Best Kept Golf Secret in North Dakota.

Dakota Winds Golf Course
Check out this Golf Course
This past weekend I had the pleasure to golfing the Dakota Winds golf course in Hankinson, ND. This event has become a yearly thing, every summer during the third weekend of July I go golfing group of guys that I know, this years group numbered 20. This year the guy that sets up this weekend worked out a deal for us to play at the Dakota Winds golf course. The price tag for this golf weekend: three nights and five rounds of golf grand total $255.00.

The Course
If a person were to use one word to describe this golf course it would be unbelievable. Every hole is unique and has a different challenge facing you, there are huge deep bunkers lining each fairway and green. The Dakota Winds Sisseston golf course from the tips is a whooping 7000 yards long, but that doesn't end there. For the golfers that are less skilled like myself (I am a 17 USGA handicap) your challenge from the White tees is still a modest 6500 yards long. Basically this golf course is not a short course by anyone standards, some of the courses that I have golfed over the years are 6500 yards from the tips. The fairways on most holes are wide but a way ward shot will punish you and you are almost certain to card a double or triple bogey for misfired shots. You have to think your way around the golf course, and I advise playing the smart shot or your score will balloon quickly. Duff a shot and you will be hitting a long iron or a wood into the small greens that course has. Hitting long irons or woods to the greens only spells more trouble if you have the propensity push or pull your golf shots. I have been known to hit a gradual fade.

There is a lot of long fescue and there are many pot ponds posted all over the course, all of which seem to be where a bogey golfer hit their shots. Over the course of the weekend I lost at least a dozen golf balls, most of which were nice balls straight out my bag that had never been hit. I am sure they will end up in the recycled ball jar at the golf course later this season. The sand traps were just like I like them hard but if you hit your shot thin you might hit the lip of the bunker your trying to get out of. Here are a few of the holes that really caught my eye.

The Hole of the Course
Hole 2
The second hole is a 462 yard par four that has a invisible pond guarding the fairway. This is by far the longest par 4 that I have ever played. The first time I played this hole I launched a drive down the left side only to discover that I had the deposited my new ball into the pond. Now on your second shot if you are able to hit your approach shot to the green there is a bunker guarding the green on the left and another pond guarding the green on the left. Once you get to the green, that in its self is another challenge, the green is severely slopped green that can add more challenge if you go bombing past the hole. I was able to make a couple of bogies on this hole and one time ended up carding a tripple bogey seven after attempting a putt for par.

One Tough Par Three
Hole 6
This hole was a monster, and bogey is a good score. The hole is 137 yards long from the whites and if the wind is blowing it plays longer and harder. I hit an 8 iron to this green all 5 times that I played this hole and ended up with a different result each time. You either hit the green or end up in the water or if your lucky enough to miss the water you might end up in a very deep bunker on the left side of the green. Miss the green or the bunker and your dropping your ball, because there is no room for error. I lost a few balls on this hole. The green itself is another story and it slopes and funnels to the rear. I literally say one of my playing partners sink about a 45 foot par putt.

Monster Par Five
Hole 16
Hole number 16 is one of the hardest holes that I have ever played as far as par fives go. Its 548 yards long and seems longer, you literally could go driver three wood four iron into the green if the wind is blowing from the west. There is water on both sides of the fairway and the green is very small guarded by two bunkers. I did manage to birdie this hole the only one that I made all weekend. That time down the fairway I smashed my drive about 280, on my second shot hit a low screaming three wood and then hit a 8 iron to 2 feet on the approach. Yep I did have to putt this one.

Affordable Golf
The golf course is affordable the price is around $45.00 with a cart I do believe that there is a twilight rate and you can walk the course for $35.00. If you’re a person that likes to tip back a few while you golf the price of drinks is unbelievable. Mixed drinks were around 3 dollars and a six pack of beer was $15.00 a steal if you are used to golfing in the Red River Valley. The PGA Professional Nick Wimer is a class act and very easy to work with I recommend giving him a call. Call 1-800-325-6825, ext. 546 for all the Stay & Play Packages.