A Season Of Reasons To Play Timber Creek
With our COVID enhanced sense of enjoying the great outdoors, more and more golfers are making the drive to Timber Creek Golf Course in Watertown, MN. Just 20 minutes west of Minnetonka, Timber Creek is an 18-hole haven for golfers looking to get away from it all on just a quarter tank of gas.
Hitting The Sweet Spot At Heritage Links
Sitting just a hop, skip and jump south of the Twin Cities is another of those Joel Goldstrand designs that seem to surprise and challenge at every bend in the fairway.
Golf With Devotion At Dahlgreen Golf Club
Chaska has a center of gravity when it comes to golf. Without naming names, we all know the big hitter, deep pocket tracks that populate this corner of the Twin Cities. Thankfully there is also a family orientated, value-priced option for those of us that seek out some of that ‘old school, at home feeling’ when we pull the clubs out of the trunk. Dahlgreen Golf Club has cultivated that vibe for years… 51 to be exact.
Jackpot Junction And Dacotah Ridge – Winning Wagers
Knowing (now) that we can bet on golf to get us through some of these tough days, we can double down on those bets by taking our game to Dacotah Ridge where we can easily place other successful bets at Jackpot Junction Casino.
Wedgewood Cove Golf Club – Well Worth The Visit
At 99.4 miles from the epicenter, Wedgewood Cove Golf Club in Albert Lea is the southernmost green pin on my map. (Green = Course Worth Playing) That’s right, Wedgewood Cove is the furthest I will drive within my 100-mile circle to play golf.
GreyStone Golf Club – Worth The Drive
The more of the trip you can stick to interstates and major highways the better, of course, and if you head northwest out of the Twin Cities 100 miles (on I94) you’ll hit Sauk Centre. If you’re in, or anywhere near, Sauk Centre there’s one course that had better be on your map – GreyStone Golf Club.
Wild Marsh Golf Club – A Wild Year
Up. Everything is up. Everything is looking up, too. “This has been a crazy, unpredictable year,” General Manager, Eric Ritter, says. I nod. He doesn’t really need to elaborate. We all can relate.
Victory Links Golf Course – The Definition Of Win Win
How do you win in golf? The short answer is: “Play at Victory Links.” By virtue of the name, every visitor is a winner there.
The Links At NorthFork – Scotland, Minnesota
Playing golf at The Links At Northfork is a true links golf experience – just like you were in Scotland! Joel Goldstrand, designer of the Links At Northfork, did a masterful job creating a golf course that plays fast and firm the exact conditions found on seaside links courses.
First Rate Fun At Stillwater Oaks Golf Course
It’s comforting to know there are golf courses out there that deliver year-after-year. They bring a series of exciting holes and enough variety to keep you guessing on club selection. That’s why we keep going back.
Marvelous Play At The Meadows at Mystic Lake
There’s no mystery around The Meadows at Mystic Lake, the golf course at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel; it is a world class golf course where playing conditions and service are clearly given top priority. This course has grown up since its early years, and now plays like a seasoned champion in the prime of its life.
Golf Is A Family Game
All of us golfers have some collection of memorabilia whether it be old scorecards, crystal bowls, club champion trophies, your hole-in-one ball, maybe a ball marker, or even a tee or divot from the sacred grasses of the infamous St. Andrews!
Dominating The Decades The Tiger Effect – Domination
Any attempts to neatly fit a single decade of PGA TOUR dominance into a 10-year span went awry when I turned the page into the 1990s. The player who arguably emerged as the greatest player of all-time started his professional career in the mid-nineties.
2020 3M Open Recap – Validation For Thompson
The second edition of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities was already very different from its inaugural year. From no fans and limited media access to player health/safety protocols including multiple COVID-19 testing, year two had a completely different look and feel.
Golf Competition Nationwide
The Psychic loves all things GOLF! The Psychic loves to play golf. He loves to read golf books and stories, watch golf on TV, and he loves to practice golf. But the thing the Psychic loves the most about golf is the adrenaline rush that occurs when the perfect shot is hit.
