Tee TImes_July 2012 by Forum Communications Printing

Issue 5 • Volume 5 • July 2012

Links Style Golf

- Local Courses That Set The Tone

Tech And Golf

- Using Technology To Enhance The Golf Experience

Casino Courses

- Golf And Gaming In Minnesota

Golf Footwear

- Fashion And Function For Your Feet

July 2012

Rated #1 Public Golf Course in the Twin Cities

Do You Know Danny’s?

(Golfweek 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)

Danny’s Bar & Grill, located at StoneRidge Golf Club on I-94 is the newest Eastside Hot Spot. Enjoy a patio that Pioneer Press readers voted one of the BEST in the Twin Cities.

• Open to the Public • Links Style Designed by Bobby Weed • Affordable Memberships Available • 10 Miles East of Downtown St. Paul on Hwy I-94 • Visit Danny’s Bar and Grill

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COUPON

Danny’s is open year round. Visit our website to view hours, upcoming musical entertainment, special wine and beer tasting events, and menus.

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18 Holes for the price of 9 Holes Valid anytime Monday - Wednesday Good for up to 4 Players (Coupon expires 8-15-12)

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For tee times call 651.436.4653 or visit us at: www.stoneridgegc.com and join StoneRidge eLink for a FREE round of golf. Receive email updates and exclusive eLink special offers. Follow us on: Facebook.com/StoneRidgeGolfClub • Twitter.com/stoneridgegc

• Join our Danny’s Edine for a special $10.00 offer, email announcements and specials. • Live music every Friday and Saturday evening • Wednesday night patio party 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm featuring live music

For reservations call 651.436.2144 or visit us at: www.dannysbargrille.com Receive email updates and exclusive eLink special offers. Follow us on: Facebook.com/DannysBarandGrill • Twitter.com/DannysBarGrill

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Best Courses You Can Play in Minnesota

Gold Medal Winner

Top 121 Golf Resorts in the World

Golfweek Magazine 2012

Golf Magazine 2012

Condé Nast Traveler 2012

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TeeTimes Cup

July 2012

Preview of The Open Championship The Open Championship, commonly referred to as “The British Open” here in the States, will be played for the 141st time this July, by far the longest of any of golf’s majors. Will we see a tenth consecutive first time major winner at Royal Lytham & St. Annes? With the amount of parity that is in professional golf right now, why not? The Open Championship is being contested in England for a second consecutive year, which is rare. Royal Lytham & St. Annes is located on the west coast of England, due north of Liverpool, where a little band called The Beatles was from. The course was constructed in 1897 and measures just 7,118 yards from the tournament tees. Like the Olympic Club for the U. S. Open, a par 34-36-70 setup is used, with just two par fives. Minnesota’s own Tom Lehman will be returning to the site of his only major victory to date, as he won at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1996 by a two-stroke margin. Lehman, now in his fifties and a weekly contender on the Champions Tour, will have his son caddie for him during the week. He played well last year, look for him to do so again in the 2012 edition. Take a look at the options for playing your own “links” style course right here in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Read about some local golf courses on the next few pages that will offer you your own “Open” experience.

The Perfect Date Night!

Couples Golf At Oak Marsh Golf Course

July Tee Times Cup Standings and The Open Championship Picks

C.J. Meyer Tom Abts Jimmy Rockelman Tim Brovold Jay Meyerhoff Steve Wetzler Paul (P.K.) Kelley Eddie Wynne Jim McNaney Will Brogan Michael Herzog Matt Just Lori Money

Points 12 10 10 7 7 7 5 5 4 2 2 2 2

Pick 1

Pick 2

Lee Westwood Padraig Harrington Graeme McDowell Lee Westwood Luke Donald Jason Dufner Lee Westwood Lee Westwood Ricky Fowler Padraig Harrington Lee Westwood Lee Westwood Lee Westwood

Tiger Woods Sergio Garcia Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Bubba Watson Rory McIllroy Sergio Garcia Tiger Woods Adam Scott Padraig Harrington Tiger Woods Justin Rose

PUBLISHER EDITOR DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION GRAPHIC DESIGNER VIDEO PRODUCTION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

$95/Couple

Includes 9 Hole Green Fees For 2, Cart, Dinner & Prizes

Friday, July 20th “Caddy Shack”

Friday, Aug. 10th

“It’s A Jungle Out There”

Darren Clark 2011 Winner of The Open Championship

Steve Wetzler Kim Benjamin Jimmy Rockelman Kobie Conrath 121 Studios Barrett Boe, Will Brogan, Eddie Brown III, Tim Cotroneo, Oliver Darby, Chris Foley, Eric Hart, Matt Just, Steve Manthis, Steven Pease, Rick Shefchik, R.J. Smiley, Steve Wetzler, Mark Wittig

Saturday, Sept. 22nd “Wild West”

Call Today To Make Your Date! 651-730-8886 • www.oakmarshgolf.com

Interested in contributing an article to Tee Times? Contact Kim Benjamin 651-304-1140 • kim@teetimespress.com

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Contact Steve Wetzler 651-304-1140 • steve@teetimespress.com © Tee Times Press, Inc. 2012

Tee Times • W11052 457th Avenue, Prescott, WI 54021 • 651-304-1140 • Fax 651-305-4110 • info@teetimespress.com • www.teetimespress.com

Fairways & Greens

July 2012

The Links At NorthFork By Will Brogan

Versatile With A Style From The British Isles

Not many courses in Minnesota can allow you to literally host your own version Now, let’s face it; the only Minnesotan to ever win a British Open Championship of the British Open, including up to date scoreboards! The Links at NorthFork is is Tom Lehman. Ironically enough, this month’s edition of the Championship is perhaps the state’s best example of a “links” style golf course, and while the course being played at the very site Lehman won his lone major, Royal Lytham & St. Annes. itself has the “ancient” ambiance to it, the club as a whole is truly right on the cutting edge You will likely never get to compete in a real British Open, but why not create your own with of technology. a great group of golfing buddies at the Links at NorthFork and use the mobile leaderboard app to ratchet up the fun? THE MOBILE LEADERBOARD APP: Owner Mike Tozier has introduced a free mobile leaderboard app for smartphones in which you can enter your scores after each hole and keep MINNESOTA’S FINEST LINKS: The Links at NorthFork’s true distinctive quality however up to date with groups elsewhere on the course. So, basically, as long as you have a smart is taking the game back to the 19th century and making you feel as if you are in the British Isles phone and know how to fill out a scorecard on it, Tozier has given players the ability to keep for your round. With the exception of three holes, the Joel Goldstrand design is about as pure track of their playing companions in other foursomes during tournaments, large or small, in “links” style as you’ll find anywhere in the state. Very few trees are found on the course, while real time! Honestly, how cool is that? Couple that with carts equipped with GPS units telling long, wispy grasses line the gently rolling fairways. The course features the “out and back” loop you the numbers you need to know, and you have a true 21st century golf course from a that so many Scottish Links courses followed after the example set by St. Andrews. technological standpoint. Water can potentially come into play on six holes, including separating the “split greens” found on the par 3 - 7th hole. With two different, and small greens (truly a unique aspect of the course), the hole can play two different yardages. Quite simply, it’s just a neat hole that you don’t get to see every day, so enjoy it. Just for fun, if the course isn’t busy, see if you can hit both greens; even though the pin will only be on one of them!

Enjoy Golf!

In the spirit of links style, there are just shy of 100 bunkers on the course, including an astounding nineteen on the short par 4, 371 yard fifth hole. On that hole, a sharp dogleg right that can be drivable if the wind is right, a dozen of the bunkers are clustered on the hillside in which long hitters will attempt to carry in order to reach the green. Hit it in one of those, and you’ll need all the luck in the world to escape with a par. Want to know if it’s truly drivable? There’s been a hole-in-one from the back tees on that hole, which should answer your question! VERSATILITY GALORE! In addition to the links inspired golf course, The Links at NorthFork has three separate practice greens, one that is for chipping, two for putting, a huge driving range, and a par 11, three-hole practice loop that is as well maintained as the rest of the golf course. Tozier and his staff have no problem allowing groups of any size to “mix it up” and play different amounts of holes, 6, 12, 18, 21, you name it, they can – pardon the pun – swing it!

For a Wee Bit of “The Open“ without the Airfare play the Links at Northfork!

The whole idea behind the golfing experience at The Links at NorthFork is to Enjoy Golf, but immediately after that is versatility. At most courses, the phrase, “what can we do for you” has inherent limitations based on the nature of the course’s setup. Tozier and his staff have the ability to offer a variety of ideas for you, so the time you spend at The Links at NorthFork is truly an a la carte type offering. Take advantage of the versatility (and hospitality) and create a golfing experience tailored to your specifications. In addition to the versatility that the property naturally offers, the clubhouse facility provides a great pub with a solid selection of taps. There is an elegant banquet hall/ballroom that has tall ceilings and scenic windows that overlook the 18th hole as well.

9333 Alpine Drive NW, Ramsey, MN 55303 (Just off Hwy 10 between Anoka and Elk River)

www.facebook.com/linksatnorthfork

www.golfthelinks.com • 763-241-0506

Simply put, The Links at NorthFork is an entirely different golfing experience than what Minnesotans are used to. There just isn’t another course with the concoction of versatility and style that is offered at The Links at NorthFork, so that, by default, makes the course a must play. Being July, British Open month anyway, see what the “links” game is all about and book a round at NorthFork today!

July 2012

Fairways & Greens

Mississippi Dunes

One Unique Track By Will Brogan

Situated literally on the Mississippi River in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, Mississippi Either way, the casual dining and atmosphere at Mississippi Dunes are a real treat. Dunes Golf Links pulls many unique, distinctive features from some of the world’s Try some of the Pub’s Walleye Fingers, with their “soon to be famous” Nordeast most famous layouts to present a one-of-a kind golfing experience. Six par fives and five beer batter! par threes create an unusual setup for this par 72 course that plays just a hair longer than 6,500 yards. As far as wedding venues go, Mississippi Dunes provides a special setting as well. There is an outdoor, shady ceremony area that sits right on the banks of the river, providing a natural For the golf architecture nut, Mississippi Dunes borrows ideas from courses such as St. feel that is perfect for an outdoor wedding. After the vows are exchanged, the party can begin Andrews and Pine Valley, among others, and designers like Donald Ross and Pete Dye. The in one of two rooms in the clubhouse, either the large Riverside room (up to 300 guests) or bunkering is inspired by “The Old Course”, as there are several “pot” style bunkers (often in the intimate setting of the St. Andrews room (up to 80 guests). If you know someone looking clusters) or larger strategic bunkers with names. One bunker is nicknamed “Hell Bunker”, for a unique venue for a wedding, Mississippi Dunes should definitely be on the list. and just like St. Andrews, it is situated on the fourteenth hole, in the fairway, on a par 5! Pine Valley also offers inspiration to Mississippi Dunes, most notably on two, 200-plus yard par PLAY ONE OF MINNESOTA’S MOST UNIQUE TRACKS: Have you ever dreamed threes (holes 4 and 17). what it would be like to mix some of the world’s finest courses into one? Take those thoughts, situate them on the Mississippi River right here in the Twin Cities, and let Mississippi Dunes The two most distinguishing aspects of Mississippi Dunes are the elevated greens, and railroad accomplish that goal for you in its own unique style, which makes it a must-play! ties in several of the bunkers. The former provides a stern test from a scoring perspective while the latter provide a unique aesthetic element. Pete Dye made the use of railroad ties famous in America at Harbour Town and TPC Sawgrass. Mississippi Dunes turns the idea on its side – literally – by taking the railroad ties and laying them at an angle on the back side 1/2 (side closer to the green) of the bunker. Simply put, it’s a feature best viewed through your own eyes, right there on the course.

A Premier Public Golf Course Rated 4 Stars By Golf Digest

Donald Ross, credited for some of the nation’s greatest courses, was famous for creating turtleback greens with severe runoffs on many sides (think Pinehurst No. 2). Mississippi Dunes captures the same concept, as over a dozen of the course’s greens house steep runoffs on multiple sides. This feature makes hitting greens of paramount importance, as getting up-and-down becomes increasingly difficult if you are unable to. Throw in a fair amount of undulation in the greens, and you have yourself quite the challenge. Golfers are presented with an unobstructed view of our nation’s greatest river on four holes, though “Big Muddy” can be seen through the trees on a host of other holes as well. The par 4, 407 yard, first hole features the river all down the right side. If you slice your opening tee shot, you can still find your ball; in the Gulf of Mexico once it travels all the way down the river! Two of the front nine’s par threes, the 146 yard 2nd and the 120 yard 9th have gorgeous, up-close-and-personal views of the river, especially from the greens. However, the short yardage doesn’t mean these holes are easy. Missing the green means bogey is very likely. Opposite the river, an active railroad track serves as the Eastern border for the course, splitting the property between the course and the driving range. If you’re lucky enough to score an “ace” on either of the par threes (holes 4 and 12, both over 200 yards) that border the tracks, but need a witness, maybe you’ll be fortunate and have the conductor catch your once in a lifetime shot! Nearly fifty bunkers spot the course, while some additional dunes can be played as waste bunkers as well. Though Mississippi Dunes does not “feel” heavily bunkered, hitting into one almost assures an extra stroke will be added to your score. Including the three holes that hug the Mississippi River, there are seven holes where water resides, though it really only needs to be accounted for on five of them. DOC’S LANDING PUB AND WEDDINGS: You’ll have to decide for yourself which one is better at Doc’s Landing Pub; the prices on their menu or the views of the mighty Mississippi.

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With 18 holes of unique, championship golf, practice facility, a full-service clubhouse and banquet services.

