Opening Day

We are ready to open TOMORROW!

Saturday, April 18th

First Tee Time 9:00 am

We can’t wait to see you back out on the course! We have implemented a new Touch-Free experience at our course. Click below to read more about our new procedures.

Book and pay for your round easily online.

KEEPING THE FLAGSTICK IN?

Pinehurst posted on Twitter announcing it was incorporating a 2” diameter PVC pipe cut to 2.5” in length, then popped into the hole.

While Minnesota golf courses remain closed during this public health crisis, other courses across the country continue to open their doors to golfers. Over the last month, many courses have made many surprising and creative innovations to help golfers stay safe during this pandemic. Courses have asked for pins to remain untouched while either reducing or raising the hole depths to avoid as much physical contact with the hole or flagstick as possible. A few places have even gone and removed the pins altogether. 

Either way, courses as a whole are advocating for golfers to avoid touching the pin and leave it in during your putt. Anyways, this whole thing got me thinking! If golfers will be expected to leave the pin in . . . how exactly will this affect their game?

Maybe you are used to putting with the pin in, but realistically this is probably a new phenomenon for most golfers. After all, it was only last year that the USGAchanged its rule on the subject. 

Under Rule 13.2a(2) of the USGA rule book, “There will no longer be a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole.” 

What was once a violation of the basic rules of golf has now been deemed acceptable. This controversial rule change has now given golfers the option of leaving the flag in the hole during a putt. However, this raises a question. Does leaving in the pin help or hurt your putt? 

Bryson DeChambeau putting with the pin in.

In the PGA, it is still a controversial topic. Some say it is situational, while others would never dare to pull the pin. Then there are players like Bryson DeChambeauwho swear by it!

DeChambeau was a physics major at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He has been known to apply his knowledge of physics to help gain an edge in his golf game, effectively earning him the nickname The Scientist. According to DeChambeau’s mathematical and statistical analysis, you will hole a higher percentage of putts when you leave the flagstick in.

“The pin in is an easy one. It’s statistically proven to be a benefit in 99 percent of situations. Anything outside of ten feet I’m going to leave it in.” – Bryson DeChambeau

A putt about to fall into the hole with the flagstick in.

According to golf writer, Dave Pelz, the reason behind this philosophy is that a significant amount of energy is lost from a putt’s speed when the ball hits a fiberglass flagstick. The speed-loss allows gravity to pull the slower moving ball straight down into the cup more often than not. The pin is your friend. Even if you don’t hit it dead on, it can still help you. 

This summer, we may not get the option to pull the pin. Putting with the flag in may be forced upon us all. However, at least it is nice to know that it could potentially help us drain a few more putts and shave a few more strokes off our score!

Introducing a NEW Touch-Free Experience at River Oaks

We are looking forward to seeing you back out on the course again soon. When we open for play as decided by our state officials, we will have an all new touch-free experience to ensure the safety of our golfers and staff, including new procedures to limit contact and minimize touch points throughout the course.

We hope you all are staying safe and healthy during this time, and we will keep you updated on when we are able to re-open again soon. We appreciate your continued support and understanding.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at River Oaks Golf Course and Event Center

Updated Course Procedures

Golf:

  1. The golf shop and clubhouse will not be open.
  2. We will only be taking phone or online reservations for golf with prepayment.
  3. Please follow social distancing guidelines. Do not congregate in the parking lot.
  4. Please proceed to the starter tent 5 minutes before your tee time. Water, soda, and beer will be available for purchase at the starter tent.
  5. Carts will be sanitized after each use. If you have prepaid for a cart, please take one cart per person. Members of the same household can share one cart.
  6. Credit card only transactions will be allowed – we will not process cash transactions.
  7. Please do not remove the pins from the holes. We will have it set up so that you will not need to reach into the hole to get your ball.
  8. Water coolers, bunker rakes, benches, ball washers, or trash cans will be removed from the course. We will have a trash can at the end of your round to properly dispose of your trash.
  9. If you used a cart, after you are done golfing park the cart in the designated dirty cart area. Please remove all of your personal items and all of your garbage and dispose of your garbage in the trash dumpster located near the cart return.
  10. Do not linger in the parking lot.  Golfing is a privilege right now and we don’t want to lose that by having groups of people in the parking lot.

Range:

  1. Please pay at the starter tent.
  2. The charge will be $10 per hour per person for as many balls as you would like to hit. Payment can be made via credit card at the starter tent.
  3. Golf ball pyramids will be set up for golfers to use.
  4. Range balls will be disinfected after use.

Practice Green:

  1. We will use aiming sticks instead of holes on the practice green.
  2. Limit of 10 people on the practice green at one time.

We appreciate your support and flexibility during this unique time. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Golf ball on green grass of golf course - River Oaks Golf Course - Cottage Grove

2020 RIVER OAKS EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

As soon as River Oaks is granted permission to open up for the golf season, our course will be hosting and providing several events and activities to keep you and your friends and family occupied this summer. This year we are offering plenty of league options, lesson opportunities, and public events for our guests. Explore below to learn more about our league options, available lessons, scheduled tournaments and exciting events planned for the 2020 season. 