KNOW THYSELF
Have you been to a restaurant that has everything on the menu? Italian, Chinese, Mexican, ribs, seafood, French, burgers, sushi, wraps… you know what I mean. They probably once had an identity, but started to lose money and then thought they could be successful by being everything to everyone.
If I Was… Able To Go Back In Time Part 2
Last issue, I talked about wanting to go back in time to be around some of the most memorable moments in golf history. This month, I want to go back in time to undo some of my biggest regrets in my golf life.
‘Sota Series Match Play Champions Herron, Kuznik
The 23rd Minnesota/Wisconsin Cup Matches took place July 16-17 at Stevens Point Country Club in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. With a final score of 22-14, Team Minnesota was able to take home their fifth straight victory.
Team Minnesota Takes Home 5th Straight Title
The 23rd Minnesota/Wisconsin Cup Matches took place July 16-17 at Stevens Point Country Club in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. With a final score of 22-14, Team Minnesota was able to take home their fifth straight victory.
Young Matthew
On a star lit July 4th 2019 evening, after the fireworks had flown bright and high, I sat back and scouted out the upcoming pairings and individuals whom I wanted to follow at the inaugural 3M Open.
Mastering The Art Of Putting
Distance control is the most important element in putting. With good distance control a higher percentage of makeable putts are made, and the chance of three putting is greatly reduced.
Set-Up And Swing Dependence
To see lasting improvement in golf (or any other field for that matter) relevant understanding must become the ultimate goal. Do you understand the importance of developing your best set-up?
Mastering The Art Of Putting
This month we are going to focus on the stroke mechanics. The basis of good stroke mechanics is the set-up. As we discussed in the last issue of Tee Times, commonalties of the set-up of great putters include the following.
Overhanded Or Underhanded…Swing Image
To transfer technical requirements for your full swing (good for the practice areas) to the actual golf course (when technical details hamper your athleticism and instincts), each player should strive towards simple triggers and/or images to instruct the body on what it needs it to do.
Mastering The Art Of Putting – Set Up
Over the course of the season, in each issue of Tee Times we will cover an aspect of putting in this column. Becoming a great putter is part of the game that doesn’t require exceptional athletic ability, great club head speed, or a great deal of time and energy.
Do You Have A Slice-Hook Swing?
Sounds like a silly title, but ALL players have “elements” within their set-up and swing which by themselves would PROMOTE an off-line starting line and/or curve combination.
Making The Most Of Winter
October/November means the end of the golf season for most of us in Minnesota. But just because the season is ending, it doesn’t mean they you have to stop working on your golf game.
Transition “Timing” It Just Right
How might you respond if I claimed there is a good chance that you may never have focused or practiced the MOST vital area of the full swing?
Pace Of Play/Pre-Shot Routine
While incidences of slow play on the PGA TOUR are a concern because of the trickle-down effect that it has on everyday play, slow play in the amateur game and at your local golf course is a major hindrance to the game of golf.
Practice Like A Trial Lawyer
“Practice like a trial lawyer” means that the attorney’s job is to gather and discover evidence one way or the other about his/her client and the incident that caused them to “get together” in the first place.
From Spritzers To Sangrias
Everyone needs a good sangria and/or spritzer recipe for the summer, am I right?
Dad’s Day Bevis
As we head into the month of June, and our weather finally turns true to its season, we know we can prepare to gear up for a few things – more time for grilling outside and more libations for pairing!
Going Green
Everywhere you turn these days, producers from every label are touting ‘organic’. From cereal to mac n cheese, wine, and into the world of liquor. But have we really ever stopped to think about what all of this labeling really means?
Don’t Ignore The Reds When The Temps Rise
For most, nothing screams summer and spring like a crisp, refreshing glass of white wine – am I right? We live in Minnesota, so it’s fair to say that it gets pretty darn cold in the winter time.
Beyond Chardonnay And Pinot Grigio
According to the country’s most recent wine industry reports, Americans really only consume approximately four grapes. Considering there are over 10,000 varieties of wine grapes in the world, we have a considerable way to go before we can begin to categorize ourselves oenophiles.
Going Green
Everywhere you turn these days, producers from every label are touting ‘organic’. From cereal to mac n cheese, wine, and into the world of liquor. But have we really ever stopped to think about what all of this labeling really means?
