Golfing Chaska

Today's round was to Chaska Town Course.

Still my favorite course in the cities.  The forecast was for seasonable weather but it was actually cold, overcast, and windy.  Today was supposed to be my wife's first time out since injuring her hand.  We showed up at the course early to have lunch.  Charlie's Grill at the course has great onion rings- my wife's all time favorites.  Unfortunately the grill has yet to open for the season so it was standard hot dogs for lunch.  After lunch the weather had not yet warmed up so my wife went home as she was not willing to endure 4+ hours in the cold.  My dad showed up so it was the two of us.  We were paired with another father and son combo.  The other pair was a teenage boy and his dad.  The Teenager had some rough time off the first tee, hitting 2 toppers that barely advanced 10 yards.  I thought we were in for a long day.  It got better though as a few holes proved he just needed to warm up.

The first hole is the tough par 4 at 388 yards.  What makes it so tough as an opening hole is the small fairway and the fact you need to hit it straight and far on your tee shot.  Left is OB and Right falls off towards the driving range and into some pretty tough rough.

 
The second shot always seems to present a problem. F or me I hit it short into the right bunker.  From there it took me 3! shots to get out. Once on the green I got down in two.  A triple to start.  Ugh.  I need to learn to play this hole short if I am going to miss the green.  Long is usually tough as the rough and the hill can leave a tricky lie.

Hole 2 gets no easier.  The number one handicap is a par 4 at 426 yards.  The second half of which is all uphill.  Cross bunkers are in play about 260 yards of the tee.

 For my second shot on this hole it seems like I am always short and right which is a big downhill shot to the green.l  This time was no exception.  I hit a great chip up to the green and got down in 1 for a par.

The third hole I think of as one of their signature holes and what I think the course gets its logo from- the lone oak in the middle of the fairway.

The smart play is to hit right of the oak and leave around 100 yards to this green on the 269 yard par 4.  The aggressive play is to hit to the left of the tree on line with the green. This is dangerous as if you hit too much your ball will skip across the green and find the water beyond.  If you do layup you will need to carry two hidden bunkers short of the green.

I played this hole well.  I laid up to 100 yards but I hit just a tad long and found myself on the fringe behind the green.  The teenager we were playing hit a stripe of the tee that bounded across the green and into the water.  I failed to get up and down after my chip ran too far past the hole to make my comeback and I carded a bogey.  Four up after three.

Hole 4 is an uncomfortably short par 3 at 124 yards.  You really need to hit the green here as short or left is doomed and right or long will find gnarly rough.

I hit long and was unable to get up and down again.  5 over through 4.

Hole 5 is my nemesis.  I always try to play this hole safe.  Hit to the right on the split fairway and then carry the water on the second.  Inevitably the second is always into the wind and it seems I always come up short. This 331 yard par 4 should not be that hard.  Maybe I should play the deeper left fairway.  It does give a better approach to the green.

 So this is your second shot if you play the right fairway.  A carry over water to the green.  The green is heavily contoured.  If the pin is left you can use the slope of the green deep to run the ball to the hole.  If it is right you can also funnel the ball off the ridge in the middle.  When the pin is deep like it was today, good luck if you are not below the hole!

Here is what the approach looks like if you hit to the left fairway.  Just don't go right!

Another view of the green as seen from the second hole:

I hit a pretty weak tee shot.  My second I ripped a good three iron to carry the water but the wind was too much and I splashed down just short of the green.  A drop and one more try found me deep.  Since the pin was back I could not hold my chip anywhere near the pin and 2 putted for a triple.  This round is getting ugly.

The 6th hole is one of the prettiest par 3s around.  At 154 yards it can be a bear if played into the wind, like today.

I found the bunker far left as my tee shot flared and faded sharply in the wind.  I did get out in one but failed to make my par save and got a bogey.  9 over through 6 holes.

Hole 7 is a par 5 that is reachable in 2 if the wind is right (it was). At 500 yards the drive can roll out down hill if played right.  You need to hit to the far left side of the fairway if you want to try go for the green in two.

Otherwise you can layup short of the creek (stay left though).

I played this hole as described, Fairway which was just too far right to go for it in 2.  I laid up just short of the creek and then hit a 120 yard shot to the green which I made 2 putts for par.

Hole 8 is a straight forward par 4 at 383 yards.  Avoid the left fairway bunker at ~200yards.

 The green is protected short by bunkers on either side.  Along the left side has grass bunkers that can cause some tricky lies.

I hit a perfect tee shot that was about 160 out.  My second faded left though.  I chipped on but it took my two to get down.  Another bogey and 10 over though 8.

The 9th hole is a tricky par 5.  Off the tee on this 538 dogleg right par 5 is a bunker complex dead ahead at 230 yards.  You must hit right of this.