LEAGUES

River Oaks is offering several different leagues four days out of the week this year for every type of golfer, so finding one that fits you shouldn’t be hard. Below are the leagues we offer and the days and times each league meets throughout the summer, click on each league to learn more. Sign up for a league and spend your summer golfing!

Tuesday Afternoon Junior’s

Tuesday morning tee times at 11 AM starting June 16 – August 18.Couples League - River Oaks Golf Course - Cottage Grove

Tuesday Evening Couple’s

Tuesday evening tee times between 5-6 PM starting May 5 – August 25.

NEW! Tuesday Evening Millenial’s

Tuesday evening tee times between 6-7 PM starting May 5 – August 25.

Tuesday & Wednesday Morning Senior Men’s League

Tuesday morning tee times between 7-10 AM or Wednesday morning tee times between 6-11 AM starting April 14 – October 14.

Wednesday Evening Women and Wine League

Wednesday evening tee times between 5-6 PM starting May 6 – August 26.Women's League - River Oaks Golf Course - Cottage Grove

Thursday Morning Ladies League

Thursday morning tee times between 7-9 AM starting April 30 – September 17.

Saturday Morning Men’s Club

Saturday morning tee times between 7-10 AM starting April 25 – October 10.

LESSONS

River Oaks is offering lessons and clinics for adults, women, and juniors throughout the summer to help individuals improve their game in a fun and friendly environment. Below are the lessons we offer, click on each lesson to find the days and times and find one that fits your schedule. Sign up for a lesson and spend your summer learning a new talent!

Adult Beginner Golf Clinics

These lessons are geared towards anybody that wants to learn golf or get back into playing golf in a non-competitive, friendly, no-pressure environment. Instructors will go through the basics of the highlighted aspect of the game each lesson.

Women’s Beginner Golf Clinics

These lessons are geared toward women that have little to no golfing experience but want to get into the great game of golf in a non-competitive, friendly, no-pressure environment. Instructors will go through the basics of the highlighted aspect of the game each lesson.

Adult Intermediate Weekly Golf Camps

The next step after our Beginner Clinics are our month-long adult group lessons are geared toward intermediate players who have a grasp on the basics but need to brush up on some fundamentals to get to the next level. 

Junior Try-It Lessons

These lessons are for kids ages 6-11 years old and a beginner at golf. Kids will get a chicken tender basket with fries before instructors go through key points of the weekly skill and the kids get to swing their clubs. 

Junior Weeklong Golf Camps

These camps are geared toward beginner golfers that have little to no golfing experience and are interested in picking up the game. Instructors will teach the basics of the game starting with putting and chipping and then go through the fundamentals of the full swing with irons and woods. 

TOURNAMENTS

River Oaks is hosting a handful of tournaments this summer for those wishing to play in a competitive setting. Below are the tournament events we have already scheduled out, click on each tournament to learn more. Sign up for a tournament to compete for glory!

1st Annual Member-Guest Tournament

Saturday, May 30, 2020, shotgun start at 2 PM.

2020 Senior Men’s Invitational

Monday, July 13, 2020, shotgun start at 8 AM.

Club Championship Weekend

Saturday and Sunday, August 22nd and 23rd, 2020.

Ladies Invitational

Thursday, September 10, 2020, shotgun start at 8 AM.

Big Cup Scramble

Sunday, September 27, 2020, shotgun start at 9 AM.

BOCCE AND BAGS

River Oaks now has regulation bocce ball courts and bags boards! With our two newly built bocce courts and regulation bags boards, you can expect some tournament events scheduled for this summer. Our bocce courts are open to the public for free when there are no events scheduled. Grab some friends and meet at our patio bar overlooking the 18th hole and the Mississippi River for a fun summer evening. Follow our Facebook page and stay tuned for our upcoming bocce and bags events.

EVENTS

River Oaks is in the process of planning the dates and times for some awesome summer events! Just like last season, River Oaks will host many fun and exciting outings. Expect to see some of our delicious four-course dinners usually featuring a local brewery, winery, or distillery. There will be plenty of golf outings to attend as well, including Glow Golf, Greens and Brews, Green Keepers Revenge Day, and Employee-Member Tournament. Of course, we are hoping to squeeze in some live music events again this season as we did with Dueling Pianos. 

Please follow our Facebook page to stay updated with the dates and times of all our upcoming events!

Titleist Loyalty Program

We’ve partnered with Titleist to bring you the best golf gear. Now through 4/22 when you buy 3 dozen of Titleist’s V1, V1x, or AVX golf balls, you’ll get 1 dozen FREE. Skip work. Play golf. Save money.

Fill out our online order form below to order yours today!


Qualifying Details
  1. All 4 dozen must be for the same ball model, play number, personalization text and text color.
  2. All golf balls must contain Single Personalization only
  3. No logos available
  4. 4th dozen must be added to Cart to qualify
Shipping Details
  1. If your custom golf ball order qualifies for Loyalty Rewarded, our current lead time is 25 business days or less.