Ernie Rose Golf – Professional Fun

By E. Nolan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Few golf facilities in the Midwest can offer the advanced and everyday golfer what Ernie Rose Golf in Eden Prairie can… not just one but two professional golfers – actual TOUR Players and TOUR Caddies – who know everything about the game and can help you learn everything about yours.

As the Director of Instruction at the University of Minnesota for both the Men’s and Women’s golf teams from 2009 to 2011, and the Director of Instruction at Windsong Farm from 2007 to 2013, Ernie Rose has covered the gamut in golf teaching. Prior to moving to Minnesota, he made the PGA TOUR Australasia in 2001 and played on that TOUR for 8 years. He’s caddied on the PGA TOUR Champions for Tom Kite and John Harris, currently instructs over 60 Division I players and TOUR Players, and has helped dozens of high school golfers get golf scholarships over the past few years. In other words, he’s seen and done it all in golf… literally.

But Ernie is just one man – he can’t possibly teach everyone. Enter Tim Jochim – another name locals know, as a golfer and graduate from Osseo High School. Tim has been one of Minnesota’s top teaching professionals for the past two decades. He’s a mechanics expert and can break a swing down into milliseconds to find improvable margins. Tim is essentially the lead instructor at Ernie Rose Golf. Another professional with PGA TOUR caddie experience (since 1995), Tim worked the bag of Grant Waite steadily and continues to co-run the instruction academy at Ernie Rose Golf.

Ernie Rose Golf began as an instructional academy, more focused on the advanced player. It morphed in 2018 into more of a golf gym – a popular hangout for golf teams, golf groups, individuals, parties and corporate events. TOUR Caddie bibs adorn the walls with Masters flags below them, and the names and nicknames of current students and their statistics and achievements below those. (Even an “Ace” wall!) The indoor “playground” has four oversized and incredibly plush ($50k each) simulator bays, all equipped with the most current Trackman Simulators (what the PGA TOUR players use). You can’t imagine the precision of these machines, but you can see the results down to the most obscure statistical category (if you want to). In other words, the casual player can observe all the distance numbers they care about, and the more advanced performer can record all their spin rates, angles and speeds.

Beyond the simulators, Ernie Rose Golf has a spacious chipping area and driving nets (ideal for warming up prior to your simulator time or cooling down afterwards). There is a large putting mat and even a three-hole miniature golf layout. Ernie Rose does club fitting (Callaway and TaylorMade Certified), from driver to irons to putters, and there are an assortment of the latest golf-workout toys lying around for you to experiment with. “If its something that will help your game in any way,” Tim says, “we have it. No need to buy something you don’t know works. Come here to try it out, and we’ll see if it works for you.”

Golf groups love coming here to play, and their schedule stays packed during the winter. With dozens of courses available to play on the simulators, on my most recent visit there was a group of three playing Sea Island, next to a couple playing the local private gem Interlachen (it’s “public” here), next to six guys (on side-by-side screens) competing at the sensational Sutton Bay… all in a warm, wind-free, beverage-assisted environment with bean bag chairs and high-top tables.

Yes, you caught that – beverage assisted! You play, they serve you, and that service (new this year) includes an assortment of IPA’s and popular beverages, (alcoholic and nonalcoholic) that will be kept fully stocked at your table. “We’re all about fun here,” Tim says, “Fun with a capital ‘F’.” That’s evident, but it’s also evident that Tim (and Ernie) love meeting, serving and getting to know every golfer that walks in the door. Tim gives anywhere from 30 to 40 lessons a day most days, and their training environment is certainly a phenomenal one.

Open Monday through Saturday from 8AM to 11PM and Sunday 10 to 10, (behind the former Minnesota Vikings headquarters) Ernie Rose Golf is a laid-back atmosphere, with great music, cold drinks, warm weather and tons of space for you and all your golf friends to gather and play. If you haven’t yet been here, come check it out once. Tim and Ernie would love to serve you.