Golfing Island View Golf Club

On a beautiful late July summer day with low humidity and temps in the mid 70s, I headed west to Waconia, MN to play Island View Golf Club.  Located about 35 miles west of Minneapolis, the course is situated on the east side of lake Waconia.

Island View is a semi-private course with 375 members.  They do offer limited public tee times but only 3 days in advance, and only for select times of the week.  The current rate is $55 on the weekend, $50 during the week.  A cart will run you an extra $17 per person.  Comparing those rates to my benchmark western suburban course (Chaska Town Course) at $67 and cart for $17.  The course is certainly well maintained and a very fun layout.  There is only one hole with a problem I would say has a bad design.

Today I was treated to my round by my brother-in-law Dave, as a late birthday gift.  I also teed it up with Mr. Vigen and Dave's dad Larry.

The course is a fairly short layout at 6578 from the tips with a respective rating and slope of 71.4 and 133.  There are 4 sets of tees (blue-6578 yards, white-6252 yards, gold-5691 yards, red-5335 yards) that are generally fairly close together, and the course prides itself on pace of play stating that rounds should be completed in 4 hours.

Built in 1959, and officially opening in 1960 the course has alternated between exclusively private and semi-private.  It was designed by Bill Kidd Sr. and George Oftelie.  Bilk Kidd Sr. was the head pro at Interlachen from 1920  until his son took over in 1956.  Bill Jr. finally retired in 1993 and their combined 74 years is the state's longest father son tenure.

The layout is a traditional park-land style course with mature trees lining the rolling fairways.  While the course is not on the shores of Lake Waconia, water does come into play (dramatically on a couple holes) on 4 holes.  I would say most holes are well bunkered with around 50 total bunkers in play.  The biggest challenge comes from the trees which demand precision on nearly every shot.

On to the course.


Hole 1- Par 5 (486/465/465/448 yards)
A par 5 to start off the round, this hole plays straight away, rising to an elevated green.

 There are 2 fairway bunkers down the right side of the hole.  Trees line either side, which is a constant on pretty much every hole out here.

The green is protected in front by two bunkers and an additional one on  the right side.  This is the shortest of the par 5s on the course.


Hole 2- Par 4 (398/364/364/335 yards)
A long uphill par 4 that doglegs right around the trees.  On the left side of the dogleg is a large fairway trap.  The better angle into the green is the left side of this hole as the right side can be blocked by the trees.

An accurate second shot is needed to another elevated green that is well guarded by 3 greenside bunkers.


Hole 3- Par 5 (520/509/490/436 yards)
This par 5 plays fairly straight for the first 2 shots before turning slightly right at the end.  This is the second longest hole on the course.  Off the tee there are a pair of bunkers down the right side.  The tee shot is elevate from the fairway.  You can see water down the right off the tee but it will not be in play until the second shot.

Down the left side of the hole runs a grove of trees, so if you want to avoid the fairway bunkers right you run the risk of tree trouble down the left. A grass gully runs across the fairway 270 yards off the tee.

 On your second shot, the best play is to the left side of the fairway to set up the best angle into the green and to keep the water out of play.

 The green is deep and guarded down the right by the water and down the left by three bunkers.

 As with most of the greens here, they look relatively flat but have a lot of subtle breaks that can fool you the first time you try them.

A view back up the hole.


Hole 4- Par 3 (161/147/147/131 yards)
The first par 3 on the course, it is the shortest out here.  A large green can affect club selection of the tee.  It is important to hit the green as a bevy of four greenside bunkers will catch most wayward shots.  The green slopes back to front so hitting short of the pin is a better options than a downhill come back putt.

Hole 5- Par 4 (394/378/365/357 yards)
A straight away par 4 that has OB right and trees down the left.  The fairway tends to run off to the left so hitting to the right center side of the fairway is preferred.  However the right side miss is definitely more penal with the OB and trees down that side.

 The hole descends dramatically towards the green at around 150 yards.

The green is flanked by a pair of bunkers, with water on the extreme left.  Another deep green can demand an extra club or two based on the pin position.

Another view back down the hole as seen from the 6th tee.


Hole 6- Par 3 (189/176/167/133 yards)
One of the signature holes on the course, a demanding par 3 requires a long carry all over water on this par 3. 

 There is room to bail out right but a bunker protects the front of the green between the water and the green.

Hole 7- Par 4 (400/357/290/290 yards)
A long uphill par 4 requires a tee shot from the hill that carries the valley and passed the fairway bunkers on either side of the landing area.

Once in the fairway, a second shot must miss the bunker running the length of the left side of the green.

Hole 8- Par 4 (384/355/315/292 yards)
Similar to the last hole, another elevated tee shot, requires a carry over a valley.  Two fairway bunkers guard the landing zone.  Playing just short of the left bunker is ideal as it gives the best angle into the green on this slight dogleg right hole.