651 768-7611 • www.mississippidunes.com 10351 Grey Cloud Trail S • Cottage Grove, MN

Fairways & Greens

July 2012

StoneRidge Golf Club

A Beast Of A Course, But A Just Beast

By Steve Manthis

FESCUE GRASS ROUGH: Besides the plentiful bunkers, the most visible One reason I love this time of year is that July brings The Open Championship, also feature of StoneRidge is the way the bent grass fairways are framed by deep fescue known as The British Open, my personal favorite of all golf’s majors. Bernard Darwin, rough; the distinct look is obvious to anyone who has played a links style course. the best-known golf writer of the 1930s, called Royal Lytham & St. Annes, the host of this year’s championship, a “beast of a course, but a just beast.” We don’t have courses quite like Simply put, the long rough surrounding the fairway provides a nice visual target as well as they do in England because we don’t have an ocean nearby, but we do have a few in the area that a great overall appearance. The fescue isn’t as thick as other types of grass, but it can wreak come close. One of those courses is StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater. Just like Darwin said, havoc on your next shot. Oftentimes the best play is to get your ball back to the fairway. StoneRidge a “beast of a course, but a just beast.” StoneRidge is challenging, yet fair. WIND: The one thing that any real links course has is wind. It’s a rare time when the wind StoneRidge is a semi-private club located just off I-94 about halfway between Hudson and blows less than 20 MPH, and Head Pro and General Manager Keith Kalny says, “Wind Woodbury. It opened in 2000 and continues to be the #1 rated public access course in the is very much an architectural feature at StoneRidge.” Depending on which way the wind Twin Cities according to Golfweek Magazine. The course’s website says the designer, Bobby is blowing, a hole can play very differently than it did last time around. There was a light Weed, tried to “give a sense of playing ‘across the pond’ in your own Minnesota back yard.” wind on the day I played, enough to affect the ball and make shots all the more challenging. What you’ll find at StoneRidge are many features similar to playing in England or Scotland. However, at no time did I feel there was anything unfair about the course. Whenever I got into trouble, it was my own fault; either because of a bad swing or because of a bad route I took to GETTING TO THE GREEN: The course has undulating fairways that provide a variety of the hole. It may not have been a beast, but like Darwin said, it was definitely fair. lies as well as unpredictable caroms; often, the fairways are wider than they look. #2 is a great example as is #15. Both holes look to be extremely narrow, but there is more room than you Since the course hasn’t been open for too long, Kalny says there hasn’t been a need to change think. Be careful on holes where you can easily see the fairway because those holes are the anything. One item they’ve addressed is the pace of play. He says they’ve done a few things places where an errant shot can stumble into one of the many deep bunkers. #4, a long par 5, to make the course more forgiving for the average golfer – a little weed control here, some is a perfect example. The tee shot challenges you to hit it down the right side and shorten the clearing of bushes there – nothing really noticeable, all in an effort to help speed things up. hole, but bite off too much and the bunkers will grab your ball. Find the fairway and you are More than anything, though, Kalny says he hopes golfers will “have a great experience and again challenged to get close to the green, but the farther you go, the tighter the fairway gets. great service” when they come to StoneRidge. Rates have remained steady since last year: $74 Mon-Thurs., and $84 on the weekends. For best rates, go online (www.stoneridgegc. LARGE GREENS: The large, well-maintained greens are another prominent feature at com) to find discounted prices at various times of the day. StoneRidge. To many golfers, large greens mean more chances to three putt, but the real purpose is to offer many different methods to get the ball close, and no two shots to the hole One former member I talked to during my round says that other courses in the area are about are the same. Sometimes the pin location calls for a bump-and-run and other times you’ll the same price or even a little less, but he’d “rather play StoneRidge because none of the other have to hit over a bunker to get it close. With many bunkers, you should expect to have your courses come close to providing the same experience.” If you’re trying to find somewhere with that Open Championship feel, StoneRidge is your answer. share of time in the sand.

July 2012

Fairways & Greens

Wedgewood Cove By Will Brogan

Southern Minnesota’s Greatest Links Inspired Course

Most Twin Cities golfers likely won’t consider taking the trip down to Albert Lea to WEDGEWOOD COVE: JUST A BABY: Having just celebrated their three year specifically play a links style golf course, no matter how great it is. However, when you anniversary, not many people outside of Albert Lea even know Wedgewood Cove exists, let look at the big picture of golf in the world, how many people actually do get the opportunity to play alone how brilliant the golf course is. Located just a few miles from the interchange of Interstates 90 links golf in the British Isles? Not as many as desired, that’s for sure! When you consider that, what’s and 35, Albert Lea is easy to get to and Wedgewood Cove is easy to find. wrong with a 90 minute drive to play one of the best new tracks in Minnesota that sports an old time feel? Nothing! Golfers need to take the opportunity to come experience one of the nicest clubhouses in the Southern half of the state, enjoy the view of Pickerel Lake, and play one the very finest examples of a links-inspired golf THE GOLF COURSE: Wedgewood Cove Golf Club has many of the same features you would course anywhere in the Upper Midwest. Not many people will have the opportunity to play a true links find on a typical links golf course: virtually no trees, rolling terrain though no real massive elevation course like St. Andrews or Royal Lytham & St. Annes, so don’t miss out on a similar style of play that we change, heavy bunkering on some holes (though not others) and lots of straightforward holes that have right here in our own state! simply need a decent shot for good play. There is more water on the 6,993 yard, par 72 track than a typical links course, with H2O touching over a dozen holes. Two holes that bring water into play are the two par fives on the front side, the 506 yard 4th hole and the 551 yard 7th. Water potentially effects club selection off the tee on both of these holes. For the 7th hole, long hitters either need to leave the driver in the bag or adjust their shot shape/angle to run the ball away from a large lake jutting into the fairway from the left side. On the 4th hole, four different lakes will deceive the eye and make you double check your yardages before committing to the shot. Trust the GPS unit in the cart, strike it pure, and you’ll be fine. The back side features one of the most exciting styles of hole in all of golf: the drivable par 4. Wedgewood Cove’s version comes on the 11th hole, a 342 yarder from the back tees but progressively more reachable from the “blues” forward. Like any great golf hole, there is a heightened amount of risk and reward; do you go for it despite the marsh on the right of the hole and the four bunkers guarding the landing area in an effort to have an eagle opportunity, or do you hang back and play it safe. By the time you reach this hole in your round, you’ll know how you’re hitting it that day, so you’ll make the right decision. (Hint…have some fun, go for it!) The 191 yard, par 3 14th hole offers golfer a great look at one of the property’s highlights, Pickerel Lake. The “Land of 10,000 Lakes” plants a real beauty in Albert Lea, and the view from the 14th green is worth taking in. The 14th is also listed – by handicap – as the easiest hole on the course, so you’ll have your best opportunity to couple those great views with a great score! Wedgewood Cove has plenty of areas between holes that house long, golden-hued native grasses, making it look almost like it belongs in Southern England, not Southern Minnesota. Two holes that capture the same feel of Royal Lytham & St. Annes, site of the 2012 Open Championship, are the 456 yard par 4, 9th and the 572 yard par 5, 18th. Royal Lytham & St. Annes has no water hazards, but those two holes at Wedgewood Cove house a collective fourteen bunkers, a statistic that draws similarities to this year’s Open Championship venue. Also, like typical British Open courses, lag putting is especially critical to a good score at Southern Minnesota’s finest links track. There will (likely) be plenty of times where you’ll be a good ways from the pin, but be putting across a spine or undulations in the green that always make three putting a possibility. While the greens provide a challenge from longer distances, they’re very smooth rolling and true, meaning that close approaches can lead to great birdie opportunities.

Open To The Public

An 18 Hole Championship Golf Course dedicated to the uncompromising quality of our golf course, service, food and people.

507-373-2007 www.wedgewoodcove.com 2200 W 9th Street • Albert Lea, MN 56007

Fairways & Greens

July 2012

By Will Brogan

Bluff Creek #14

Bluff Creek #15

Bluff Creek Golf Course: Keeping It Simple, Keeping It Fun Bluff Creek Golf Course is located in Chaska, Minnesota, about thirty minutes from downtown Minneapolis. There isn’t anything that is overly distinctive about Bluff Creek – and that’s not a bad thing. It’s a straightforward golf course that truly golfers of any ability can enjoy. The course plays 6,641 yards at its longest and 5,386 at is shortest. In all, four tee boxes are available for golfers to choose from.

atmosphere that makes you want to pull up a lawn chair and have a beer and a burger with your buddies on the patio while recounting your round, without all the pomp and circumstance of more exclusive clubs.

Further, Bluff Creek is a great site for an outdoor banquet or wedding. The course features a great location, perched high above a ravine, for small outdoor wedding ceremonies, as well The great thing about Bluff Creek is that – in most cases – you can hit your tee shot almost as a large, outdoor, covered patio that looks like a shelter but operates as a banquet hall. If it’s anywhere and still find it. Not only that, you may still have a shot at the green. About half of not windy, it would be the perfect venue for any kind of outdoor get-together. the fairways have one side that is lined with trouble: usually trees, but occasionally a hole’s proximity to the driving range means out-of-bounds hugs one side of the hole. All in all, Bluff Creek has the natural beauty that is inherent to this beautiful state, yet it has the forgiveness to allow golfers to attack that number they dream of breaking, whether it be While par is 72, five par fives and five par threes accompany eight par fours to round out 100 or 70. It truly is the “Weekend Warrior’s” perfect golf course, and after a couple times the scorecard. Home to just twenty six bunkers and about half a dozen (mostly small) around this fun track, don’t be surprised if you do break through your magic number! water hazards, Bluff Creek is meant to be attacked for scoring. The course setup promotes aggressive play, even for the most conservative of golfers. There is a decent mix of elevation change for Bluff Creek’s par threes, which provides a nice variety. Of the par fives, only two are longer than 500 yards, which should allow all golfers to give it a rip and try to get home in two. Two of the course’s par fives typically play downwind too, which aides scoring opportunities even more. On top of that, the carts at Bluff Creek are equipped with very accurate GPS displays, so you can truly attack every green. One par five that does provide a unique challenge is the longest one on the course, the 538 yard first hole. Here, the hole bends swiftly to the left off the tee, meaning most people would be wise to NOT hit driver on this par five. If you recall, Jim Furyk struggled with a tee shot that had a similar setup on the 16th hole at Olympic Club in the final round of the U. S. Open. With the fairway cutting off just 216 yards from the tee, it is critical to either “lay up” very short off the tee, or do your best to bend the ball significantly from right to left. Still, the second shot plays downhill, so whatever route you choose, you could have an early birdie opportunity. The “tightest” hole on the course is the par 4, 368 yard 12th hole, the hardest by handicap. Again, trees cut the fairway short for the straight shooters (between 215 and 225 yards off the tee depending upon your angle). If you can cut it left to right and keep it short of the trees, the second shot will be a short iron or wedge, but the green has a severe slope from back to front and is well protected on all sides by trees, mounding and a ravine running in front of the green. The wind will likely influence your shot, so be sure to account for it when selecting your club. The driving range sits right in the middle of the property, and it’s in the shape of a baseball field. Thus, like the fairways that surround it, it is wide open, so don’t be afraid to practice your personal version of “Bubba Golf” with your driver! The putting green is located right next to the tenth tee box, and affords you a great preview for what to expect from the greens on the course. Relaxed Atmosphere Depending on the time of day, golfers can walk off the 18th green and be greeted by smoke from the outdoor grill at the clubhouse and music coming from outdoor speakers. Don’t worry, the music isn’t loud enough to disrupt your putting and the smoke isn’t thick enough to make you cough, but those cooking burgers sure smell good! Bluff Creek has the type of

A Twin Cities Hidden Gem! • • • • •

18 Hole Championship Course New Electronic Golf Carts With GPS Full Grass Range And Practice Green Fun For Golfers Of All Skill Levels Kids Play Free Sundays After 5:00* *some restrictions apply

952-445-5685 • www.bluffcreek.com 1025 Creekwood Street • Chaska, MN 55318

Fairways & Greens

July 2012

Hale Irwin’s Experience Provides A Great Test In By Will Brogan

The Jewel

The Jewel #8

At the end of June, an article was written in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Hale Irwin in anticipation of the Constellation Senior Players Championship, a Champions Tour Major Championship. Irwin, now 67, is a three-time U. S. Open champion. Only four men have won our national championship more times than Irwin has. His driver play, accuracy with long irons, and toughness propelled him to victory in the “toughest test in golf” three times in a sixteen-year span with wins in 1974, 1979 and 1980. Irwin’s playing style has since made its way to the golf course design business, and no course is a more perfect example of that style than The Jewel Golf Club.

property, water isn’t exactly an overly dominant aspect of The Jewel, truly coming into play on only four holes. THE CLOCK IS TICKING… SORT OF! Only seven years old, The Jewel is finally starting to receive the recognition that it deserves. The course’s tough but fair layout and impeccable maintenance have led it to be consistently rated among the top five public courses in the state by various publications. The management team at The Jewel, led by Head Golf Professional Kent Blaschko, aims to provide the best private club experience it can possibly offer, and the mix of hospitality and such a pristine golf course delivers that to every golfer.

Both driving accuracy and distance are important components to a low score at The Jewel. That’s the way Irwin prefers the game to be played. According to that Post-Gazette article, written by Gerry Dulac, Irwin feels that “driving skills are always a great measure of how well a player can play.” Solid driving skills are certainly needed to navigate The Jewel with any kind of success, as hitting into trouble on any hole puts par in serious jeopardy.

Luckily for the daily fee golfer, the recent economic troubles this country has (unfortunately) faced have given The Jewel the opportunity to keep their doors open to the public longer than originally anticipated. Considering themselves “progressively private”, The Jewel Golf Club will become fully private when the time is right, though that date is on an undefined horizon. The club has seen record breaking numbers driving to Lake City to experience one of the best THE GOLF COURSE: At 7,050 yards, The Jewel has the length to be considered among golf courses in the Upper Midwest this year, so take advantage of the opportunity to play The the state’s elite courses. The challenge kicks off with the longest hole on the course (and Jewel as soon as you can! toughest by handicap), a 584-yard par 5. Effectively straight from tee to green, bunkers challenge both the tee shot and approach for long hitters, and cause concern for those laying up as well. Another effectively straight hole, the 474 yard, par 4 4th, presents the opposite challenge: no water, no bunkers, but a chute-like tee shot framed by thick trees on both sides accompanies a multi-tiered green to provide all the challenge needed to make golfers very happy to leave with par. The back nine starts with the most daunting three-hole stretch of this challenging layout. The dogleg left par 4 10th, surrounded by water, requires both directional accuracy and distance control. The long, par 3 11th hole features more than 200 yards of carry (mostly over water) to reach a green that runs left to right, but isn’t very deep from front to back. However, both pale in comparison to the tee shot on The Jewel’s 461-yard par 4 12th hole. Depending on the tee placement, a carry of over 240 yards may be required from the back tees in order to reach the fairway. The landing area is just 22 yards wide, so accuracy and distance need to be perfect on this hole. Should you find the fairway, the second shot does get a little easier, as a mid-iron to a green protected by a large, solitary bunker is approached best by a right to left shot. A carry of similar length is also required on the par 3 15th hole, measuring over 240 yards from the back tee to the center of the green. While the hole houses three bunkers, there is plenty of room to play a low, running shot onto this green if golfers choose that route as well. Only two greens are surrounded by something other than runoff areas cut at fairway length. Thus, on most holes you’ll have an opportunity to hit a crisp but challenging chip from a good lie if you miss a green, as opposed to that thick rough that Irwin and his opponents would be faced with so often at U. S. Opens. Still, there are plenty of bunkers on the course to avoid, especially on the 388 yard, par 4, 3rd hole. While adding a touch of natural beauty to the

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Influential People

July 2012

INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN MN GOLF MINNESOTA’S MOST PROLIFIC GOLF COURSE DESIGNER

By Will Brogan

Jim Manthis, Joel Goldstrand and George Reynolds at the grand opening of the MN Golf Hall of Fame

If you’ve played golf in Minnesota, there’s a chance you’ve been on a Joel Goldstrandinfluenced design. Having made some form of impact on over five dozen courses in the state to date, Goldstrand is the most prolific golf course designer in the Gopher State. Some of his works, CreeksBend, The Links at North Fork, and Forest Ridges at Lakewoods Resort, have already been featured this year by Tee Times Press. Here are excerpts from a recent conversation with him.

