Every golfer strives for pars and birdies. And every golfer loves a challenge. So, what can make those pars and birdies even more special? Scoring them on a course’s most challenging hole. At North Oaks Golf Club, the most challenging hole is No. 2 — a long par 4 (a par 5 for the forward tee players). It is a significant challenge, and according to North Oaks First Assistant Golf Professional Nick Sage, the challenge starts right out of the gate.

Why Hole No. 2 is the Most Challenging

"A case of the Mondays" is a phrase you've likely heard a co-worker mumble in the office. But corporations and private golf clubs are reinventing what it means to have a case of the Mondays through exclusive Monday golf events.

Private clubs nationwide have long been closed to members on Mondays. But many of them open their doors to non-member corporations or organizations hosting events of 100 guests or more. A typical event schedule includes lunch, a golf tournament, awards presentation, hors-d'oeuvres, and drinks.

Whether you're hosting an event for your employees, clients, or fundraising, here are some of the benefits of hosting a Monday golf outing for your corporation or organization at a private golf club.

For many amateur players, hitting out of a bunker is cause for great consternation. While the pros consider escaping from a greenside bunker preferable to hitting from deep rough, the rest of us often hope to miss bunkers at all costs. It shouldn’t be that way. With some sound tips and a lot of practice, we should be able to hit the perfect bunker shot and have no fear of a trip to “the beach.”

It is important to remember that not all bunker shots are created equal. With varying types of sands, sand conditions, bunker shapes, slopes, and lips, you must always determine what conditions you are facing before making a swing. Sand saves are key to a good round, and failing to hit out of a bunker on the first try can sometimes lead to a bogey (or worse) and the beginning of a bad day. Here are a few tips that may help.

It's hard to believe when you meet her today, but North Oaks member Annie Ballantine used to hate golf. That's right, hated it. In fact, Annie and Nick Jellum only joined a golf club initially because it was more cost-effective than paying for two rounds of golf only to have Annie quit after two holes.

"I hated golf," she says, laughing. "It was torture."

But Annie wanted golf to be something she and Nick could do together, and it didn't take long for one good shot to spark motivation to make it two good shots — and so on and so on. Before she knew it, Annie loved playing golf.

"Now I'm obsessed with it," she says. "I love that it's something I can do with other people or by myself. It's really relaxing. I love being out in the quiet, in nature, away from TVs and cell phones. I feel like it's something I can do for the rest of my life."

The family is gathered and they’re all looking for something to do together. A friendly and competitive round of golf is a great way to spend a beautiful Minnesota summer day outside. But not everyone plays at the same skill level. So, how do you make a competitive round of family golf fair and fun for everyone?

Certainly, the GHIN handicap system can help level the playing field, but only if everyone has a handicap index. There are, however, plenty of other enjoyable family-friendly games to play that will allow everyone to enjoy an afternoon of family golf. Take a look at these different games and try one for your next family outing.

We all have a favorite golf hole. It might be a hole that we played well in the past, the most challenging one at our favorite course, or maybe there’s a nice painting of the hole in your home office, and you’re still dreaming of making a birdie there someday.

Whatever the case, we all want to do well on “our favorite hole,” but things don’t always work out as we planned in golf. We may be excited or anxious when reaching that hole and put too much pressure on ourselves — or maybe we are a little overconfident. Perhaps, we should consider some thoughts from a professional on how to master our favorite golf hole.

Get Your Emotions in Check

The first key is to get our emotions in check. That is important whether you are playing your favorite hole at the local muni or No. 12 at Augusta.

Most great putters sink a lot of putts. They read the break correctly, find the right tempo in their swing, and determine the right speed to hit the golf ball. But many of them have another tool in their putting arsenal — lag putting. Hitting in close on the green is every bit as important as hitting it close on your approach, as both can save you strokes. So, here are some tips for lagging those long putts closer to the hole.

Lag Putting Can Improve Your Score

Not every golfer considers lag putting important because a putt is only successful when the ball goes in the hole, right? Well, not exactly. Good lag putting can improve your score every round you play.

We all remember summer break from school when we were growing up. The excitement of long, lazy days ahead with nothing on the schedule. Well, that excitement typically turned to boredom after about one day of nothing to do. But, the anticipation and joy grew when we made plans to head to the golf course. It was, and is, an opportunity to get better at something you love while enjoying the weather and time with friends. What better way to spend summer break?

"In today’s society, I find that kids are physically attached to their iPhones, iPads, video games, and the television," says Nick Sage, first assistant golf professional at North Oaks Golf Club.

Trying anything new can be intimidating the first time — such as sky-diving, for instance. (Although we'll admit that success versus failure is fairly clear-cut and recognizable in that case.) While most endeavors are less life-threatening than jumping from a plane, even playing golf can be intimidating right out of the gate. Therefore, golf clubs offer ways to introduce new golfers to the game that are designed to make it fun and not chase golfers away before they have a chance to discover the joy of the game.

Although most golfers are male, women also love the game, and many boyfriends and husbands want to get the women in their lives interested in the game. But for many new female golfers, playing 18 holes of golf with men is intimidating, no matter the skill level. According to Ray Vennewitz, head golf professional at North Oaks Golf Club, beginners should be made to feel comfortable when they come to the course. And playing in a more social 9-hole league can help them accomplish that.

Every golfer is different — if not, we’d have a bunch of Jordan Spieth clones running around the golf courses. We all have different swings, different strengths and, frankly, different weaknesses. But every golfer has something in common — we can improve our game. Luckily, there are plenty of game improvement plans available to golfers of all skill levels.

So, just in time for the new year, here are five ways to make your 2018 golf game better than ever.