Post by sroel908 on Jun 15, 2021 12:37:35 GMT -5
For more information on the real course that inspired The Bull Moose Club, Bully Pulpit Golf Course in Medora, North Dakota, see my WIP thread here.
Located near Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota, The Bull Moose Club is now open for play!
Located near Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota, The Bull Moose Club is now open for play!
Named in honor of the 26th President of the United States, The Bull Moose Club is a 18-hole, walking-only golf course that embodies the virtues and ideals of Theodore Roosevelt. The name for my course is taken from the nickname of the Progressive Party, which T.R. was a part of following his loss in the Republican Presidential Primary of 1912. The Progressive Party earned its nickname - the "Bull Moose Party" - when Roosevelt said he felt "strong as a bull moose" after losing the nomination in June at the Chicago convention.
Also, following an assassination attempt in Milwaukee in 1912, Roosevelt said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."
Roosevelt spent several years around Medora, where he built and actively participated in running a cattle ranch. He was quoted as saying, "I have always said I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota."
The Bull Moose Club is noted for its routing through badland formations, which are rocks and soil that have been eroded by wind and rain. The Little Missouri River also comes into play on five holes. You may want to pack your hiking boots in your golf bag, too, as you'll be trekking long distances and scaling dramatic elevation changes while walking the course. Oh, and be on the lookout for rattlesnakes!
The course plays to a par-72, and stretches out to over 7,100 yards from the blue tees. There is also a driving range and practice putting green on site to help you tune up before your round. Let's take a hole-by-hole look at the course to help you prepare for your time at The Bull Moose Club!
Also, following an assassination attempt in Milwaukee in 1912, Roosevelt said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."
Roosevelt spent several years around Medora, where he built and actively participated in running a cattle ranch. He was quoted as saying, "I have always said I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota."
The Bull Moose Club is noted for its routing through badland formations, which are rocks and soil that have been eroded by wind and rain. The Little Missouri River also comes into play on five holes. You may want to pack your hiking boots in your golf bag, too, as you'll be trekking long distances and scaling dramatic elevation changes while walking the course. Oh, and be on the lookout for rattlesnakes!
The course plays to a par-72, and stretches out to over 7,100 yards from the blue tees. There is also a driving range and practice putting green on site to help you tune up before your round. Let's take a hole-by-hole look at the course to help you prepare for your time at The Bull Moose Club!
Course Details
Par 72
Yardage:
Red - 6,485
White - 6,864
Blue - 7,143
Course Conditions
Fairways - Normal (I set it to a higher firmness setting, not sure if this is a glitch)
Greens - Firm
Green Speeds - Default is Fast (175), pins are legal at Very Fast (187)
Hole-by-Hole Tour
Hole 1 - Par 4 - Red: 356, White: 370, Blue: 383
Dakota
Par 72
Yardage:
Red - 6,485
White - 6,864
Blue - 7,143
Course Conditions
Fairways - Normal (I set it to a higher firmness setting, not sure if this is a glitch)
Greens - Firm
Green Speeds - Default is Fast (175), pins are legal at Very Fast (187)
Hole-by-Hole Tour
Hole 1 - Par 4 - Red: 356, White: 370, Blue: 383
Dakota
The word "Dakota" in the Dakota tribe's native language means "ally". This opening hole is quite friendly, as it's a short par-4 with a generous landing area that does not require driver off the tee. Hit the landing zone, pitch to the green, and have a look at a birdie putt!
Hole 2 - Par 3 - Red: 144, White: 158, Blue: 212
Maltese Cross
Maltese Cross
This par-3 is named for T.R.'s first cabin he built in the Dakota Territory, in which he resided from 1883-1884. The green on this one-shot hole sits atop a small hill, and slopes from left to right. It is guarded by one large bunker on the right side.
Hole 3 - Par 5 - Red: 484, White: 542, Blue: 555
Square Deal
Square Deal
T.R.'s domestic policy was called the "Square Deal", and focused on the three "C"s - conservation of nature, control of corporations, and consumer protections - to allow middle class Americans to succeed, while allowing businesses to prosper. This par-5 is also likely to require three separate parts to get you to the green. Find the fairway off the tee, and you're left with an uphill second shot to a green protected by several bunkers. Hit two good ones, and you might be on in under regulation. No matter what, a birdie is a realistic possibility here for all, just as Roosevelt would have wanted.