JG: The most predominant thing that you find is the amount of trees. Most sites that I’ve worked on had trees to some degree, but some I have done don’t. Interestingly, I was working on a 400 acre site in Moorhead that had ONE foot of elevation change from one end of the property to the other, and it had only one tree. That tree had to come down anyway, so we turned that property into a “linksy” type course. On the other hand, I did Forest Ridges at Lakewoods Resort, and there was not a single flat spot anywhere on that property. That course is probably the hardest 6,000 yard course you’ll ever play! There Tee Times: What made you want to get into the golf course design business? were trees everywhere there, like a lot of courses in Northern Minnesota. But then again I Joel Goldstrand: I started playing golf real young, when I was five or six years old, did The Links at North Fork which, except for two holes, is entirely tree-less. in North Branch, a little town an hour north of the Twin Cities, then I moved down to Worthington in Southwest Minnesota and continued to play there. A lot of kids were TT: Do you have a favorite in Minnesota? playing at a nine-hole course there that was empty during the daytime. I won the State High JG: I get asked that question often… My basic answer is probably no, but if I did have a School Championship, and after graduation I attended the University of Houston, which favorite I wouldn’t tell anybody! You’re not gonna get an answer on that one! was a real NCAA powerhouse at the time. I took a job with an insurance company when I was still living in Houston. A number of my teammates were playing on TOUR, and I TT: If you could give one piece of advice to someone who aspires to get into the golf thought ‘I’m gonna be mad at myself if I don’t try this’, so at the age of 25 I turned pro and course design business, what would that be? started playing on the PGA TOUR. I played for eight years, from 1965-1973. I returned to JG: To design, you have to really love the game and have a great feel for it. You need to Minnesota in 1973, and while I was still playing there was a company looking to renovate a have a good feel for good shots, bad shots, shots that can reward you, what the requirements small town golf course near Worthington, but they didn’t have anyone who knew anything are that make a good hole a good hole. Solving a bunch of puzzles is what it really is. You about golf. They had Ron Bloom there who I worked with, and after that course we started have all these different factors that you have to put together to solve those puzzles. renovating other small town courses in the state. I would design them during the winter and For the most complete listing of Goldstrand’s Minnesota courses, go to: he would build them in the summer. http://7minutemiles.com/golf/goldstrand TT: You’ve done over sixty courses in Minnesota, and several in Wisconsin as well. First, how many have you done overall, and do you have any courses in the state that are in progress? JG: That number includes 18, 27, 9 hole reversibles, renovations and other projects, so the total number is around 85 or so. Most are in Minnesota, but there are some in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. That’s as far as I ever got. There aren’t too many in those states, but some. There are virtually no new courses being built now. A lot of courses were built during the 1990’s, so there isn’t a need for a whole lot of new courses. Also with the economy, no one wants to build any right now. The only thing I’m doing right now is a little renovation project for Moorhead Country Club. TT: What other designers have provided examples that you’ve tried to follow? How about any of the world’s finest courses? JG: As far as one course, no. But going all over the country playing and seeing all kinds of courses (on the PGA TOUR), traditional type courses intrigued me more than the modern ones. Budgets make a big difference too, especially since we started on a lot of small town nine hole courses. Some of the figures you see now are just unsustainable. But no, there isn’t one particular designer or course, but I do prefer to make them like the traditional courses. Also, I want to let the parcel of land dictate as much of the design as possible. TT: Is there anything unique about Minnesota that makes building courses in this state especially appealing to you?

Did you know that Minnesota Valley Golf Club survived the Depression by installing slot machines in its Bloomington clubhouse? To meet the club’s financial obligations in the mid-1930s, owner Robert Willcutt was considering digging up the course’s water pipes and selling them for scrap metal, or selling the fairway sod. But Willcutt eventually saved the private club by adding slot machines. The public was invited to use the club on weekdays, lured into the gambling room with a $1 steak dinner. The club was sold in 1937, and slot machines were outlawed in Minnesota in 1948. Opening Day at Columbia

To read more about this piece of Minnesota golf history as well as other events and people that shaped the Minnesota golf landscape, pick up a copy of Rick Shefchik’s book ‘From Fields to Fairways – Classic Golf Clubs of Minnesota’ at local bookstores or at www.Amazon.com.

July 2012

Minnesota Section PGA

Minnesota Section Junior PGA Team Ties in Junior Cup Matches Minnesota Section Junior PGA Team Ties in Junior Cup Matches The border battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin’s best junior golfers game to a head in the 2012 MN-WI PGA Junior Cup Matches – and ended in a tie. The states’ top junior golfers teed off June 17 at Lake Arrowhead Golf Club in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. Minnesota’s team won the first day of play 6.5 to 5.5 points. Wisconsin won the individual play matches 12.5 to 11.5. Since the teams tied with 18 total points each, Team Minnesota retained the cup. The annual cup matches feature 48 of the top boy and girl junior golfers from Minnesota and Wisconsin. The golfers, ages 13-19, followed a Ryder Cup team format. The MN-WI PGA Junior Cup Matches returns to Minnesota in 2013.

Jack Holmgren

Sierra Langlie Team Minnesota

BOYS Max Rosenthal Matt Rachey Karter Smith Dylan Rusk

Miles Death Jack Holmgren Dan Lensing Andrew Peterson

Jacques Wilson Michael Strain Will Holmgren Matthew Radke

GIRLS Celia Kuenster McKenzie Neisen Alex Schmid Sierra Langlie

Brenna Lervick Jennifer Pederson Meagan Rachey Kate Smith

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It’s Okay To Play Golf For Fun If you don’t play a lot of golf, or have never picked up a club, trying to figure out the rules of the game can be daunting. But don’t worry. It’s okay to play a casual round of golf and even not keep score. The important thing when you’re on the course is to have fun and learn the game. In fact – It’s Okay to use these hints to make golf enjoyable for everyone! • It’s Okay to start each hole from the shortest tees, or make up your own length. • It’s Okay to start at the 150-yard marker if you like. • It’s Okay to make the ball easier to hit by rolling it around and setting it up on a little tuft of grass. In fact, it’s okay to ‘tee the ball up’ ANYWHERE when you are first learning to play. • It’s Okay to throw the ball out of a bunker if you try to hit it but miss - we recommend giving at least one try, but it’s okay to do what you like. Be sure to rake your footprints, too. • It’s Okay to move your ball away from trees, rocks or very hilly lies. It’s okay to give yourself a better lie and an easier shot. • It’s Okay to play any number of holes and call it a round of golf. You can play 3 holes, 6 holes, 9 holes, 12 holes, etc. • It’s Okay to only count swings when you make contact with the ball. • It’s Okay to pick up in the middle of the hole and enjoy the outdoors and scenery. • It’s Okay to hit the same club for the entire round, while using the putter on the putting green. • It’s Okay to play golf in your sneakers. Be comfortable!

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Golf is a game of honesty and tradition, so there may be some times when you’re playing in a more structured event or business outing and you’ll need to follow the rules more closely. But, since you’ve been playing more and having fun – you’ll probably enjoy the challenge! To see more It’s Okay hints and share them with the rest of your foursome – go to http://pdf.pgalinks.com/p-g-a/Its_Okay_Hints.pdf

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Tee Times Golf Academy

July 2012

Is Golf a Universal Game? By Eddie Brown, III PGA Director of Golf, Mississippi Dunes Golf Links Yes it is. Golf is played by a set of Rules that have been established by the R & A (Royal and Ancient) and the USGA (United States Golf Association) and we play according to those rules. However, golf is not played in the same style or fashion. In the United States, for the most part, we play golf “in the air”. In Europe, they tend to play golf “on the ground”. What’s the difference? It’s called “shot making”. In the States, we have many excellent private, resort, semi-private and public facilities. Our golf is played mainly on soft, lush fairways that require long balls off the tee that carry the distance due to the conditions under which we play. That’s probably why we put so much attention on how far golfers “hit it” as opposed to controlling the ball and making shots.

the same fashion. The mounding was due to windblown sand you first look at the landing area and ask yourself “where is and the “rough” (the whines, the rushes, the heather and the that ball going to ROLL after it lands”? This is especially true like) were created by Mother Nature. in almost all cases on the “Links”. The ball is kept low while playing in the wind and using the hard ground to advance it Consequently, herein lies the difference in how the game is for optimum distance. So a lot of shots are “shaped” to fit the played. When you play a “links style” course (because of terrain. Golf was originally played to award the “best shot the fast/hard condition) it is imperative that you control and maker”. The ability to manage your golf ball by keeping it manage the golf ball. Forget “hitting” it far…good shots that in play took skill and talent and this skill and talent is what follow the golf course layout will result in distance while determined the winner. You didn’t need 7,500-yard courses staying in play. When you are attempting to play a links hole, to have a champion.

In Europe (Ireland, Scotland and the UK), where most of the golf courses were originally built when the game first started, they have the “Links” style course. These courses were built on the land that had no agriculture value. Consequently, you had the land that was flat, wind blown, sandy alkaline soil that was close to the ocean (not ideal growing conditions for agriculture). The courses were often shaped by Mother Nature and the sheep that grazed the land. Because of these conditions, the fairways were hard and ran fast and the greens Whitebirch #16 at Breezy Point "Woodlands" Golf

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July 2012

Tee Times Golf Academy

“Links” vs “Woodlands” Here in America, we are star struck with distance. Big deal! Our golf courses are well manicured comparatively speaking and require less shot making. We “fly” the ball in the air to a relatively open fairway. “Fly” the ball in the air to a large receptive green and putt for birdie. This is a totally different game from playing the “Links”.

and feel we have sort of gotten away or side tracked from what the game is really about. It’s about moral character, traditional values and being the best that you can be under the most challenging conditions and difficult circumstances.

As more courses were built inland at the beginning of this great game, you started to see the “woodland” style course. During my golf career, I have been very fortunate to have These type courses are reminiscent of what we have today played golf in a lot of different countries (England, Ireland, in America. Hence the (Donald Ross, Seth Raynor, A.W. Scotland, France, Spain, Italy, Guatemala, and Costa Rica) Tillinghast, Alistair McKenzie) architects came to America

and developed the combination of playing through trees with the contouring of hills and dales for difficulty. Added to the difficulty were lakes, ponds and bunkers (both sand and grass). These courses, which became predominate in America, are what dictated our style of play. We have very few “Links” style courses in America compared to the “Woodland” style. However, the ones that we do have are fantastic. (Shinnecock, Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Old MacDonald too name some). This is why Mississippi Dunes and the other “Links” style courses in the Twin Cities are so unique and special from the true “Spirit of Golf”. These courses have been created in the true spirit of the game, designed for the best-shot makers not the long drive champion. “Links” style course are made according the traditional value of why golfers play the sport…the challenge and the ability to cope with condition and control and manage the ball. This truly is what golf is about. If you play “the Dunes” or the other “Links” style courses day in and day out you will definitely be a better golfer and player because you will learn a lot about shot making, yourself and the game as it is meant to be played. Come out and see for yourself and play golf the way it was meant to be played. Yes there is a difference!

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Tee Times Golf Academy

July 2012

THE ASSISTANTS ARE SPIKELESS GOLF SHOES FOR YOU?

ON COURSE WITH

By Mark Wittig, Assistant Golf Professional, Oak Ridge Country Club

Many golf newbies wonder why they should buy shoes made specifically for the game. The answer is simple: Golf shoes are specifically designed to give players stability, balance and flexibility during the unique motion of a golf swing. If the player is slipping or sliding during the swing movement, it is hard to make good contact with the golf ball and consequently difficult to produce good shots. Any time you decide to play golf, may it be a nine hole short course with your children or 100 different holes of golf in one day like I did, you need to have on a good pair of golf shoes. The days of everyone wearing the classic all leather golf shoe with a hard leather bottom and 11 metal spikes have disappeared just like the stymie rule. Spend time watching anyone change their golf shoes in the parking lot of your local muni or take a walk through a nice country club’s locker room and you will see many of the golf shoes now have no spikes at all. A few golf shoe manufacturers offered a spikeless shoe in the past and a few people tried them. That all changed in 2010 when Fred Couples showed up on the first tee at The Masters with sneaker-style golf shoes on. From that day on, the golf shoe was never the same. Golf

Be Prepared For Wet Conditions, Don’t Get Soaked By Barrett Boe PGA Golf Operations Manager – Bluff Creek Golf Course, Chaska Having such a rainy May and June has made me think about the adjustments need to be successful on the course in wet conditions. Whether it is raining, just got done raining or may rain in the future, it is important to prepare and plan ahead. Staying dry is critical for your game in wet conditions. Make sure you plan ahead and have the following items before you hit the course in wet conditions. • Have plenty of absorbent towels. Being able to keep your grips dry is critical for shot performance and safety. • If you do play in wet conditions, no price is to high to ensure you stay dry and comfortable. Invest in a quality rain suit and shoes. • Carry a few extra gloves in your bag. Once a leather glove gets wet, it stays wet. Change gloves as often as needed. • A large umbrella is very important. Umbrellas allow you to maximize your glove and towel stock during your round. • If you like to wear hats, get a full brimmed hat that will not allow water to run off the rim and not onto your hands during your set up. Baseball caps tend to get heavy and do not drain water properly from you. Playing in adverse conditions can be challenging. Being prepared is important – investing in quality rain gear is the way to keep you on the course longer.

shops struggled to keep the shoes in stock and had a harder time filling special orders for them. They were just as comfortable as a tennis shoe but they were waterproof. Spikeless, or street-style, footwear accounts for less than 10 percent of the 3.9 million pairs of golf shoes sold annually in the U.S., according to Kissimmee, Florida-based Golf Datatech, which tracks sales of golf products. But that number is on the rise! The biggest benefits to this type of shoe are comfort and feel. The best golf swing is a balanced one, and shoes with slightly less traction can provide immediate feedback when a golf swing is too fast or too the transition between the backswing and downswing is too quick. The tradeoff is with traction. Players who either swing very hard or play on hilly or wet courses likely need the help of spikes to keep from slipping. I think that the golf shoes being waterproof, along with the extraction they give you, are the main reason we don’t wear tennis shoes. Yes, there are still many who need the extraction that comes with the standard non-metal spike golf shoe. But for those who want comfort try on a pair of spikeless golf shoes. After 100 holes of golf, my feet thank me for wearing them. Plus, I never had to change my shoes between courses, which saved me valuable time.

