The Gophers men’s golf team continued their excellent play today at the NCAA Division I Championship in Virginia, moving to within a shot of tournament leader Stanford. Their 65-71-72-68-276 (-4) total was the second best team score of the day.
Gopher standout Bronson LaCassie is leading the individual scoreboard by two strokes at -8 after shooting 67-65-132.
Director of Golf Steve Whillock reports that Oak Marsh Golf Club in Oakdale is adding another banquet room to their clubhouse. Demand for wedding receptions and meetings was pushing out the golfers, so construction is in progress to add more space.
For more information, call 651-730-8886.
The Minnesota Gophers men’s golf team teed off this morning at the 2007 Division I Men’s Golf Championship at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia. Opened in 1963, the Robert Trent Jones Sr. Gold Course is playing as a 6,803 yard par 70 today (tour the course).
Only two days left on the spring version of the The Wilds Golf Club Pay The Temp promotion. Green fees are based on the outside temperature a 1/2 hour prior to your tee time (with a maximum of $65 plus tax) and include cart.
The weather may not cooperate, but you can try to dodge the raindrops. For more information, call (952) 445-3500, Ext. 4
Over the holiday weekend, we caught two of the big blockbuster movies of 2007: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Shrek the Third.
We watched Pirates at the Muller Monster Screen at Lakeville 21 Theatre. At 80 feet wide and 35 feet tall with more than 30 Dolby Digital speakers, it’s the largest indoor screen in Minnesota. Bring your cash if you go, though, no checks or credit cards accepted (when was the last time you saw that?).
Lost among the excitement of the Gophers heading to the Division I Championship this week was Saint John’s University winning it’s first ever NCAA Division III golf title on May 18th.
The team’s 300-300-301-303-1204 (+52) total was twelve shots better than second place University of La Verne (California).
Our Saturday golf group visited Cannon Golf Club in Cannon Falls this weekend. I hadn’t been there for quite some time and found a lot of changes. The practice green seemed much larger and nicer than before. The new clubhouse is pictured above–the old one was burned to the ground (on purpose) and this one was built on the same spot. I was anxious to see it, as they don’t display it on their website. The interior is quite nice and I’ve heard the food is very good.
Last night my wife and I attended the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra performance at the Ordway Center in downtown St. Paul. The concert featured violinist Joshua Bell, a favorite of ours. We were a little confused at first by the program, which was the last of their “Jazzed-Up” offerings for the season. After the intermission, you could choose between returning to the hall to hear Beethoven’s Trio in C Minor for Violin, Viola and Cello, Op. 9 No. 3 or stay in the lobby and listen to Chris Brown and Friends play Gershwin tunes from Porgy and Bess.
Recently there was a ranking of golf courses in the Twin City metro area by Jerry Zgoda in the Star Tribune. The rankings, as rankings do, raise questions as to what are the key elements of a great golf course?
With that in mind I would offer this golf course architect’s perspective:
A great golf course has a wide variety of challenging golf holes and a harmonious rotation of par threes, fours and fives. Variety is the number one ingredient in a successful golf course layout.
Don Ringstmeyer, manager of Castlewood Golf Course in Forest Lake, called in with a course update this week. The 3,043 yard, par 36 nine-hole course is under new management (since 11/1/2006) and has been cleaned up and rebuilt. Known as “The Rock,” the course also incorporates a 1,503 yard junior course, known as “The Little Rock.” Junior leagues for kids aged 9-17 will start when school is out and include a girls league on Wednesdays and a boys league on Fridays.
One Saturday each month will be “Big Buck Saturday,” with the person closest to the pin on their 212 yard par 3 winning a hundred dollar bill. Entry is free to all players. The first Big Buck Saturday will be June 16.
For more information on Castlewood, call 651-464-6233.
The action is heating up in Minnesota high school golf as we head towards the state championships, to be held June 5-6 at Bunker Hills (Class AA) and June 6-7 at Izatys (Class A). Regionals are being held this week all over the state–for more information on regional results, visit the MGA’s Hot News section to read the excellent coverage by Mike Fermoyle.
Golfing in Minnesota will be on hand at both Bunker Hills and Izatys with coverage of both boys and girls events.
FORE! Minnesota, on Saturday, May 26, 2007 (9 am on KSTC-45):
Cindy Early, Special Events Officer for the United Hospital Foundation, reports there are only a limited number of spots left for the 2007 United Hospital Golf Classic, to be held July 30 at White Bear Yacht Club.
