<< Back to Summary

Driving MN's "Where's Josh" Week 4 Blog

Friday, July 9, 2021

July 5 - Keller Golf Club (St. Paul)

July 7 - Mankato Golf Club (Mankato)

July 7 - Shoreland Country Club (St. Peter)

July 8 - LeSueur Country Club (LeSueur)

July 8 - Montgomery National Golf Club (Montgomery)

July 8 - Ridges at Sand Creek (Jordan)

By Josh Miller

The first round of the week took place Monday at the historic Keller Golf Course in Maplewood. The pristinely-manicured public track was founded in 1929 and over the years has played host to a number of PGA and LPGA events including the St. Paul Open and the PGA Championship. Hole number four, the course’s signature, features a huge oak tree right in front of the green and is one of four difficult par threes on the layout.
 
The weather Tuesday was iffy, so I opted to push those rounds to later on in the week.
 
I played two rounds Wednesday. One round at Shoreland Country Club in St. Peter, the second at Mankato Golf Club. On the 18th hole at Shoreland CC, the impossible occurred. My playing partner Mike got his first ever hole-in-one! That was the first time I’ve ever seen one, and I sure hope it’s not the last.
 
Thursday was a test of my endurance. I visited Le Sueur Country Club, Montgomery National Golf Course, and the Ridges at Sand Creek. I played 45 holes of golf (I only played nine at Montgomery. Sorry.), and by the end of the day I was absolutely exhausted.
 
Le Sueur Country Club was in excellent condition and I played with Al, a member of the course who in his prime was a two handicap. Fun to see how though distance may fade with age, accuracy and the short-game allow older players to compete with young guns.
 
Montgomery National had an interesting twist, as the course was Beatles-themed. In front of the clubhouse was a 20-foot-tall guitar, and each hole was named after a Beatles song. More courses should name their holes, I think it helps to give the course a personality.
 
My third and final round of the day brought me to the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. This is an awesome course with either trees or ridges (hence the name) lining each hole. The layout was such that a good player can score really low or really high depending on how he or she is playing, and I always find that to be a sign of a really good golf course. The course is home to the MSHSL AA State Championship each year, so the finishing holes are designed such that drama is always possible.
 
Favorite Hole: Number 11 at Mankato Golf Club is a gettable par five. Bunkers on the right side of the fairway force an accurate tee shot, and the approach coming into the green requires you to deal with water left and short. On paper, the water shouldn’t be a problem, but a tough pin placement on the left side forces players to make a choice between being safe or aggressive. It’s just a beautiful, well-designed golf hole many consider to be Mankato GC’s signature.

Most Interesting Person: Mike Malone, General Manager at the Ridges at Sand Creek and President of the Minnesota Golf Association, has been around the game a long time. He began working at Faribault GC in 7th grade before eventually becoming the head professional at Dahlgreen GC in Chaska at the age of 22. He was fascinated by the golf business, and founded one of the largest distributors of golf carts in the nation.
 
That success allowed him to build the Ridges at Sand Creek. He’s defined the course’s niche by targeting golfers who play around 25 rounds per year — good golfers who may not have the time to justify joining a private club. And, Malone emphasizes rewarding loyal customers, offering better deals to frequent players.
 
Mike Malone is a leader in the Minnesota Golfing community, and with a course like the Ridges at Sand Creek, it’s easy to see why.

Best Shot: Are you kidding? The hole-in-one!!! No explanation needed.
 
All Scores:
 
Keller: 84 (+12)
Shoreland: 80 (+11)
Mankato: 42 (+6)
Le Sueur: 84 (+12)
Montgomery National: 40 (+4)
Ridges at Sand Creek: 82 (+10)

6550 York Avenue South, Suite 411 • Edina, MN 55435 • (952) 927-4643 • (800) 642-4405 • Fax: (952) 927-9642
© 2024 Minnesota Golf Association. All Rights Reserved