114. Two Trips to Midwest and Upper Plains…Pretty Far North!

114.  Two Trips to Midwest and Upper Plains…Pretty Far North!

The afternoon of July 12, I flew from Boston to Chicago and then caught a nonstop to Duluth, MN.  For those of you who have spent too much of your life in the Northeast, Duluth is pretty far north.  I was there to meet a friend from Pinehurst (who lives in Minneapolis during the summer), Gail Knappenberger and play a well-respected golf course…Northland CC…bordering Lake Superior.  

Northland Country Club, July 13, 2018:  The club was founded in 1899 and after playing on a course laid out in an open field for five years, a new clubhouse was built in 1904. The new course was expanded to 18 holes in 1912, and after acquiring additional land in 1921, Donald Ross designed a completely new course at the same site, which opened in 1927.  It is a wonderful site for a golf course…with spectacular views of Lake Superior, and gently sloping land that has confounded players for the last nine decades (despite what your eyes tell you, everything runs toward the Lake).  The club hosted the Western Amateur in 1946 and the 1956 US Women’s Open Championship (winning score of 302 tied CC of Rochester’s score in 1953 for the highest winning score in the history of the US Women’s Open).

Northland was included on GD’s USA 200 Toughest in 1966 and ’67, and was on GW’s USA Top 100 Modern every year from 1998-2013 excepting 2003…but never high enough to make my GW Merged list.

The winter of 2017-18 was very tough on this region as well as many other parts of the U.S.  I had wanted to go further north in MN to play The Quarry Course at Giants Ridge, located some 60 miles north of Duluth (but only 5 miles from the North Pole Airport).  When I called, they said they had totally lost all their greens and the fairways were not much better.  No raters wanted in those conditions, and I fully understood.  Hope they have a good winter this year and come back as I have heard great things about it (but probably will never get to see it).

Despite less than ideal conditioning at Northland I still loved it and the “great bones” here were very obvious.  Ross used the land in spectacular fashion, and playing this course for the first time is tough…you are constantly trying to judge the slopes of the fairways and green, avoid some perfectly placed cross bunkers, and there is a pesky creek that can come into play (sure did for moi) “just over the next rise” about 3x here.  Definitely a course you could play every day…although I would guess the season here doesn’t last much longer than 4.5 months (fall must be truly spectacular here…and early).  Fairways are wide if you pace them off and seemingly generous, until you factor in the slopes.  Makes it very playable for the average player and tougher for the Class A’s.  Hole #3 was the longest 380 yard hole I had ever played, and I simply loved the par 4 10^thand par 3 17^th. Posted a 41 - 43 = 84.

After the round, picked up my rental car and started a brief short drive to Evanston, IL (a mere 467 miles (7:05)…with a fair amount of construction to drive through in WI).  And since you asked…yes I was planning to play Evanston GC that evening…time will tell.

Evanston Golf Club, July 13, 2018:  This was a long drive.  I left Duluth around 11:20am and arrive at Evanston at 6:00pm…with sunset scheduled for 8:27 had to hustle, and teed off at 6:15.  

But first some background on the club and course. Evanston GC was founded in 1898.  In 1916-17 the club moved to a new location and retained Donald Ross to design their new track.  In 1982 Jack Nicklaus led a renovation of the course, and then Ron Prichard renovated it again.  It is built on very flat land, is in very good condition (a little over watered and green for my tastes), and superbly bunkered.  It has never been included on a USA Top 100, but in 1962 hosted the US Senior Amateur.

Course was fairly empty and one couple about 3 holes ahead of me immediately waved me through (good folks from Midwest again!).  I played well shooting a 38 – 41 = 79 and was pleased with my game…and finished play just as the sun was starting to set. 

After the round, headed back the way I came…to Madison, WI…146 miles and 2:25 (again, lots of construction).  Had to play another 36 on Saturday, starting at the University of Wisconsin course and then in Davenport, IA.  Arrived at hotel around 11:15pm and went right to bed!

U of WI--University Ridge Golf Course, July 14, 2018:  Was the first one out here on Saturday morning. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and opened in 1991.  It was included on the GW USA Top 100 Modern list (but again, not high enough for my Merged list) during that first three years that list was published, 1997-1999.

The land/site is excellent, with lots of movement generated by the Wisconsin Glacier during the last Ice Age.  However, the overall design is too penal for my tastes…and left most holes with limited playing options.  Not a bad course to play once or twice, but nothing that would “bring you back”.  With a course rating/slope of 74.9/144 and playing 7259 yards, there is no question regarding its toughness, but with this land it could have been so much better…

Given recent rains, the course was very wet and soft (and I sensed is normally fairly green) so I played the White tees (5752 yards) and had a 39 – 39 =77.  

After the round, I headed south to Davenport, Iowa (home of Jack Fleck…more below) to play Davenport CC.  Drive would be 155 miles (2:35).

Davenport CC, July 14, 2018:  This is a fairly brutal trip even by my standards.  I did not want to be away for more than three days, and had 5 bucket list courses I wanted to play on this swing, plus someone had said Davenport CC had completed a very good restoration…hence my visit here. Plus, I think all Hogan affectionatoes (spelling?  word??) need to visit the home of Jack Fleck.  

