We paid our first visit this year to Inver Wood Golf Course in Inver Grove Heights last week. This city-owned Garrett Gill design is a popular layout that was very busy on a Saturday afternoon. Pace of play was a little slow on the front nine, but several groups dropped out at the turn and the rangers were doing a good job of keeping things moving.

A pair of wild turkeys paid us a visit on the par-5 seventh hole and I just love that this course has no houses on it. The overall conditioning was very good, especially compared to some of the other damage I’ve seen recently on local courses. The dramatic par-3 twelfth hole was as exciting as ever, but I realized that this is really a tough course for the average golfer. Very different from the usual wide-open muni course.