Golf in Spencer

Featuring professional staff members, an impeccably maintained course, and true-rolling greens arranged according to the position of 18 miniature meteor craters, The Ridge offers a golf experience for clubbers both skilled and woefully handicapped. A full round of evasive holes ($25 weekdays, $27 weekends) tantalizes cleek caressers and promises more excitement than a ruptured appendix. A golf-cart rental ($15) and a medium bag of range balls ($5) are included in the package, as well as a caged self-loathing that, according to The Ridge’s policies, can be unleashed upon any golfer who putts an eagle.

Prairie View Golf Links guides golfers along a Scottish links-style course that wanders through prairie wetlands and rolling hills. Keeping with course architect Joel Goldstrand's vision from its opening in 1984, there are no trees to obstruct sight lines or hug unsuspecting humans in efforts to project their ideals of world peace. The open playing conditions tempt players to unleash full power off the tee, but a stream comes into play on hole nine, ready to swallow up errant golf balls. The flowing water splits hole four's fairway by length, forcing players to pick a side off the tee, like when twosomes must flip divots to decide who gets to ride on top of the golf cart. Players who can keep their shots on dry land enjoy taking aim at large greens, including an enormous double green that holds the flagsticks for holes two and seven, reminiscent of early Scottish designs.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course
• Total length of 6,368 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 70.3 from the back tees
• Course slope of 117 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole