The Hastings Country Club was a private course that opened in its current location in 1961. The Hastings Country Club actually dates back to the 1920s but it changed its location over time as the club grew and they outgrew their properties. In the last few years it had been struggling financially and was finally put up for sale in 2014. In late 2015 the club was purchased by by a group of local investors and re-branded as Dakota Pines Golf Club as a semi-private club.
Located in the city limits of Hastings, the course has a very old school feel and is predominately flat but does offer some interesting holes.
4 sets of tees provide a mix of challenges from 5,472 to 6,740 yards
| Tees | Yardage | Slope | Rating |
| Blue | 6,740 | 73.4 | 133 |
| White | 6,382 | 71.7 | 130 |
| Gold | 5,905 | 69.6 | 126 |
| Red | 5,472 | 72.6 | 130 |
Hole 1 Par 4
415 | 400 | 380 | 382 yards
The first hole is a great introduction to what you will face during your round at Dakota Pines. This course features most of its trouble in the form of the tree lined holes that start here on this hole that turns slightly to the right.
From elevated tees you have a good vantage over this dogleg. A pond down the right plays with your head but should not come into play. Heavy tree cover down the left side is more of a problem. A single bunker also lies down the left side around 240 yards from the tees.
Upon turning the corner on the dogleg you are faced with a fairly open approach to this green. A single bunker sits short right. Aside from that one hazard there is plenty of room to miss around this fairly flat green.
Hole 2 Par 4
335 | 315 | 300 | 280 yards
Hole 2 is a short par 4 that plays straight for most of the way before turning slightly right. This small dogleg at the end of the hole protects the green behind the right tree line, unless a long hitter can confidently play from left to right.
A pair of bunkers pinches the fairway just over 200 yards from the tees. Laying up short of these on your first shot still leaves only a wedge into the green.
Another pair of bunkers sit short on either side of the green. This green is fairly deep and another bunker does sit behind the green, hidden from your approach.
Hole 3 Par 5
525 | 500 | 480 | 445 yards
This is the longest hole on the course. A straight away par 5 that measures 525 yards from the tips. The only real hazard on this hole are the trees, which line the entirety of the hole from tee to green.
There is a single bunker in the landing zone off the tee down the left side around 250 yards out.
As you can see, if you miss the fairway on these holes, getting back into play can be a daunting task. Often your only recourse is a punch out through whatever opening in the trees you are afforded.
The approach into this green is receptive. There is a bunker sitting 50 yards short of the green on the right side of the fairway. Beyond that, only a pair of bunkers down the left protect the green. For a short par 5, this is an accessible green. Provided your tee shot found the fairway that is.
Hole 4 Par 4
432 | 405 | 375 | 351 yards
Very similar to the second hole, this par 4 plays straight most of the way before turning and tucking the green in to the right side of the hole.
The approach into the green must avoid the 2 bunkers that wrap the front corners of the green, as seen here from left of the green. This is a fairly sizable green so take pin locations into account on the second shot.
Hole 5 Par 4
420 | 395 | 350 | 340 yards
A tough dogleg right. This hole requires you play as close down the right side as you can. Ideally playing over the top of the tall tree on the corner is ideal. Placement here is key to avoid having too long of a second shot (or being blocked out for that shot).
Once you turn the corner, the ground drops down to a collection pond that sits down the right side before again rising up to a wide green.
This green is mildly domed which can repel shots hit around its perimeter. It is otherwise unprotected with plenty of room to miss on all sides.
Hole 6 Par 3
192 | 174 | 160 | 150 yards
One of the prettier holes on the course. This mid-length par 3 plays slightly downhill. A large green and the 2 front bunkers require a good tee shot for par.
Hole 7 Par 5
475 | 465 | 460 | 405 yards
The second par 5 of the front. This one also plays dead straight. Similar to the 3rd hole, your primary issue here will be to keep it within the tree lined fairway.
Being a short par 5 this hole is defended in front with a bunker on the left maybe 40 yards short of the green and one more down the right just in front of the green. It is still a very reachable par 5, especially if played from center-left of the fairway to avoid the tree line down the right.
Hole 8 Par 4
437 | 422 | 355 | 345 yards
A forgettable but long par 4. From the tee is looks like you are playing into a field on this rather undefined hole. This one does play as a dogleg left. The tee shot offers no problems and your second will require an uphill shot to the green. Play your tee shot further down the right side of the hole to avoid potential tree interference down the left.
Hole 9 Par 3
160 | 150 | 140 | 140 yards
A short par 3 finishes this opening nine. Provided you can avoid the cluster of 4 bunkers around this green it should be a fairly easy hole.
The green does offer room to miss provided you miss long rather than short, where all four of the bunkers reside. Seen from the back left corner you can see all of the room there actually is.
Hole 10 Par 5
520 | 510 | 470 | 410 yards
The opening hole of the back starts left of the first tee. A very similar tee shot awaits you here as on the 1st- an elevated tee box to a hole that doglegs to the right.
A trio of bunkers sits on the corner to protect against cutting distance off the hole. To clear these is a carry around 250 yards. On the far side of the fairway is another bunker which pinches down the landing area for your tee shot.
Once you turn the corner you still have about 270 yards left the hole rises towards a large green. About 50 yards from the green a string of bunkers sits down the left side of the fairway. Across from the last bunker on the left sits another bunker that wraps around the front right corner of the green.
Hole 11 Par 4
402 | 385 | 370 | 311 yards
The 11th is another dead straight par 4. OB lies down the right beyond the trees, which runs along the outer property line of the course.
In the landing zone off the tee a pair of bunkers straddles either side of the fairway.
Your second must carry the pair of green side bunkers sitting short on either side of another large green.
Hole 12 Par 4
358 | 345 | 330 | 315 yards
Another straight par 4. A single bunker down the right offers the only hazard off the tee other than the ever present tree line.
Your approach into 12 must avoid 4 bunkers that ring both sides of the green on the front half. There is room to miss long on this hole.
Hole 13 Par 4
434 | 410 | 350 | 340 yards
The third straight ahead par 4 in a row. This one plays fairly long but there is little on the hole that offers a problem short of another pair of flanking bunkers covering the front of the green as you approach.
Hole 14 Par 4
408 | 380 | 325 | 318 yards
Probably my favorite hole on the course, the 14th starts probably the best stretch of holes at Dakota Pines. This is a downhill tee shot into a dogleg left. The corner is guarded by a pond. Too long of a shot straight can find the trees. A shot of maybe 240 yards is ideal to avoid getting into the trees yet leaving a manageable second shot.
Your second is played uphill to a green well protected short with a trio of bunkers.
Again, as long as you miss long there is plenty of room around the green.
Hole 15 Par 3
195 | 180 | 150 | 133 yards
The 15th is a pretty par 3 that plays uphill through a chute of trees into the green. The green here has no sand so as long as you pick your distance correctly and avoid the trees you should be good.
Hole 16 Par 5
482 | 450 | 440 | 388 yards
The 16th is a double dogleg par 5 that probably takes playing a couple of times to know what to do. I did not have that advantage but ended up meandering around to a par.
The tee shot requires hitting through a rather narrow slot in the trees. A bunker sits at the end of the fairway on the dogleg to the left. I hit driver around 250 yards which flew the bunker and nearly made its way into the trees beyond. You only need to play a club long enough to reach the dogleg. Too short and you are blocked on your second. Too long and you can play right through the turn.
From the corner of the first dogleg this is your vantage point- a blind second into another dogleg- this one turning right. Playing just left of the last big pine on the right is the best spot to be but really anywhere to the left of that is good and will give you an angle to the green.
If you don't play up far enough on your second you can be left with a blind shot over the hill on the final dogleg. Your shot into this green must carry three bunkers that sit below the green which plays uphill from the fairway.
A view of the green seen from behind and to the left as you play up the hole shows that the green is relatively small. I suppose it might be possible to reach this green in 2. It is short enough but the double dogleg would seem to prevent that possibility unless you have 2 perfectly played shots.
Hole 17 Par 3
210 | 175 | 160 | 119 yards
The 17th is mid length par 3 that is essentially flat. In keeping with the rest of the holes, a cluster of bunkers guards the front of the green.
Seen from the right of the green you can see that there is not a lot of room behind the green. This hole sits on the corner of the course so down the right and behind the green is OB.
Hole 18 Par 4
340 | 321 | 310 | 300 yards
The 18th is a quirky finishing hole. From the back tees you have a narrow window out of the trees by the tee box before the hole opens up. The hole is a dogleg right that rises pretty severly the entire way to the green.
You can play your tee shot aggressively down the right edge of the tee box or hit a more conservative shot to the center of the fairway. I hit a good tee shot that landed near the left tree in the picture below. From there is was just a short pitch onto the green.
From the fairway you have much more of an uphill shot which must avoid yet another pair of bunkers sitting short of the green.
The green here is the deepest on the course and offers two distinct levels. This picture was taken from behind the green looking back down the hole.
Conclusion
I found playing Dakota Pines a pretty fun experience. It is not the most exciting of courses with a pretty old school feel and a lot of repetitive design features. The main thought I had of it was that it reminded me a lot of the Minneapolis municipal course Hiawatha, only with larger greens and much better fairway conditions. The kind of course I would wish Hiawatha to actually be. The greens were actually really good. They played fairly fast and were in great condition.
The heavy tree cover on the course will make those who struggle to hit the ball straight have a lot of trouble. There are enough trees that once you get into them it is very unlikely you can play your next shot to advance yourself. Instead you must take a shot to simply get back into play.
This course is almost 30 miles from my house. With it being that far away I probably wont be back here too often. I do wish the course the best of luck. With the financial issues that they have had in the past I hope the new investors can make a go of it.
Dakota Pines Golf Course
2015 Westview Dr, Hastings, MN 55033
dakotapinesgolfclub.com
(651) 437-4210
