Minnesota Spring Opener

*** Minnesota Spring Opener Course Change Announcement *** I’m so excited to kick off the season with the Minnesota Spring Opener. This will be my 10th year running this event! Unfortunately, our ... show more ›

Minnesota Spring Opener Course Change Announcement

I’m so excited to kick off the season with the Minnesota Spring Opener. This will be my 10th year running this event! Unfortunately, our lovely never-ending winter is presenting some challenges for this "SPRING" event.

I drove to CP Adams Friday, March 10th to check things out. Course conditions are pretty bad for a tournament. I spent a couple hours investigating and trying to figure out what to do. I successfully uncovered one teepad, but was unsuccessful with a few others. I even hurt my back in the process! Hooray! I've heard from others that have also tried without success - too much snow, and too much hard packed snow and ice near the ground. Not from people playing on top, just from tons of snow thawing and freezing again. While there are a few holes that we could use nearby paths to tee from, there are quite a few where that isn't an option. With the redesign, there are also a number of holes that don't have concrete tee pads yet - which means regardless of clearing it wouldn't be an ideal teeing surface.

As excited as I was to play the new layout for this tournament, I think that the best decision is to relocate the event. Luckily we have another fantastic course less than 15 minutes away. Teepads at Oakwood Park in Cottage Grove have been cleared throughout the winter and I will try to keep up with them throughout the additional snow we will be getting this week.

I waited to officially announce this change for a couple days so that I could check into a few other options, and to verify that the city of Cottage Grove would allow us to use the course. I just got off the phone with them, and we are good to go.

So, as of right now, the Minnesota Spring Opener will be held at Oakwood Park in Cottage Grove, MN. I really hope that most of you are still willing and able to play at Oakwood instead, and that you will brave the snowy conditions to keep this event going!