For you kids out there, on June 18, 1955 (about 2-3 weeks before I first hit a golf ball), Ben Hogan finished his fourth round at the US Open at The Olympic Club’s Lakeside Course and was almost universally congratulated for winning his record fifth US Open.  But out there on the course was a relatively unknown pro named Jack Fleck.  Fleck had three holes to play and stood two behind Hogan.  Birdies on 16 and 18 meant an 18-hole playoff the next day…won by Fleck, a driving range pro from Davenport, who of all things was using a set of new irons that Hogan had sent to him shortly before the Championship.

DCC was founded in 1924 and boasts a course designed by Henry Colt and Charles Alison and recently renovated under the direction of architects Ron Forse and Jim Nagle.  In 1936 and 1951 DCC hosted the Western Open.  It has never been included on a USA Top 100.

Unfortunately, it had rained heavily the night before which meant the course was softer and slower than usual but the ball still would run on the fairways.  I very much liked holes 3, 7 (one of the most positively unusual holes I have ever played…is simply great), 9, 10, and 16…but could not quite “figure out” the first hole. Played with another GD Panelist, Ryan Hillenbrand of Missouri.  Had a 41-40 = 81

The body was still working so it was north towards northwesten IL (75 miles and 1:35).  BTW…if you are looking at a map and tracking my travels, you are probably wondering if I flunked geography.  Problem was I was trying to play six courses on a three-day trip on Friday/Saturday/Sunday…I somehow was able to get on all six but obviously could not dictate tee times…beggars cannot be choosers…hence my back and forth travel schedule.

Eagle Ridge Resort—The General Course, July 15, 2018:  Allow me to quote from my comments section on my GD review:  Terrible land for a course...land would make a great roller coaster but fails as a course (prime example is #14 straight downhill). Reasonably tough but otherwise...not much...who would want to play it more than once???

Now for necessary details…opened in 1997, designed by Andy North and Roger Packard.  In 2000 made its way onto GW Top 100 Modern for one year.  Had a 78-79 = 77…very wet and so many trees all over the place will probably never dry out.  If you get the chance to play it…PASS.

Cedar Rapids Country Club, July 15, 2018:  After a drive of 90 miles (1:40), I arrived at Cedar Rapids…and this place looked cool at first glance!  Big old clubhouse sits overlooking the course, and the course has obviously had a big haircut…removing tree overgrowth and opening up superb vistas. I had the honor of playing with Vaughn Halyard who was a (or the?) prime mover in the brilliant renovation led by Ron Prichard and completed for a ridiculously low $$ number.  

Cedar Rapids was designed by some guy named Donald Ross (ever hear of him?) and opened in 1915.  

Greens were brought back to original dimensions, playing corridors were greatly widened and fescue areas introduced, bunkers refurbished and where appropriate for today’s play, moved, and certain greens and other playing areas raised to minimize the effects of a flood plain making up part of the course.  The result is a fun, interesting, beautiful, challenging, and thought provoking course that one could plan all the time without getting bored.  Best holes are #2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12, 14, and 17. 

Suspension Bridge on Cedar Rapids #6

Bridge on Cedar Rapids #15

Uphill approach shot, Cedar Rapids #18

Started off with 5 straight pars…Vaughn might have thought I was a player…but ended up with a 38-42 = 80.  

This is one you need to play.  It had never made a USA Top 100, and in 2018 made its debut on GW’s Top 100 Classic…and watch for this one top start appearing in more listings…a true hidden gem (btw…on GCA’s recent list of “147 Custodians”, CRCC was #115 in the World, and #50 in the USA).

I had to finish quickly and run…had a drive of 255 miles (4 hours) back to Midway Airport in Chicago.  

What a trip…six courses of which two are outstanding (Northland and Cedar Rapids) and two very good (Evanston and Davenport)!   Well worth it even if it meant driving 1200 miles (almost 20 hours) in three days.  

In a week, would return to MN and WI to get back to Sand Valley and play two more in Minneapolis.  The afternoon of Sunday July 22, flew from Boston to Minneapolis.  Pinehurst friend Gail Knappenberger (see start of this post) met me at the airport and we drove into Wisconsin for our return to Sand Valley (Post #94 from 2017).  Sand Valley is Mike Keiser’s effort to create a “Bandon Dunes” in Wisconsin…located in the middle of the state, in its poorest county.  We were here to play the Sand Valley course (designed by Coore-Crenshaw) in August 2017 and I was able to play the nine completed holes on the second course, Mammoth Dunes later that day.

Sand Valley Resort—Sandbox, July 23, 2018:  One of the excellent new trends in new golf resorts and clubs is the “par 3 course”.  Back 40-50 years ago, Augusta National GC was one of the very few clubs or resorts to have a “par 3” course (offhand, I cannot think of any other except for Turnberry in Scotland).  In the last 10 years or so, there has been an explosion.  Some of the ones that I have seen in recent years are at Bandon Dunes-Preserve (13 holes), Pine Valley (10 holes), Bluejack National (TX)(10 holes), Pinehurst-The Cradle (9 holes), and of course Sandbox…which has 17 holes.

