Hazeltine National Golf Club – Played September 2021
- Rankings: Golf Digest #94, Golf Magazine #93
- Location: 1900 Hazeltine Boulevard, Chaska, Minnesota
- Year: 1962
- Original Architect: Robert Trent Jones
- Additional Work By: Rees Jones & Steve Weisser
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts & Caddies Available
Score Card Information:
- Blue: 7,252 yards, Par 72, 75.9 Rating/144 Slope
- Gold: 6,683 yards, Par 72, 73.3 Rating/140 Slope (Men’s), 79.9 Rating/146 Slope (Women’s)
- Gold/White: 6,412 yards, Par 72, 72.1 Rating/136 Slope (Men’s), 78.4 Rating/143 Slope (Women’s)
- White: 6,221 yards, Par 72, 71.2 Rating/135 Slope (Men’s), 77.3 Rating/140 Slope (Women’s)
- Green: 5,475 yards, Par 72, 67.7 Rating/127 Slope (Men’s), 73.2 Rating/132 Slope (Women’s)
- Black: 5,129 yards, Par 72, 71.3 Rating/128 Slope
After a lovely morning at Interlachen, I headed over to Hazeltine National Golf Club to complete a 36-hole day. I was lucky enough to connect with a member who hosted me for the round. We were joined by a prospective member and a local high school player.
Hazeltine National was built to host big championships. That goal is baked into their mission statement. Tournaments provide the backbone of the club’s history and I encourage you to read more here.
The club has hosted USGA events including the Women’s Open (1966, 1977), Open (1970, 1991), Senior Open (1983), Mid-Amateur (1994), Men’s State Team Championship (2001), and US Amateur (2006).
Outside of the USGA folks the NCAA visited in 1999 for the Men’s championship. The PGA came in 2002 and 2009 for their flagship event while adding the 2016 Ryder Cup and 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA.
In the future it will host the 2024 US Amateur and the 2029 Ryder Cup. The tournament history here is quite strong.
The first thing I noticed about the course was the firm conditions. I could feel it under my feet once I got on the grass. So you have to play to the turf at Hazeltine National.
Hole 1 – 412 yards – Par 4
The opener asks you to fit your drive between two bunkers and your approach between a few more. It’s a little long but not a brutal opener.
Hole 2 – 384 yards – Par 4
This hole doglegs left and if you can shorten the hole considerably by flying the bunkers on the inside corner. I wasn’t able to do that, but still had a look at the green from the rough.
Hole 3 – 560 yards – Par 5
Hazeltine National doesn’t mess around when it comes to par fives. They all felt like a challenge. You need three good shots to get home here.
Here’s the view from the left trees. Not the best spot to be!
Stay away from the massive front bunker if you want to make a decent score.
Hole 4 – 186 yards – Par 3
The front section of this green is pretty narrow so front pin positions will be difficult. With bunkers all around and playing long, anything on the green is great here.
Hole 5 – 400 yards – Par 4
The green is past the trees on the right. A good drive is imperative since the perched putting surface is surrounded by bunkers.
Hole 6 – 368 yards – Par 4
Tree management is all the rage in renovations right now and I would probably take down a few on this dogleg left. Good drives will set up a green light opportunity to fire at the flag.
Hole 7 – 512 yards – Par 5
The water on this hole comes into play on your second shot, whether you lay up or not. Sticking to the right side of the hole works best.
Hole 8 – 144 yards – Par 3
You’d think a short par three would be an easy hole, but with the firm turf conditions at Hazeltine National the bounces are a factor. The water and sand are complicating factors too.
Hole 9 – 389 yards – Par 4
All the room in the world had me ready to wail on driver. As usual, that ended up with me in the left rough! This is a much easier hole from the fairway.
Hole 10 – 404 yards – Par 4
The tenth was one of my favorite holes of the day. The hole plays shorter since it is downhill to the green. Longer hitters can get the ball rolling down the hill and get really close to the green.
My host was nice enough to send this shot of me hitting my approach.
You cannot miss long on this green.
Hole 11 – 550 yards – Par 5
Eleven doesn’t wow you with scenery but you have to hit some good shots on this long monster. Bunkers dot the landscape and will punish lackadaisical lay ups.
The greens were running really quick and smooth for us.
Hole 12 – 420 yards – Par 4
This gentle right bender calls for a good drive or you’ll be facing a tough, long second shot.
Hole 13 – 174 yards – Par 3
Firm turf made it difficult to get to this pin, tucked behind the left bunker, without a high ball flight.
A high draw played really well into this pin. I need to hit it higher.
Hole 14 – 328 yards – Par 4
I missed the tee shot for this hole, but it plays through a narrow corridor of trees before opening up to the approach you see below.
The humps on the edge of the bunkers can give you some helpful or funky bounces.
Hole 15 – 538 yards – Par 5
We started to get some great light on the back nine. The words long, straight, brawny, and difficult come to mind when I think of this hole.
Hole 16 – 352 yards – Par 4
This is the most famous hole at Hazeltine National. The sun messed with my photo a bit, but you can tell the tee is elevated and plays down to a fairway with a creek left and a lot of water right.
It felt right to highlight this bridge you cross as you get to the fairway on this hole. Payne Stewart was a popular figure in golf and had a connection to Hazeltine National from winning the 1991 US Open. The bridge is a subtle tribute that I liked.
A decent drive left me with a wedge in hand. You don’t want to go long with the water wrapping around the green.
Hole 17 – 156 yards – Par 3
Playing this hole in the setting sun provided a cool atmosphere. The back right tucked pin was a challenge, especially when you dump one in the bunker.
Hole 18 – 406 yards – Par 4
It was getting pretty dark by the time we got to the final tee. In the cooling temperatures this was a tough finisher.
The approach plays uphill quite a bit.
Hazeltine National was a fun walk. It was invigorating to see holes I’ve seen from big events. As I mentioned, the turf was some of the firmest I’ve seen anywhere. Lightning greens kept me engaged on the greens. After 36 holes at two well respected courses, I was tired, sore, and happy!