Last week at StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater, we mentioned the starter handed out and recommended we use a new divot repair tool: the GreenFix Ball Mark Elimination System (pictured above).
You can watch the instructional video on the GreenFix site, but basically you just push the divot mark back towards the middle instead of lift and twisting like other tools. It took a few times to get used to it, but the end results seemed to be good.
Today my friend and I paid a return visit to StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater. It’s been a number of years since I last played there and I was anxious to get back to the course that GolfWeek currently ranks as the number one public course in the metro area (#4 overall for Minnesota).
Head professional and general manager Keith Kalny is a player and supporter of the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, as is assistant pro Eddie Wynne. I got to chat with Mr. Wynne a little before the round and one interesting thing of note was the new-style divot repair tool that they give out and recommend (I’ll do another post on that next week).
Golfweek’s 2013 Best Courses You Can Play list is out and here are the Minnesota rankings:
We’re number one! We’re number one!
Played all of them, with the exception of numbers three and seven. Add those two to the list of golf goals for this season…
I’ve known the new general manager of White Eagle Golf Club, Matt Vandelac, as a longtime Tapemark Charity Pro-Am participant and jumped at the chance to play a round with him and course co-architect Garrett Gill a few weeks ago (even though it technically is Golfing in Wisconsin).
White Eagle opened in 2000 just north of Hudson, and I recall playing with owner Bill Block a few years after the opening. The original plan was to sell real estate around the course, and a number of lots were sold before the sector hit turbulence.
We ran into Bill again this time and he remains committed to the development. The hope is that a new river bridge will revitalize the economy in that area and the course will be maintained and upgraded until that happens. For example, their last newsletter touts that the waterfall behind the 18th green has now been completed.
Bringing in an experienced leader like Mr. Vandelac is also a sign they are committed to service. Matt was most recently at Big Fish Golf Club in Hayward, Wisconsin, and also helped open StoneRidge in Stillwater. Sign up for their eClub newsletter and you will get a sense of all the programs and specials Matt and his staff have implemented.
Even though I played poorly that day, White Eagle is a beautiful course. There are many holes that will remind you of the Brainerd Lakes region, with dense trees and vistas reminiscent of the north woods. It was fascinating listening to the pro and the architect discuss ideas for future updates as we played, but any changes will depend on funding.
2009 rates are $59 weekdays and $69 on weekends and holidays (plus tax). These prices include carts with GPS, which really are needed on the sprawling, hilly layout. Many specials and discounts are also available – give Matt a call at 888-465-3004 or email him at matt@whiteeaglegolf.com for more information.
The March 14th issue of Golfweek magazine contains the 20th edition of their annual rankings, broken into a classics list (courses built before and 1960) and a modern list (1960-present). They also publish a state-by-state list ranking courses open to the public.
Golfweek architecture writer Bradley Klein (who visited Northland last season) compiles the lists, which are based on reports from nearly 475 course raters.
The 2008 edition of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play ranking came in the mail today as part of the September 2008 edition of Golf Magazine.
With several listed courses costing $500 or more, this isn’t entirely a list of courses I could actually afford to play, but the only connection you need to get on is a large bank account.
Golfweek sent out a special advertising supplement this week that lists their top courses you can play in each state, along with a section of ads from those courses that elected to place an advertisement.
For Minnesota, two courses purchased half page placements: Giants Ridge in Biwabik (which used sort of a strange picture of the 18th fairway on the Quarry course) and The Classic at Madden’s on Gull Lake.
My favorite annual issue of Golfweek magazine arrived this week–the rankings edition.
As usual, they divide the top 100 course rankings into two listings: the classics (before 1960) and the modern (1960 – present).
Aren’t you supposed to let your boss win? Edinburgh USA professional Adam Guili defeated Edinburgh Director of Golf Don Berry 1-up yesterday to win the 2007 Minnesota PGA Match Play Championship held at…Edinburgh USA.
Guili beat last year’s champion Jeff Sorenson of Columbia, while Berry earned his way to the final by defeating Mendakota’s Dale Jones 2 and 1 (full bracket here).