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July 2012

Tee Times Golf Academy By Oliver Darby British PGA Professional, golfTEC

PUTT IT, CHIP IT OR PITCH IT… WHAT TO DO?

The surest way to lower your scores is to see improvement in your short game. This time of motion. For a solid contact hands need to be ahead of the club-head at impact. Through year you can see quick results by knowing what shot to play and how to correctly execute swing mirrors the length of the backswing ensuring a smoothly accelerating tempo. through sound technique. CHIPPING FROM THE ROUGH Let’s focus on chipping and pitching as a way of lowering improving performance. Firstly let’s begin with some basic definitions. A chip is generally a lower flying shot. A pitch will Use the sand wedge. Set up the same as the chip from the good lie. fly on a more medium trajectory and a lob or flop shot will fly on a higher trajectory. Hinge the wrists in the backswing. (Arm swing will be relatively minimal as this chip is The next decision is how to decide which type of shot to play. I would recommend basing still from the edge of the green). This allows a more effective downward angle of attack your shot selection from the following statement,” if you can putt it, putt it. If you can’t allowing solid contact from a potentially less than perfect lie. Hands must be ahead of the putt it chip it. If you can’t chip it pitch it”. club-head as you strike the ball. The biggest amateur mistake with all chipping and pitching shots is the desire for players to try and lift the ball into the air. This creates fat and thin shots Essentially it is easier to get the ball consistently closer to the hole by playing the ball, when where the player has no chance of controlling distance, accuracy or trajectory. possible, closer to the ground. PITCHING (FROM A GOOD LIE OR THE ROUGH) BASIC CHIP FROM A GOOD LIE Use the most lofted club in the bag (either sand wedge or lob wedge). I would recommend a 3 club system so you can be proficient around the green. Feet a little wider then hips and the stance is still open (aligned left). Weight favors the left 3 club system: 7 iron (lower trajectory and more roll), 9 iron (medium trajectory with some side, ball is positioned centrally. The length of the backswing should determine the distance roll) and sand wedge (higher trajectory less roll). This allows you to play shots to a range of the ball will fly. The wrists will hinge and this time there will be more arm swing as the pin positions (front, middle and back). shot is longer. In the downswing make sure to turn the body through so that you are facing the target. The rotary motion of the body will promote a swinging action with the arms Stance slightly open (feet aligned left) and hip width, weight favoring the left side, ball (helping to prevent the “hit” impulse). Allow the follow-through to mirror the backswing positioned behind center. Hands ahead of the club-head (shaft leaning forwards). length allowing smooth tempo. Minimal wrist hinge as you swing the arms. Weight stays on left side throughout the Try these techniques right away and see lower scores this summer.

Playing In Wet Conditions

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A few swing adjustments that can help you on those less than perfect days. • In club selection, it is to your benefit to “club up”. You have extra clothes on to protect you from the elements and therefore will not have the maximum movement to hit the shot. • Due to the wet ground, clubs have a tendency to “dig” into the turf, therefore place the ball slightly back in your stance to have a better chance to hit the ball and not dig into the ground. • If you have a hybrid club or two, they are great to use as they tend to not “dig” into the turf and you will have a greater chance of success. • When you are around the green try to get more loft on chip shots closer to the hole as it is hard to judge how the ball will roll out once on the wet green. Don’t let a little rain keep you from the golf course. Being prepared and proper course management will make your round just as enjoyable as when the sun is out…almost.

Tee Times Golf Academy By Christopher M. Foley, PGA Master Professional Director of Instruction - The Legacy Courses at Craguns, U.S. Junior National Team Coach

July 2012

The Importance of

There are two very important premises to keep in mind regarding the golf swing. 1. If the golfer is not in balance at address, they will seek balance in the golf swing. 2. The player’s body always reacts to the golf club and the position of the golf ball.

If the player does not have these components, they will not be in complete balance. This will force them to seek balance during the swing. When this happens, the arc of the swing changes, and thus the need to make a compensation to get the clubface back on the golf ball. If the compensation is not timed perfectly the golfer will have a variety of ball flight errors Balance plays a critical role in an efficient golf swing. Good balance begins with the set- including topped and fat shots. up. In the set-up, the player should bend from the hips with the rear end out and up. In this position the arms should hang relaxed from the player’s shoulders and the knees should be In an efficient golf swing the player not only starts in balance, he finishes in balance. In a slightly flexed. The player’s weight should then be in the center of his feet. balanced finish, the momentum of the swing has rotated the body toward the target with the

Balanced Set Up

Unbalanced Set Up

In Balance Swing

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July 2012

Tee Times Golf Academy

Balance in the Golf Swing player’s weight on the foot closest to the target and the rear heal off the ground.

foot it is a result of a couple of interrelated things. First, in the backswing, the player has swung the club back at too steep of angle. Second, the player’s upper body has stayed too centered When a player finishes out of balance with their weight on the rear foot, it is a result of what causing the hips to slide. When this happens, the player’s balance forces their weight onto the they have done in the back swing. The player cannot finish with their weight forward if their front foot. This results in the player falling back on the forward swing and out of balance. weight hasn’t been on the back foot in the back swing. When working on your game, keep in mind your balance at address and what is an action in Weight transfer is a reaction in the golf swing, not an action. Correct weight transfer is a result the swing and what is a reaction. Our body and mind will find a way to get the clubface back of swinging the golf club on the correct plane. Typically, when a player finishes on their back on the golf ball. It is a matter of how efficiently we accomplish this.

Out Of Balance Swing

In Balance Finish

Out Of Balance Finish

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Tee Times Golf Academy

July 2012

651-437-3085

12977 - 200th Street East Hastings, MN 55033 Voted Best Public Golf Course by:

SwingSmart Game Analysis App NewSpin Golf announces SwingSmart – its innovative game-improvement system for iPad, iPhone, iPod and Android based devices. A first-of-its-kind solution, the small (less than 1 oz.) Bluetooth-enabled SwingSmart sensor module simply clips to a golf-club shaft. The device then wirelessly communicates with a free app, presenting players with detailed and easy-to-interpret analytics on the following critical swing elements: Key Stats – Tempo, swing speed, face angle, angle of attack; info on each and optimization tips provided within the app by renowned instructors

Great Golf Rates! Monday thru Friday

18-Hole $25.00 Walk $39.00 Ride 9-Hole $13.00 Walk $20.00 Ride Senior & Juniors (60 & over and 17 & under) 18-Hole $16.00 Walk $30.00 Ride 9-Hole $13.00 Walk $20.00 Ride

Weekends and Holidays

18-Hole $29.00 Walk $43.00 Ride 9-Hole $15.00 Walk $22.00 Ride Senior & Juniors - After 12 pm (60 & over and 17 & under) 18-Hole $16.00 Walk $30.00 Ride 9-Hole $13.00 Walk $20.00 Ride

Visit our website to learn more about date nights, 1999 prices, kids golf FREE nights & more!

www.HiddenGreensGolf.com

Path and Plane – “3-D Swing-View” shows 360-degrees of a player’s swing motion, highlighting the exact route of the club head from any angle Personal Best – Data from a golfer’s best swings can be saved and used as points of reference Developed by an experienced software design team, the app is extremely user friendly, fun and beneficial to golfers of all skill levels. Designed and assembled in the USA, SwingSmart can be used indoors or outdoors with any club in the bag, including the putter. Extremely portable, the sensor module comes with a personal carrying case and rechargeable battery that lasts more than four hours. Widely recognized by PGA Professionals as a way to augment lessons, the unit will be available soon at www.theswingsmart.com and sold at leading retailers nationwide. Upon release, the app will be available for free download via the iTunes store and Android Marketplace. MSRP $249.00

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July 2012

What's In The Bag

Swiftwick Socks

CHAMP If you want to optimize performance on the course, treat your cleats like you would a set of tires. Check them regularly to ensure they aren’t worn down and causing traction problems that could result in poorly struck shots. From the No. 1 Brand on Tour comes the CHAMP Zarma spike. Bring new energy to your game with patented Lotus Technology, which uses special compression layers to soften the impact of walking, reduce spike pressure and create a more comfortable experience. The three-material design features an innovative soft cushion fixed between durable traction and rigid attachment layers. The strong abrasion resistant urethane provides incredible grip and de-clogging of debris. Not to mention they are easy to change and available for use with shoes from all major manufacturers. MSRP $13.99 for a set Once your spikes are taken care of, turn to CHAMP for innovative golf accessories. For starters, pick up a pack of the Tour-proven, eco-friendly Zarma MyHite FLYTee. A series of colored bands around the stem allows golfers to quickly and easily place the ball at a consistent height to maximize consistency and ensure repeatable performance. Five times more durable than wood, the FLYTee is constructed using a bioagent additive, which enables microorganisms to metabolize the plastic into humus (an organic matter that benefits the environment). MSRP $5.99 CHAMP’s new, ultra-lightweight FLIX Divot Repair Instrument offers golfers a fun-to-use and practical “switchblade” design. Heavy duty enough to handle stubborn divots, yet collapsible with the push of a button the new FLIX tool can be comfortably stored without fear of damaging pants’ pocket linings. MSRP $9.99 www.CHAMPspikes.com

Current Swiftwick buyers and users include over 50 PGA tour pros. Why? Because they are on to something. No compromise performance with chemical free wicking, green designs, long life spans, unparalled compression, and entirely domestic production. • Managed compression throughout the sock, including the foot bed and cuff that offers reduced muscle fatigue, support, and a sock that eliminates blisters by moving with your foot, “Not in spite of it.” Compression that dramatically reduces fatigue inducing muscle vibration and improves circulation, and provides a measurable performance advantage. • Superior climate control and moisture wicking via innovative design and through fibers that perform this, NOT via chemical treatments, but via mechanical means. • Fiber selection and production methods that are “green” by design (chemical free) and also entirely U.S. based. • Top quality 200-needle construction that offers a long life by combining superior abrasion resistance with a soft and supple feel that does not change over time or multiple washings. • Design features that offer “foot geography” specific performance via both material selection and knit characteristics. Thick where they should be for just the right amount of padding and wear resistance, thin where they should be for enhanced climate control and ease of movement. • Inherent Antimicrobial characteristics. No one else is producing anything quite like this. Check them out and see why even Lance Armstrong believes and wears Swiftwick socks. MSRP $9.99 - $34.99 www.Swiftwick.com

KENTWOOL TOUR PROFILE GOLF SOCKS Made 100-percent in the USA in Greenville, South Carolina, KENTWOOL Golf Socks are worn by scores of Tour pros like Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar. KENTWOOL Tour Profile socks are crafted from super-fine Merino wool, one of the softest hands of any fiber, with thermoregulatory capabilities keeping feet cool in summer and insulated in colder months. Thanks to its proprietary “WINDspun” air-infused technology, the socks maximize foot comfort, increase energy levels and boost on-course performance. The heel and toe sections are crafted from a durable-yet-breathable Cocona fiber, to reduce friction and block blisters. The nylon-blended vent system across the top provides airflow while the bottom is reinforced with extra padding for maximum cushion. Wool fibers naturally don’t bond with bacteria and are extremely rugged, so the Tour Profile will stay odor-free and intact round after round. Be like Bubba and express yourself in one of the many available colors including natural, light blue, lime green, orange, pink, purple and black at select green-grass locations and at www.KENTWOOLsocks.com. MSRP $19.95

What's In The Bag

July 2012

Freddie Couples in FootJoy

Ernie Els in Callaway DelMar

“I love these shoes! I truly think that this is the future of a golf shoe” - Ernie Els

DEL MAR CONTOUR CASUAL

The Contour Casual by FootJoy is versatile footwear, which utilizes a spikeless outsole, super-soft premium leathers, and lightweight underfoot for supreme comfort. Waterproof protection, industry-leading size options and world-renowned fit round out the array of features that this shoe offers. DuraMax™ Rubber Outsole, a proprietary rubber compound that provides turf gripping and performance and durability. Enjoy your golf game just a little more with the FootJoy® Contour Casual Golf Shoe. MSRP $99.95

DRYJOY TOUR

A Tour-proven favorite since 1989, the new FootJoy DryJoys golf shoe has taken performance to the next level with Stability PODST technology. When surrounded by dramatically enhanced OptiFlexT zones, the result is breakthrough FlextabilityT -- stability achieved through maximum flexibility. The outsole’s versatile flex points allow more of the shoe to maintain contact with the ground throughout your swing.

