7 Minute Miles

Round 5 – Eagle Trace Golfers Club


Yesterday I had the opportunity to take a friend from work out to his favorite course in honor of his 61st birthday. Turns out Duke is bit of a golf masochist, as his favorite course is Eagle Trace Golfers Club, in Clearwater, Minnesota.

The last time I was at Eagle Trace, I was just taking photos and did not have a chance to play the course. My first impression (after shooting a 90 on the short 5,715 yard, par 70 course) is that this is one tight, brutal test of golf. It starts off easy enough with a short par four, but the 559 yard par five second hole is billed on the scorecard as “one of Minnesota’s toughest holes.”

I’d have to agree with that assessment.

Water comes in to play on 13 holes and there are numerous tight holes that border on the absurd. In fact, I thought that several holes were too gimmicky, but maybe I’d feel differently after playing the course a few more times. The second, fifth, eighth, eleventh, thirteenth and fifteenth are all holes that you need to have some local knowledge of in order to play them well. The scorecard notes help a little, but a good yardage book would be a better tool.

The day was a little cold and windy, which might have contributed to the lack of golfers on the course. Price is not an issue, though, as the weekend rate was only $27. This includes a cart, which almost seems mandatory, given the huge distance between the clubhouse and the first hole (and a few long drives between holes).

Even though many of the holes at Eagle Trace are frustrating, it is a very scenic course. Especially noteworthy are holes thirteen through fifteen, which play along side the briskly flowing Mississippi River.

Originally published by DK on May 10, 2009 at 4:44 pm in Friends, Golf, Longform


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