Golfing Montana's Interstate 90

Montana
Part 3

by Anthony Scaggs

HEADWATERS PUBLIC GOLF COURSE (406) 285-4002

Hit the golf ball long and straight, you are in trouble. A strange thing to say. Tiger Woods would shake his head at the statement. This nine-hole golf course is 2,957 yards long, which is ideal for working your woods or tuning up your irons. Two of the holes are over 500 yards and one hole is 99 yards. The rest are in between with lots of twists and turns. A great place to take beginners or someone who wants to work the ball or improve the accuracy of their irons. Do you open or close your stance to fade or draw the ball? Do you keep a parallel stance and change your grip a quarter of a turn to open or close the club's face in order to fade or draw the ball. Which club do you use for a 99-yard shot to the green? I have a 100-yard wedge that I use. Part of my course strategy is to select my approach shots so that I am between 100 to 125-yards of the green within regulation. I know that I have a club that will get me to the green and give me a chance at a birdie or a par. This course is a great course to find out how accurate and consistent you are with your irons and for the more advanced player to hone their skills. It is a great place to bring beginners.

BRIDGER CREEK GOLF COURSE (406) 586-2333

What a treat, If only I had more time to play the entire course but I was leaving on a jet plane in couple of hours.

My usual routine is to stretch and go to the putting green then the driving range. When I saw the driving range, all I wanted to do was hit balls on that thick, green lawn with the mountain range as a backdrop. I did more looking than practicing.

Mark Holiday, who is the PGA Professional, has been at the Bridger Creek Golf Course for 10 years and his assistant, Kylee Moullet, has been at Bridger Creek for two years. They provide Group Lessons for beginners and intermediate golfers and Junior Camps for ages 7 to 17. Private lessons are also available.

Bridger Creek is 6 years old. The signature hole is 16 and two other favorite holes are the 14^th and 15^th holes. The front nine is shorter with narrower fairways and smaller greens protected by trees. The back nine is longer with wider fairways, fewer trees, larger greens and more water to protect the greens, yes - more water

Hole #3 (Left) is a 487-yard, par 5, dogleg left.

The 9^th green, a putt away for a birdie or two for par. Hole #9 is a 498-yard, par 5 (bottom left).