More casual golf footwear is all the rage, but who else offers it in white for summertime fashion? Callaway’s Del Mar golf shoe offers a casual, street shoe style while delivering legitimate traction and stability on the golf course. The Del Mar features a soft, full-grain leather upper, an Orholite molded insert, and Callaway’s own Comfort Tech Gel Tongue. The Del Mar is also a fully-waterproof golf shoe. Ernie Els raves about them, recently saying, “I’ve got some comments out there... I think this might be my look. (The shoe) is actually made for golf. Lightweight, comfortable.” Representing a first for Callaway, the Del Mar offers a casual, street shoe style while delivering legitimate traction and stability for the golf course. In fact, the Del Mar with its aggressive all-rubber spikes and more than 100 traction nodules on the outsole, was designed specifically for exceptional traction required for golf. The Del Mar features a soft, full-grain leather and nubuc upper, an Ortholite molded insert, and Callaway’s own Comfort Tech Gel Tongue. The Del Mar is also a fully-waterproof golf shoe, unlike many others in the emerging casual golf shoe category. These shoes are available in 4 colors now. MSRP $129.99 | www.CallawayGolf.com

• Soft, breathable, waterproof Extreme Comfort Leather (ECLT) upper • Comfortable, slip-resistant full leather lining • Comfort Plus PU Fit-Bed for soft and durable underfoot cushioning • Laser Plus Last: Full rounded toe character, standard fit across forefoot and instep, with a slightly narrow heel; the last bottom has been contoured to more closely match the shape of the foot • PulsarT cleats by Softspikes for greenfriendly traction MSRP $149.99

LADIES LOPRO CASUAL

FootJoy Ladies LoPro golf shoes are a perfect modern blend of performance and fashion. These spikeless golf shoes feature: lightweight, supple, top-quality casual leather uppers, extrathick polyurethane fit-beds for super cushioned underfoot comfort and LoPro Last-a full rounded toe character with a slightly shallow forefoot and a slightly narrow heel. The standard instep Green and grill-room friendly spikeless outsoles deliver excellent turf grip, walking comfort and durability. The LoPro includes an extra set of laces and a 1-year waterproof warranty. MSRP $99.95

TRUE linkswear, a Scottsdale-based footwear and apparel company, created the first golf shoe built on a barefoot platform, allowing the golfer to comfortably “Feel the Course.” TRUE was inspired by the emerging minimalist trend in running, where many shoes have shifted away from highly-engineered structures, such as arch supports and heavily-cushioned heels, to a shoe that better utilizes the anatomical features of the foot. TRUE brings this natureengineered approach to golf by creating a shoe patterned on the shape of the foot, featuring a wide toe box so toes can function naturally through the swing, which encourages proper weight transfer, balance and natural stability.

What's In The Bag

July 2012

ECCO BIOM HYBRID

This true performance shoe has an all-day outsole that’s perfect for almost any surface, yet has more than ample traction, support and stability for the world’s best golfers to use in competition. The naturally soft, smooth and breathable Yak leather uppers are three times stronger than other leathers and treated with Hydromax for superb weather protection. While the triple-component insole unit enhances cushion and performance. A perfect anatomical last with flexible midsole arch support that mirrors the foot skeleton, provides remarkable support and comfort. An ingeniously engineered outsole with approximately 100 molded traction bars provides more than 800 traction angles for excellent grip in all conditions and since its constructed from TPU – a highly durable, wear resistant material – the traction bars have been shown to last five times longer than rubber. MSRP Men’s $190, Women’s $235 www.ECCOusa.com

ECCO GOLF STREET LUXE & GOLF STREET TEXTILE

The patented design ensures superior grip and comfort when walking on the course or around town. Like all ECCO golf shoes, each pair is constructed using a Direct Injection process that provides superior cushioning, stability and comfort via a one-piece shoe that’s built without glue or stitching. New for this season is the Golf Street Luxe Lizzard – drawn from the expertise ECCO has gained as one of the world’s largest luxury leather producers – feature uppers combining smooth and reptile printed full-grain cowhide, Golf Street Lux Lizard embodies ECCO status as one of the world’s largest luxury leather producers. Golf Street Textile features a mesh upper delivering maximum breathability and a chic, casual aesthetic. Both feature a “Second Skin Lining,” which is made from the world’s softest leather. Developed exclusively at the ECCO network of tanneries, the ultra-premium material is extremely breathable, wicks moisture and creates a rich interior feel. Bright, funky and fun, Women’s Golf Street are the embodiment of the belief that golf shoes don’t have to look like golf shoes. This hybrid sport-casual shoe is perfectly suited for anything from an exciting day on the town, to a sterling round at the club or casual afternoon at home. MSRP Men’s $180, Women’s $150

TW ‘13 - Tiger Woods New Shoe

SUPERIOR FEEL - The free-inspired outsole mirrors the natural motion of the foot allowing freedom of movement releasing more power through the golf swing. SUPERIOR FIT - Dunamic fit extends from foot bed to eyelets for 360 degrees of adaptive locked-down fit. SUPERIOR FUNCTION - Medial forefoot maintains ground contact for optimal traction and controlled power through impact. MSRP $179.99 TRUE has emerged as a leader in the minimalist movement in golf, which has been adopted now by some of the world’s largest brands. While many companies tout a “barefoot” experience, they still feature large midsoles that separate the player from the ground. Only TRUE offers the thinnest sole in golf (2.5 mm), while still providing the comfort and durability to stand up to the most avid player. TRUE products are now available at many national retailers, including Golfsmith, PGA Tour Superstores, Golf Galaxy and GolfTown in Canada. MSRP stealth $99.99, tour $149.99, phx $199.99 | www.TRUElinkswear.com

LUNAR CONTROL

This Nike golf shoe is part of their Tour Performance line which means it’s Tour tested. Flywire Saddle – High-tensile strength fibers wrap the midfoot for lightweight structure and targeted support. Lunar Foam Cushioning System – Dual-density foam midsole delivers dynamic support, optimal ground feel and lightweight comfort. Waterproof Performance Leather by Sadesa – Full-grain leather with hydrophobic treatment repels water for a dry, comfortable fit. MSRP $149.99

NIKE LUNAR SUMMER LITES

The Nike Women’s Lunar Summer Lite Shoe looks great on the course and gives you the stability you need. The Nike Power Platform allows the shoe to separate in two places-the stability plate and push plate. The push plate stays grounded longer during the swing, which builds up power, and you get maximum impact when you drive the ball. MSRP $79.99 | www.Nike.com

By Eric Hart

...taking risks for potential rewards on many a shot each and every round. If you roll the dice, shoot for the pin and end up in the water, oh well, it was just a ball…just penalty strokes. Golfers are okay with that. Fool you once, that’s okay. You’d probably take the same shot again, and you probably think you’d make it next time. Golf turns us all into different levels of fools. It’s the game. Golf travelers don’t like to take the same risks. Golf travelers don’t like to be made into fools. You like to know what you’re getting into. You don’t like unexpected surprises. Unless they’re Jackpots! You don’t like disappointment from course conditions, hotel accommodations, poor service, etc. You don’t expect the royal treatment, but you expect to receive at least equivalent value for what you pay. You hope to be pleasantly surprised. You flip through golf magazines looking for places with nice photos and stirring wordplay. Buying airline tickets, booking hotel rooms, budgeting for your golf trip, you’re playing Russian Roulette, crossing your fingers, and hoping you win. Yet with so many false advertisement and disappointment out there, golf travelers far too often lose. So be a winner. Pay attention. Grand National is celebrating its 20th Anniversary and Grand National just completed a major renovation. They’re rolling out the red carpet this year. It’s the best time of the past two decades to visit there. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay is the best value golf resort in the Midwest (in this humble writer’s opinion). You’ll get more than what you pay for golfing there. And Dacotah Ridge at Jackpot Junction, you’ll find a lively southwestern Minnesota prairie oasis, with one of the 10 best golf courses (public or private) in the entire state. Golfers and gamblers are both risk takers. Some times it pays off…sometimes it doesn’t. Golf travelers, on the other hand, can win every time if they heed the right advice. Find a source, or writer, that tells you the truth and stick with it. Win every time.

Casino Courses

July 2012

By Eric Hart

“One Wild Ride”

When, as a reader, you read too many golf reviews they all seem to blend into one. Hole numbers, designs, conditions and quality of service…everyone is the best at everything. It’s called advertising. It’s called promotion. Everyone does it. Too many half-truths blended with far too little honesty. You know it. We know it. And all these golf resorts and destinations know it. Frankly, we’re all sick of it. You want to know the truth. You want to go somewhere and not regret it. You want to go somewhere and want to go back again. We get that. If you live in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa or the Dakotas you in particular need to pay attention to this one review. While it most likely won’t save your life, it will provide you with peace of mind and sage investment advice. This (the Wilderness at Fortune Bay) is, the single best value destination for golf in Minnesota and any adjacent state. Hands down one of the best places in the Midwest for any golfer, or gambler, to put their feet up. (See what I did there?) Just a couple hours north of the Twin Cities. No risk. All reward. Yahtzee! Blackjack! may have been more appropriate. But oh well, it’s my story.

of my job here.” He says with a smile. “Is watching people as they get out of their car here for the first time and get a glimpse of this place. You see them pointing and slapping each other on the back. If that excitement could be bottled…I tell you what.” He doesn’t really need to say more. I got out of my car at the bag drop and went through those exact same sensations. The amazing lakeside view of the 9th and 18th greens, converging at the stately clubhouse, the similarly stunning view of the 10th hole “fairway tunnel” running north, the awards, honors and photos lining the walls of the foyer, pro shop and restaurant…and of course, the extremely professional, patient, and courteous bag drop attendants who are excellent at waiting out your “kid in a candy store” or “I just met Justin Bieber” routines to make sure you have everything you need for your round. Approaching two such excited visitors, after my own round, I told them, “Just wait! It gets better.” Assuming, by their actions, that it was their first time. It wasn’t. Seventh and eighth times, respectively. Guess the excitement of playing a truly great course never really does wear off.

Golf writers are taught to essentially write the same. Adjectives instead of meaningful words. Clever quotes instead of plain English. The resorts want to be compared favorably to their competition. It makes sense. But when you’re writing about a place like the Wilderness at Fortune Bay, you don’t worry about such petty measurement squabbles. The Wilderness, in Tower, MN, is the pinnacle (by geographic virtue) of Minnesota’s Golf Triangle, “Towering” 50 miles north of the twin courses at Giants Ridge Resort, (Legend & Quarry) the other two incredible geometric golf angles. Up here, in the beautiful Superior National Forest area, everybody gets along. Ask the man petting that timber wolf. Wait…what is he doing? Stop that! People love each “angle” for its own spectacular individual characteristics. Three incomparably wild Jeff Brauer designs perfectly situated for a perfect golfing weekend for anyone from Chicago to Omaha, from Michigan’s UP to even Canada. Not bad, eh?

If you thought I was being superfluous or gratuitous to this point, hold on, cause it’s about to become even more so. How often can you walk off a nationally ranked Top 100 public access golf course and be nearly as excited about the food in the clubhouse? Not that often, I assure you. Here, even the soup is worthy of superlatives. Chef Quaid’s

How can a place like this charge so little for so much? General Manager Tom Beaudry has the perfect answer for such a reasonable question. “People spend so much just in the travel phases of vacations. Your stay and your play shouldn’t feel like a burden. We’ll do all we can to make sure it isn’t here. We want everyone to come here and experience it once, because we believe they’ll come back as soon as they possibly can.” The entire industry should be so logical. And so honest. Spend some more time with Tom. Not as hard as you’d think, as he tries to personally meet every visitor…before, during or after their round…every single one…to thank them for coming. How cool is that?… and you’ll discover that’s how he always is. Frequently the first person in and last person out of the golf shop each day, he is revered by his employees, the locals, and anyone who knows anything about good management. “One of the greatest parts

July 2012

Casino Courses

“Wild Duck Soup” (seasonal or call ahead) deserves its own 30 minutes of fame on the Food Network. And if you’re staying for dinner, you can’t go wrong with the Tenderloin, the Trout, the Ribs or (personal favorite) the Filet (with asparagus). Even the kid’s Mac and Cheese is homemade. And why shouldn’t it be? This place is 100% au naturel. Wait, I think that means naked. You know what I meant. I hope. So, how in the world does a chef with such talent end up at an oasis in the middle of Northern Minnesota’s picturesque wilderness. “Luck. Really good luck. But then we’re all really lucky,” says Marketing Director Leah Tomasetti. I’ll say.

1,000 affectionate words into this and I still haven’t covered the course itself. If that’s not saying something you’re not listening. Time to tune in. The Wilderness is 140 acres of granite ridges, unspoiled wetlands, hills, forests, and architectural genius. The course itself has 17 visually impactful tee shots. And the only hole that doesn’t have one is ironically the signature 16th. Doesn’t need one. It ends with a visual bang. If you’re like me, after a particularly special round, you’ll recount or recollect, hole-by-hole, all the memorable qualities and moments you experienced. Without exaggeration, the Wilderness at Fortune Bay has 7 holes on the front you won’t/can’t forget and 7 to 8 more holes on the back of which you’d feel the same. You show me one more course in Minnesota, or any surrounding state of which you can And while we’re on the topic of good luck. If you’ve got any left after golf, the Fortune honestly say the same. Even Pebble Beach in California can’t make that claim. If that doesn’t Bay Casino and it’s slots, tables and arcade (for the children) await you with bright say “This Place is Special” to you, I’ll say it myself. “This Place is Special.” And I’d surmise lights, friendly faces and ice cream (for the children). And beyond all the entertainment it would be even more so with you here. But there’s only one way to find that out. and excitement, you’ll find a swimming pool, sauna and spa, and comfortable beds in large open fresh smelling rooms, many with balconies overlooking the beautifully carved They saying this place is the “Land of 10,000 Winners.” The cool thing is, all you have to do is landscape crescendo that is the 11th hole. come here to win. Whether you’re eating, golfing, or sleeping afterwards. You win. Cool beans!

A True Northwoods Getaway

The Wilderness At Fortune Bay 1450 Bois Forte Road Tower, MN 55790 www.fortunebay.com / 800-992-4680

By Mark Wittig, PGA Apprentice Oak Ridge Country Club

Casino Courses

July 2012

By Steve Manthis

Recent Course Renovations You Need To See

We really are blessed in Minnesota; the summer weather is awesome and we have hundreds of places around the state to tee it up. With so many places to play, how does a golfer decide where to go next? We all have our favorites, places we call home, courses where we are members or just the local muni. While we might play these favorites quite often, there is another segment of just once-in-a-blue-moon courses that we may play only if we get the rare chance. By my estimate, that only covers about ¼ of all the courses in the state. So what about those courses that may not be nearby, but don’t fall into the rarity category? Let me make a suggestion here: go play Grand National Golf Club in Hinckley. It may not have the rankings or press of other casino/resort courses, but it also doesn’t have the hefty price tag that comes with those others. Hinckley, MN, located about 90 minutes from the Twin Cities, has the famous Tobie’s restaurant and Grand Casino Hinckley, but it’s also home to Grand National Golf Club, an 18 (soon to be 20, more on that later) hole layout that provides a fun day on the course. The course lies just east of I-35 between the highway and the casino. The casino purchased the course in 2008 and has been undergoing renovations the last few years. “We have been excited to make these renovations,” says Casey Fahey, director of golf operations. “Nothing had been done with the course in a long time, and we were eager to turn our plans into reality.” Fahey showed me the master plan for Grand National and talked in great detail about the five different phases of that plan. He says, “If someone hasn’t played here in four or five years, they really should come up and take a look at the changes we’re making.” Of all the projects, the nearly complete Phase 2 will be the most noticeable for golfers who know the course. The original course layout had holes 10 and 11 across the street, but Phase 2 calls for two brand new holes and renumbering of the existing holes. Old #12 becomes the new first hole, and the two new holes will be #4 and #5. Fahey loves the way #5 turned out and believes it will become the course’s new signature hole. The two holes across the street will remain as practice holes, giving Grand National 20 holes once the new holes open on July 2nd. As for the rest of the course, it’s well worth the price you’ll pay. To start your day, take advantage of the large driving range, as range balls are free with a paid greens fee. Once you’re warmed up, get ready to play some fun golf. After a straightforward but lengthy par 5 1st hole, #2 is a medium-length par four with trouble left (note: hole numbers are the new ones, so #1 is the old #12). #3 is a long par four with water guarding the front right part of the green.

