Hawktree Golf Club

My husband has been wanting to golf this course for ages and we finally made it happen! I will sum it up with 3 letters...WOW 😍 The course is absolutely beautiful and well maintained. Though not a requirement for a golf course, it was an added bonus that it was teeming with wildlife. Who knew?! The golf carts are super nice, but the GPS lock on them got a little annoying 😅. The club house was also great. Everyone working was incredibly nice, knowledgeable and genuinely seemed happy to be there. We had lunch and everything was good (probably wouldn't order the stuffed shrimp again - but that is likely a personal taste preference). We now understand why this is in the "Big 3" and have now experienced all of them. They all have different aspects that make them amazing in their own right. But I daresay this is #2 in my book - but i'm not a golfer, I just come for moral support and to experience the beauty that ND has to offer 😁.

I was unaware of Hawktree until I read Tom Coyne's book titled A Course Called America, and he rated it higher than Bully Pulpit in his book. Given a professional golf writer's rating I thought I had better see it for myself. My family and I played nine holes (front nine) on a Tuesday at the end of August. The conditions were very warm. However, the carts were clean, staff was courteous, the starter was helpful and knowledgeable, and the course was in very good condition compared to many courses in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We lost a few balls along the way in the rough of the taller grasses. We also encountered a first: bunkers that utilized black sand. The significantly elevated third hole tee box that played down to a green surrounded by oak trees was a pretty cool hole. The homes that lined the course edges were impressive to view as well. Hopefully on the next pass I can complete the remaining holes.

The only reason this course even deserves one star is because of the layout, which is fantastic. I’ve played this course various times since it was initially built so I’ve seen it through the ups and downs. The last few years are definitely the down years. The fairways are some of the worst fairways I’ve played on. It appears the owner or greenskeeper doesn’t believe in fertilizer, urea, and/or grass seed. It’s unfortunate to hit a drive in the fairway and you have to figure out how you’re going to hit the shot because of the way the ball nestles down into the hardpan. Speaking with locals they told me the greens have been aerated for a month and still aren’t healthy. The local city courses may not have the layout or views that Hawktree has but they are in far superior condition. I really hope the owner/greenskeeper makes some changes because it isn’t the Hawktree it once was.