The Nine Hole at Baker National Golf Course

The greens staff here doesn’t know how to manage and improve course conditions this year their greens and fairway have suffered from brutal winter but it is now middle of July and they still have marginally improved this course has a great layout and normally good greens. The only reason I play is because I can get on for five dollars otherwise I would take my business somewhere else also some of the staff is very rude but if you get a young kid behind the counter you know will be set all of the younger employees are very kind and helpful

Baker National Golf Course is one of the best public courses in the Twin Cities area. The course is not easy, as evidenced by the 73.9 rating and 138 slope for the 6,762 yard back tees. Being senior golfers, we played the 6,013 yard silver, forward men's tees (70.7, 130), and the course still won. The course is set in a park reserve area, so there is not a house in sight throughout the course. The terrain is undulating, no flat fairways here. With a few exceptions, the fairways are comfortably wide, and the rough is less than 2 ½ inches tall, so you won't have too much trouble finding a ball that slides off the fairway. However, if the ball goes too far off the fairway it might find the woods or marsh areas that line almost every hole: park reserve area! The greens are fast and mostly large, with humps, valleys, tiers, and surprisingly subtle undulations. A straight, flat putt longer than about 4 feet is almost impossible to find. The course is a major participant in The First Tee, so the practice/learning area is very nice, including a large putting green, practice bunker, and a large driving range with many targets. After you've warmed up sufficiently, the starting hole, a par 4 (466 yards from the back tees, 417 from the silver) beckons. Your drive should leave you with a good look at a downhill shot to a green that is protected by bunkers on both sides and the iconic red barn that will stop your ball if you go long and right. For me, the other memorable hole on the front side is the par 3 7th, featuring an elevated tee shot across a valley and over a pond to a three-tiered green. This hole can be really tough if the pin is set back and right. The back nine starts with a par 5 that looks easy on the card (453 yards from the silver tees), but the green is guarded by a complex of bunkers that will snag almost any ball that is short on the approach. The finishing hole is a picturesque par 4 with a tee shot from an elevated tee down to a valley followed by an uphill approach shot. Strategically placed fairway bunkers pinch the fairway down to a fairly narrow strip, so a long drive may not be rewarded. Par is a good score on this hole. The location of this course makes it very convenient to Twin Cities residents, even those that live on the east side, and the experience makes the drive worthwhile.

Because the course is carved into a nature preserve, this course is very challenging for those of us who stray a bit with the tee ball. And even though we were playing the white tees, the distance will trick you. This course plays long. Overall conditions were very good. Greens were in excellent condition, rolling very quick. Great design. Played with my son and my only complaint is that they consider Friday part of the weekend, and don't offer Junior rates before 3pm. That's a horrible policy for a park district golf course. (But my bad, it is listed on their website, I missed it when booking.)