PHAT Tour- The finals! The PHAT Cup

Troy Burne in Hudson Wisconsin was gracious enough to host the 36 hole final event of the PHAT tour.  I have never played at Troy Burne so this was a fun new adventure.

I was speaking to Jeff Sorenson before hand and he was saying that if the course was across the river, it would be his favorite course in Minnesota.  After having played the course I can see why he would say that.  While I might still argue for the Wilderness in Tower, MN as being my favorite Minnesota course, Troy Burne certainly is very close to equaling the experience of the northern courses but with a much shorter drive.

In general I thought every hole at Troy Burne was beautiful.  There is enough variety that they all feel very unique.  A brilliant job was done isolating the holes from one another with a lot of mounding and fescue bordering the holes.

Before I get into detail about the course, lets take a look at the hardware that some people were playing for today.  I say some people because unless I played 2 back to back rounds of my life, I had no chance of winning.  Never the less, behold, the PHAT Ass cup:

Thing of beauty huh?  Well maybe next year I will get a chance to drink a Laphroaig from this lovely wee jug.  For now this is as close as I got to it. I guess that it just leaves my plenty of time to build my lighted display case for it in time to for next year.

As the final was a 36 hole event we had to start early in order to get the rounds in before dark.  Our tee times started around 8:20, which would have been fine except for a think blanket of fog that greeted us as we crossed the 94 bridge into Wisconsin.  It was some of the thickest fog I have ever been in.  As we approached the course, you must drive through a few homes before arriving at the clubhouse.  The course parking lot is right next to the road of course but as we drove into the area the fog was so thick we couldn't even see the parking lot 10 feet from the side of the car.  That led us to miss our turn and drive around for a little while until making a U turn and finding our way back.

Nick in his plus fours on the range

Trying to warm up in the cool morning air felt colder because of the damp fog.  We managed to find the practice range and attempted to warm up by hitting balls that we could see flight for maybe 15 yards before being swallowed by the fog.

Michael hits balls into the void at the driving range.

The course was busy already and people were actually going out off the first tee despite the fog.  We practiced chips and putts on the green as the sun tried in vain to burn off the fog.  The practice green was very fast and undulating.  This proved to be a good test of the conditions that would appear out on the course.

Some PHATs along with others walk through the haze on the practice green

Eventually our tee time came up and we were off!  We were greeted on the first tee by the starter who welcomed us to the course and proceeded to assist us in where to aim our tee shots into the mist.  You could just make out the trees of the first hole through the fog- enough to provide an aiming basis. After teeing off the starter even drove out in a cart to assist us locate our tee shots.  A great example of great service I found throughout the day.

Lets get to the course review.

The course construction began in 1996 and was opened in 1999.  It was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry with consultation by Tom Lehman.  Since it opened it has won numerous awards and is ranked by everyone I know as one of the top 3 course in the Minneapolis area.

Nominated in Golf Digest for Best New Public Course for 1999
4½ star rating (out of 5) in Golf Digest’s “Place to Play” 2001- 2003
Best Twin Cities Public Course, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 2000
#2 Ranked Twin Cities Public Course, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 2000

The course has a total of 7 official tees which represent a combination of 4 actual tee sets and 3 combo tees.  From the tips the course is  7,034 yards and has a slope/rating of 136/74.3

For our tournament we played from the "Resort" tees for the first 18 and then from the tips on the second 18.  The resort is only 5,837 yards so the difference between the two rounds was a bit striking.

Hole 1 Par 5
600/561/530/441 yards
While it was hard for us to see on our opening tee shot, the first hole offers a straight ahead tee shot played between the set of trees.  On our opening drive you could somewhat see the trees.

Once past the trees, the hole turns left before straightening out and heading towards the green.  The fairways are fairly wide but once off them the grass turns into very lush rough.

On your second shot you must clear a pair of bunkers that flank either side of the fairway. A large landing area awaits past these bunkers prior to the green.

The green is elevated from the fairway and is protected short left and right by more bunkering. As you can see in the picture the green has a false font and slopes away towards the back.  The greens here are all very large, averaging around 8,00 square feet.

From the tee on the second round you can actually see the fairway between the trees that was so cleverly hiding in the morning.

