Escape to a Stillwater Golf Club

When you drive into the grounds at StoneRidge Golf Club in Stillwater, you become immediately aware that you are in for a special round of golf. The big welcome sign followed by the beautiful tree-lined drive to the clubhouse raises your anticipation level and jumpstarts the excitement about to take place. And once on the course, StoneRidge Golf Club does not disappoint.

Although StoneRidge (which opened its doors in 2000) is located just off interstate 94 in Stillwater, this excellently conditioned Bobby Weed design will soon make you feel as though you’re transported somewhere else. The links-style StoneRidge course features bentgrass fairways framed by native fescue grass. Large undulating greens and rustic irregular bunkering gives you a sense of playing “across the pond,” here in Minnesota.

Each hole is a beauty-scape, yet the calming countryside should not distract you from the task at hand. Water comes into play on only two holes, but there is sand everywhere—sometimes in massive quantities–to swallow up a pretty decent shot. The large bentgrass greens allow for many entries onto the surface, but once there the beguiling undulations make putting a distinct and interesting adventure.

The par 72 championship track can stretch out to 7,013 yards from the tips and has a considerable slope rating of 74.1/139. That includes the 575-yard, par-5 4^th hole, which requires a couple of excellent shots for a chance at scoring.

You will long remember the unique 11^th hole (502 yards, par 5) known as the Barn Hole. A large white barn, a remnant from the former farmland there, can make for a puzzling obstacle on your approach to the green. Some intrepid golfers have been known to even play through its open doors on occasion.

Once off the course, don’t miss the opportunity to experience the club’s outstanding customer service. Inside the club and Danny’s Bar and Grill, you can enjoy the award-winning cuisine of executive chef Ron Bohnert, who directs the entire food operation that receives rave reviews from patrons.

StoneRidge is a semi-private Minnesota golf course that is well worth taking on despite its $79 price tag ($50 twilight rate). It has been rated as the #1 Public Course in the Twin Cities by Golfweek magazine and still cracks the top 10 Course You Can Play throughout the state (No. 8). From the great golf challenge to the excellent cuisine, StoneRidge is the golf experience you have been hungering for.