Then we get to the two new holes. #4 is a nice-looking par four with a large bunker protecting the left side of the green. #5, Fahey’s new favorite, is an uphill par four that dares you to drive over the fairway bunkers that cross most of the fairway. Do so and you’ll be rewarded with a much better look at the green. Short hitters and those who bail out to the right still have a relatively short approach, but it’ll be more difficult since the fairway bunkers block much of the view of the green. #6 and #8 are par threes surrounding the short but quirky 7th hole. #9 is a nice par five with a pond on the right side that will grab any duffed second shots. #10 (old #1), is a nice par four, and #11 is a short dogleg left with a fairly generous fairway. The approach shot to the green is through a valley to a slightly raised green. The par 3 12th hole plays between 125 and 180 yards; whichever tees you’re using, be sure to not go right of the green as there is a considerable drop-off. #13 is a narrow driving hole from the tee with small ponds on both sides of the fairway. Longer hitters drive past the water, but that still leaves a tricky uphill shot to the green. I got lucky here and hit my approach shot to just a few feet and made my birdie. I was rewarded afterwards by running into Arthur, who I often see on the practice range at Columbia golf course in Minneapolis! Here we are, 75 miles from home, and we’re both at Grand National, which goes to show how easy the drive up here is. The par four 14th hole challenges you with a skinny green just beyond a small pond. To make the approach easier, try to not go too far with your drive; the farther you go, the more likely you’ll be to have an awkward lie. Stay back and leave yourself a flat lie. The back nine ends with par fives sandwiched around the medium-length par four #17. Recent renovations to #18 have removed the pond in front of the tee and eliminated the split fairway. While #16 is reachable in two for long hitters, #18 is definitely a three-shot hole. Fahey made sure to note that more renovations at Grand National are in the works. Like all businesses, the economy will have a lot to do with when the next phases are implemented. But he says that the changes will add beauty and playability to the course. One example is the soon-to-be added native grass areas. There is a lot of open space in the rough right now, and future renovations will replace some of that open, unused space with native plantings. “While it won’t take away any space from the golf course,” says Fahey, “it will add a lot to the natural beauty of the course. What we have right now is a really nice mid-tier course. Just wait until we make all of our planned improvements.”

Casino Courses

July 2012

Rates at Grand National are very reasonable, especially for members, who pay $595 yearly ($395 for the first year). The daily fee with cart for the summer months is $55, with a twilight rate of $40. For those of you who like to take your chances at the gaming tables, Grand National has many play-and-stay packages, the cheapest of which is the $57.50 Par Package, which is good for one night at one of the Grand Casino Hinckley hotel properties and one round of golf. That’s right, for just an extra couple of bucks you can get a room in addition

to a round of golf! There are many options, so check out www.grandnationalgolf.com for further rate information. While tee times are readily available, be sure to call ahead for tee times. When there’s a concert at the casino or its outdoor amphitheater, reservations are an especially good idea. I had a 9:30 a.m. tee time and made it back to the Twin Cities by 3:00 that afternoon. Whether you stay and try the gaming tables or come back to the Twin Cities afterwards, Grand National is worth the drive.

Become a Grand National Member

Today!

Returning members receive $50 Club House certificate

Single Season 1 stTime — $395

Senior (55+) 1 stTime — $295

Twilight 1 stTime — $350

Couples 1 stTime — $495

includes tax and driving range

Call 320-384-7427, visit grandnationalgolf.com, or email grandnationalgolf@grcasinos.com to sign up! Other types of memberships and 1st time memberships available but not listed. 305 Lady Luck Drive, Hinckley, Minnesota 55037

Casino Courses

July 2012

By Eric Hart

“East Dacotah”

For anyone who has ever visited the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, or the town of Wall, SD; you know what it’s like to be driving down a road and thinking to yourself, “This can’t be the right way! There can’t be anything that special out here!” But there is. And the experience, running the bases and/or reliving the scenes from the movie, makes for one of the Midwest’s most memorable travel sites. That isolation, and resulting reward, is replicated here in Southwest Minnesota, with similar Hollywood-like effects. Glitz and glamour surrounded by corn and mud. It’s unbelievable, but totally real. Just over 100 miles from the Twin Cities, not too far from Morton, you’ll find yourself driving down a road surrounded by fields and prairie and muttering to yourself… “This can’t possibly be right? There can’t be anything special out here!” But…there is. Dacotah Ridge Golf Club, just a few miles east of Jackpot Junction Casino, has to be the crown jewel of Southwestern Minnesota golf. There just can’t be anything better than this down here. With all the great courses in the Twin Cities, a golfer would have to be reasonably enticed or compelled to venture out. This course should so compel you. It is a field of dreams for golfers, created by none other than the masterful Rees Jones. Ever conscious of the environment, Rees insured that your round would surround you with wildlife, with so many birds you can’t help but psychologically propel yourself to a couple of your own. His creative design made fairway mountains out of former molehills, weaving natural grass carpets over and alongside Wabasha Creek (for 8 holes) and circling a 14-acre lake with another 5 great holes. Absent are most of the gimmicks and frustrating blind tee shots that plague so many courses. There are blind shots, but they make sense. Trees seldom come into play. The bunkers only penalize errant shots. This course is designed the way any decent golfer would want a course to be designed. Fair, fast and fun. With that said, you can’t control the external elements. Be prepared for wind, for knee high fescue, and for the occasional bad bounce. Water comes into play all over, and the multi-level greens are well guarded, but if you can hit fairways and greens, you’ll find excellent conditions, well maintained speeds and surfaces, and have no one but yourself to blame for the results. Again, the way it should be.

with who is always on his phone and/or talking during your backswing…there’s nothing out here but social and recreational serenity. The ranger, on our round, suggested we “Take time to stop and take in your surroundings before every shot. Ground yourself, then your club. (If necessary and allowable, of course).” If unsure, ask the know-it-all on his cell phone. It was good advice, and heeded by our group, increasing the enjoyment of the round tenfold. Dacotah Ridge is considered by all the golf media giants to be a Top 10 Public Course in the state of Minnesota which, given its reasonable round costs, makes it a considerable golf value. Rankings are typically relative to the respective golfers, and the status of their game on the day of their visit, but many would consider this course to be among the Top 10 courses overall (public and private) in Minnesota, and the case does have merit. The front begins with a relatively simple scoring hole, a confidence booster of sorts, and Rees “pieced” the rest of the nine together with genius designs like the aquatic par 3’s (4 and 7) and bipolar dogleg par 4’s (5 and 8) before finishing with an over the creek approach on the entertaining 9th. Each of those holes memorable enough even to an amnesiac. And then, to be fair, he provides just as much pleasure (aesthetically and thrill inducing) on the back, with another great water-bound par 3 (11) tipping off an awesome three hole run through 13 and then two finishing holes on 17 and 18 that had to have been just as much fun to design as they are to play. That’s on the course. Off the course, the clubhouse is remarkable, the pro shop well stocked, and the dining area is not only adequate but more than you’d expect, with fantastic fares from the Wabasha Creek Restaurant and plenty of space to relax pre or post round in total comfort. If you haven’t been there recently, or at all, their newly renovated deck is a sight to behold, with views like a supermodel’s legs…that is to say, they don’t stop. Just outside, the practice area is always well maintained and stocked, its use included in the cost of your round.

Now would seem to be an appropriate time to pause, mid-review, and thank the Lower Sioux Indian Community for contributing this great destination to the state’s golf landscape. I’d offer something in return, but no doubt the hundreds of visitors who pack the associated Jackpot There are so many memorable holes, made even more so each time you stop to consider Junction Casino (just down the road from the course) more than compensate for every golfer’s where you are geographically. No buildings, no traffic. And other than that guy you play collective gratitude. Jackpot Junction is a lively, colorful host to the many golfers prudent enough

July 2012

Casino Courses

to travel this way for a great round of golf. As host it provides travelers with comfortable rooms, a plethora of gaming activities, (including slots, blackjack, poker, pull tabs and bingo, etc.) dining facilities, a triple pool complex (for all age aquatic exercise) and business/entertainment areas. Even hosting the Price is Right LIVE! August 17-19! The owners and managers of the casino and course work hard to give everyone a reason to come to Morton, MN. From our perspective the golf promoters don’t have to work all that hard. One round on Dacotah Ridge will bring them back, and spread the word to new golfers. They bank on that though, and the Casino banks on them banking on that. Think that makes sense…Anyway.

I remember the first time I went to Dyersville, Iowa to visit the Field of Dreams movie site. No more than a week later I couldn’t wait for my next opportunity to go back. If you’ve been there, you know the feeling, and just think…that’s for a baseball field surrounded by corn. Apply the same scenario to Dacotah Ridge, as a golfer visiting presumably one of the 10 best courses in a state with 400+ golf courses, and imagine the resulting sensations. Doesn’t matter where you’ve come from or to where you’re returning. If you’ve been here once, you can’t wait to come back. If you haven’t been here yet. They can’t wait to have you.

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Tech

By Steven Pease

July 2012

This story is Tee Times’ introduction to how apps, social media and email are reshaping (or should we say recalculating) courses’ approach to the game. Stay tuned for more on social media’s effect on Minnesota golf in the coming months.

To say golf technology is advancing quickly is a bit of an understatement. It’s taking a quantum Links at NorthFork in Ramsey. leap. But instead of golfers advancing their game by getting their hands on oversized drivers and cavity-back irons, a cache of new golf technology is at golfers’ fingertips and social Still, courses are enticing players to their pastoral playgrounds by practicing savvy media is changing the way golfers play. social media. If tech trends keep up, Minnesota golfers will soon have a more plentiful array of coursespecific mobile applications, which could usurp the need for range finders, GPS in carts and certainly make already scarce yardage markers a thing of the past. But while knowing the exact yardage to a back-right pin might make you more accurate, it will definitely give that playing partner of yours with a knack for sniveling one less excuse to do so. That is until his battery dies.

The Wilds in Prior Lake relies on a heavy Facebook presence, while Mississippi Dunes has become well adept at e-mail marketing. TwinCitiesGolf.com seems to have the local textmessage-golf-marketing market cornered, while Loggers Trail is producing some interesting YouTube material. And there are now over a half-dozen courses in the Twin Cities metro offering their own (free) smart phone app. Pebble Creek, Eagle Valley, Kilarney Hills, Deer Run, Crystal Lake, the Links at NorthFork, Grand View Lodge, Baker National and Mississippi Dunes have all released free phone applications this spring, with most experiencing around 400 downloads each already. Course operators seem to love the low-cost, high ROI of apps from a marketing standpoint. And players can find exact, satellite-beamed yardages accurate to within a yard, order a burger at the turn and even follow the scorecards of their fellow golfers right from their phone. There are seemingly limitless options when it comes to golf course apps. Tyler Brewton, head professional at Mississippi Dunes, says he’s even considering equipping the beverage cart staff with cell phones, and updating the course’s app to allow golfers to order drinks from their phone. Now that’s progress. In another sign of the times, Tozier talks about how has only two SkyCaddie GPS rangefinders left in NorthFork’s proshop - both are collecting dust. “We’ve tried to sell them, but it’s really getting hard for courses to sell those big-ticket items,” Tozier says. Especially when there are free phone apps that do the same thing.

But with margins shrinking in the wake of the Great Recession, having an app that allows players to order food and drinks before they get to the clubhouse can provide a boon to business and arguably speed up the pace of play, which is perhaps the biggest knock against the game today.

The once-cutting-edge GPS rangefinders have effectively been replaced by GPS on NorthFork’s golf carts. But even that is a bit of an antiquated technology when compared to smart phone apps that allow a golfer to track their score and even broadcast it to a live to leaderboard on NorthFork’s clubhouse TV. Technology is advancing so quickly, it’s getting increasingly more difficult to know what’s worth the investment. “With the accuracy of the The PGA of America, the United States Golf Association and the Boys & Girls Clubs of GPS on our App, I wish I would have had it two years ago before I resigned my cart GPS America have teamed together in an attempt to reboot the game via the “Golf 2.0” initiative. lease for another five years,” Tozier says with a chuckle. The multi-faceted strategic plan launched in January is designed to “retain and strengthen core players, bring former players back and welcome new golfers to the game.” Golf 2.0 is While apps might not be a panacea, they do create a new way for courses to connect with being spearheaded by none other than Jack Nicklaus, whose suggestions to grow the game customers. “I don’t think it’s going to change the amount people will play,” says Dan Morris, by doubling the size of the golf hole, and holding 12-hole tournaments, are a bold step to head pro at Eagle Valley in Woodbury. “It’s just a matter of the early adopters of technology advance a game that is literally losing ground to other sports. being able to stay in contact with their customers. Even as a public facility, we can create that relationship with our customers that it’s their home course. That’s the important thing.” And with a relatively short golf season and higher temperatures, the state with the highest per-capita golfing contingent still finds that golf courses are fighting for Minnesotans’ Purists will argue that a golfer burying their head in their phone during a round like some sort of Ashworth-clad drone (or snapping pictures like a tourist) takes away from the communal entertainment dollar and their time. nature of the game. But those same purists probably don’t own an iPhone. “With everyone’s honey-do lists, there is a lot of pressure just to get out to play and then a lot of pressure back at home to make up for that time away,” says Mike Tozier, owner of the “It seems that you can’t play golf anymore without people checking their email, texting and

July 2012

Tech

posting Facebook updates to their phones during their round,” says Kevin Unterreiner, founder of TwinCitiesGolf.com. “I think technology has completely enveloped all components of our lives and the golf industry is no exception.” Websites like GroupLooper.com in Minnesota and GolfPipeline.com in Wisconsin are certainly making the golf experience more social, while OobGolf.com and MyScorecard.com make it easier to track your game. But with the ability, in most cases, to book a tee time from their phone, courses’ applications might soon give their own websites a run for their money. “Websites are still important, but things like Facebook and Yelp have become another piece of the puzzle,” Tozier says. “Now I kind of look at my website as an interactive billboard and Facebook as an interactive community.” Brewton says the Dunes had more than 300 golfers download its app in the first three days after its mid-June release. “We understand that mobile is the future and customization is important,” Brewton says. The Dunes had been eyeing mobile apps for a few years, but couldn’t find the right one, with the right features, at the right price. And more so, Brewton says, it just wasn’t the right time. “We never felt golfers were ready for apps,” he says. Until now. Golfers (and the game at large) seem to be embracing social media. Bubba Watson has a must-follow Twitter account with more than 625,000 followers (which is peanuts compared to Tiger’s sporadically-updated account with more than 2.3 million), and TaylorMade actually went so far as to outfit players with hats adorned with a #driverlove Twitter hashtag during the Northern Trust Open earlier in the 2012 season. “For our sport as a whole, the social media space has really been a slow-moving river,” TaylorMade’s Chief Marketing Officer Bob Maggiore told Mashable.com. “So it’s interesting for us, because we’ve kind of given up on doing things the old way. We like to get out in front and try different things.”