The $300 entry fee includes a golf clinic, guest gift bag, luncheon, 18 holes of golf and an awards reception following golf. Proceeds benefit the Peter J. King Family Practice Health Center, which will house the United Family Practice Health Clinic.
For more information, visit the event web site or contact Cindy Early at 651-241-8027.
Almost everything seems to be doing well this spring. These are some new flowers my wife planted–I’m not sure what the blue ones are, but bleeding hearts have always been one of my favorites. The new spruce in the front yard suffered a little stress from the planting, but I think it’s getting better. The lilacs bloomed and have grown into monsters (even after trimming last fall). Same for the maple bush outside my home office window and the sugar maple tree in the backyard. One last project to do this summer and the plan will be complete (aside from that expensive retaining wall, which may have to wait until the next owner).
Amateur registration for this year’s Tapemark Charity Pro-Am is almost full. If you’d like to play, visit their website or call tournament CEO Phil Callen at 651-552-5639 right away. The multi-day event will be held June 8-10 at Southview Country Club in West Saint Paul.
My oldest daughter had her bridging ceremony yesterday and moved from Brownies to Junior Girl Scouts. Congratulations to Troop 372!
Pictures from the big event have been uploaded to the private section of the photo gallery. If you have trouble viewing new albums in the gallery, make sure to clear your browser’s cache–the Gallery 2 software I use seems to have weird issues with that.
Drop me an email if you need the password…
Brian Allen of Sundance Golf Club in Dayton, Minnesota sent the following news about upcoming events and specials:
Our regular weekend golf group visited The Summit Golf Club in Cannon Falls yesterday morning. I visited with course manager Jack Baker, who reported that they will be announcing new wine tasting events with a local winery soon (perhaps this one?).
Selected by Golf Digest as one of 2002’s “Best New Affordable Public Courses,” The Summit has been one of my favorite courses in the south metro for several reasons: all bentgrass layout, dramatic elevation changes on the back nine, general lack of crowds (even on weekends) and overall good value. The owners continue to reinvest money in the course, adding paved cart paths, upgraded parking lot and clubhouse deck over the past few years.
Today’s third and final round at the NCAA Central Regional was a tough one for the Gopher men’s golf team. Clayton Rask shot nine strokes higher than his Friday round of 69, while Ben Pisani dropped from a tie for 35th to a tie for 93rd after shooting a fourteen-over-par 86. But the team won a playoff against Texas A&M on the first playoff hole to advance to the NCAA Championship beginning May 30 in Virginia.
Yesterday I had the privilege of joining course co-architect Paul Miller, course superintendent Greg Nolan and his assistant Jeff for an afternoon round at the Meadows at Mystic Lake course in Prior Lake.
The course was in great shape, but the wind was really blowing. Several grassland areas around the course had been burned with a controlled burn a few weeks ago, making wayward shots easier to find. Other areas were filling in nicely with fescues and wildflowers.
The Minnesota Gophers men’s golf team moved from a tie for 11th place to 6th place today at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois. 2007 Minnesota Golf Champions winner Clayton Rask bounced back from an opening day 84 with a three under par 69 (two off the low round of the day). Minnesota’s two day total 314-290-604 (+28) is 19 shots behind region leader Tulsa.
FORE! Minnesota, on Saturday, May 19, 2007 (9 am on KSTC-45):
The Gopher men’s golf team is in Illinois this week to play in the NCAA Central Regional at Rich Harvest Farms Gold/Silver course (par 72 – 7,214 yards). After the first day of competition, the Gophers are tied for 11th at 314 (+26). The top 10 teams advance to the Championship, to be held May 30 – June 2 at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club Gold Course in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Heather Winkler, the manager of Mahnomen Country Club in northwestern Minnesota, called in this week with their 2007 rates:
Weekdays – $15 for 9 holes, $22 for 18 holes
Weekends – $17 for 9 holes, $25 for 18 holes
Carts – $13 for 9 holes, $21 for 18 holes
Group discounts are also available at the 2,996 yard, nine-hole course. For more information, call the club at 218-935-5188.
Prairie View Golf Links, located 1-1/2 miles north of Worthington in southwestern Minnesota, reports that it’s been a little windy on the plains the past few days. Course manager Bryce Negrete says that they’ve had 40-mph winds, making the links style course very challenging. There are no trees and no houses on the 6300 yard, par 71 course, which was designed by Worthington-native Joel Goldstrand.
Bryce says their full weekend walking rates this year are $12 for 9 holes and $18 for 18 holes, but they offer a special on Mondays and Thursdays: unlimited golf with cart for $30 (singles) or $20 per person if you bring a friend.