Minnesota Courses

[E_Rock25]

so kaposia has ridiculous erosion issues and the next step is signs? how about addressing the 6-8" drop off on every side of the tee-box or the dust storm that is the whole course.

don't get me wrong, the course design-wise is great, but I gotta agree w the guy earlier about his wife not minding playing bryant. I don't expect every course to come close to bryant or BRP, they're outliers, but even half as nice would be great.

Some of the really bad pads have been replaced already. I hear ya loud and clear but the city is hard to work with. I think we are very spoiled here in the MN metro, I have not played that many out of state courses but I the ones I have played don't even come close to some of the courses you guys think are "Bad/unplayable/not pretty". We should all be happy that we have so many great courses in the state.

Or maybe "WE" should just give up and close great courses that need some updating instead of trying to fix them.

 

[deadbody]

Some of the really bad pads have been replaced already. I hear ya loud and clear but the city is hard to work with. I think we are very spoiled here in the MN metro, I have not played that many out of state courses but I the ones I have played don't even come close to some of the courses you guys think are "Bad/unplayable/not pretty". We should all be happy that we have so many great courses in the state.

Or maybe "WE" should just give up and close great courses that need some updating instead of trying to fix them.

IIRC all of the new teepads at Kaposia were volunteer done. This si the start and end of my problems with Kaposia. If it was free, it would be #1 on my list for best course in the state. It offers more challenge than anything else on the list.

the problem is that it isn't free, it is as expensive as all of the pay2play courses. And unlike all the other pay2play courses where you can see the money going into the course Kaposia is in no better shape today than 4 years ago. The volunteer labor that went into it would have likely gone in anyway.

E_Rock, you are barking up the wrong tree in blaming Kaposias problems on the city being hard to work with. The city frankly doesn't want the course there, and instead of pulling it, they are charging people to use it so that they can pull in some cash. It is dishonest because the city has no plans to improve the course, and the sooner people see that and stop giving money to them for a substandard value, the sooner they will either smarten up and improve the course, or pull it and then realize how much value goes it brought the city.

By continuing to pay for a bad product you are part of the problem.

 

[T.Hizzle]

Some of the really bad pads have been replaced already. I hear ya loud and clear but the city is hard to work with. I think we are very spoiled here in the MN metro, I have not played that many out of state courses but I the ones I have played don't even come close to some of the courses you guys think are "Bad/unplayable/not pretty". We should all be happy that we have so many great courses in the state.

Or maybe "WE" should just give up and close great courses that need some updating instead of trying to fix them.

Paying your season pass fee towards kaposia is like joining the pDGA, you'll never see how your money is being spent. I would much rather see people buying their co-op pass at the Valley. Chucks designs are pretty poor, but at least they are putting the season pass money back into the course. Unlike, Kaposia.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Kenwood Trails in Lakeville will pass several if not all blue level courses in the Twin Cities by next year. There will be two baskets on every hole and two tee pads. At least 6 sets of concrete pads will be poured in July with the remainder completed next year. Fun challenge with lots of elevation, 60% woods and not too long overall. Shorter, hillier version similar to Lakewood or Oakwood.

 

[deadbody]

Kenwood Trails in Lakeville will pass several if not all blue level courses in the Twin Cities by next year. There will be two baskets on every hole and two tee pads. At least 6 sets of concrete pads will be poured in July with the remainder completed next year. Fun challenge with lots of elevation, 60% woods and not too long overall. Shorter, hillier version similar to Lakewood or Oakwood.

Very high on my list of courses to play once summer hits.

 

[Craig639]

Anytime you want to come out to Somerset and get schooled you let me know.

This made me laugh. T. Fizzle, you taking him up on his challenge?

I agree, westside metro courses are slightly overrated, crowded, but aesthetically pleasing and fun when you don't have to wait 10 minutes on every tee pad.
Two courses that are never crowded are Crown and Hyland. Both of which are fun and challenging.

Eastside metro courses are trashy, yet well designed.

Two courses mentioned that get my #1 votes, though neither are in MN, are Mont du Lac and Justin Trails.


Other honorable mentions: Bemidji (new 18-hole layout), Giants Ridge

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I love having so many good courses within driving distance here in the cities.
Outside of the cities, some of my favorites are Giant's Ridge up in Biwabik and Millstream and Riverside in St. Cloud.

If anyone wants to come play Bethel, just let me know. I'm a student there and always looking for someone to come join me. It's a nice 10-holer with plenty of elevation and interesting shots.

 

[deadbody]

I love having so many good courses within driving distance here in the cities.
Outside of the cities, some of my favorites are Giant's Ridge up in Biwabik and Millstream and Riverside in St. Cloud.

If anyone wants to come play Bethel, just let me know. I'm a student there and always looking for someone to come join me. It's a nice 10-holer with plenty of elevation and interesting shots.

I start working in Arden Hills in a couple months. I'll take you up on your offer this summer if I can.

 

[T.Hizzle]

Kenwood Trails in Lakeville will pass several if not all blue level courses in the Twin Cities by next year. There will be two baskets on every hole and two tee pads. At least 6 sets of concrete pads will be poured in July with the remainder completed next year. Fun challenge with lots of elevation, 60% woods and not too long overall. Shorter, hillier version similar to Lakewood or Oakwood.

