My first glimpse of Jim Engh’s Hawktree Golf Club in Bismarck, North Dakota left me awestruck… slack-jawed… utterly flabbergasted. It was in 2010, ten years ago, and they were celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary. The head pro at the time had gotten so used to the stunned expression of underestimating guests, that he’d resigned himself to modestly responding to their unfailing amazement with, “Yeah, it’s a nice place.”

Nice place? Hogwash. “Nice place” is essentially an insult to Hawktree – visually and experientially. The place is a-maz-ing! Now, North Dakota has PLENTY of beautiful scenery – I’m not suggesting I was naively expecting barren wasteland. But you could have never convinced me that the 100^th course I’d ever played on earth would be in North Dakota, and that it would be my absolute favorite (of those first 100). Here we are now, 10 years later, and Hawktree is celebrating their 20^th Anniversary. I’ve played another 492 courses around the world since then, and my rankings have changed somewhat, but… I STILL consider it one of the best courses I’ve ever played (certainly one of the most mind-blowing) and will NEVER forget stepping up to those windows in the clubhouse wide-eyed, and retrieving my jaw from the floor.

The current head pro laughs appreciatively when I tell him that story. “I get it, man,” he says. “I remember feeling the same way.” Michael Herzog didn’t just feel that way, he still FEELS that way. He’s still impressed, especially with the people of Bismarck (who have warmly embraced him and his family) and still feels blessed to work at Hawktree every day. “It’s been an interesting year already,” he admits (the season just underway), reflecting on what the country has been going through as a whole, “but we haven’t really been restricted here – at least you’d never really be impacted by it in the Hawktree experience. This is still a great place to escape the city or come on a road trip and just relax.”

Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota, the second biggest city in the state, with a broad metro population around 130,000. At 400 miles from the Twin Cities it’s a decent drive (about 5½ hours from the Twin Cities), but June to September is the best time to visit, and during those four months you can easily get there in a half-day, golf, spend a night, golf again and get back home. “The Twin Cities is a great golf group and weekend warrior market for us,” Michael says (a native Minnesotan himself), but locals LOVE us and don’t like to leave too many open tee times.” (He laughs.) “Plus, Minot is only 100 miles north and Fargo only 200 miles east.” In other words, they’re doing great just as they are, but… “But, we’d LOVE to get you here!” (“Never-been-there golfers… he’s talking to you!)

It almost feels wrong to give away how surprised you’ll be here. I WANT you to experience the same emotions – the same element of shock. The 18-hole, Par 72 championship course is exhilarating beginning to end. Fairways disappear over rolling hills then rocket up to plateaus. The color contrasts are so stark, between the bright greens and various shades of grass and browns to the black sand bunkers. Morning and evening shadows bound across the mounds… the reflections in the various aquatic bodies are so perfect and clear… and there are trees! So many trees (revealing my ignorance, I know)! I’ve always known Jim Engh to be masterful in his designs, in every setting, but the results here near the Missouri River are quite otherworldly. He built a “U.S. Top 100 Course” in North Dakota.

Expect to use every club in the bag on this links-style course (with only 80 acres of irrigated grass). You CAN walk, but truthfully even die-hard walkers enjoy the roller coaster ride in a cart (and/or on their NEW Finn Cycles). A half-dozen holes stand out in my mind, but the 3-Par 3^rd hole (with it’s 80-foot drop tee to green), the incredible, downhill 5-Par 7^th hole (with the black sand bunkers wrapping around the pond) and the 3-Par 15^th over water might be my personal highlights.

Eric and his exceptional grounds crew keep the course in immaculate shape. The wind is known to whip its way around. You are exposed to all the awesome elements of nature and of golf in an unforgettable four hours. “And the wildlife,” Michael points out – an unabashed animal lover. “There’s a ton of wildlife out here – both predators and prey.” On cue the piercing cry of a circling hawk gets my attention. “Imagine what it’d be like to be that bird,” Michael marvels, “to see this course from up there.”

Honestly, I wouldn’t trade places with that or any bird. There’s no way a bird has it better than I do as a golfer, getting to be down here playing amazing courses like this.