John:
Sorry, missed your thread initially.
I've played StoneRidge a number of times, and among daily fee courses in the Twin Cities, it's one of my favorites, but I have to say it's not quite as good as it looks. Bobby Weed bills it as a "heathland" rather than "linksland" course, which I'm sure is more accurate, though I've never played a heathland course in the U.K.
I wrote a rather long descriptions/assessment of the course a few months ago under a thread about Bobby Weed courses, and I'm not going to rehash that here, but to my way of thinking they've tried to put links-style features on rolling pasture land. It looks great, but it doesn't always work, and the theme isn't consistent. Some of the better holes don't even adhere to the theme (the par 5 11th requires you to fit your drive between a big oak tree and a barn. Fun hole.)
No trees on the front 8 (you pass the clubhouse after the 8th hole and then proceed to #9). Fairways are tight and firm, in excellent condition; greens are large, some with much more contour than you'd expect to find on this style of course, very well maintained. Several greens are elevated and plateaued; you can run your ball up on some holes, but not on others, taking away some of the pleasure and usefulness of the fast-rolling fairways. Big waste areas and long native grass give the course a rugged look, but the fairways are wide and forgiving.
The ideal way to play the course is to walk the front and take a cart on the back; most of the holes on the back were built in and arround an old quarry, requring longer hikes between greens and tees. It's not as aesthetically pleasing as the front, either. I've always thought of the last four holes at StoneRidge as kind of a charmless slog.
I don't mean to be too negative here -- it's not the course I hoped it would be, but I enjoy playing it, and go back whenever I can.
I played Mill Run two years ago, just after it opened, and I'd go back again if I were in the Eau Claire area. Lots of steep elevation changes and a nice wooded section, though most of the holes are out in the open. It's pretty straightforward golf.
I prefer Troy Burne, if you haven't played there. They didn't go for the natural look the way StoneRidge did, but the holes define themselves extremely well, and unlike StoneRidge, I think Troy Burne gets better on the back 9. Bunkers and water frame the holes very well.
I haven't made the drive to Dacotah Ridge yet, either. I'm playing the TPC in Blaine for the first time next month. I hope some of this helps.