The Lakes Course - Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge

The Lakes Course 

Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge

Deerwood, Minnesota

Branelle and I just spent a week in Minnesota, and in my quest to play every course in the central part of the state I hit Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge and tried The Lakes Course.  They also have a 2nd course called Alec's Nine, but I'll have to check that one off another time.

Teeing off on #1

The weather was perfect - about 70 degrees and sunny - and I was playing on the same day I would have been playing in my golf league had I been back in Houston where they were undoubtedly dealing with humid temps near 100.  I couldn't resist texting a picture to Barry to ask if he thought I should play with my sweater on or off.

What a mess!  This is what happens when you play baseball/softball & golf.  I'm over-rotating, my elbow is broken, and I'm transferring my weight back.  At least I'm keeping my eye on the ball.

The resort is about 40 minutes east from where Nel's parents live.  The facilities were nice.  We had lunch at the restaurant there before our round.  BTW - They have an appetizer called "Peanut Butter Garlic Cheese Bread".  Don't do it.  My curiosity got the better of me and it was a mistake.

The course is fairly challenging, but not long.  Where they get you here is not length, but positioning.  You really have to pay attention to where you end up for your approach shots.  I hit a few drives that I thought were perfect and ended up blocked on my approach shot.  If you play from the Championship Tees it gets close to 7000 yards, but I stayed with the Men's Tees at around 6300.

 

The temps rose to a blistering 72 degrees - I had to shed the pullover.

A good example of positioning - I hit my tee shot here on #14 down the right side of the fairway and was completely blocked.  The place to be would have been over the hill down the left.

My caddie. 

Branelle had popped her shoulder out of socket trying on a dress in Wichita Falls right before heading up here so she wasn't playing golf.  She decided to caddie though, which gives me a whole list of excuses as to why I shot an 85 in perfect conditions with no wind.  First off, she insisted on driving which is something I always do.  That probably cost me 3 strokes a side.  Next, she also insisted on helping me read my putts, which was really cute but not particularly effective:  "I think it's going to break left."  "My left or your left?"  You get the idea.

I'm kidding, of course.  I didn't hit the ball particularly well, but a real reason I scored so poorly was putting.  Putting isn't usually an issue for me, but I never got a feel for these greens.  I got the speed down, which is what you usually struggle with on new courses, but I kept misreading break. 

Birdie putt on #18 - Missed!  18 Is the Signature hole here and in spite of the course name, one of the few where water is an issue.  It's a 215 yard par 3 and it's really all carry.  I hit a great 5-wood to this spot and was deafened by applause from the massive gallery of at least 10 people sitting on the patio watching folks finish their rounds.  I was also heckled for missing the putt. 

The Lakes Course is a really nice place.  It's in good shape, not particularly expensive, the people were nice - all in all a good time.