 I usually hit too far right onto the hills.  Same today.  From here you can have a decent look at the green, as shown from my second shot.

I hit a nice 3 wood on my second which just stopped short of the further center bunker.  From there it is about 90 yards up to the uphill green.

 

I hit the green in regulation finally and got down in 2, just missing a bird.  OK bleeding stopped temporarily.  10 over through 9 though for a 46.

The 10th is a challenging hole.  I have not figured out what the intended play here is.  Off the tee you have a grove of trees right and a deep bunker complex left.  in between is a very narrow landing area.  I guess the intent is for you to always hit this small spot on this 394 yard par 4.

I ended up in the bunker complex with the ball well below my feet and about 170 yards out.  Somehow I not only hit it out but made into onto the green.  Unfortunately I 3 putted for a bogey.  While a bogey doesn't sound too good I was happy to have done that.  Had my flat stick not disappointed I could have had a really nice par.

Slightly buoyed by 10, we headed to Chaska's teeth the 443 yard par 4 11th.  This hole is long but driver off the tee brings in a lot of danger especially if you go left.  To far right and a stand of trees can block your shot to the green.  I hit an OK drive about 240 yards but I was a bit right and had the trees to contend with.

I had no choice but to try a draw, something I am not hitting at all right now.  I aimed over the water and tried to really close my face through impact.  It worked!  Not only did I hit it onto the green but it is close enough for a bird attempt.

 Well, well, well hello Mr. Bird!  I made the putt.  Now I know that is a first on this hole.

Yay! 10 under through 10.  Bogey golf.

Onto the par 3 12th.  170 yards that you must find the green.  Left is wet and right is a lot of trouble.  

I made the green, unlike my dad.  After hitting a tree he found this lie for his second.

After 2 putts another par for me.

A par, bird, par start to the back.  Not too shabby indeed.  Onto another tough hole on the back.  The Par 4 13.  At 358 yards, the length is not the issue it is the marsh off the tee and right on this hole.  This hole is reminiscent of a hole at Rush Creek.  I made the fairway here

If you manage the fairway the next shot is a must hit to the green.  Again trouble is right.  Here is a look at the green back up the hole.

I missed just onto the fringe here but was able to get up and down for another par

 Onwards and upwards.  The par 3 14th is a 166yard hole.  You must carry this or miss left.  Anything short or right can find water.

 I missed left but again was able to get up and down for another par.  Even on the back through 5.

The 15th is a par 5 that I really love.  While the tee shot is pretty nondescript I just love the second shot.  At only 482 yards this hole can be reachable in two but you really need to place the drive to try.  You must hit just to the right of the tree line in order to have a chance at the green.

I hit my drive just left of center of the trees.  The second shot is usually a placement just left or short of the large tree in the fairway.

Unfortunately I smoked my second and it landed just right of the big tree and I found myself blocked from the green.  Argh!

I did manage to punch the ball under the tree but it ran through the green.  I failed to get up and down a 3rd time and made bogey.  Here is a look at the green and back up the hole.

I am 1 over on the back now.  Onto the 16th.  This hole seems a little forced.  A short 299 yard hole.  Plenty of sand keeps long hitters thinking twice about the driver.  The best play is a 200 yard shot out behind the last bunkers.

I played this hole in par 4.

17 is a straight forward long par 4 at 450 yards.  I ripped a drive but it was into thew wind and I did not get the distance it felt like.

 I had a 170 yards to the green and made it on.

Two putts later and I had par.  Still one over on the back.

The big finish, hole 18.  Another of the three tough holes on the back.  Left is dead and right is OB.  You must hit it straight and long to have a good second shot on this 521 yard par 5.

 I hit my shot just short of the far right bunker.  It is a good thing it was not warmer or it would have been in.  The second shot is all about how much you dare cut off.  Going left is obviously trouble.

The green is fairly deep and has some tricky breaks to it.  I managed to get on in regulation.

Another 2 putts and I had another par.  Only 1 over on the back!

A 46 front and 37 back.  After that front nine I would have never thought a 83 was going to happen.  My score was actually adjusted down to an 81 with 2 triples on the front.

Despite the cold temperatures I was red hot.  At least on the back.  A free round for me for my birthday and a finish like that.  What could be better?  How about playing uber- posh Rush Creek next for my birthday- again for free.  Oh yeah!

They say its your birthday

I made it another year!  My loverly wife got me some super sweet kicks for my birthday:

These shoes are super comfy.  Great traction too with 9 soft spikes.  I have worn them for 3 rounds and have shot 83, 80, and 80.  Must be the shoes!

Now my wardrobe needs an upgrade to keep up.


Thanks Honey!

