By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
If it’s been a few years since you’ve played a round of golf locally, this summer might be a good time to head back to the course.
Whether it’s a round with friends, a summer activity for the kids, or a way to entertain guests visiting from out of town, local golf courses continue to offer one of the better values around.
And they’re stepping up their game.
Sunrise Ridge Golf Course in Colman and River’s Bend Country Club in Flandreau have both invested heavily in upgrades in recent years, with the goal of improving conditions for longtime users while attracting new players and keeping costs affordable.
If you haven’t played either course in some time, here are a few changes you might notice.
At Sunrise Ridge, a major irrigation project has transformed much of the course over the past several seasons. The ambitious city and community effort is now paying off with greener fairways, healthier greens, expanded tee boxes and overall improved playing conditions.
“All of our holes were no different than any other course built in the late 60s or under 70s,” said course supervisor Jay Groos.
“There just had to be an update done as far as our greens…we’ve added a lot of tee boxes, because with this new irrigation, we had irrigation before, but we just had it for tee boxes and greens. Well, now we have irrigation that runs down our fairways. It reaches areas that we never had the capability before.”
Groos said the improvements have helped boost membership in recent years, while the course is also seeing visitors who can’t always find tee times at busier destination courses.
The increased traffic has, however, brought a few changes that longtime golfers may not be accustomed to. Sunrise Ridge has been adding cart paths and signage while enforcing rules regarding cart traffic and group sizes in an effort to protect the course and keep it in top condition.
A similar trend is playing out in Flandreau.
River’s Bend Country Club is seeing strong participation from younger players, including what course director Jason Ramsdell believes may be one of the largest groups of student golfers the course has seen in years.
“It’s looking pretty good out there, we have quite a bit of traffic moving through there already, and it’s not even June yet, so it’s looking like it’ll be another good year.”
Ramsdell said one of the most encouraging trends has been seeing more young families, high school students and college-age golfers spending time on the course.
While River’s Bend doesn’t have a driving range, Ramsdell believes the course’s biggest selling point is something money can’t easily buy.
“Every hole has water on it except one par three. And you could still reach water on that one, but it’s really challenging,” he said.
“It’s not the longest, but it’s a very intricate course that makes you think about your shots. So it’s really pretty along the Big Sioux River there and all the mature trees.”
For both courses, Groos and Ramsdell say that’s ultimately the goal — providing a place where people can enjoy a summer afternoon, challenge themselves a little, spend time with family and friends, and maybe even set their phones aside for a few hours.
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