Troy Burne – A Fall Golf Treat
By R.J. Smiley
Aeration!! Aerification!! Punching the greens!! Question: Why do golf course superintendents punch holes into their beautiful greens every fall, making them nearly unplayable for the balance of the season? Answer: Aeration is a necessary evil. No Fall Aeration At Troy Burne! In 1996 when Michael Hurdzan and Tom Lehman designed the golf course at Troy Burne (Troy Burne is Lehman’s first “Signature” course), no one thought that it would become the hottest Fall golf venue in the Twin Cities area. The golf course is a splendid design and always maintained to perfection, but the greens are the pride and joy of superintendent, Mitch Fossey. Each day the greens are mowed with walk-behind, single cut, hand mowers (the kind that leave that narrow mower stripe like country club greens), not the riding triplex mowers used by the majority of golf courses. Then the greens are rolled. “What difference does rolling make?” you ask. Only the difference between really good greens and PERFECT GREENS. To quote head golf professional, Dave Tentis, “rolling the greens takes all the little bumps out of them and the ball rolls-out about a foot farther on the stimpmeter. The ball seems to glide along on these greens, it seems to almost never stop.” Tentis should know, he played several years on the PGA TOUR and, has competed in the PGA Championship 4 times (from 2002-2005) – you know the tournament that Jason Dufner just won where the best players in the world compete. In 2012 Tentis earned a nice check at the 3M Championship. He knows perfect greens! Even though Troy Burne was built as a residential community with a golf course as an amenity, the home sites do not really interfere with the panoramic views, especially when the autumn colors are so prevalent. The development got its name from the combination of the Troy Township, where the course is located, and Burne, the Scottish word for creek. The “Burne” within Troy Burne is a man made waterway that provides a combination of water hazards and beautiful photo-ops for all golfers. The replica of the Swilken Bridge at St. Andrews that crosses the burne between the 10th green and the 11th tee gives golfers the flavor of yesteryear – on a modern golf course. Most of the home sites within the Troy Burne development are sold, but after you have experienced the quality of the golf course you may want to check in to the few lots that are still available. Each season Troy Burne is chosen as the repeat site for many corporate tournaments. Troy Burne has proven that it has the staff, the equipment, the experience and most of all, the golf course to create a corporate outing that every customer and guest will remember. When guests experience a perfectly manicured Tom Lehman golf course combined with good food and attention to detail in a peaceful rural setting they appreciate the experience. If these guests are looking for the signature hole, they might be disappointed. Troy Burne is a golf course that does not have a signature hole, but a signature series of holes (10 through 14) that run along the burne; then throw in the water guarded #17 with a fancy mansion as a backdrop and it’s tough to find a better back 9 in the state. On any given day, any hole in this signature series might be the signature hole, based on the pin placement. Troy Burne, like all Lehman courses, was designed as a course capable of hosting a professional golf tournament; in fact, Troy Burne was the host site for the 2004 and 2005 Scholarship America Showdown on the PGA TOUR’s development tour now know as the Web.com Tour. The pros were challenged by the numerous deep-faced bunkers that define the fairways and the green-side bunkers that force pin point approaches to the tough but fair pin placements. The everyday golfers appreciate the variety of different tees, with one to fit their game, and generous landing areas that the bent grass fairways provide. Troy Burne Golf Club is just across the St. Croix River in Hudson, WI, and is the perfect course for that special game with your favorite foursome. Troy Burne is an absolute must play. ESPECIALLY IN THE FALL WHEN THE GREENS ARE PERFECT! |