Hole 2 Par 4
450/421/393/254 yards
This hole is an absolute beast.  Even now writing about it it ticks me off.  Your tee shot requires carrying a pond below the elevated tee.  That is just the start of your trials.

Down the right are a couple large bunkers amid fescued covered hills.  Down the left side is water that runs all the way to the green,

Beyond the bunkers the fairway narrows dramatically discouraging use of a driver on the hole.

If you are lucky, your tee shot has landed to the left of the bunkers.  If you are on the right side of the hole and short of the green you will have a blind second shot.  Not good.  Even if you found the left side, you still have a frightening second shot into a green protected short and left by the water running up the hole.  Right and deep are several bunkers to dissuade  bailing out there.

Bisecting the green is a spine which causes the green to slope away left and right on either side of the ridge.  The greens keeper was in a pissy mood today as the pin was atop the spine.  That meant any putt, if incrementally long, would trundle across the spine and down the other side of the ridge.

In the league we have a maximum stroke per hole of 8.  In our 2 rounds, the groups I played in had seven 8s recorded on this hole.  Brutal.

Here is another view off the tee on 2 once the sun came out during our second round.  The hole doesn't look any easier.

Hole 3 Par 3
172/154/125/98 yards
The first par 3 on the course is a short,slightly uphill hole.  The main feature is the bunkering short on either side of the putting surface.  Another bunker sits deep right.  This green is very wide, but not too deep, so hitting an accurate tee shot is highly encouraged to ensure you are not struggling with several shots on the green.

Hole 4 Par 4
342/312/270/223 yards
A short par 4 that offers bunkers nearly everywhere you look.  The hole is designed with an expansive landing area short of the bunkers enticing you to lay up with an iron.  Down the extreme left side is OB.

Past the first set of bunkers the fairway narrows down.  If you lay up to the left you will find a blind shot to the green.  The green is protected on all four sides by sand.

Despite the short distance off the tee, there is plenty of trouble to consider.

Vigen and Jason approach the green as Scott plays from the bunker

Hole 5 Par 5
591/562/526/489 yards

A straight ahead par 5 with bunkers alternating down either side of the fairway from tee to green.  Extreme left is OB, while extreme right finds mounding bordering this hole from the evil second.

Provided you find the fairway, this hole offers an inviting second shot to the green as long as you keep it straight.  A pair of bunkers squeeze the hole just short of the hole.

The fairway rises at a narrow neck to the elevated green. Missing short right of the green is a guaranteed sand shot. A pin placed to the right requires a heroic shot into that position.

The green has two distinct levels, the right side being higher than the left. You can see there is room to miss on either side of the green, though a bunker does sit centrally behind the green.

Hole 6 Par 4
355/339/304/246 yards
Similar to the 4th hole, a myriad of sand and an expansive landing area to the right might encourage you to lay an iron out to this location.

There is room to land over the bunkers to the left if you can successfully carry them.

Your second shot here must carry another set of bunkers protecting the elevated green.  The green slopes severely from back right to left.

With the pin placed to the right, like it was today, you have maybe a 10 yard circle to hit a high shot to to keep the ball from rolling all the way down to the lower putting surface on the left side of the green.

If the pin is left, this green makes it almost a certainty your ball will be near the pin.  With a right pin placement you are likely praying for a 2 putt up the hill.

Hole 7 Par 4
395/369/339/274 yards
From the tee you have two distinct landing areas to choose from.  Lay up short of the first set of flanking bunkers or try to carry them to the second landing zone.

If you lay up you will have a long  iron into the green which is well guarded by a semi circular ring of sand lying short of the green.  Going for the second landing zone shortens the hole but brings sand in on the tee shot.

From the second shot, you must carry the second set of bunkers.  Past their perimeter the green is actually wide open with 2 pitching areas deep on either side of the green.

Hole 8 Par 3
222/202/166/147 yards
A long par 3 set amid rolling mounds. A large bunker protects the left side, while a deadly bunker protects deep right.  The hole has a large fairway short.  Playing into a strong win this hole can be played like a par 4 with a hope for a good second shot and a one putt for par.

