Minneapolis / St Paul

[roggenb3]

I'm in St Paul on a work trip through Thursday, but took a vacation day Friday to stay and disc - mainly to play Blue Ribbon Pines bc it's one of those I have wanted to play for years now.

Now that I start looking around though, there seems to be a huge number of great courses (3.5+ rated on here). I will have Thursday night, and all day Friday and Saturday to play (although I plan on leaving mid-day sat to play a couple sconnie courses on the way back to madtown). Here's my current plan, tell me which courses I am planning on playing that I shouldn't, and which ones I should play that I am not planning on doing. Please and thank you.

Thusday night: Bryant Lake
Friday: Oakwood, The Valley, Kaposia, Lakewood Hills
Saturday: Blue Ribbon Pines, then leave MN and hit both Justin Trails courses in WI on the way back.

I am open to any and all suggestions. :hfive:

 

[elmexdela]

looks good

edit-crown college would be a good stop if you have time after bryant but i would put priority on bryant. and crown is just to far west... but worth the drive

 

[Peter 127]

I would probably switch it up as follows. My reasoning is driving directions and BRP can be mentally draining

Thursday: BRP
Friday: Bryant, Lakewood, Kaposia, (either Valley or Oakwood)
Saturday: Valley or Oakwood

 

[Cgkdisc]

Tournament at Oakwood on Saturday.

 

[roggenb3]

Just thought I'd give my quick thoughts on these courses rather than doing real reviews.

I ended up doing oakwood on thursday, then valley, kaposia, and 2 rounds at bryant on friday, then BRP on sat.

Best overall course in my opinion was Bryant Lake. Absolutely the most beautiful course I've seen yet. It's the easiest of the ones I played, but it makes up for the lack of challenge by being so f'in nice looking. I'm not sure how I feel about the dual baskets, but it makes for some nice looking greens with 2 baskets, especially hole 16 (i think - the one with the huge rock by the baskets).

By far the hardest of these was Kaposia in my opinion. I was playing decent (but not putting well) and was +15 after 24 (I guess I missed 2 holes). This is the course I most want to play again. Very difficult, really makes you pull out all your throws, and huge penalties for hitting the trees.

I will forever have bad memories of oakwood due to the people there. There were multiple groups that were consistently throwing before we were done even though they could clearly see us. Nice course though, and it was in tourney shape with fresh mulch everywhere so I think I saw it at it's best. Kind of reminds me a bit of Elver in Madison. Hole 2 was unplayable due to a little league game.

The valley was awesome - a great mix of easy enough birdies and difficult holes (lookin at you, hole 2). It was a bit soggy when I was there, but the course was in great shape. Loved that long one over the pond. Like the course, but nothing terribly memorable. Found a disc and called the guy who said he lost it over 2 years ago.

BRP I played through rain and wind on a morning that was 58F, so my opinion of the course is inevitably skewed by this. By hole 7 I had given up trying to drive far since my towels were useless already and everything was slippin. Kind of wish I had waited around the shop and played with some locals. Overall though, this is one of the nicest courses I ever played. I was stoked to pull off the 4 on hole 4 in the rain after looking at pics of that hole for years. Rivals Bryant for the prettiest course.

 

[E_Rock25]

How was Justin Trails? Havent been yet this year.

 

[roggenb3]

How was Justin Trails? Havent been yet this year.

Skipped it bc it was storming there. That storm missed Madison so I just played Token Creek instead.

I'm planning on checking it out soon though.