Why 17?  Never got a great answer…but I think it was just to differentiate it from the big courses. Sandbox was also designed by Coore-Crenshaw and opened in May of this year.  In total, I have now played 6 par 3 courses (including ANGC).  IMHO, Bandon-Preserve is the best of these six, in large part because it was built on the best patch of land at Bandon…between the 17the hole of Bandon Dunes and the clubhouse at Bandon Trails…looking down at the beach.  And the most creative and interesting is Pine Valleys…as several of the “holes” are versions of approach shots to greens on PVGC’s main course, a very clever innovation and idea.

Trust me Sandbox is no slouch.  It is a great place to warm up for a round…or to practice one’s short game. Gail and I really enjoyed it. P.S.  I did shoot my age…and with a 67 for 17 holes, probably would have still beaten 73 if there was an 18^th!

Sand Valley Resort--Mammoth Dunes, July 23, 2018: David McLay-Kidd was born in Scotland and made his breakthrough with the design of Bandon Dunes (OR), which opened in 1999.  Mike Keiser had decided to take a chance on an unknown architect and this bet paid off big time for both.  As David’s portfolio grew, Mike apparently began to feel that David was no longer building courses that would be fun for all golfers, and did not ask David for a repeat performance.  Then David went to Washington and designed Gamble Sands (see Post #90)…and simply asked Mike Keiser to look at this new course.  Shortly thereafter, David had his repeat performance booked for Mike’s newest creation, Sand Valley Resort.  Coore-Crenshaw’s Sand Valley course was already under construction, and David carefully scoured the property to find the right parcel for his next course…and that scouring process yielded a brilliant piece of property.  As you have heard from me many times before…site selection is the most important factor in determining how good the course will be.

Having played 9 holes 11 month before, I knew this course had tremendous potential...but it was too early to really tell…the course was not playing fast as the fairways and greens were being kept long during grow-in. It still was not in final condition this day but its brilliance shone through.  Wide open and fun…and challenging if you want to fire at the pins or have a playable shot at the greens.  

There are so many fabulous holes…in particular, #4-6, 10, 13-15, and 18 stand out in my mind.  This course is a sure home run.  And besides, I played great.  Had a 3 over 39 on the front and nine straight pars for an even par 37 on the back…76 in total.  No wonder I thought it was fun!

Fairway Bunker on  par 5 Mammoth #7---foundation from old house on property!

Mike Keiser was playing with his two sons in front of us. Between the 10^thgreen and 11^thtee is a make shift half way house.  They were having lunch and invited us to play through, but first we chatted a while.  Was great to meet him…no question he has transformed the game and the only thing I cannot understand is why he is not yet in the Golf Hall of Fame!!

We drove back to Minneapolis and I stayed over at Gail and Sherrie’s house.  Had 36 scheduled for the next day (naturally) then flight back to Boston.

Somerset Country Club, July 24, 2018:  Somerset CC was founded in 1919 hence will be celebrating its 100^thanniversary next year.  Located near St. Paul it is the old $$ club of the Twin Cities.  The course was designed by Seth Raynor and clearly has wonderful bones.  Apparently previous attempts to bring back the Raynor touches were not successful. A good number of trees have been removed but not nearly enough.  The greens are excellent and I sense they have gradually shrunk over the past 100 years and need to be expanded to their original footprints.  We played with two members who were optimistic about future changes and I certainly hope they are right.

Somerset hosted the US Women’s Senior Amateur in 1995.  In 1997-99 it was included on the GW USA Top 100 Classic.

Quite frankly I played like a dog…certainly a very different player than yesterday afternoon!  

Windsong Farm Golf Club, July 24, 2018:  Windsong Farm is located about 20 miles west of downtown Minneapolis.  It was designed by John Fought and Tom Lehman and opened in 2003.  Nine years later, under pressure from lenders, the club was purchased by a wealthy businessman from Fargo, ND.  

The course is a brute from the back…stretching to 7586 yards (par 71), but with six sets of tees can be played as short as 5062 yards.  I was very pleasantly surprised by the course. It played firm and fast and was challenging but fair.  The land has good movement and the design of the course is very good…it is wide open, offers terrific vistas and a good variety of angles into the greens.   Greens have sharp drop offs into closely cropped run off areas, and can be very fast and difficult to putt, but are fair.  The facilities are beautifully done without any sense of being over the top. All in all, a very fine club and I hope it succeeds.

Windsong was on the GW USA Top 100 Modern for one year (2010). 

I had a 40-41 = 81.  The course was right near Gail’s house so I took a Uber to the airport and got home…certainly an easy trip compared to last week.

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Getting close to catching up with Blog Postings!  At this point after playing Windsong I stood at 1072 courses played…and as of today (10/8/18) I stand at 1092…so only 20 more new courses to write up (plus about 10 courses that I had played before).