Eagle Valley Golf Foursome

Photo: Tate Carlson

Ron Hamilton, Mike Barrett, Curt Johannsen and Bill Hargis have golfed together at Eagle Valley Golf Course since its opening in 1998.

It’s a beautiful late-summer morning on the 17th hole at Eagle Valley Golf Course in Woodbury, complete with a light breeze and balmy temperatures. A perfect day for a round of golf with good friends.

In this case, these friends not only know each other well, but are also pretty well acquainted with this popular municipal course. Retired Woodbury mayor Bill Hargis, along with Mike Barrett, Ron Hamilton and Curt Johannsen, have pulled their golf carts up to this particular hole many times before. Since the course opened in 1998, the foursome has been golfing on Thursday mornings at Eagle Valley from April to mid-November each year. (“We’ve promised our wives we won’t golf on Thanksgiving,” says Johannsen).

As Johannsen takes his shot, Hargis notes “It hit the same spot as mine did.” Hamilton, who has already taken his turn, adds “This is a par 5 hole. It’s a tough one.”

Back in the carts—the same pairs always ride together, the same person always drives—the group heads to the 18^th hole. As Hargis goes to the back of the cart to retrieve his club, he explains the basic philosophy of the foursome: “We don’t play real golf. We play sort of golf.” 

Indeed, there is a tag on his golf bag which lists their “sort of golf rules”: inside the leather is good; double bogey is max; one in, one out principle; all equipment is conforming; and any found ball is yours. The group acknowledges the fact while they do keep score, they don’t report for a handicap and always keep the focus on having fun. “To be honest, we don’t pay a lot of attention to how the game is going until after we’re done,” says Barrett, who is always quick with a quip. “We’ve probably played over 240 rounds out here, but with our do-overs, we’ve most likely played at least 30 rounds for free.”

The main objective of the foursome, all referred to by Hargis as “bogey golfers” (one ball over par per hole) is to have fun, to get out of the office, and to spend a little time on the golf course with friends.

For instance, they have instituted a cell phone policy. If someone’s cell phone rings, he receives a one-stroke penalty; if he answers it, a two-stroke penalty. Exceptions may be made if a reason for the phone call is declared before the round and the entire group gives consent. “When Ron was the senior pastor at Woodbury Community Church, he didn’t have to follow that rule,” says Hargis, who said the golf game typically lasts about three or four hours each week. Barrett has worked in the banking industry and Johannsen works in insurance. All four men live in Woodbury.

The genesis of the foursome began with their wives (the group refers to itself collectively as “The Great 8”) who met in a Bible study group many years ago. As the men got to know one another, they decided to start golfing together. When asked if their wives ever join them on the course, Barrett says, “Oh no, that would be a very bad idea.”

Actually, Shirley Hamilton, Ron’s wife, is the only one who plays golf and will occasionally fill in for her husband or complete the foursome if someone else is missing. “She’s a very good golfer,” says Barrett. “We always say that when Shirley is here, Ron plays better.”

Back in the Eagle Valley clubhouse after the game, the group jokes about playing in all kinds of weather. Driving rain? No thanks. Lightning. Never. Frost on the golf course? Sure. “You can get some good rolls off the water when it’s frozen,” says Hamilton with a laugh.

There are no plans to change the makeup of the foursome, although Hargis says they all regularly field inquiries from other Woodbury golfers interested in joining their group. “We’re going to keep this one intact,” says Hargis, who will have a little more time to work on his game this season, his first since retiring last year as mayor of Woodbury. “That’s a statement of faith,” says Hamilton, to laughter.

So far, none of the players has made a hole in one on Thursday mornings, although Johannsen did make one in another game. When asked how the group would commemorate such an occasion, Barrett says he’s fairly convinced “it’s not going to be an issue.” Hargis adds that each member has been “close” to sinking a hole-in-one, to which Barrett adds “When you consider that we’ve probably taken over 10,000 shots, we’re bound to get close.”

While all admitted they have noticed some improvement in their games over the years, the main goal for this Thursday foursome has been and will continue to be having fun. As Johannsen wryly adds, “I hate golf. I just like the people I play with.”

Facts about Eagle Valley Golf Course

• Eighteen-hole championship golf course, designed by course architects Joel Goldstrand and David Kirscht, was opened to the public in 1998. It’s a par 72 municipal golf course.
• A typical season brings about 30,000+ golfers to the course.
• Hole #7 (par 3) and Hole #17 (par 5) are the course’s signature holes; the latter is considered to be the toughest hole on the course.
• Eagle Valley offers lessons for golfers of all skill levels; throughout May, the course is participating in the Minnesota PGA “Free Lesson Month” program.
• Eagle Valley opens at the beginning of April and usually closes by the second week of November. “It just depends what Mother Nature deals us,” says Dan Moris, PGA, assistant manager of the course and head golf professional.

Eagle Valley Mainstay: Hank Friedrich

Hank Friedrich has been working as a starter/ranger at Eagle Valley Golf Course since its opening in 1998 and for this 90-year-old retiree, keeping golfers on pace has become second nature.  Although he no longer is able to play golf himself, Friedrich is definitely part of the game during the season where he works anywhere from four to seven hours each day. “In our job, we meet golfers in the starter gazebo and check their receipts and their tee times,” says Friedrich, who is one of about a dozen starter/rangers who work at the course.

At Eagle Valley, golfers are sent out every eight minutes, so that’s where the “ranger” role comes into play. “We ride around the course and monitor the time that each foursome is spending at a hole,” he says. “We want to make sure they’re playing at a proper pace and not holding anyone up behind them; when we’re sending golfers out every eight minutes, that’s pretty important.”

Occasionally, Friedrich has to move golfers ahead to another hole if the play becomes slow and may put together two pairs of golfers into a foursome to help the pace on the course. “We’re also there to answer questions and can radio for help if it’s needed,” he says. In addition, starter/rangers monitor the weather and clear the course if lightning is spotted.

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