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Local Golf

July 2012

Minnesota Section of the PGA

By Tim Cotroneo

What would you do to reward someone or something in your life that was instrumental in your success? For Lori Money, Chairperson of the Minnesota Section of the PGA’s Growth of the Game Committee, the answer is simple. “Golf has given me much, so seven years ago I felt it was time to give back.” During 2012, Tee Times Press is running a series of articles focusing on the many organizations, both public and private, that support the growth of golf in Minnesota. The Lori Money with Katie Timmers, Special Olympics athlete, organizations being profiled include during the 100 Holes of Golf benefiting Special Olympics the Explore Minnesota Tourism, Explore MN Golf Alliance, MN Woman’s Golf Association, Minnesota Minority Junior Golf Association, The First Tee, MN Section PGA Professional giving a free lesson MN Section PGA Professional giving a free lesson at the Twins game at the Minnesota Golf Show and the Fairways Foundation. All these organizations are Allied Partners of the Minnesota needed to be a participant in the Section’s junior program, provide a resume, and submit an essay. Golf Association. In 2005, Money accepted the reigns for the lead role in growing the game of golf in Minnesota, as well as parts of Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Minnesota PGA is instrumental in running golf events and also developing grassroots junior golf programs in the state. Money felt the Minnesota Chair position was the perfect way to “do her share” for the great game of golf.

The busy summer season finds the Minnesota PGA coordinating golf tours for youngsters. The Beginners/Transitions Tour is for children eight to 12 years old, the Junior Tour is for ages 13 to 18, and The Players Tour is for top juniors in the state. Participants learn about scoring, rules, and pace of play. The tours are often a junior golfer’s first taste of competition and tournament golf.

GOLF AMBASSADOR When Money began her golf career in 1990, there were very few female golf professionals. This Wisconsin native’s career path began at Torrey Pines in San Diego and then on to Angel Park Golf Club in Las Vegas. She returned to the Midwest in 1994 to help build Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove. Today, in addition to her Growth of the Game duties, Money also works as a golf professional at Elm Creek and in operations at StoryTeller Media & Communications. Throughout her two decades in golf, Money has felt compelled to share with others what she’s learned about the game, and she wears the golf ambassador badge with pride.

Bob Bush, Minnesota Section Junior Golf Director, was thrilled to share details on last month’s Minnesota-Wisconsin Junior Cup Matches at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa, WI. This Ryder Cup format tourney showcases Minnesota and Wisconsin’s top 15-year-old boys and girls.

“The 2012 Cup winner was decided on the final hole of a thrilling match featuring the two state female golf champions. Cretin High School’s Celia Keunster finished one up on Osceola’s Casey Danielson to help Minnesota tie Wisconsin in a dead heat of 12 ½ total points. Under Ryder Cup rules, Minnesota retained the cup because they were last year’s “The beauty of golf is there are so many demographics to be reached,” said Money. ”I’ve trophy winner,” Bush said. had the opportunity to teach and work with women golfers, seniors, veterans, and juniors.” PLAY GOLF MINNESOTA WEEK For long-time and fledgling amateur golfers, the Minnesota SCHOOLS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND BORDER BATTLE PGA kicked off a tradition six years ago that is hugely popular The Minnesota PGA is instrumental in reaching out to youngsters on the many lessons today. Play Golf Minnesota Week offers golfers the chance to learned from the sport of golf. Today it’s actively involved with area middle schools. Golf professionals visit schools during our “cooped up” winter season and teach the core skills of reserve free golf lessons with local golf professionals. In 2012, 120 golf courses across the state participated in this program during the final week of April and beginning of May. the game. The group also provides clubs to youngsters who can’t afford their own. The Minnesota PGA Foundation raises money for college scholarships. Last year, thanks in “This is an excellent early season opportunity to jumpstart your golf game. For those that are part to corporate sponsor Valspar, 10 high school juniors were awarded scholarships. Winners new to the game, it’s the perfect way to see if golf is for you,” Money said.

Local Golf

July 2012

Team Minnesota

Beyond April and May, the PGA’s “Get Golf Ready” program is another great option for learning about the game year-round. Get Golf Ready is designed to teach everything you’ll need to play golf in just a few lessons. This economical package focuses on the various golf skills you’ll use while playing. TOURNAMENTS AND CONSULTING The Minnesota PGA conducts tournaments and events in Minnesota for PGA professionals and amateurs. Included on its tournament schedule are the State Open on July 20-22 at Bunker Hills, and the Club Professional Championship at Dakota Ridge on August 27 and 28.

Junior Golf Summit at Lifetime Fitness

Troy Johnson 2011 State Open Winner

Matt Just, Director of Golf at Lifetime Fitness Minneapolis noted, “Our goal for this event was reaching the next generation of golfers in an environment where we can show them how athletic and sport-oriented golf is, and also to emphasize the overall importance of fitness. In late March, all our hard work came to fruition as 100 junior golfers from ages 10-14 traveled from as far as three hours away to attend our event. We received great support from our Section, as a dozen PGA Professionals attended to share knowledge with the kids. In addition, nine players from the University of Minnesota men’s golf team were onsite to show their support.” Nike Golf donated golf balls to give away, an anonymous donor provided 100 copies of the DVD “Seven Days In Utopia,” and the USGA provided Rule books. The instructors addressed specific exercises that improved one’s golf fitness, learned the importance of nutrition and how to properly prepare your body for golf, and even touched upon how yoga and stretching can enhance your golf game.

When they aren’t coordinating tournaments, the Minnesota PGA conducts surveys, tallies scoring records, and collects historical data for state golf courses. The section also tabulates data on balance sheet findings, rounds played, and provides employment consultation assis- WISH LIST Money’s wish list for the future centers on youngsters and what she sees from her office tance for the hiring of club professionals. window. “If I could wish for anything, it would be for enough donations to come in so that every child could have a golf club in his or her hands. More kids involved in the game leads FUTURE FORECAST Tee Times asked Money to reveal what’s on her present and future calendar for growing the to more jobs for our industry. The next item on my wish list would be for perfect weather,” game. Money stated that the Growth of the Game Committee continues to place an emphasis Money said with a laugh. on educating players regarding the fitness aspects of golf. Kids playing golf, sunny skies, and giving back to the game, that’s a threesome any golfer “We’re designing more programs for juniors that relate to fitness and nutrition. Last year wouldn’t mind joining. we conducted a program at Life Time Fitness in St. Louis Park that incorporated golf and exercise,” said Money. “This program focused on strengthening the body’s core, yoga, and For more on the efforts of the MN Section visit them at www.minnesotapga.com. stretching. We’re literally becoming more active in the off season.”

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Local Golf

July 2012

June Book Review By Tim Cotroneo

Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book They say that a truly great book is timeless. A great book’s words, although written in a particular era, should be so compelling that they stand the test of time. Master teacher Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book is a compilation of lessons and tips that are as true today as when Penick started teaching in the 1920s.

pearl of wisdom to help right your wrong. Most of these crystal clear suggestions are a mere sentence in length. In other words, good things come in small packages. Here are three examples of tried and true tips found in the Little Red Book:

Aim- Take a stance and hold your club shaft along your thighs. Look where your club is pointed and Penick’s students include Masters Champion Ben Crenshaw, U.S. you’ll see where you’re aimed. Open Champion Tom Kite, and Kathy Whitworth, the winner of more tournaments on the LPGA Tour than any other golfer in history. Penick’s 175 pages of notes, stories, Driving- Knock the tee from under the ball with your swing. This helps to get the and golf insights include personal conversations with many of the most storied names club straight through. in golf. Three Most Important Clubs – The putter, driver, and wedge … in that order. What’s intriguing about the Little Red Book is the simplicity of Penick’s explanations Penick’s reasoning is that you use a driver 14 times in a round. By comparison, you regarding what makes for a good golf swing, as well as his understandable tips for have 23 to 25 putts in a round that are outside the gimme range. Master the putter bettering every facet of your game. Golf hall of famers fondly share how Penick had and watch your scores improve. a knack for interpreting golf in a way that was very easy to comprehend. The beauty of the Little Red Book is that you can refer to it quickly again and On pages 89 through 91, Penick analyzes Jackie Burke’s 29 maxims of golf. Depending again. Whether you need help with your grip, downswing, putting, or short game, on what you’re currently challenged with in your golf game, there is bound to be a Havey Penick’s Little Red Book is a golf book for the ages.

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Profile

July 2012

More Fun, More Convenient, More Affordable! By Steve Wetzler Are you a private club member who loves your home course but would also like to play some other private courses where you don’t have any close contacts? Or are you a daily fee golfer who organizes your group’s play on a variety of courses and spends hours herding the cats for each week’s rounds? If you are either of the above, or any golfer looking for more enjoyment out of your golf experience for that matter, we recently discovered a Minnesota-based business that’s ready to revolutionize your golfing life by making it more fun, more convenient and more affordable! Mike Dickoff is a retired software company CEO who stopped in the middle of the 16th fairway at his private country club last year and asked himself, “Why aren’t I having as much fun playing golf as I thought I would?” He had ramped up the volume of his play after retirement, but simply wasn’t getting the enjoyment that he had expected. He decided it was a function of two things; “I didn’t enjoy playing the same course all the time. It was a great course, but a big part of the appeal of golf to me is the infinite variety of courses and situations. Also, I didn’t have the people I most wanted to play with at that particular club.” He went home that night and began to create the exact golfing experience that he wanted. He called it the Apparation Golf & Country Club and appointed himself the Benevolent Dictator (BD). His club is well on the way to its target of 200 members consisting of a circle of friends; they’re having a great time exploring new courses together and many members are playing more golf this year than they have in years. BD wasn’t satisfied. “In doing research for my club, I discovered that golf rounds played have been declining for a decade. I wanted to see if we could do something to help change that.” After spending the winter doing research and design, he recruited a talented team to work with him to build GroupLooper, a web-based service (www. grouplooper.com) that enables any golfer to do what he did…create a “virtual” private golf club (called a Network in GroupLooper) with, as he puts it, “a private club feel, but with daily fee economics.” Individual golfers can use basic GroupLooper services for free, but the real value kicks in when you create or join a Network. Network members can initiate their own tee times and invite other members or they can see who is playing where and when and join tee times with open slots. They also can access a full golf course directory and see a consolidated, though not condensed, look at a huge volume of special offers and discounts. Use of even a few of these deals could net members hundreds of dollars in savings. GroupLooper also enables golfers to search for specific types of deals. For example, if you are looking for a free birthday round, you can view the birthday discounts from the various courses in the area without having to look up the information on every single course’s website! Courses can also create discounts specifically for GroupLooper Networks. Membership in a single Network is $49/year and there are volume discounts for golfers who choose to join several Networks (for example, BD is also a member in the Brainerd Lakes Cabin Golfers’ Association to help him find playing partners more easily when he’s staying at his cabin). Even golfers who are very satisfied with their existing private club memberships can benefit. For example, one of the Networks that’s been launched is called ‘Land of 10,000 Links’, which is a way for any of the approximately 10,000 private club members in the Twin Cities to connect with members of other clubs. It’s facilitating reciprocal club relationships at the grassroots level, so everyone

can participate and get more value from their private club investment. There are lots of nooks and crannies in GroupLooper that visitors may not notice right away, but have tremendous value. As BD explains, “our deals are not just discounts. We’ve also created some categories that are all about having more fun. For example, we have a ‘music and golf combo’ category. GroupLooper can tell you about courses that have live music in the clubhouse after your round. There is a growing set of ‘more fun’ categories.” GroupLooper is in its infancy, just about a month old, and is being piloted primarily in Minnesota although there is already a fledgling network in Chicago and by 2013 it’ll be nationwide. BD proclaims, “If you think what you can do on GroupLooper is cool now, just wait. When our proactive scheduling service comes online it’s going to blow your mind. Check out our ‘In the Loop’ blog too; you’ll enjoy posts from staff members like our golf course expert Vandelay and our deal-finder Dealbert. If you’re a golfer who is serious about adding some fun and variety to your game, GroupLooper.com is a great way to facilitate those desires. Join the site today and make your game more fun, more convenient, and more affordable!

3M Championship

July 2012

expected to reach $20 million in charitable proceeds in 2012

Arnold Palmer

Lee Trevino and Chi Chi Rodriguez

Jay Haas 2011 3M Championship Photo Courtesy of Rob Skelton Castle View Phtography

Tom Lehman

The 3M Championship is set to achieve an unprecedented goal for a Champions Tour event. Charitable contributions will reach $20 million in 2012 which also marks the tournaments 20th anniversary. There are no other Champions Tour events that have attained this level of charitable contributions in this time frame. “To be the first event to reach $20 million in 20 years is a remarkable milestone,” said Ian Hardgrove, senior vice president of sales and marketing for 3M. “We are proud to support the local healthcare programs that benefit from the 3M Championship.” Proceeds from the tournament continue to support local healthcare programs at Allina Health. The primary beneficiaries include Abbott Northwestern Hospital, United Hospital and Mercy & Unity Hospitals. The tournament donated $1.3 million to charity per year since 2007. Not only is the tournament an important golf event for Minnesota, but it also exemplifies the 3M Championship’s positive impact on the community. Proceeds have impacted lives, benefited communities and raised the level of health care for Minnesotans. The tournament tees off July 30 -August 5 at the TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, MN. For the fourth consecutive year, the 3M Championship will offer FREE ADMISSION to all spectators. Nick Price, Tom Lehman and defending champion Jay Haas will compete in the all-star lineup at the 3M Championship. “The spectators and our sponsors will get to see one of the greatest fields at any event on the Champions Tour, “ said Hollis Cavner, tournament director for the 3M Championship. Kenny Perry will be making his first appearance at the tournament. Also slated to appear are Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer, Fred Funk and Mark Calcavecchia. For the ninth consecutive year, icons of the golf world, including Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Chi Chi Rodriguez, will participate in the Greats of Golf Challenge, a bestball tournament-within-the-tournament sponsored by Post-it brand products. Each day will feature nine of the legends competing in a team format with team members changing the following day. All twelve legends will be on hand each day to sign autographs in the Pioneer Press Expo Tent. “We are thrilled that Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Chi Chi Rodriguez will be headlining our Post-It® Greats of Golf Competition and autograph sessions,” Cavner said. 3M Championship fans will also have a chance to see Billy Casper, Dave Stockton and Don January on Saturday and Sunday in the Greats of Golf event.

