Southern Hills Golf Course – Subtle Hills, Obvious Thrills

What I remember most fondly about Southern Hills Golf Course is not the individual golf holes, but the entire golf experience around the collection of golf holes. That’s not to say the course itself is anything less than fun… it’s merely elaborating on what ownership and management are doing here in terms of appealing to the broader Twin Cities, Minnesota and Midwest audience. They don’t back away from ANY opportunity to bring in new golfers to play.

Southern Hills is what I like to refer to as a Public Private Club – Country Club opportunities (and service) at municipal rates. They have Club Championships, Member-Guest Events, Member Appreciation Days, and other events galore like Big Cup Championships, Leagues and even Parent/Child initiatives to grow the love of the game, and the love of playing the game together (family and friends). Southern Hills welcomes guests with or without members (totally open to the public), but encourages visitors to join the club by demonstrating all the ways they believe they are “The Best Golf Value in the Twin Cities.” (With Peak Rates with cart at less than $60 per person.)

As a Par 71 course at just over 6,300 yards, the layout is a meet-in-the-middle compromise on length and challenge, with four sets of tees greeting all golfers at their own comfort level, and just the right amount of hazards scattered in. The greens are large and welcoming, exactly what amateurs seek for reassurance and what the more skilled appreciate for honing their games.

Visitors to Southern Hills this year will find a newly renovated clubhouse, and upgraded course conditions in areas only management knew needed to be improved upon. That’s another fact I appreciate – the initiative and resolve to stay ahead of the curve on what the course needs, and to do their best to give each guest the best experience possible (on and off the golf course). If GolfAdvisor ratings are an appropriate barometer of success, it’s obvious (at 4.0 stars) that the golfing public appreciates the consistency in the efforts.

Like many regulars, I’ve come to appreciate Southern Hills more and more with each successive visit. I love that it is open, fast, fair and fun. If you’ve read my Southern Hills articles over the years, you’ve likely noted my reference to it as “Subtle Hills” – a nod to the gentle ebb and flow architecture… with even more “flow” in the meandering streams and ponds around the course.

Southern Hills provides a “different” golf experience in some unique, cool and clever ways. They’ve introduced phenomena like music on the first tee, Convenience Stations (beyond the turn) at 7 and 15, a strong Junior Golf program, Friday Night Date Nights and Sunday Fundays (with many inclusive food/drink specials).

I routinely complement the great service provided by GM Nate Cardin and his well-trained staff, but all the other memorable aspects of the “golf experience” are in equal focus at this gorgeous field of golf holes in Farmington. I change day-to-day on my “signature hole” selections, and you probably will, too. I honestly can’t decide if my favorite hole on the front is the 6^th, with its many elements of beauty and the pond-guarded green, or the stellar 9^th with another pond-guarded green. And picking a favorite hole on the back… well (as I’ve said several times)… I couldn’t possibly. (So why try?)

Hanging out in the 19^th Hole post-round I found many a grateful patron raving about the greens, with some going as far as to claim them the fastest, best conditioned, and most fun they’d played all year. I’ve played all over the United States, so I can’t say the same (nothing tops the speed of the Norman Course at Red Sky Ranch), but these greens are tough to stick, tough to read and almost impossible to one (or two putt) if you get caught too far above the hole. That said, the consistent challenge only augments my appreciation of the course in general. I love the amount of forgiveness off the tees, that you can hammer the driver all day all over the place and not be punished for occasional… deviations. Southern Hills is certainly a course everyone can play and love, every day, regardless of skill level. With everything right there in front of you, the options are always visible and the risks and (major) rewards (from a scorecard perspective)… bountiful.

I mentioned the 2018 upgrades… Southern Hills has a formidable Augusta-Style clubhouse, with a great pro shop and Clubhouse Grill to hang out in. The Clubhouse is open year round for Holiday Parties and even winter events for up to 60 people, but in “golf season” the Clubhouse and Pavilion can host 150 more guests for weddings, corporate outings and other events with a scenic, 50-foot wall of windows overlooking the golf course.

So, is it the best value in Twin Cities golf? You decide.