marsh surrounding. I like this hole.

Hole 5 - This is a par 5 that normally requires you to carry a cattail pond off the tee some 160 yards. When we played the tees were in from of this area. It made this par 5 into a 370 yard hole. Not a lot of challenge to that one. If the tees were in the correct location this hole is another animal.

Hole 11- A long par 3 with a massive two tiered green. The two levels of the green are over 8 feet apart. Kind of a gimmicky hole but if you are on the wrong level, a tough one. I have a few friends who have made 5 or 6 putts to get down on this hole.

Hole 12- Another par 5 that had the tees moved way up when we played it. Lame. This played as a 322 yard par 5. When the tees are back this hole is fun as you can decide how aggressive you want to get. The fairway angles away from you normally and the further left you hit the ball the more you need to carry your tee shot. Going left shortens the hole though making for some eagle chances.

Hole 15 is one of my favorite holes in the cities. A par 4 with a creek in play off the tee. Your second shot requires a shot to a green surrounded by water on the left. Last year when I played this course with my dad and wife, a storm had passed through and as we hit our approach shots a super bright rainbow appeared as if it ended on the green.