On my way to the event, I walked out to get in my brothers truck (I had to transport the painting and it was too big for my car). I found Goldy staring and waiting.
Before the golf we headed to the range. Disappointingl,y the range was off mats. Not what I would expect at a private track.
After the range and a little putting we went in for some lunch.
Wally the Beer Man even came out to pour some suds before the tournament!
Minnesota Valley is a private course in southwest Bloomington, Minnesota. Built in 1924 by Seth Raynor, it has a lot of elevation changes and is lined by many old trees to make wayward shots very troublesome. In addition, well placed bunkers also can cause problems, both around the green and in landing areas along the fairways. There is not a lot of water on the course, and really only holes 8, 9, and 12 have water in play.
We played from the blue tees which have a length of 6420 yards. The tournament was a shotgun start and we started on hole 3. I am going to walk through the course from the first hole however. For the tournament it was a 4 person scramble. You were also able to buy up to 4 team mulligans. Those proceeds went to the charity. The mulligans allowed each member of the team one additional try at a shot if it was decided that you did not like the outcome of the first four shots. We, of course, bought four.
Hole 1 is a straight away 493 yard par 5 that plays uphill off the tee. From the crest of the hill the green is below you and guarded on either side by bunkers. A bunker short left also protects the hole there.
Hole 2 was our finishing hole. A 157 yard par 3 that was playing directly into the wind. The hole has a large slope in front of the green that falls off into a large bunker that protects the left side. More bunkers are right and long making a shot to the green critical. Each of the par 3s had a prize available for a hole in one. This hole the prize was a Ford Escape SUV. Unfortunately, with the wind in our face we all missed the green. I hit a shot that was right at the pin but ballooned up in the wind and came up short. We had one last mulligan left so we all re-teed. Again most of us came up short but Trent hit a good shot that drilled through the wind and found the center of the green.
Hole3 was our starting hole. A short par 4 at 339 yards it is not an easy hole as it doglegs slightly left off the tee. None of us hit good tee shots here. Chung hit a tree to the left that kicked back into the fairway about 190 yards out. We had to take that shot as nobody else could even find their ball. The left side has heavy trees and right is long grass. This hole is definitely one to play out 200 yards and then attack the hole with an iron. Had we played here before that would have been a better play.
Hole 4 is another short 338 yard par 4 that plays pretty much straight ahead. Two fairway bunkers squeeze the landing area and trees on either side require a shot down the middle. Again I think the intent here is to take driver away and play something safe.
Hole 5 is a 510 yard par 5 that plays straight ahead. There are fairway bunkers placed in likely landing areas off the tee and on the second shots. OB is left where houses line the side of the course. On the green you want to make sure not to go long as it drops off but the green slopes from back to front making any shots to it likely to stay on.
Hole 6 is a 344 yard par 4 that has a dramatic dogleg left on a hard sloping right to left fairway. The smart play is to hit at the large tree of the tee and let the ball run left down the slope. The second shot can be challenging off this downhill lie to an elevated green. Chad hit a great iron shot out safely to the middle of the fairway so Trent, Chung, and I tried driver to cut the corner, going over the trees towards the green. it was a bit of a guess where to aim and only I cleared the trees and found safety but hit through the fairway.
The approach to the green, even if you cut the corner is likely to be made difficult by large trees to the right and left, short of the green. This makes playing shots from off the fairway a tough proposition.
Hole 7 is a 142 yard par 3. This hole was playing on a temporary green, what is normally the fairway landing area short of the green. Apparently Minnesota Valley came through the winter in no better shape than most public courses in the area and until recently most of the greens were closed for repair. Now, 7 is the only temp green left and the normal green looked to be nearly back to normal conditions. The regualr green looked fairly contoured with a fll off on all sides. The temporary green was relatively flat and very slow.
Hole 8 is a short 290 yard par 4. You must carry water off the teen but it is not far (140 yards). The green is inviting off the tee with the short length but is guarded by 5 bunkers.
Hole 9 is a 432 yard par 4. A blind tee shot hides the water that is in play both left and right and reachable with driver. A straight shot will protect against this and leave a short iron to the elevated green nearly 30 feet above you. The green is sloped back to front and has two tiers. This is the number one handicap hole.
