Deer Run Golf Club

When you play golf with Twig, you’ve got to be prepared for a couple things. 

First, if you tell him you want to take a cart, he will agree to it, but you’ll see the look of disappointment in his eyes, and you’ll hear it in his voice. It’s kind of like telling your dad you’ve decided to drop out of college to work in a dispensary. 

Second, if he’s making the tee time, it’s going to be insanely early in the morning, regardless of the time of year. So in May, when the temps barely push 40 at 7:20 in the morning, you better not have put away your winter hat and long underwear. 

So, Twig got the early tee time. I got the carts, which at Deer Run, are top of the line. So I think we both won. 

I wasn’t feeling great on this Saturday morning in May. A late spring head cold was my excuse for playing like dung. But I was still excited. We had a great guest - Minnetonka Boys High School hockey coach, Sean Goldsworthy - and a course I hadn’t played in awhile but always felt was underrated. And it had been awhile. 

Thank God we had Goldy in the group because he the best, especially when you’re playing like crap. Because for Goldy, swinging a golf club at a little ball is just something you do when you need a brief pause in the conversation. 

As for Deer Run, I always use the word, “fun.” And I hate using that word because Dear God, please let me be a little more creative than that. But it really is a fun course. It’s not an architectural marvel. It doesn’t have many holes where you can’t believe the view or the scenery. Yet, each hole is fair, well done and yes, fun. 

I’ve played Deer Run in scramble play more than I have a normal round of 18 holes. So that could explain why I associate it with “fun.” But I do think Deer Run invests in itself. The course is well maintained. The carts are as nice as you can get (two rounds in a row where that is the case), and it has a solid clubhouse. If a course is smart enough to have two outdoor patios, you know they are looking out for the customer. We Minnesotans want to be outside at all times. Deer Run recognizes this. Well done. 

And…bonus points for that Bear Statue right by the patio. Is that the Hamm’s bear? I know I recognize him from somewhere. But maybe it’s just his friendly smile and wave. 

There are some great holes on this course, and I would say especially on the back 9. I love 13 and 15. 

The 13th hole gave us our highlight of the round when Goldy hit his approach off a rock, popped it up just beyond the green and he got it up and down. And of course, it wasn’t until a half hour later that we had the idea that we should have had Goldy autograph that rock. Would have made great Instagram content. And I had a frickin Sharpie in my bag. Of course, we didn’t think about it. 

I blame the game of golf because it’s a sport that doesn’t allow you to think clearly. I’ll throw a portion of blame at the feet of Twig as well for the early Saturday morning tee time. Did I mention our tee time was 7:20 AM?

Yet, I don’t regret the round. I really enjoy Deer Run. I really love playing and conversing with Goldy. Enjoyed my post round beer during our Emergency 9. I think if I had to sum the day up in one word…I’d say it was “fun.”