We got enough blue level courses in the metro area. Where's our freaking gold level course???? What ever happened to the Prior Lake HS course?

 

[E_Rock25]

This made me laugh. T. Fizzle, you taking him up on his challenge?

He would probubly beat me but thats ok (im not that competitive really). I think he is a troll and is really not doing anything positive for the sport or the site that is why I called him out. I am trying to give back to the sport and Fizzle just trolls and puts the sport down, I guess if thats what he has to do to be happy its cool...to each his own.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Maiden Shade in Morristown and Todd Park in Austin are good courses. Bulldog Run near Rochester is one of the better courses you'll find on a ball golf course and the price is reasonable, even with a cart for the day.

 

[E_Rock25]

Kenwood Trails in Lakeville will pass several if not all blue level courses in the Twin Cities by next year. There will be two baskets on every hole and two tee pads. At least 6 sets of concrete pads will be poured in July with the remainder completed next year. Fun challenge with lots of elevation, 60% woods and not too long overall. Shorter, hillier version similar to Lakewood or Oakwood.

Great course Chuck... I got sidetracked by a troll and forgot to mention it. I

Lakeville is a must play for anyone in the metro and when all the work is done it will be an easy 4 disc rated course.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Gold level tees are unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money on public courses. Blue level is where it's at. Private courses can pop for gold level tees for marketing purposes but the blues, whites or reds are the ones that will be played if done well.

 

[E_Rock25]

IIRC all of the new teepads at Kaposia were volunteer done. This si the start and end of my problems with Kaposia. If it was free, it would be #1 on my list for best course in the state. It offers more challenge than anything else on the list.

the problem is that it isn't free, it is as expensive as all of the pay2play courses. And unlike all the other pay2play courses where you can see the money going into the course Kaposia is in no better shape today than 4 years ago. The volunteer labor that went into it would have likely gone in anyway.

I don't know if this is true. Where did you read that? The pad on 10 is profecianaly done for sure as is the one on 17 in the winter layout. There are some that must have been done by volunteers but I know at least three of the really bad ones were replaced by a contractor (maybe hired by the city IDK). The stairs that go down to hole 18 were for sure put in by the city last year to help with the erotion problem.

 

[deadbody]

Gold level tees are unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money on public courses. Blue level is where it's at. Private courses can pop for gold level tees for marketing purposes but the blues, whites or reds are the ones that will be played if done well.

Agree totally with this. Gold level courses will not be often played by the masses, making them a poor use of a cities resources when a blue level course will get more people on it (especially with white or red level alt tees)

 

[Cgkdisc]

At least Crown College put in a shorter configuration because their long (goldish) layout doesn't seem to be as much fun for many players (considering it's at a college). Elm Creek might be decent for many more players if it had a set of white level tees.

 

[MNcyclone]

I don't see the p2p at Kaposia as money spent towards the course, I feel it is money spent towards keeping the unwashed masses out of my fairway. They could refuse to pump another dime into Kaposia and I would be happy with p2p.

That being said I understand the issue. Snelson has insisted that funds would go back into the course and yet only volunteers are being used so who knows what kind of money he is putting in.

 

[E_Rock25]

I don't see the p2p at Kaposia as money spent towards the course, I feel it is money spent towards keeping the unwashed masses out of my fairway. They could refuse to pump another dime into Kaposia and I would be happy with p2p.

That being said I understand the issue. Snelson has insisted that funds would go back into the course and yet only volunteers are being used so who knows what kind of money he is putting in.

Volunteers did not put in the stairs or the pads on 10 and 17 did they? I will P2P for the same reason as you MN.

I know lots of you guys don't like Snelson but he has been nothing but helpful to me. He has helped me by buying me CFR plastic for tournaments so I didn't have to pay out of my own pocket, and runs fun events himself. I have talked with him at length about Kaposia and other courses and I believe that he has nothing but the best intentions. I don't want to speak for the man so I will stop there but I trust his word.

 

[juju]

I bet Kaposia gets pulled within the next three years. That is all.

 

[Craton]

The Valley is harder than BRP, but not as nicely maintained. That is part of why Bryant gets such love it that it is super well maintained, it isn't the hardest course in the city, but it is one that all players can enjoy somewhat.

As much as I LOVE the Valley, and think BRP is horribly overrated, I disagree. If you have a decent arm (400'+) and throw RHBH, you can skip a lot of the lines by playing hyzer routes all day long. Holes 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 (if you're Cale Leviska) all let you skip out on the fairway and pump a big hyzer around the obstaclesl While there are some VERY fun holes there, I'd say it's just under difficulty factor of BRP.

That said, I think BRP has a few holes that are a bit dirty and lucky. I know some people say that there's no such thing as lucky holes, that lots of trees on the fairway just add to the difficulty and if you took them away the hole would be too easy. I guess I just think that if that's the only reason to keep a tree, that's a poorly designed hole. I agree that if you only play there a handful of times a year, it's a sweet course, but I could see how if you lived nearby and hit it up a lot, it doesn't really offer much in terms of interesting holes.

I think I am going to also back up Kaposia as top course in the twin cities, and probably Crown for outside. Kaposia has very interesting lines, a decent amount of elevation change, and is very challenging in the right ways. I am overlooking the fact that it's in dire need of some tender loving care as far as upkeep goes, though, and voting for it purely on terms of what it offers me as a player.