The third leg of the increasingly cut-throat PHAT tour was held in world famous Northfield, MN at Willingers Golf Club. This was my first time playing the course so this is a bit of course overview and tour summary.
Willingers is just west of interstate 35 and is actually an easy drive- albeit 40 miles south of my house. With that distance, it is easy to see why this course isn't in my rotation. Getting here on a weekday required me leaving work at noon in order to make it down for our scheduled time around 2:40.
Michael and I car pooled down and arrived without time to do any warm up at the range. A few quick putts on the medium-paced putting green and it was already our turn on the tee.
The large but fairly flat putting green with the range in the background
Another shot of the green. Far larger than any on the course but enough room for a lot of people to practice.
Willingers offers some really good deals. Their rack rate is 59 on the weekend but on Tuesdays they offer 2 green fees, cart, and lunch for $79. Coincidentally, we happened to play on Tuesday.
One other note about the course. Willingers might have one of the best GPS systems I have seen on a cart. Just brilliant.
On the first tee tension was high. All of the contestants were wondering if Jason Simek can keep his stranglehold on the Tour after rattling off two consecutive wins to start the season.
The match play elimination continued from last event and featured the following:
Jason Simek (1) vs Jeff Jiovanazzo (8)
Todd Heil (4) vs Dan Magnuson (5)
Eddie Rymer (15) vs Ryan Winterquist (10)
Brad Opsahl (3) vs Chad Meschke (11)
Onto the course.
Hole 1
Par 4 (399, 374, 353, 310 yards)
The opening hole is a tricky one with two ponds to intimidate you off the tee. The hole angles diagonally away from you to the right. This requires a tee shot that requires less than driver unless you want to take on the water down the right. Hitting conservatively, you risk the danger of flying the fairway and finding tree trouble on the left of the hole.
Dan tees off on what will prove to be a great opening nine for him.
Jeff about to hit a colossal drive.
The carry across the furthest point of the water is around 260 yards. The prescribed approach is to aim for the small closes to the left side of the fairway. From there you will have 140 yards into the green.
The approach into the green is framed by pines on either side of the hole. The green is surrounded on all sides except back left by sand.
Hole 2
Par 5 (504, 487, 472, 417 yards)
The second hole is a narrow but relatively straight par 5. Trouble exists down both sides. The hill on the left hides the view to more room left than it appears on the tee. Hitting at the right edge of the hill is a fine play.
Beyond the hill is more room than you would think. Water down the right along with a large oak tree make long approaches from that side difficult.
The green is fronted by a large bunker. Also protecting the front of the green on this day were a couple of deer. Look at the focus on Matt. He is so focused on his putt he has no idea of the man-eating beasts skulking in front of the green.
A view back down the hole shows the danger on the right side well. Nick paces off a 40 yard putt he had across the entire width of this green. The green here is much wider than deep. All of the greens were very firm and holding shots was a bit of a problem. Balls often scampered across and stopped up against the margins of pretty severe collars. That made putting from the edges very difficult.
Hole 3
Par 3 (185, 165, 127, 97 yards)
The first of the par 3s. With all of of the rain the water level on this hole is significantly higher than normal. As a result the right side has even less room to miss and the ground there is just a soggy mess.
Behind the green is more water, and in front is a large bunker. Essentially this hole plays as an island green so hitting it is critical.
Of course, I hit my shot into the water right to keep my round going strong. I have so far opened with a triple, bogey, triple. Yeah....
Hole 4
Par 4 (430, 392 , 374, 319 yards)
This hole offers a dual fairway. A tree splits the hole off the tee into these two landing zones. I am not sure about the design of this hole. The left fairway runs out at about 240 yards from the blue tees. If you hit to that side you face water down the entire left side, as well as water at the end of the fairway. From the end of that fairway you must then carry your next shot entirely over water 165 yards to the green which offers its narrow side from that approach. I am not sure why you would want to try that approach, it just doesn't seem to offer and advantage.
Playing down the right fairway takes the water out of play. The only danger then comes from the trees down the right side.
I smothered my tee shot into the marsh in front of the tee box. Keeping my string of awful golf intact.
Your second shot from the right fairway again takes the water out of play, unless you really hit it off line. A couple of large bunkers do guard the right side. The green is quite deep from this angle but relatively narrow.
With the depth of the green, hitting to the correct location becomes important to not have a 50 yard putt.
After my tee disaster I recovered and took another double.
Hole 5
Par 4 (330, 305, 295, 245 yards)
A short par 4 that dictates you leave the woods in the bag. The bunker down the right requires 240 yards to carry from the tips. Carrying that bunker places you about 90 yards out.