Perfectly Pairing Your ‘Reds’
It should come as no surprise that the instinctive wine choice for a mouthwatering pan seared or perfectly grill marked steak hot off the grill is red, but have you ever truly analyzed the exact choice of red grape when pairing to your favorite cuts of meat? I
Golfers And Wine – A Perfect Blend
As many know we are fortunate to be hosting the 2016 matches of the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National and the U.S. team is captained by golf professional, Davis Love III. A gentleman that not only shares great passion for the game of golf, but of another subject that happens to be quite near and dear to my own profession and passions, wine.
Golden Eagle Golf Club – Golden Hours
There’s a time of day called “The Golden Hour” – the last hour or so, in summer, before the sun sets. For many a golfer it’s their favorite time to be on the course – the vibrant warmth of the day giving way to a peaceful cool, shadows stretching, animals coming out of hiding… mother nature at her most approachable and admirable.
Dacotah Ridge And Jackpot Junction – Double The Deal
Jackpot Junction Casino reopened (post COVID) for business on June 1 – spotless, updated and ready for guests. Always a lively place, the parking lot is routinely packed with cars and busses not just from the Twin Cities, but also from Wilmar (44 miles), Mankato (65 miles), St. Cloud (110 miles) and Sioux Falls (130 miles).
Golden Eagle Golf Club – Golden Hours
There’s a time of day called “The Golden Hour” – the last hour or so, in summer, before the sun sets. For many a golfer it’s their favorite time to be on the course – the vibrant warmth of the day giving way to a peaceful cool, shadows stretching, animals coming out of hiding… mother nature at her most approachable and admirable.
Staycation Time At Treasure Island And Mount Frontenac
Sometimes I find myself humming that catchy jingle, “Treasure Island Resort and Casino…” It immediately puts me in the mood for Island Time! I’m sure the marketing wizards who came up with that snippet would pat themselves on the back, but the truth is ‘The Island’ as it’s known is truly an oasis in a sea of uncertainty these days. Down the road and up the hill Mount Frontenac Golf Course offers that same escape only from a higher vantage point.
Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge – Minnesota’s Original Golf Resort
Imagine you have a summer home on a big, beautiful lake. Dream come true, right? Now, imagine you invite all your friends to come up for a week or a weekend in the summer… and they do. Those friends invite their friends to come up the next summer… they come, and bring their families, too.
Izatys Resort – Izatys Has It All
When Chip Glazier purchased Izatys in the 1980s, he wanted to upgrade the golf course to create added value to his real estate development. The savvy Glazier hired John Harbottle, a golf course designer with loads of Low Country design experience. Harbottle had spent years designing Low Country golf courses when he worked as Pete Dye’s first assistant.
Giants Ridge – Living Up To The Legend
There’s a Legend that dates back to 1984, about a piece of Mesabi Iron Range land in “Up North Minnesota” too perfect for skiing – “too perfect” in the sense it begged to be used for something else… something more. The dramatic Northwoods land (a “mostly interstate” three hours north of the Twin Cities) was mountainous (for Minnesota) and incredibly beautiful in winter.
The Wilderness At Fortune Bay – Wild Wonder
Golf. For sure. Midwesterners miss our golf nearly half the year as it is, so this extended season of “separation anxiety” (though unique) wasn’t exactly novel. That said, there’s something about THIS particular summer that has me (and many others) looking forward to golf getaways more than ever. “Anywhere in particular you really miss?” I’m asked.
Breezy Point Resort – Always On Point
Pulling through the main gate at Breezy Point Resort feels like entering a luxurious campground. There’s a golf course to your right decked out with flowers, a spiderweb of narrow, cabin-lined streets, and a lake up ahead to your left.
Cragun’s Resort – A Familiar Favorite
Cragun’s Resort certainly hasn’t been immune to the COVID-19 circumstances, but if you know anything about this place (and these people) you know they’re anything but “down and out.” Dutch and Irma Cragun built a lasting legacy in their resilient brand – a warm “when you’re here, you’re family” vibe that reverberates through the many halls and ripples across the crystalline lake – expressed by passionate, compassionate and energetic employees.