Scott tees off from the resort tees 

Hole 9 Par 4
495/455/391/358 yards
Coming back towards the clubhouse, this hole plays straight ahead.  2 complexes of bunkers are in play off the tee.  On the right a set awaits smother hooks from lefties like me.  On the right, a little further down a trio of bunkers wait to gather your ball.

Like I said, smothered hooks are my specialty.  I found myself in the second bunker on the left.  I mention it only because of the shot I hit out of it.  Probably the most solid sand shot I ever hit, 200 yards tracking at the pin. It landed right on the front of the green for an easy uphill putt for bird.  I missed, of course...

Making it safely off the tee still requires avoiding another multitude of sand around the green.

Fescued hills rise behind the green. There is a little room  to miss long before you find the mounding, but not a lot.

Hole 10 Par 4
420/392/360/275 yards

In the early morning, my view of the 10th hole which sits behind the clubhouse looked like this:

Once the fog lifted, I found the hole to look a lot different:

From the tee you must avoid the water the protects the left side of the this dogleg hole that wraps around the water.  Interestingly, all the water on this course, including the burne found after this hole, is all man made.

An interesting strategy employed by those in the know is to hit your tee shot left of the water to the 16th hole.  From there you have a carry over the water to an unguarded green. Well, unguarded except the water.  Apparently when the pros came and played here, this was the preferred shot.

For the rest of us, playing to the heart of the fairway is the prudent move. Two large bunkers protect the right side of the hole.

Down the entire left side of the hole is a snaking bunker between the water and the fairway.  This hole and the neighboring 16th very much reminds my of courses you might see down in Scottsdale.

The green on 10 is protected on the left by 2 bunkers short.  A large bunker sits behind the green, and of course water lines the left side.

Hole 11 Par 3
176/150/122/97 yards
A beautiful par 3 with a row pines behind the green reminding me of southern courses.

Down the right side runs the burne that you crossed on the way to get to the tee.  Down the left is a severe slope rising up away from the green.  Hitting a shot from this hill is a dangerous proposition with the burne sitting on the other side of the green.

Aside from these two dangers, the hole also features a trio of bunkers on either side of the front of the green.  Another large bunker hides behind the hole.

Hole 12 Par 5
483/446/407/383 yards

A force carry across the marsh is required on this hole that runs away diagonally left.  A large cluster of bunkers guards players cutting distance off this hole.  Down the left side is water.  The hole is elevated above this water.

This hole is not long and provided you get off the tee well, getting on in 2 is very likely.  I managed to do so in both rounds.

Vigen hits into the 12th green

The second shot in will require missing the water left and the pair of bunkers sitting short of the green.

Getting on in 2 doesn't mean a lot on this massive green though.  Unless you approach near the hole a 3-putt par may happen to you too (it did me twice).

Hole 13 Par 3
193/174/149/123 yards
A wide variation from the different tees makes this a relatively easy to a tough hole.

Water down the left and fescue and sand to the right your only good miss is short in the large fairway area.

From the elevated back tees, this hole looks, and is, a tough target to hit.

Hole 14 Par 4
464/427/380/342 yards

This is a long par 4 that plays back at the row of pines that you saw behind the 11th hole.

From the elevated tees you must carry a fair distance before the fairway.  Down the left is the water shared with the 12th hole.  Down the right, the only serious woods you will find on the course lie.

The hole rises slightly as you play towards the green.  As you approach, a large bunker sits to the left, along with the burne.  Missing to the right can find the bunker that waits down that side.

A view back down the 14th through the trees

Hole 15 Par 3
144/125/98/80 yards

Maybe the most nondescript hole on the course, this par 3 is fairly flat, requiring a carry across trouble off the tee to the green.  A single centered bunker short protects this large green which also has a large bunker deep right.

Hole 16 Par 5
617/598/531/485 yards
Welcome back to the desert golf themed section of the course.

The obvious thing you will notice off the tee is the water down the left.  The fairway squeezes down between a fairway bunker and trees on the right and the water on the left.

If your tee shot finds safety your second shot depends on a decision whether to lay up short of the second massive bunker complex to the right that narrows the fairway down.

The hole turns slightly right on your second shot, with bunkering most of the length down the left side between the fairway and the water.

