Minnehaha Country Club

L&M’s original design has been hampered by a canal widening and a street widening, which brought another architect in to help in mending the routing. I learned from several members that the result is controversial - to the point they are interviewing new architects to try and restore the non-L&M features. I found the Marsh holes to not necessarily stick out like sore thumbs, though his greens were noticeably more severe.

Instead, what looked foreign to me compared to their work at Lawsonia and Culver are the water features on the inward nine. It was just a stark contrast from the hulking brows that prop up green complexes and the muscular bunkering that are their signatures.

The 11th hole was a standout for me. Tee shots set out for a landing area that transforms into a fairway canted right-to-left feeding into a green that is akin to entering the trioval at Daytona. It was an exhilarating second shot watching the ball carom and roll, and roll and roll.

Classic bones are enhanced by superb conditioning. The course took on an inch and a half of rain an hour and a half before we were to tee off, but the remnants were hardly noticeable. Lush greens and rough played equally tough, as well as fair.

I could not have been more impressed with the membership, who warmly welcomed me. I can see why the Champions Tour’s Sanford Invitational is so popular here.