Victory Links

I’ve only golfed the course once, it was nice but get a cart! Distance between holes can be pretty long.
I have been to the putting course a couple times and it’s fun and good putting practice (real greens).

I’m going to try not to let my lack of warm up (and subsequent poor performance on the first two holes) color my review of this course. Because it really is a nice course. It was designed with youth golfers in mind, and as such there are six tee boxes at each hole (with three designated for differing age groups of minors).
We had a cart, and while the front nine are walkable, I wouldn’t take on the back nine without one. Not hilly, but some of the paths between holes are road trip length. I kind of wished I had a stereo and a game of Mad Libs in the cart between 11 & 12, and again between 17 & 18.
The challenge was great — not a lot of woods, but so much native prairie grass that was so much harder to find an errant ball in than I would have expected. I lost more balls than I’d care to admit (and more than my score card reflects), but it was a beautiful rolling course without much water. The real surprise for me was how much sand they have. I know, it’s up on the glacial plain of Anoka County with all the sand that entails, but I’ve become accustomed to Mpls municipal courses where the sand is sparse and often waterlogged and spongy. These bunkers were actually a joy to hit out of. The sand was so well manicured and soft, and it was also so abundant I got a lot of practice with my sand wedge. Once I was actually disappointed when I fell short of the trap.
Because the course is geared toward youth, they accept tee times from minors seven days in advance, but adults wanting open play can only reserve a slot one day ahead of time, so go on a day when there won’t be a lot of reservations, but definitely go. It’s well worth the drive to Blaine for a few hours of sun and fresh air.