North Dakota and South Dakota

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

I am thinking about a quick trip up to North Dakota (one of 6 states left to visit) to play some golf this summer while the wife goes to Florida to see her parents.

 

Now I will add a few other stops because the wife decided she would like to go. Here is my rough iteinerary:

 

Hawktree (ND)

Minot CC (ND)

Painted Woods (ND)

Links of ND

Medicine Hole (ND)

Bully Pulpit (ND)

GC Red Rock (SD)

Elkhorn Ridge (SD) 

 

I might add in 2 AIr Force Base courses to break up some long drives and to just get out of the car for a bit:

 

Minot AFB

Ellsworth AFB

 

Bent Tree GC near Council Bluffs, Iowa

 

Last 3 near Kansas City, MO

 

Hillcrest GC

Swope Memorial GC

 

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by BEND OF THE RIVER GC

[shortstop20]

On 1/25/2022 at 12:35 PM, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

I am thinking about a quick trip up to North Dakota (one of 6 states left to visit) to play some golf this summer while the wife goes to Florida to see her parents.

 

Now I will add a few other stops because the wife decided she would like to go. Here is my rough iteinerary:

 

Hawktree (ND)

Minot CC (ND)

Painted Woods (ND)

Links of ND

Medicine Hole (ND)

Bully Pulpit (ND)

GC Red Rock (SD)

Elkhorn Ridge (SD) 

 

I might add in 2 AIr Force Base courses to break up some long drives and to just get out of the car for a bit:

 

Minot AFB

Ellsworth AFB

 

Last 2 near Kansas City, MO

 

Hillcrest GC

Swope Memorial GC

 

 

Red Rock and Elkhorn Ridge are both good, you'll enjoy those. I can't speak to any of the courses in North Dakota as I've not played there. 

 

If for some reason you have time, consider Southern Hills in Hot Springs, SD. 

[tmvander]

The ND courses you mentioned are the ones you'll want to hit.  Sadly you'll do a LOT of driving but i think you'll find it worth it.  Look for the stay and play packages that are offered with the Minot CC as they are a super good deal.  

[nitram]

Bully Pulpit by itself is worth the drive and the best on your list.

 

Red Rocks and Elkhorn are solid courses and both have a good vibe.

 

While you're around there you can play Tomahawk as well. Spending a night or two in Deadwood is pretty sweet too.

 

As @shortstop20 mentioned, Hot Springs is pretty cool too. It's one of the oldest courses in SD and just a fun track to play.

 

 

 

 

[Cysmic]

Also, you may want to check but Bully Pulpit may be undergoing some course work.  I thought I saw something on their website about some holes being closed/temporarily shortened.  

[PigPyle]

+1 for Southern Hills in Hot Springs but can’t go wrong with Red Rock and Elkhorn Ridge. 

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

I'll add those to the list. Definitely doing the Monot CC stay and play. It's going to be a bit of driving, but I don't mind. 

[greglarson2]

Not sure when it's going to open (mid/late summer possibly), or when you are heading there, but you might want to keep an eye on Landmand just outside Sioux City. It's from King and Collins who designed Sweetens Cove and is highly anticipated. 

 

https://www.landmandgc.com/

[bcflyguy1]

On 4/9/2022 at 7:37 PM, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

I'll add those to the list. Definitely doing the Monot CC stay and play. It's going to be a bit of driving, but I don't mind. 

The Vardon Club on the west side of Minot is a charming place that's typically in fine shape. It used to be the site of Minot CC, but was destroyed by the great flood of 2011. Course has been brought back from the dead as a labor of love by several folks associated with the club prior to the flood.

If you want to play the Rough Rider at Minot AFB just to say you played it, it's a 9 hole pasture pool loop with two sets of tees. No idea what sort of shape it might be in. However, would recommend the Vardon or even Souris Valley (Minot's muni that's also back from the dead after the '11 flood) as a second Minot area course to play.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Here is my current lineup:

 

Hawktree

Painted Woods

Minot CC

Links ND

Medicine Hole 9

Bully Pulpit

Elkhorn Ridge

Spearfish Canyon

GC Red Rock

Bent Tree (Iowa)

Firekeeper (KS)

Swope Memorial (MO)

Hillcrest (MO)

 

Still trying to figure out a way to tell my wife that I am playing this many courses in between sightseeing!

 

[jcleve]

I am a member of hawktree and painted woods you will enjoy both.  Hawktree is in way better condition right now.  Both courses have alot of elevation change and beautiful views.  Good luck

[TUGolfer06]

I thought King's Walk in Grand Forks was very good! 

 

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

These are the courses that I was able to play:

 

Dakota Winds

Hawktree

Links of North Dakota

Bully Pulpit

Elkhorn Ridge

 

If I had a do over I would have skipped the Links of ND and played Minot CC instead. I am glad I was able to check out some courses in the middle of nowhere. I thought Hawktree was better than anything else out there, great course.

 

[eboettne]

On 7/31/2022 at 1:16 PM, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

These are the courses that I was able to play:

 

Dakota Winds

Hawktree

Links of North Dakota

Bully Pulpit

Elkhorn Ridge

 

If I had a do over I would have skipped the Links of ND and played Minot CC instead. I am glad I was able to check out some courses in the middle of nowhere. I thought Hawktree was better than anything else out there, great course.

 

What sort of condition was Links of ND in?  That's usually the knock against it.  Played Minot CC for the 1st time last summer and thought it was great!

 

Also, what are your thoughts on Dakota Winds? Always have planned to do a stay and play there for a weekend but never worked out.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Links of North Dakota was in poor condition, it was $95 too. I was quite disappointed. Should have played Minot CC instead. Oh well.

 

I really liked Dakota Winds, it was in great shape, it's a fun course in the wind (it was windy that day), and pretty much we had the course all to ourselves. The hotel there at the casino is maybe on par with a Super 8 motel but it was OK. We did not gamble as it was way too smokey in there. My round was included in the price of the hotel room ($139 for the room) and my wife's round was only $25 more, with cart. 

[bcflyguy1]

49 minutes ago, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

Links of North Dakota was in poor condition, it was $95 too. I was quite disappointed. Should have played Minot CC instead. Oh well.

 

I really liked Dakota Winds, it was in great shape, it's a fun course in the wind (it was windy that day), and pretty much we had the course all to ourselves. The hotel there at the casino is maybe on par with a Super 8 motel but it was OK. We did not gamble as it was way too smokey in there. My round was included in the price of the hotel room ($139 for the room) and my wife's round was only $25 more, with cart. 

Pity to hear that Red Mike was in poor shape; their fortunes are heavily tied to that of the local oil industry so it's not all that surprising. Love that place, but also surprised that it's survived as long as it has. One of those things that's a great idea in theory, but not so much in practice.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

If they are smart the course shoukd be farmland and they should be getting $ from the government NOT to farm it as well. The bones are there, but not the conditions, and I don't even expect superior conditioning either. Hawktree was the star of my drive through North Dakota, it was awesome.