If you decide to layup short of this choke point, or go at the green,  you still have one more set on bunkers to negotiate short of the green.

Besides the bunkers, the green is also slightly elevated requiring a good shot into this deep green.  All around the back half of the green, the hole falls away to a large chipping area, if your ball misses the putting surface.

Hole 17 Par
445/395/359/331 yards
The penultimate hole is a tough gauntlet that requires two really good shots to get to the green in regulation.  Off the tee you face a series of bunkers down the left and water to the right.  Not only that, but you have to carry long grass for a ways before the fairway even begins.

Nick hits his second shot from the far left of the hole.

The second shot requires avoiding the water down the right side.  A series of bunkers left warns against bailing out down that side.   

Like I said, a tough two shots are required to get to this green safely

Chad, Todd, and the Jeffs putt on 17

Hole 18 Par 4

470/423/387/331 yards

Coming home you are faced with a tee shot framed by another pair of fairway bunkers on either side of the hole.  A massive landing zone awaits passed these bunkers.  The hole plays essentially straight ahead off the tee.

Brad tees off on our second round as we wrap up the tour championship

After the first set of fairway bunkers,  the hole narrows down as it approaches the green.  The green is protected short left by a pair of bunkers perched between the green and a valley that falls off on that half of the hole.  On the right, a massive bunker protects the right side of the green.

I had an amazing finish to the round when my ball came to rest in the one foot strip of grass between the two bunkers left off the tee.  I hit a good second shot from my luck lie which bounced up and found the center of the green.  I manage to sink the putt for a final hole bird to finish the year.

Bill, Ryan, and Matt watch the final group play in as they stand on the 18th green

The finals were another great day on the course.  Troy Burne was a spectacular venue to hold the finals of a stupendous inaugural year on the PHAT tour.

Chad Meshke had an unbelievable opening round, playing the resort tees at a mind boggling gross score of 68, net of 63.  How sick is that?  Check out this gorgeous card:

Henceforth, Chad will be known as Mr. PGA.

While Chad threw some excitement into the finals, the results were inevitable.  Jason Simek ended up taking the cup.  The race did come much closer than I thought.  Jason ended up winning by only 11.25 points to the runner up Jim Crowley.

Here is the final results for the 2 rounds, as well as the final overall standings
Round 1- Resort
1 68/63 Chad Mechke
2 78/69 Dan Magnuson
3 77/70 Jim Crowley
4 77/73 Ryan Winterquist
5 82/74 Jason Simek
T6 82/75 Jeff Jiovanazzo
T6 87/75 Nick Smith
T8 80/76 Bill Starken
T8 86/76 Kris Halsrud
T8 86/76 Scott Loe
11 85/77 Jeff Heil
12 85/78 Brad Opsahl
T13 92/80 Todd Heil
T13 101/80 Mike Vigen
15 97/83 Matt Oelschlager
16 DNP Eddie Rymer

Round 2- Lehman
1 81/74 Jim Crowley
2 83/77 Jason Simek
3 85/77 Chad Mechke
4 85/78 Brad Opsahl
5 88/80 Jeff Jiovanazzo
T6 93/82 Scott Loe
T6 104/82 Mike Vigen
T8 91/83 Jeff Heil
T8 93/83 Kris Halsrud
10 97/84 Bill Starken
T11 99/85 Dan Magnuson
T11 99/85 Matt Oelschlager
T13 101/86 Todd Heil
T13 101/86 Nick Smith
T13 101/86 Ryan Winterquist
16 DNP Eddie Rymer

Final Standings
1 Jason Simek 638.75
2 Jim Crowley 627.5
3 Chad Meschke 548
4 Dan Magnuson 475.5
5 Ryan Winterquist 433
6 Jeff Jiovanazzo 413.625
7 Bill Starken 371.25
8 Brad Opsahl 340.75
9 Jeff Heil         313.5
10 Todd Heil 265.5
11 Nick Smith 226.75
12 Mike Vigen 195.25
13 Kris Halsrud 187.25
T14 Matt Oelschlager 141.25
T14 Scott Loe          89.25
16 Eddie Rymer 76.5

The champion
Congrats Jason!