Pack the Clubs and the Family

May 2006 Special Advertising Section

Golf nuts seem to think they can, and should, tote their golf clubs along on every family vacation, business trip, or romantic weekend getaway.

And maybe they should—especially if there are plenty of other things for the non-golfers to do. Here, we highlight destinations within a half-day’s drive of the Twin Cities where golf, in varying degrees, is part of the experience.

Pure Golf
Years ago, serious Minnesota golfers looking to go on golf trips went elsewhere, such as to Florida. Fortunately, that’s simply not the case anymore.

In recent years, Minnesota’s vacation areas have added scores of high-quality courses, making certain pockets of the North Star State golf destinations in their own right. But Brainerd, where golf operators market “The Brainerd Golf Trail,” and Giants Ridge, where architect Jeff Brauer has designed two highly praised eighteen-hole courses, have gained the most national acclaim.

Seventeen courses surround Brainerd, including such well-known tracks as Deacon’s Lodge, The Pines at Grand View Lodge, The Legacy Courses at Cragun’s, The Classic at Madden’s on Gull Lake, The Lakes at Ruttger’s, and Golden Eagle Golf Club just a bit north of the others in Fifty Lakes.

“We’ve been seeing this part of our business—the pure golf trip—increase tremendously in recent years,” says Mark Ronnei, of Grand View Lodge in Brainerd. “We’ve added packages and new lodging facilities to accommodate such trips.”

The other top Minnesota golf destinations have done the same. Lodging facilities on the Brainerd Golf Trail and at Giants Ridge now have villas where, in some cases, up to a dozen players can stay. The rooms often include whirlpools, bars, pool tables, and other amenities. Many golf destinations have also added on-site spas, which offer a variety of massages, facials, and other relaxing therapies.

Fueling Minnesota’s reputation as a golf-trip destination have been accolades from national publications. To name a few, Golf Digest chose the Brainerd Golf Trail as one of the top fifty golf destinations in the world; The Classic at Madden’s was thirty-third on its list of top public courses in the country; and The Pines at Grand View Lodge consistently receives its five-star rating. Deacon’s Lodge, designed by Arnold Palmer’s company, ranks in Golf Magazine’s Top 100 You Can Play.

Speaking for the Brainerd Golf Trail, Ronnei adds: “We hear it all the time, golfers asking each other which course is the best in Brainerd—The Classic, Deacon’s, The Pines, Cragun’s Legacy courses. That shows how much quality golf we have here.”

Up on the Iron Range, Golf World magazine chose Giants Ridge as the sixth best golf destination in the world in 2003. Golf Digest ranked its newest course, The Quarry, the best new upscale public course in the country in 2005. “When we added the Quarry, we really became a legitimate, world-class golf destination,” says John Kendall, of Giants Ridge in Biwabik.

The Legend at Giants Ridge is a classic, cut-out-of-the-woods “Up North” golf course, according to Kendall. Its generous fairways make it the easier of the two, even though it measures in at more than 6,900 yards from the back tees. The Legend also includes one of the most difficult par-3s in the state: the 226-yard (from the back tee) seventeenth. A tee shot must carry over a small bay of Lake Sabin.

The Quarry, on the other hand, has smaller fairways and is set amid a former quarry. “It has a dramatically different look and feel—a much rougher feel,” Kendall says. “And it has many more elevation changes than our Legend course.”

The eighteenth hole at The Quarry, a long par-4, curls around a water-filled, 450-feet deep former taconite mining pit, which has been stocked with lake and rainbow trout. “When you’re standing on the eighteenth green, it’s about seventy feet down to the water—it’s quite a stunning view, and a tough hole,” Kendall says.

Ronnei of Grand View Lodge says a group of New Jersey golfers stayed for several days in the Brainerd area last fall, playing a variety of courses. “They told me they take an annual golf trip each fall—they heard about Brainerd in one of the national golf publications,” he says. “They’ve been to Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Hilton Head, all the big ones. And they honestly told me that this was their favorite trip so far. They just loved the setting and couldn’t believe how good the golf was.” Golf & Stay
The Upper Midwest is blessed with an abundance of cozy inns and historic B&Bs. Take the one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Old Rittenhouse Inn in the quaint, Lake Superior town of Bayfield, Wisconsin, as an example. The Queen Anne-style B&B has twenty-four guest rooms, all with private baths. Each room is luxuriously furnished with antiques, and many have wood burning fireplaces and whirlpool tubs. The Old Rittenhouse Inn also offers gourmet dining and special events, such as Wine Weekends and Mystery Weekends.

Wendy Phillips, a member of the family that bought the historic house in 1974 and first converted it into a country inn, says Bayfield has much to offer all year with its numerous apple orchards and berry farms, a strong artistic and musical community, and a great downtown. And, it’s accessible to the Apostle Islands.