Hole 10 starts the back with a 469 yard par 5. Uphill from the tee it is about 240 yards to the top of the hill. The water hazard in play on 9 is at the bottom of the hill off the tee but not in play. Two fairway bunkers on the right can snag balls hit to that side. The green has bunkering short left and on both sides to protect against an easy two shot approach. The wind was into us a bit here and we came up just short of the front left bunker. We chipped on and made bird from there.
Hole 11 is the longest par 3 on the course, a 220 yard hole to a fiarly wide open green. There is trouble on both sides of the green here. The green is fairly large. Trent hit his tee shot onto the green, the only one of us to do so. I made a bomb of a putt for a bird.
Open.
Casting.
Balance
No balance
Hole 12 is the second consecutive par 3. At 130 yards this one requires a carry over water to the green. Both Chad and Chung landed short in the water. Treent also missed the green. I hit my shot well I thought but again the wind held it up and it missed the front of the green and we had to chip from the hill short of the green. This hole also featured Charlei, a young golfer with autism. He hit an extra tee shot for us and an extra putt for us too. his tee shot came up short in the water also but he was able to knock in our third shot for par. He also helped us oout by chipping on the hole. Charlie is raising money for charity by golfing and seems like a really great kid.
Some ball, mostly dirt.
Hole 13 is a 363 yard par 4. The last uphill tee shot on the course, the hole doglegs left at about 225yards out. The green is guarded on each side by large bunkers. The rest of the hole is bunker free. The only hole on the back without at least one fairway bunker. The green is severly sloped back to front and anything hit to the middle of the green liekly will roll to the front or off. The pin today was all the way back. We hit a good drive and were only about 120 out. We all missed the back of the green and had putts from the front side. We decided to take a mulligan here on our approach shot. The second try did not go much better. We did manage to hit a ball to the middle of the green but it was pretty pathetic we could not get near the hole in 8 shots.
Hole 14 is a 398 yard par 4. Straight ahead, a pair of fairway bunkers makes the look off the tee fairly narrow. If you miss the bunkers the fairway is pretty flat. The green is also one of the more even surfaces on the course, though it is bunkered on three sides.
After hole 14 we had played 12 holes (starting on 3). At the tee on 15 there is a bathroom and snack building. We stopped here for some refreshments. Trent ordered a Jack and Coke and I ordered a Jack on the rocks. The young guy who was working the stand was a very generous man. We received our 16 oz cups back full. And by full I mean full of Jack. 16 ounces of Jack. Now I enjoy a stiff drink every once and a while but this was a bit over the top. Trent's drink was about the same with a splash of Coke added for coloring. Apparently in the land of country clubs, liquor flows from the taps freely. If that is normal pours here I am suprised there is not a permanent taxi stand out front.
Hole 16 is a 354 yard par 4. Trees line both sides of the hole making a difficult tee shot. A fiarway bunker 240 yards off the tee is also a danger. The green here is the largest on the course.
Hole 17 is a 407 yard par 4 that doglegs left. The fairway slopes right to left. The appraoch is downhill to a kidney shaped green. Behind the green is OB.
The 18th is a 493 yard par 5 finishing hole From the back tees this hole plays at 600 yards. Trees on the left and OB right rerquire a solid tee shot. Luckily we had Chad who bombed a drive way past the rest of us. Chad, I still owe you the dollar. Our second shot was tried from Trent's second in the green side bunker left. We got out but did not have any great shots close to the pin. Luckily I drained another bomb for our bird.
Check out a couple of videos of Trent, Chad, and Chung on the 18th.
All in all we played well. We left a couple of strokes out there but in general played a solid round. We ended up carding a 9 under 63. It was the first time I had a card without a 5 on it.
Unfortunately, we came up a bit short. There were obviously either a bunch of liars playing or some PGA tour pros. The winning team came in a 16 under par! Now that is a low score. I feel hustled.
This was a great time. Afterwards we even were treated to a nice steak dinner. Tom and Steph, really put together a great event. I could tell a lot of hard work went into the event and I felt extreemly greatful to have been invited and also to have been able to contribute to it. Hopefully this could be an annual event and if so I hope I can continue to be a part of it.
