I’ve been writing articles about golf courses for a few years now, and I’ve been fortunate to play a substantial number of courses in the metro area and beyond. When I run into someone who knows I write as a side job, they often ask how I decide what to say about a particular course. While I’ve never had a decent answer, I’ve been thinking about it recently and I’ve come to this conclusion: I try to point out things I like about the course I’m writing about. So, what do I look for in a golf course? That question is much easier – I like to see holes that are interesting and fair.

There are certain courses that are challenging and fair, but not very interesting, and there are courses where the holes are rather interesting, but too gimmicky to be fair. It’s a rare mix when a course completes the trifecta: holes that are interesting to the eye, fair to the golfer and challenging to all levels. One such course I recently got the chance to play is The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake.

Opened in 1995, The Wilds Golf Club has been rated by Golf Digest as a 4-star place to play. It was designed by Tom Weiskopf (Winner of the Open Championship and the PGA TOUR’s Player of the Year in 1973) and his design partner Jay Morrish. I’m not sure if I have ever played a Weiskopf-designed course before, but if they are all like The Wilds, count me in. I asked head golf professional Tom Gelle Heraly what to expect from a Weiskopf-designed course. “You’ll see some drivable par fours, some gettable par fives, some longer par threes and plenty of changes in elevation,” he said. Talk about an accurate description. Each side has a drivable par four: #4 on the front (around 290 yards) and #16 on the back (anywhere from 260-295, depending on the tees you play). While #16 is short, the challenge comes from a basically blind tee shot you must carry over a marsh. The top of the flagstick was all I could see over the cattails.

I wasn’t able to get home in two on any of the par fives, but #8 is a great looking hole. Just over 500 yards from tee to green, the hole finishes downhill towards a lake. It’s simply a beautiful hole. Be careful, though, as the green slopes away from your approach. As for the par threes, Gelle Heraly wasn’t joking. The 160-yard seventh hole rises about 30 feet, while the long 11^th hole drops significantly from tee to green.

As for my overall impressions of the course, my buddy Danny and I agreed that the greens were in fantastic condition. Sure, they were plenty fast, but a putt always held its line. One issue currently being worked on is the bunkers. Gelle Heraly says they began a bunker renovation last July and plan to have it completed this fall. “All of the bunkers are being redone with improved drainage,” he said. “Some are being removed, too.” It was easy to tell which had been worked on as the heavy overnight rains left the old bunkers a little soggy while the new ones looked as if it hadn’t rained at all.

If you’re interested in checking out The Wilds, you have a few options to play. It is a public course with a standard rate of $95 plus $20 for a cart; all green fees include unlimited range balls, too. Times can be booked up to 14 days in advance. They have a special rate on Mondays or Tuesdays where your $95 will cover the green fee plus a cart. There are also about 100 Weiskopf season pass members who get unlimited golf, cart and range balls for their $4,200 annual fee. When I asked Gelle Heraly what these Weiskopf pass members enjoy about The Wilds, he said the Weiskopf design, naturally, but also that they feel “it’s their home away from home, and that we have a great staff.” I’d also include the pro shop which had plenty of clothing options to choose from along with the obligatory golf balls. Staff members on the course were very friendly – just about each one greeted us as we played our round. Special acknowledgment goes to Dave from Dellwood who makes a mean Bloody Mary.

While watching the U.S. Amateur semifinals the other day I heard one announcer say that “Minnesotans love their golf.” With so many great places to play, especially places like The Wilds, why wouldn’t we? As one who grew up in the northern suburbs, I’m not as familiar with courses south of the cities. After my round at The Wilds, I’ve got another one to add to my list of places to return to.