Location
Brainerd, Minn.
Course specs
18 holes, 6,352 yards (blue tees), par 72.
How much does it cost?
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$90 Monday through Thursday, $105 Friday through Sunday.
Degree of difficulty
On a scale of 1 to 10 it's an 8.
Landscape
Cut from a forest, the course includes rolling fairways, natural wetlands, undeveloped Bass Lake, 55 bunkers filled with "Ohio's finest" sand and water hazards on 16 holes.
Scenic view
The 308-yard, par-4 No. 3 features a marsh below the tee box and Bass Lake along the right fairway that surrounds the green off to the right. A single towering oak impedes shallow tee shots from sight of the pin.
One to write home about
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No. 11 is a 322-yard par 4 with a dogleg right to an elevated green that is flanked by eight bunkers and a rock wall above a marsh.
Par is always a good score
The par-5 sixth isn't overly long at 525 yards. But a pair of trees and a creek bisect the fairway, wreaking havoc on the second and third shots.
Trick or treat
No. 13 is a beast at 591 yards from the blues and 634 from the tour tees. A creek crossing the fairway prevents all but the biggest of hitters from reaching the green in two, yet birdie is possible.
Overview
The Classic offers incredible scenery and a championship challenge. Narrow fairways and an abundance of trees and hazards force players to stay within the design of the course. Trouble cannot be averted, only minimized by advancing the ball back into the fairway. The Classic is worth the trip, but bring extra Titleists.
