North Dakota Golf | GolfGearReview.com

North Dakota Golf
Andrew Penner

MEDORA, ND - In the movie Fargo, that demented but wildly entertaining flick by the Coen brothers, North Dakotans were depicted as thick-accented hicks living ultra-simple lives. And, undoubtedly, there’s a bunch of folks living there who don’t get out much. Never been to the big city. Never strolled through Times Square. Never had dinner on the Champs Elysees. But, in their defence, it’s like that in any rural region, isn’t it? One thing is certain, though, many a North Dakotan knows what a great golf course looks like. After all, North Dakota is home to three of the finest courses in the Mid West.

For those of you who have never been to North Dakota – and that would be most of you - there are many pleasant surprises waiting to be discovered in this northerly state. For starters, the folks who call this state home don’t talk like the stiff-faced morons in Fargo. Yes, they do tend to be down-to-earth and “rural,” but they don’t live under rocks (nor do they make it a habit of stuffing dead bodies into wood chippers).

Secondly, North Dakota is far from the frozen wasteland that was depicted in the sordid kidnapping tale. This is a land that’s rich in diversity, bursting with color and interesting terrain. (OK, come January it does get cold. Sometimes damn cold). In summer, however, this is vivid, alive-and-well prairie, brilliantly checkered with canola, wheat, and barley. And, added to the mix are the famous badlands. In fact, the western third of the state is a chaotic collection of hoodoos, swirling sandstone, rolling ranchland, all immersed in western tradition. And, snaking through the scenic maze, mighty rivers: the Red, the Missouri, the Knife, and the Little Missouri.

Not surprisingly, it’s along these peaceful waters where many of North Dakota’s best golf courses have been routed. For example, located in the northwest corner of the state near Williston, The Links of North Dakota could easily be the best golf course you’ve never heard of. Tumbling through dunes and native grasses high above Lake Sakakawea, which is actually a damned section of the Missouri, The Links of North Dakota is a fantastically remote, British Isles-like experience. Holes charge through windy, grass-lined chutes, fescue-framed bunkers bite into landing zones, and huge rolling greens sit in natural depressions or are perched on exposed shelves.

Architect Stephen Kay, one of the world’s premier “classic” golf course architects, moved very little earth at The Links, but found the perfect channels to lay out golf holes. The short 11th, one of four outstanding par-3 holes on the course, is reminiscent of some of the great one-shotters in golf (Royal Troon’s “Postage Stamp,” Shinnecock’s 11th, etc.). It’s a truly exceptional short, uphill par-3 that features a mean little bunker and a tiny green that tilts away from the tee. “The people who make the trip out here are rewarded with an outstanding test of golf,” says Head Professional Matt Bryant. “There’s plenty of strategy in the layout, some great views, and the wind makes every round a challenge. We’ve got a great ‘Scottish’ course here. Really, one of the best inland links courses in North America.”

On the other end of the spectrum (in terms of architectural style), the Hawktree Golf Club in Bismark shows architect Jim Engh’s zest for dramatic, earth-transforming designs. Where The Links has a traditional, old-world feel, Hawktree is big, bold, and contemporary. Adding to the course’s drama is the use of black coal slag instead of sand in the bunkers.

Jim Engh’s work at Hawktree has not gone unnoticed either. Golf World ranks this course as one of the top modern courses in the US (17th) and Golf Digest ranks it number one in the state. The topsy-turvy route, which takes golfers high on the plains and down into the gusty floor of the Burnt Creek Valley (a tributary of the Missouri), takes full advantage of the compelling site. The 7th, a great gambling par-5 that starts high on a bluff, teases golfers to blast a tee shot over the hill to a blind landing area. If successful, the green can be hit in two with a medium or even a short iron.

Unfortunately, the movie Fargo did not take viewers into the striking badlands regions of North Dakota’s west. And that, like the ending of the movie, was shameful (anyone squeamish might want to turn away for the final “getting rid of the body” scene). At any rate, the badlands town of Medora, located two hours west of Bismarck, is the perfect place for non-golfers – and, now, thanks to a new golf course, golfers - to explore.

This quiet two-pub town is most famous for its outdoor evening musical and pitchfork fondue. High on a hill above Medora’s rustic storefronts, it’s seating carved into the arid slopes, the Medora Musical is a professional blend of western song and dance – all dedicated to the 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, who called this area home and credited his experiences here to leading him down the road to presidency. Prior to the show, they serve up succulent prime rib steaks cooked over the open barby. It’s a tradition that’s been going on for 30 years.

While Medora used to be golf free, its landscape has changed considerably with the addition of Bully Pulpit, a gorgeous 18-holer designed by Dr. Michael Hurzden. Opened in spring of 2003, Bully Pulpit is a sultry blend of smooth riverside holes and a wild finishing run in the badlands.

The architecture here, however, is gracefully simple. Rather than scrape, scour, and completely redecorate the flat, tree-flecked terrain, Hurzdan opted to leave the majority of the site as is. Consequently, this is one of the softest, most natural “big name” courses that’s been built in the modern age. Green complexes are generally simple and uncluttered. Hurzden, however, deals the golfer a stiff hand with plenty of length and challenging, option-laced holes that can reward an aggressive shot but severely punish a poor one. Ultimately, though, this is a course that will be remembered for its roller coaster run in the badlands. Starting at the 14th, a narrow par-4 pinched between ancient sandstone walls, Bully Pulpit switches gears and thrusts golfers into a new world of anything-can-happen golf. The 15th, a knee-shaker of a par-3, features a tee perched on the highest, most exposed ledge in sight and requires golfers to hit a small hanging green protected by a huge sand pit and eroded sandstone. It’s the type of shot, the kind of hole, that’s worth the price of admission alone. From there, the course plummets down the hill in the form of an ultra-wide 460-yard par-4 where you won’t be able to resist hitting driver in hopes of launching one to kingdom come.

Conveniently, these three standout courses – The Links, Hawktree, and Bully Pulpit – are packaged together in what is now called The Lewis and Clark Golf Trail. Speckled throughout the state – along the historic route from the famous 1804 expedition – are over 200 golf holes. Additional gems, such as Prairie West, Linton, and Apple Creek, rest in the hollows and dart along the rivers, through the shadows of giant cottonwoods, some of which were young saplings when Lewis and Clark explored this beautiful land. Some of which have now succumbed to the wood chipper.

Andrew Penner’s golf humor book, One Flew Over The Caddyshack, is available at Amazon.com.