For more tournament information, please visit www.3mchampionship.com.

July 2012

3M Championship

Proceeds benefit programs at Allina Health.

TPC_____-TeeTimesAd.indd 1

5/31/12 1:07 PM

Characters On The Course

July 2012

COWBOY TURNED GOLFER By R.J. Smiley For decades “The Cowboy” led two lives. He was the king of the clothing business in his rural Minnesota community during the week. On the weekends, The Cowboy’s passion turned to his real love - competitive calf roping. With his clothing business sold, bad knees and the ten-pounds-every-ten-years syndrome forcing his retirement from calf roping, The Cowboy was easing into retirement. His marketing genius and attention to detail had earned him memberships on the Board of Directors of several companies. His plan was to work with these companies, do some motivational speaking and spend the balance of his time watching his grandchildren grow up in his huge backyard swimming pool. But The Cowboy, with a fast motor and a constant adrenaline rush, felt a hole in his life. He missed burning his “excess” energy. On a winter vacation in Arizona, The Cowboy and his wife went to a driving range to kill some time. After bouncing a golf ball off the office wall next to the range the friendly teaching pro, jolted back to reality, gave The Cowboy a quick golf lesson. Instant improvement! The light bulb went off in his head! The “calf-roping-cowboy” could be replaced by the “country-club-golfer”. The time and energy spent in the constant search for a better horse, quicker release and better times could be replaced by exercise on the course, time with his wife and the pursuit of a lower handicap. As spring approached the decision was made; join the country club, buy some new clubs, and maybe even take a few lessons. The Cowboy’s search for new clubs was made easy by the very knowledgeable and personable young golf professional at one of the big-box golf stores. The bighead drivers were easy for both of them. They had to have the ones with the white heads - everybody knows they are the best. The variety of rescue clubs available made that selection a little harder. But the irons were a matter for a long discussion. The Cowboy needed the irons that were the most forgiving and easiest to hit. Once selected, the young pro made a production of removing the plastic on the club-heads and grips and even showed The Cowboy where to place each iron in his new bag. Then the young pro added the finishing touch; he caddied double and placed both sets of clubs in the back of The Cowboy’s, shiney new, 4WD, pick-up truck. A tee time was made. The Cowboy made a big deal of showing everyone on the putting green his new clubs. Even telling stories of the young pro’s knowledge and salesmanship. The Cowboy and his wife proudly placed their new clubs on the cart and headed for the first tee. The Cowboy’s driver, with the big white head, actually got his ball in the air and bounced twice in the fairway before ending up in the right rough about 140 yards away. Now the moment of truth. He selected his favorite club, 7-iron, and reached to fluff-it-up on some nice grass. Something was wrong; the club did not work right. He looked at the clubhead. It looked ok. Something is wrong? “What’s wrong?” his wife said as she reached for the club. Then she started laughing. “What’s so damn funny?” The Cowboy snorted. “Oh nothing...this is a left handed club.” She giggled, trying not to laugh. The Cowboy fingered each club - all his irons were left handed! What to do? Realizing he could not continue with left handed clubs, he swallowed his pride and headed back toward the clubhouse. The, quick-witted, Cowboy made a big joke of the fact that he had been sold clubs suited for Joe Mauer. Fast forward. The Cowboy’s game is improving and the red-faced golf pro will never make that mistake again.

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Threeriversparks.org

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Critters On The Course

July 2012

Presents

The Ian Leonard

Bad Pants Open Benefiting Special Olympics MN & MN PGA Foundation

Thursday, September 13

Medina Golf & Country Club

Each Bad Pants Open golfer receives a TaylorMade/Adidas golf concept store shopping spree!É

.Each foursome will be paired with a local celebrity or golf pro in

a fun fivesome scramble formatÉ

.GET YOUR BAD PANTS ON SEPTEMBER 13!

For more information or to reserve your foursome/sponsorship, please email us at BadPantsOpen@gmail.com or visit our website at

www.somn.org

BATTLE OF MODERN-DAY DINOSAURS By R.J. Smiley Senior golfers many times feel like dinosaurs. Like most dinosaurs, senior golfers know we are going extinct. We hit the ball shorter and shorter, we move slower and slower. We don’t see or hear like we once did. Truth is, if we were living in the wild the lions would have already eaten us. But on this day in June several foursomes of Senior Tour Players witnessed the battle of modern day dinosaurs for the right to mate and carry on their genes. NO VIAGRA NEEDED!! Modern day (Common) Snapping Turtles have changed little in 250 million years. The adaptable creatures continue to prosper in almost every river, lake and swamp in North America. These creatures can live to be over 100 years old and continue to grow throughout their lives. They can grow as large as 45 pounds. Their first cousin the Alligator Snapping Turtle, found in the Southeastern United States, are larger and even more prehistoric looking with three distinct ridges on their shell and a much larger mouth. The Minnesota Golf Association’s Senior Tour, a nomadic collection of competitive golfers age 55 or older, was enjoying the hospitality of, lake-laden, Indian Hills Golf Club. As the group waited on the tee of the par-3, sixth for the green to clear, the golfer, who’s wife had obviously selected his matching royal blue outfit, said, “Hey, what is that in the water just in front of the green? There seems to be a lot of splashing and thrashing going on.” “Where?” Slurred the guy, with the stub of a cigar held in his teeth, as he shaded his eyes by placing both hands around the bill of his Senior Tour hat. “Probably just a muskrat. See, all the action has stopped.” Said the impatient player with the honor.

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The group hit their shots to the green and proceeded along the cart part path to the drop area where two additional shots were hit. As they looked over their putts, cigar breath shouted, “Shit, look at those monsters.” As two large snapping turtles boiled to the surface hissing, rolling, kicking and snapped at each other not more than 10 feet into the water. “Ah, they are just making babies.” Chuckled the hen pecked, blue clad golfer. “If that is the way they make love, no wonder they have those shells.” Cigar breath said grinning around his stubby companion. “They are in a battle for the breeding rights in this pond,” said the studious looking guy with the round glasses and the Dave Pelz, sombrero. “The biggest and meanest guys get the breeding rights. If you ever see one on land, it is probably a female looking for a place to lay her eggs. They are like alligators, the male and female babies are determined by the temperature of the soil where the eggs are laid.” “Enough of that biology lesson. Let’s play golf,” said cigar breath. But he was the golfer who shouted across the water to the following group, “Hey take a look at the snappers fighting for breeding rights.” Imagine, 250 million years of breeding battles! Check out this YouTube video to see them in action: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBJGa0pqlHU

19th Hole

July 2012

Summit Brewing Company Announces two new beers for this summer. Summit Brewing Company recently the refreshing feel, the image on the beer’s packaging by a announced the release of two new beers: local photographer is of Minnehaha Falls, a beautiful urban Summer Ale, a new summer seasonal, and waterfall that is just minutes from the brewery. Sága IPA, offered year-round. Sága IPA is named after Sága, the Norse Goddess of Poetry “We’re excited to launch two new beers who was the God Odin’s drinking companion. Sága is an with distinct personalities to kick off assertive brew with a pronounced hop flavor and tropical fruit summer,” said Mark Stutrud, founder of Summit aromas such as kiwi, passion fruit, apricot and gooseberry. Brewing Company. “We’ve put a lot of passion into these brews – The beer gets some of its robust aroma from the use of Rakau they’re a great addition to our beer line-up.” hops from New Zealand – a much sought after hop growing region amongst craft brewers. Summer Ale will replace Summit’s Hefe Weizen and is a new take on a classic German Kölsch: a crisp, refreshing brew offering elegant Release parties and beer dinners for Summer Ale and Sága IPA fruity and flora aromas and toasted malt qualities. Keeping in line with can be found at http://www.summitbrewing.com/happenings. SUMMIT BREWING COMPANY Founded in St. Paul, Minn. in 1986, Summit Brewing Company has stayed close to its roots, serving the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. It is currently available in 16 states including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Kansas and Missouri. Summit now produces 12 varieties of premium craft beer, including seven year-round, four seasonal beers, and the limited release Unchained Series. Since its inception, the brewery has been a consistent pioneer in the craft beer movement.

Southern Minnesota’s Golf & Entertainment Capital

Mississippi National Golf Links Presents The

4th Annual Hawaiian Open 4-Person Scramble Saturday, August 11th • 1:00 pm Shotgun Start Only $39.95 per person! (includes 18 holes of golf, 1/2 riding cart, food & prizes)

For More Information Or To Register, Please Call

(651) 388-1874 • mn@wpgolf.com

www.wpgolf.com/mississippi/golfnow_playstay.asp

19th Hole

July 2012

DANIELLE GERNES The Jewel Golf Club, Lake City Tell us what you do during the golf off-season. I attend Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA, where I play volleyball and major in finance.

What’s the funniest thing you have ever seen on the golf course? A guy lost the first 9 holes and had to wear a sparkly bright green dress on the back nine.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in “beverage distribution” at your golf course? It is a great summer job to come home to and I enjoy doing it very much. It’s really fun, especially working at such a nice golf course.

What hobbies do you have away from the golf course? Playing volleyball, cruising on the river, tanning, shopping and weight lifting.

What’s the best tip you have ever received from a golfer...monetarily or other? $45. Just because I was leaving for school and they were going to miss me.

What is your favorite drink? Either a Bloody Mary or a vodka lemonade. Do you play golf? How well? I’ve tried once…ha, it was average at best! When your “career” as a beverage cart girl is over what are your goals in life? Graduate and get a good job and make lots of money!

Hey Golf Lovers! Guess what my favorite snack on the course is. Ellsworth Creamery’s All Natural Cheddar Cheese Curds! Ask for them at your favorite course. Planning a golf party? Cheese Curds make the perfect appetizer. 5 delicious flavors! Onder online today! ~ Gladys

715.273.4311 Open 7 Days A Week! 232 N Wallace - Ellsworth, WI www.ellsworthcheesecurds.com

Bos Landen

Golf Club

Ranked as Iowa’s #1 Public Golf Course from 1997 to 2001 18 Hole Championship Golf Course

Ranked in the Top 75 Most Affordable Golf Courses in the United States Golf Digest, 1999-2000

“Four Star Place to Play - 2007” Golf Digest

5 sets of tees ranging from 5,100 to 7,000 yards in length Grill on the Green Restaurant

Extend Your Season At Bos Landen 2411 Bos Landen Drive Pella, IA 50219

(641) 628-4625

www.boslanden.com

Health & Fitness

July 2012

By Matt Just - PGA Golf Professional Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, Life Time Fitness, St. Louis Park

“Hey Pro, I just finished my 9-hole league night and can’t hit my driver? Any suggestions? PRO:

Have you ever thought of joining a bowling league? I’m only kidding, don’t quit the game. Listen closely and implement the following two suggestions. The first is related to the golf club itself and the second tip is related to your body moving the club. First off, go purchase some impact tape for your driver clubface. The purpose of clubface tape is simple; the mark on the tape will tell you where on the face you seem to be making contact. Make no mistake about it; the mark should be dark in color and in the center of the face. This allusive contact for the amateur golfer is the easiest issue to fix and produces instant results. More often then not, golfers struggling with their driver have no idea where on the face, or what the clubface is doing at the back of the ball. It’s always most important to diagnose impact and that starts with the clubface.

a fastball at belt high and coil to the right and then uncoil to the left. Keep the club moving around your body and swing in a circle. Your forearms will want to naturally pronate like Ben Hogan says and this will give you the correct feeling of a swing and not a chop. Rehearse that belt high move a couple million times and you are home free. The million repetitions will lock in the motor pattern you need for a full turn behind the ball. Now get out to the range and start.

Tip number two is related to your body mechanics and how to get your motor running properly to move the driver around on plane. It seems easy enough when we watch golf on TV but until you have the financial freedom to practice for 8 hours a day your swing will always be a work in progress. Simply put, you need to be flexible enough to turn behind the ball and the easiest way to make a driver swing is to start out swinging at waist high. Pretend you are hitting

Trying To Reach Golfers? VS. Print • Digital • Online • Email Video • Facebook • Twitter Text Messaging • Apps

651-304-1140

July 2012

Izatys...Mother Nature’s finest work and Minnesota’s perfect getaway.

Gol f & L o dg i n g P a c k a g e s S tar ti ng a t $1 0 9 Come and meet Kevin Aho, our Executive Chef, winner of the 2011 Certified Hereford Beef’s Distinguished Chef award! This award recognizes Chef Aho as the top chef in the United States.

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320-532-4574 LAKE MILLE LACS • ONAMIA, MN

Celebrate Your Freedom!

Friday, August 24th, 2012 Bunker Hills Golf Club

Hole Sponsor Foursome Opportunites Available! Contact Pat Reis, Tournament Director, at TeeItUpBunkerHills@gmail.com or 612-636-3905 with any questions or to reserve your sponsorship package today.

Benefiting the fallen and disabled members of our Armed Forces, and their families. Tee It Up For The Troops is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Seniors, pay our rate and automatically register for a FREE hip replacement!

Fun at thE Run

The Most Radical Golf Course in Minnesota! Not Just A Golf Course...A Destination! Majestic Oaks also offers:

Great Wedding Location Full Service Restaurant Cooperate Golf Tournaments Small Group Golf Outings The Season’s Dinner Theatre at Majestic Oaks The Mystery Cafe Boot Hockey Leagues Snow Golf

Check Us Out On Facebook Or At www.majesticoaksgc.com 701 Bunker Lake Boulevard • Ham Lake, MN 55304 • Clubhouse – 763-755-2140 • Pro Shop – 763-755-2142