Hole 4 - Par 4 - Red: 445, White: 475, Blue: 486
Rough Rider
Rough Rider
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt led the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, popularly known as the Rough Riders, into battle in the Spanish-American War. Hole 4 will also be a sort of battle for many, as this is a long, demanding par-4. The narrow landing zone has a bunker to the left to catch errant drives. Your approach to the green must carry a waste area that's 65-yards deep. The green is undulating and can send offline shots away from the hole.
Hole 5 - Par 3 - Red: 156, White: 178, Blue: 196
Speak Softly...
Speak Softly...
Roosevelt's foreign policy is taken from a West African proverb that begins with the phrase that gives this hole its name. The "speak softly" part refers to the ability to "exercise...intelligent forethought", which this hole demands as well. The green here is wide, but narrow and can be tricky to hold with a long iron. Par is a good score here.
...And Carry A Big Stick
Hole 6 - Par 5 - Red: 553, White: 565, Blue: 585
...And Carry A Big Stick
The second part of Roosevelt's foreign policy, "carrying a big stick" means having strength in case things go wrong. This hole is a monster par-5 and definitely requires a big stick! The split fairway sections here are separated by a waste area. The landing zone off the tee, depending on wind conditions, might require less than driver, leaving you a long way from home. Two large bunkers protect the green entrance, and the green drops off precipitously in the back, leaving a tricky pitch back to the surface if you go long.
Little Missouri
Hole 7 - Par 4 - Red: 427, White: 443, Blue: 456
Little Missouri
Look to the left off the tee, and you'll see the namesake of this hole. Roosevelt learned to ride western style, rope, and hunt on the banks of the Little Missouri River, and you must learn to navigate it now as well. Avoid the massive bunker to the right of the fairway, and be mindful of the slope that runs down the middle of the fairway, too. It will push shots too far to the left into the rough. The green is protected by two deep bunkers, and the surface slopes away from the middle in all directions.
Panama Canal
Hole 8 - Par 5 - Red: 508, White: 555, Blue: 574
Panama Canal
The U.S. took control of the construction of the Panama Canal during T.R.'s presidency, and you, too, must also do some waterside engineering here on the 8th hole. Place your tee ball between the two landing area bunkers, and you're left with a sidehill lie and a second shot that has a chance to reach the green. The putting surface is two-tiered, and missing your spot might result in a ball that rolls back to the fairway - or worse.
Hole 9 - Par 3 - Red: 193, White: 214, Blue: 229
Elkhorn Ranch
Elkhorn Ranch
In 1884, Roosevelt had a larger ranch built 35 miles from Medora that he made his more preferred ranch house, due to its larger size and private location. The site where the ranch stood is still able to be visited as part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. But first thing's first...this long par-3 features and "island" green that's surrounded by sand. The putting surface is receptive to long irons and hybrids, and is fairly tame in terms of slopes, so the hole looks more intimidating than it is.
Hole 10 - Par 4 - Red: 369, White: 388, Blue: 401
Second Term
Although T.R. assumed the presidency following the assassination of William McKinley, he won the office outright on his own, successfully winning the election of 1904. This is the start of your second nine here at The Bull Moose Club, and it begins with a straightforward par-4 along the opposite bank of the Little Missouri. Avoid the fairway and greenside bunkers, and you're looking at a birdie chance.
Hole 11 - Par 3 - Red: 140, White: 158, Blue: 173
After his presidency, T.R. took part in an expedition down the River of Doubt in South America's Amazon basin. The trip nearly took his life, and the river is now named Rio Roosevelt in his honor. You won't face the same dangers T.R. did on his journey, but you do need to be mindful of the river on this par-3. If you want to play it safe, aim to the bail-out area on the right - the slopes might funnel the ball onto this multi-tiered green.River of Doubt
Hole 12 - Par 4 - Red: 394, White: 409, Blue: 425
San Juan Hill
One of the major battles of the Spanish-American War, the Battle of San Juan Hill saw Colonel Roosevelt lead his men on a charge up San Jan Heights and Kettle Hill. Here, you'll need to mount a charge of your own up a hill! Your approach shot will need to cover about 30 feet of elevation, while avoiding OB beyond the green and a bunker in front of it. The green slopes back to front, and features a prominent shelf in the back half.