Golfing Dwan

So another golf round in March.  This time it was to Dwan, in my childhood neighborhood of Bloomington.  This course is literally 3 blocks from the house I grew up in.  I never played golf growing up and this is only the third time I have played here.  One of the other times was 9 holes and the other was the full 18.

This round was again with the same group I played my first round of the year on St. Patricks day: Michael, Keith, and Damon.

Dwan is a short course at only 5485 yards from the back tees.There are only 2 par 5s, and neither is over 500 yards.  Should be an easy round?  Yes.  If you can hit the fairway.

Too bad there was not a lot of that in this round by any of us.

Here is the layout from the Dwan website:

Hole 1 is a 325 yard par 4 with a green that is slightly elevated from the fairway. 

A view of the first hole.  The bunkers short of the green are reachable for long hitters.

The tee on hole 2.  A ladder allows you to view the downhill fairway to ensure the hole is clear before teeing off.

Keith and Michale off down the fairway of hole 2, a 325 yard hole that is a slight dogleg right.

The green of hole 2 with bunkering in front.

The tee of hole 3, a 495 yard par 5.  The hole plays dead straight.  Avoid the bunker on the right off the tee and a chance for eagle is a real possibility. If playing as a 3-shot hole. The key to the second shot is to avoid the pond on the right and you will have a short iron to the green.

Hole 4 is a 145 yard par 3.

Bunkers surround the green

The 5th is a 380 yard straight ahead par 4.  The left side is OB with the edge of the course running down the length.

The green on 5. I am sure each of these shots is not for bird.

Hole 6 is an uphill par 3at 195 yards. Anything hit short is not likely to run up.  Two bunkers are also short.

Hole 7 is a 370 yard par 4.  The play here is over the tree on the right side.  The fairway slopes to the left.  Left is OB at the edge of the property.

A closer shot of the tree to carry on the right side

Keith found extreme left- along the OB fence line.

Vigen hiding from Keith's escape from the fence.

The par 3 8th is 175 yards downhill.  Short is better than long as the deep falls off an edge.

Keith teeing on 8.

The 9th, a dead straight par 4 at 350.  A bunker right is in play off the tee.

Damon teeing off.

Keith hits one left.

And so does Vigen.

The green on 9 slopes back to front.

On to the back 9.  Our start was delayed by a two some who jumped ahead of us.  The ranger went out and got them, as they had yet to pay for their round.  Hmmmm.  Anyways while we waited for them to tee off and then come back in a gap formed ahead.  More on that later. 

The par 4 10th is a 355 yard uphill hole.  There is no need to try to carry the bunker on the right as your second shot will not be too long if you are short.

The hole doglegs right and the green is uphill again and protected either side by bunkers.

The 11th is a short 125 yard par 3. Bunkers  and pine trees surround this hole making hitting the green important.

The 12th is the back side par 5 at 480 yards.  The design of the hole encourages you to play as three shots due to the near C shape of the hole.  The best play here is just to the left og the bunker on the right side.

The aiming bunker on the right side.  Over the hill there is water right.

A view from over the hill past the bunker.  The green is on the right behind more trees. @ more greenside bunkers offer trouble short of the putting surface.

The par 4 335 yard 13th hole. A slight dogleg left.  Trying to cut the corner; you can find plenty of trees.  The better play is safely to the right side.

Damon finds the greenside bunker on 13.  Nice buried lie.  He did not make it out on the first try.

The 14th is a 380 yard par 4 that plays dead straight.  There is more OB left along the edge of the course.  So back to my tale about the gap that developed when we started our back 9- when the poeple jumped ahead and then got hauled back to the clubhouse to pay.  On the 13th green we got yelled at by a group on the adjacent 12th tee because we were playing to slow and there were 2 holes open in front of us.  Never mind the fact that this gap was caused not by us but by the other people at our turn.  Anyways, Keith didn't like the approach much of those other golfers.  Can you see the steam rising from his head in the picture above?  No?  well you certainly could after he hooked this drive OB!

Two bunkers in familiar position-either side short.

The 15th is a par 3 at 170 yards.  The green can be partially hidden from the tee.  Two bunkers are in the same short position on either side of the green.

The 16th is a 330 yard dead straight hole that plays uphill and usually into the wind.  A couple of fairway bunkers are placed to encourage hitting short of them, or you can drive long over them.

The green has side bunkers and a shot long is likely to find more trouble than short.

The 17th is one of the only holes with real water in play.  A 415 yard par 4.  A pond is on the left side of the fairway and requires a carry on your second shot.

The green on 17 is uphill from the fairway, over the water.  Two deep bunkers right should be avoided.

The finishing hole is a 135 yard par 3 with the largest green on the course.

For me the round was disappointing.  I shot an 83 which normally would sound pretty good but that is 15 over par.   At least it is still early.