A series of bunkers down the left frames the opposite side of the hole. The third bunker visible from the tee is actually located green side left. This green is another deep but narrow surface as you approach up the fairway.
Something unusual happened on this hole- I made par!
Hole 6
Par 5 (530, 504, 474, 443 yards)
Probably the most visually intimidating tee shot I have seen in a long time. There is danger every where on this hole. a pair of ponds is the first thing you notice. These frame the first section of fairway on the hole. This landing area runs diagonally from the tee. To the edge of this fairway is 300 yards form the tips. To the middle of this landing area is 270 yards. A tee shot that misses left will likely find the water that comes in from that side.
Down the right lies OB to the right of the cart path.
If you succeed in landing your tee shot safely, you are still not done. The fairway ends about 230 yards out before resuming again at 160 yards out. A pair of bunkers lie on the left side of this second fairway area. Your second shot will need to carry some water and avoid these bunkers.
If inclined you could try to cut the water directly to the green. Prudence seems the better play however. Framing the green is water down the left and a trio of bunkers on the right.
Hole 7
Par 3 (188, 180, 156, 104 yards)
A longer par 4 that requires carrying trouble the entire length to the green. There is also water left of the green. Between the water and the green, a ring of three bunkers surrounds back, left, and right.
Nick Smith hitting
Michael Vigen tees off.
Hole 8
Par 4 (384, 362, 350, 308 yards)
A dogleg left requires cutting your shot over the hill down the right side or hitting at the small bush in the distance around 200 yards, which will leave you around 150 yards out.
Around the corner off the tee the fairway is divided by a swath of rough. The hole falls downhill towards the green that is flanked on either side by extensive bunkering.
Hole 9
Par 4 (415, 380, 356, 292 yards)
Another dogleg left finishes up the front side. You must avoid the marsh right. In order to hit the green you need to avoid going down the left side as a grove of trees can block you out from there. Finally, at the dogleg are a pair of bunkers to avoid. These sit about 260 yards from the tee.
The green is elevated and sits at the base of a hill. Missing the green here will find a bunker or the gnarly rough.
My opening nine was one of the worst outings I have had in several years. I did end up stringing together 4 pars on holes 5-8 but I ended up with a 49 with four triple bogeys, and one bogey.
Others in the tourney were fairing far better. Dan Magnuson at this point was a jaw dropping 1 under gross!
Onto the back. The back nine has a decidedly tighter feeling to it. While the front side has trees they exist only on the perimeter of holes and shouldn't really come into play. The back nine is much more heavily wooded.
Hole 10
Par 4 (370, 339, 331, 282 yards)
A tight straight ahead par 4. Trees hug close to the edges of the fairway. A miss right also can find a hill that drops down away from the fairway in among the trees. The hole rises to the green which is narrow but deep and features two large bunkers on the right.
Hole 11
Par 4 (390, 354, 334, 294 yards)
An interesting dogleg right that hides most of the holes character off the tee. From the tee you just need to hit down the middle of the fairway 200 yards out. Avoid the right side as anything hit too close on that side will give you no chance to find the green through the trees.
Once you hit your tee shot, the hole will open up towards the green. A beautiful second shot must carry the gully to the green protected front and back by three bunkers.
Hole 12
Par 4 (445, 425, 405, 365 yards)
At this point the course starts to display some impressive elevation changes. This part of the course reminded me a lot of The Summit Golf Club in Cannon Falls.
Hole 12 plays shorter than it is due to its elevated tee. It is still a long hole at 445 yards from the tips. You must avoid the trees that jut in from the left side.
Missing too far right is problematic too with more trees lining that side.
The approach to the green is made more difficult by the 20 yard rise in elevation. More bunkers protect the right side.
Once atop the hill, if you missed the green you'll likely be in some very thick rough if not in the sand. The green is nearly 50 yards front to back to long putts are very possible.
Hole 13
Par 4 (362, 345, 325, 288 yards)
Plainly, the design of this hole is terrible. From a tee shot that is far too narrow to work the ball at all, to a ill conceived dogleg that requires hitting a precise distance to have any chance into the green.
This is by far the weakest hole offered at the course. Were they to open up the narrow chute off the tee this hole might not be too bad. I expect when the hole was first designed, these trees were not intended to be like this. A prime example of careless maintenance really negatively impacting the playing experience.
The green on 13, as seen from the 14th tee, shows its relatively small. It is protected on either side short by bunkers. Probably more penal is the thick rough around the green, should you miss the green.