 The second shot is slightly uphill, making the approach blind.

The green has a single large bunker on the left side and is slightly domed on all sides.

 A view looking back down the hill to the fairway.

Hole 9- Par 4 (401/384/312/310 yards)
This is the one hole that I disliked.  Off the tee on this long par 4 is a large tree on the right.  It makes a driver a risky proposition.

Off the tee unless you can get the ball up very quickly, you have a very small target area, shown here.

Playing into this window brings the far side of the fairway into play, and its trees, on this sharp right dogleg.

Hitting a safe high shot over the tree, results in a long uphill second shot to a tree lined green.  No bunkers are around the green but the trees do come into play.

Hole 10- Par 4 (364/355/355/338 yards)
This hole has a wide landing area off the tee.  A bunker down the right side guards the bend on this dogleg right but is only 215 yards from the tee.

This hole is the longest par 4 on the back nine.  With the elevated, domed green protected with a bunker short left and surrounded by trees it is a stern test to begin the second half of your round.

Hole 11- Par 3 (206/174/174/157 yards)
 A longer par 3, the hole is visually pinched by trees but is otherwise unprotected by hazards.

Hole 12- Par 4 (322/310/310/285 yards)
A complex of bunkers protects the left side of this straight-ahead par 4.  The fairway narrows down at 230 yards.  The safe play is to play just short of the bunkers, where the fairway is widest. 

I preferred to take driver down the right side, using the cart path to find the flower bed near the 18th tee.

The green has another pair of bunkers protecting the front side, and falls off on the back.


Hole 13- Par 4 (345/329/300/263 yards)
A daunting tee shot waits on this par 4.  A peninsula fairway must by located off the tee.

 Hitting right is obvious doom but aiming left can bring well placed bunkers into play.

 If you do miss badly off the tee you can be left with a more daunting third shot that must carry the water again.

 A wide green accepts balls esily but there are some contours so accuracy is key.

A pair of bunkers protect the short right side of the green.  A view back up the hole can be a bitter moment if you don't play well here.

Hole 14- Par 5 (571/558/445/445 yards)
The longest hole on the course, you will find OB down the left and water down the right off the tee.  From the back tees it is 200 yards passed the water.

 If you've found the fairway off the tee, your second shot may be slightly blind, as the fairway descend on the way to the hole. 

 There is danger reachable in two down the left side with another pond in play.

 The pond protects the left while a pair of bunkers protects the right of the green.

Hole 15- Par 4 (336/325/325/302 yards)
A short par 4 it makes up for its distance with a severely narrow tee shot.  Hit an iron here and keep it in play.

Vigen was surprised to find his ball in the fairway.

 The approach from the fairway must negotiate 4 bunkers surrounding the green.

 Even if not in the bunker, the sunken borders can lead to awkward lies.  Missing right on this hole can find your ball rolling all the way down near the 17th tee box.

Hole 16- Par 3 (145/131/131/129 yards)
Another pretty par 3 requires you to carry the two bunkers short of the green.

Trees also mess with your head as you take aim at the hole.  The green is large and just hitting the surface doesn't guarantee a par.

Hole 17- Par 5 (Par 4 for Gold/Red) (554/543/334/334 yards)
 The penultimate hole is a long par 5.  A slightly blind tee shot off the tee, the hole id straight-away.  Hit it as long as you can down the middle to avoid the trees- the only trouble on your first shot.

It is hard to hit a bad shot with balance like Dave has.  He played really steady and carded an easy 81.  The hole falls downhill towards a green the has two large bunkers right and short of the green.

Hole 18- Par 4 (Par 5 for Gold/Red) (402/392/402/350 yards)
The final hole is an uphill par 4 back toward the clubhouse.  Along the way you must avoid the large bunker down the left side.

 The green is elevated on the second shot and is unguarded but is domed.

A view of the large green.  Don't make a mess on the green as a crowd is likely watching you from in the clubhouse.

I ended up with an 85.  I played fairly well but had a real problem with distance control on my wedges.  I think I came up short 6 times with a wedge.  The greens were deceptive too.  While most putts looked straight, they had some tough breaks.  Some downhill putts were really slick too.  All in all it was a fun test.

As for the course, I really enjoyed it.  The rates are reasonable, actually very reasonable given the conditions the course is kept in.  A great layout (except the 9th) and impressive elevation changes make this course a very fun round of golf.

Playing with the group I did was a great time.  It was the first time Michael and Dave had seen each other in a long time so that was great.

I will have to try to get out here a bit more.  It is a hike for me and with very limited tee time windows it might not be a frequent course in my rotation but I will look forwarded to coming out here again.