Hole 13 - Par 4 - Red: 382, White: 405, Blue: 424
Ananias Club
Ananias Club
This is a phrase coined by the press of T.R.'s day, used as a euphemism to describe a group of individuals that Roosevelt called out as dishonest. Not wanting to print the word "liar" in the papers, journalists instead said that Roosevelt added the dishonest person in question to the Ananias Club, named for the Biblical story about Ananias, who immediately died after lying to the apostle Peter about a financial transaction. This hole also "lies" to you, as its green deceptively slopes front to back. Take that into account when hitting your approach, as the ball may roll out more than you bargained for.
Hole 14 - Par 5 - Red: 510, White: 537, Blue: 548
The Strenuous Life
The Strenuous Life
Hole 14 begins the most taxing portion of the course, in terms of walking and elevation gains. Roosevelt gave a speech as Governor of New York, in which he said, "I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife...". This uphill par-5 requires toil and effort, as you must hit a precise tee shot to have a chance in reaching in two. Even then, the green is severely undulating and is hard to hold from a distance. Following this hole, prepare to take a trek up the side of the plateau, some 100-feet above your position on the green!
Hole 15 - Par 4 - Red, White, & Blue: 338
Rushmore
T.R. is immortalized in a carving on the side of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, along with other U.S. presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson. You're sure to feel a rush here as you gaze out over the surrounding land, as well as this dramatic downhill golf hole that sits in front of you. Take the wind into account before making your choice off the tee - a choice that could include pulling driver and giving the green a go!
Hole 16 - Par 5 - Red: 525, White: 549, Blue: 565
Medora
Medora
Medora, North Dakota is the nearest town to The Bull Moose Club, and this hole honors the locals who call this area home. Three fairway bunkers defend the landing zone, and one protects the green. This is a birdie chance, and could also give you back-to-back eagles, depending on your luck at the 15th!
Hole 17 - Par 4 - Red, White, & Blue: 185
Tatanka
Tatanka
Roosevelt was drawn to the west by the allure of hunting the American bison. "Tatanka" is the Lakota word for the animal, and just like the majestic bison, this par-3 is a beast! The green might be large, but it features severe slopes and even has a bunker right in the middle of it. Also take into account the 30-foot downhill drop from tee to green. An accurate tee shot is needed to card a par on this hole.
Hole 18 - Par 4 - Red: 373, White: 396, Blue: 407
Bully Pulpit
Bully Pulpit
As president, Theodore Roosevelt used his authority and position in government to speak out any and all issues he felt worthy of discussion. He coined the phrase "bully pulpit" to describe his unique position, with "bully" meaning "superb" or "wonderful". Hole 18 at The Bull Moose Club offers a chance for you to get into a position in which you can be heard, giving you a shot at ending your round with a birdie! The wide fairway requires less than driver, as a waste area sits between the end of it and the green. The putting surface is multi-tiered once again, and slopes toward the river. Find the right tier, and you're presented with a chance to go under par on the last hole of your round.
Thanks for taking time to read about and for considering a round at The Bull Moose Club! Stop by T.R.'s Bar & Grill in the clubhouse after your round and enjoy a delicious bison burger, washed down with an ice cold beverage of your choice.
Edit - WhatAboutAmeobi: here my newest course, as discussed on your Twitch stream today! Thanks for taking a look!
Thanks for taking time to read about and for considering a round at The Bull Moose Club! Stop by T.R.'s Bar & Grill in the clubhouse after your round and enjoy a delicious bison burger, washed down with an ice cold beverage of your choice.
Edit - WhatAboutAmeobi: here my newest course, as discussed on your Twitch stream today! Thanks for taking a look!