Hole 14
Par 3 (183, 166, 155, 123 yards)
This hole plays about the same distance as the ones before it, however it seems longer as you stand on the tee. A forced carry over the marsh, you must also miss the large bunker short left, and a pair of grass bunkers along the green's right side.
You can see more of the shag-a-delic rough surrounding the kidney shaped green.
I missed a two foot putt after hitting a great wedge shot from the thick rough just right of the pin in the rough. Yuck. I hate that.
Hole 15
Par 5 (543, 503, 472, 409 yards)
A straight ahead tee shot is framed by trees on either side of the landing zone. A 300 yard drive leaves 240 yards in. This hole is the most accessible 2 shot par 5 on the course. Your second shot will need to clear a pond that nearly bisects the hole. The water ends at around 90 yards from the green.
The green is protected from long shots in by a bunker that covers most of the front side of the green. Another pair of bunkers await shots hit left of the green.
The green is domed so that shots are likely to roll off the back side unless hit with some height.
Hole 16
Par 4 (419, 386, 365, 339 yards)
A slight dogleg right, this hole requires another straight tee shot. More trees line either side of the hole. A pair of bunkers sit on the right of the fairway in the typical landing zone. A large single tree makes you reconsider trying to hug the left.
The green is elevated and protected by a single bunker short right.
Hole 17
Par 3 (166, 143, 121, 93 yards)
Finally, a par 3 with no water! Well none that should be in play. There is a creek that runs across the hole but the only real danger around the green are a pair of flanking bunkers.
Hole 18
Par 5 (566, 500, 471, 440 yards)
This par 5 offers a wide open tee shot. A bunker down the right should not be in play and can be carried. The bunkers down the left can come into play. It requires a carry of 250 yards to pass these bunkers.
Not far beyond the bunkers, the fairway stops before resuming again 40 yards further down the hole.
Michael finds trouble down the left off his tee shot.
The approach into the final green requires missing all of the hazards laying in wait. The left side of the hole is lined with water and a beach like bunker. On the other side of the hole, a trio of bunkers frame the right.
In general I liked this course. The conditions of the fairways was spotty. They were not bare, but they were a strange mix of all kinds of vegetation. The rough was pretty severe in most places, which probably can be blamed on the heavy rains. The greens were really firm though and a fairly good speed. While not fast, they weren't slow either.
The design of the course is generally pretty good. The front is much more open, while the back seems to get a lot more claustrophobic feeling. With the exception of the garbage 13th hole, I felt like most holes were pretty good. A couple of other mickey mouse shots, but certainly playing the course could allow you to avoid those.
I would play here again, it is a good value, it's just so far away. For that reason I would guess I wont make the trip more that a couple of times a year at most.
My round turned around a bit. After a brain melting 49 on the front, I ended up with a 41 on the back. That should have been a 39, as I missed two putts inside of 2 feet on holes 14 and 17. Those putts really upset me. Not that it would have helped me in the results much but to give away strokes like that is just gross.
I was so disgusted by my game overall though that I sent an email to Jeff Sorenson for lessons. I apparently can't right this floundering ship so I am seeking out help finally. Hopefully lessons can turn my game, and the season around for me.
Dan's epic round didn't finish as well as it started. After a front nine -1 under gross score, the wheels came off on Willinger's harder half. Dan carded a 47 on the back. Still that was enough to finish second with a net even par score. Nice round!
The results of the tour were a bit of a surprise. Jason Simek's run at the top finally falters. Bill Starken takes the top prize this week. Here are the results. (Gross/Net):
1 Bill Starken (79/70)
2 Dan Magnuson (82/72)
T3 Jeff Heil (82/73)
T3 Todd Heil (86/73)
T5 Jason Simek (84/74)
T5 Jim Crowley (83/74)
T5 Matt Oelschlager (90/74)
T5 Ryan Winterquist (80/75)
T9 Chad Meschke (82/77)
T9 Mike Vigen (99/77)
11 Jeff Jiovanazzo (87/78)
12 Brad Opsahl (87/79)
13 Nick Smith (93/80)
14 Kris Halsrud (90/81)
15 Eddie Rymer (93/85)
DNP Scott Loe
The matches continued from the last event and produced the following results
Jason Simek defeats Jeff Jiovanazzo
Dan Magnuson defeats Todd Heil
Ryan Winterquist defeats Eddie Rymer
Chad Meschke defeats Brad Opsahl
The match play looks a lot like the NCAA basketball tourney. In the quarter finals we have a 1 vs 5 (Simek vs Magnuson), and a 10 vs 11 (Winterquist vs Meschke)
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