Golfing at Inver Wood Tees Off This Week

The driving range at the Inver Grove Heights public course opens at 9 a.m. Thursday. The 18-hole course and nine-hole executive course will open to golfers on Friday.

This year's golfing season at Inver Wood will start a month ahead of schedule. According to Inver Woods’ website, the driving range will open for the season at 9 a.m. Thursday and will remain open daily, weather permitting, until 6 p.m. Inver Wood's two courses—an 18-hole course and nine-hole executive course—will open Friday. As late as Tuesday night, Inver Woods’ website said the courses would open, as usual, in April. However, a number of golf courses across the Twin Cities metropolitan have announced early starts, thanks to a mild winter and record-breaking warm temperatures this week. The National Weather Service is forecasting the warmth to continue for some time. Thursday’s high temperature is expected to reach 67. And, highs in the…

• Photos (1)

Golfing Guide: Hole Six at Arbor Pointe Golf Club

A good drive over the water in front of the tee will set you up in good shape for a birdie.

Hole: Six Golf Course: Arbor Pointe Golf Club Par: 4 Handicap: 3 Length (from men's and women's tees): 300 and 204 yards, respectively. What Makes This Hole Unique: This 300-yard par 4 is another birdie hole. The water in front of the tee box plays with your nerves, but a good drive will set you up in good shape. Strategy: Avoid the bunkers that protect the green and putt it in for a second straight birdie on the course. Editor's Note: This summer, Patch will run a series of short profiles of golf course holes at Arbor Pointe Golf Club and Inver Wood Golf Course.

• Photos (6)

Golfing Guide: Hole Four at Inver Wood Golf Course

Bunkers protecting the landing areas, greens, make this par four hole a challenge

Hole: Four Golf Course: Inver Wood Golf Course Par: 4 Handicap: men’s 15, women’s 11. Length from tees: blue 352, white 328, gold 316, red 282 yards. What Makes This Hole Unique: Again, water on the right side of the fairway forces the player down the left side of the hole. Strategy: Be careful, this landing areas is well protected by a bunker complex on the left. The green is also well protected on all sides by bunkers. Editor's Note: This summer, Patch will run a series of short profiles of golf course holes at Arbor Pointe Golf Club and Inver Wood Golf Course.

• Photos (5)

Golfing Guide: Hole Four at Arbor Pointe

Prepare yourself for what may be the toughest hole on the course.

Hole: Four Golf Course: Arbor Pointe Golf Club Par: 4 Handicap: 2. Length (from men's and women's tees): 333 and 296 yards. What Makes This Hole Unique: This 360-yard par 4 hole might be the toughest on the course. Hook it to the left and you risk going out of bounds. Go right and you'll have to deal with a steep hill. Strategy: Play your first shot about 125 yards out to have a good chance to go for the small green. Editor's Note: This summer, Patch will run a series of short profiles of golf course holes at Arbor Pointe Golf Club and Inver Wood Golf Course.

• Photos (8)

Historic Faces of Dakota County

Dakota County History 101: Professional Golfer Patty Berg (1918-2006)

A little girl from Lakeville grew up to be a star athlete, WWII veteran, and a founder of the LPGA golf tournament.

Patty Berg was born February 13, 1918 in Lakeville. Berg took a liking to golf at a young age as her brother and father (a 10-handicap) participated in the sport regularly. Although it took some convincing from Patty, her father bought her a junior membership to Edina’s Interlachen Country Club in 1931.  After only two years of tutelage from Interlachen Country Club head professional Willie Kidd, Jr., Berg won her first of 29 amateur tournaments at age 15. Held at her home course, Interlachen, Berg placed second in the 1935 U.S. Women’s Amateur.  Berg went on to attend the University of Minnesota and learned from legendary coach Les Bolstad, who would remain her teacher for 40 years.  In 1938, Berg won the U.S. Women’s Amateur. With …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Golfing Guide: Hole Two at Arbor Pointe

If the pin is positioned to the right, attack this hole to get a birdie.

Hole: Two Golf Course: Arbor Pointe Golf Club Par: 3 Handicap: 8. Length (from men's and women's tees): 100 and 80 yards. What Makes This Hole Unique: A 125-yard par 3. Strategy: On this hole you do not want to go long, but if the pin is front or center attack it to get a birdie. Editor's Note: This summer, Patch will run a series of short profiles of golf course holes at Arbor Pointe Golf Club and Inver Wood Golf Course.

• Photos (4)

Inver Grove Heights Week in Review May 22-28

Patch looks back on the events, people and issues that made the headlines last week.

Here's what you may have missed last week on Inver Grove Heights Patch. Click the links to take you to each story. 2,250 miles in a canoe? That's the plan for St. Olaf College student and Inver Grove Heights native Ann Raiho, who will travel to Hudson Bay with a friend via canoe this summer. The pair raised roughly $2,500 to fund the trip and an additional $1,400 they plan to donate to a YMCA camp near Grand Marais. On Monday night, the Inver Grove Heights City Council approved a public hearing to discuss a proposed, $1.25 million deal between the city and MGT Development, the developer behind a stalled commercial and residential project near the intersection of Robert Trail S. and Hwy. 55. The School District 199 school board was also …

• Photos (1)

Simley High Girls Place Second in Conference Meet

Jessica Pate led Spartans to a second-place team finish and earned all-conference honors.

It may not have been her "best round," but Jessica Pate still led the Simley High School girls golf team to a second place finish in the conference meet on Wednesday, edging out Hill-Murray by one stroke. Pate notched a score of 96 and was named all-conference, as was teammate Maddy Urness, who shot a 100. The top 11 golfers earned all-conference honors at the meet, held at Phalen Park Golf Course in St. Paul. “Not my best round,” said Pate. “Putting and chipping (were working) and then everything else was not working. I should have been about 10 strokes better. I need to work on my drives.” Meet Results Richfield senior Alex Westman won the battle Wednesday, while Tartan senior Rochelle Dotas won the war. Westman shot an 85 to capture …

• Photos (8)

Season Ends For Simley Softball

Spartans Fall In Nine Innings At Apple Valley on May 19.

The postseason was cruel to the Simley softball team last week, while the Spartans boys lacrosse team enters the postseason on Wednesday still in search of its first victory this spring. Softball: Simley Season Ends In Section 3AAA Opener A three-run seventh-inning rally earned the Simley softball team extra innings at Apple Valley in the Section 3AAA Tournament opener on May 19, but it could not get the Spartans the victory. The host Eagles pushed across a lone victorious run in the ninth inning to end Simley's season in heart-breaking fashion as the Spartans closed the spring with an 8-13 overall record. Boys Lacrosse: Spartans Hoping For Lucky No. 13 After an 0-12 regular season, the Simley boys lacrosse team opens the Section 3 …

• Photos (1)