Oh, and lest one forget about golf, the Old Rittenhouse is located close to two golf courses that capture the essence of the area: Apostle Island Golf Club, an eighteen-hole course just south of Bayfield that offers spectacular views of Lake Superior; and Madeline Island Golf Club, a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, which is located on Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands, and includes several unique double greens, much like those found in Scotland.

Less than an hour south of Bayfield in Hayward, Wisconsin, is another historic B&B. The McCormick House, operated by Dean Cooper and Jeff Miller, is named for a well-known lumber baron who built it in 1887. The business partners spent last summer renovating the home, which, according to Cooper, was vacant and “rotting” right in the heart of town.

The historic home is now a top-quality B&B that, according to Cooper, offers a high-level of guest-doting with afternoon tea, silk draperies, heated marble floors, made-to-order breakfasts, truffles, and hot chocolate.

In recent decades, the town’s rough-and-tumble lumberjack legacy gave way to a reputation as a musky-haven—the town is home to the famous National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum and the even more famous “Shrine to Anglers,” the massive, one-block-long leaping Musky statue that greets thousands of visitors to town.

“Hayward is right in the heart of an area that’s filled with all of the activities and amenities of a classic Midwest vacation area,” Cooper says. “There’s so much to do on the lakes, from fishing to boating and water-skiing, as well as great golf, mini-golf, bicycling, hiking, and lots of others. And Hayward is a classic small town, with lots of great shops, restaurants, the fishing museum, art galleries, ice cream parlors, and others.”

As for golf, the McCormick House recently developed some play-and-stay packages with a new course just outside of town, Big Fish Golf Club. The course, which combines a links-style feel with a strong touch of the northwoods, is designed by nationally renowned architect Pete Dye. Other eighteen-hole courses nearby include Hayward Golf & Tennis, Hayward National, and plenty of others.

Across Lake Superior from Wisconsin, in Grand Marais, Minnesota, golf is typically not the focal point for couples getting away to the six-room MacArthur House B&B, situated in the heart of downtown. Designed and built as a bed and breakfast, this house is spacious and comfortable with an at-home atmosphere.

While golf is an option, most folks who venture to Grand Marais for a relaxing getaway find plenty of other things to do, according to Max Bichel, who owns and operates the B&B with his wife, Sherri. “The North Shore is definitely a unique destination, a quieter destination than, say, Brainerd or even Ely,” Bichel says. “People who come here are looking for those unique North Shore activities.”

The more popular activities include taking a charter boat from Grand Marais to Isle Royale National Park, visiting Gooseberry Falls or the famous Split Rock Lighthouse, hiking along the Superior Hiking Trail, and mountain biking on numerous trails.

If you do want to hit the links, there’s a scenic nine-hole course close by—Gunflint Hills Golf Club right in town—and the championship twenty-seven-hole Superior National Golf Club just thirty minutes south in Lutsen.

Clear across Minnesota in Alexandria is the Cedar Rose Inn, a 1903 Tudor Revival-style home, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places and within walking distance of a variety of gift and antiques shops in Alexandria’s downtown. The Cedar Rose was practically destined to become a B&B: before its current likeness, it was known as the “Hostess House,” as it hosted many weddings, dinners, and other celebrations.

“Alexandria has been a tourist destination for a long time,” says Aggie Ledermann, who owns the Cedar Rose Inn with her husband, Florian. “And there’s good reason for that. We have a chain of lakes up here that is just beautiful and that offers all kinds of recreational activities. And here in the downtown there’s plenty of fun things to see and do.”

In addition, Alexandria is home to two wineries, Carlos Creek Winery and Brush Wolf Winery—both of which have special events during the year.

For those who do want to tee it up, there are plenty of options in the recreation-rich area. Well-known eighteen-hole courses include the Alexandria Golf Club (home to the annual Resorters Tournament each August), Arrowwood Golf Course at the Arrowwood Resort, Geneva Golf Club, Lake Miltona Golf Club, and others. Golf & Play
For a more family-oriented vacation, Minnesota and western Wisconsin offer a variety of classic “Up North” resorts. And, since golf began its boom in the 1990s, many of these resorts have added golf to their recreational offerings—top-notch facilities at that.

In 1989, Izatys Resort on Lake Mille Lacs, just ninety minutes north of the Twin Cities , upped its golf ante and hire renowned architect John Harbottle to redesign older and new ones. The result is two eighteen-hole courses: the 6,645-yard Sanctuary course, and Black Brook, the more challenging 6,867-yard course.

“Golfers who come here love the variety of playing both courses,” says Linda Turpin, of Izatys. “Both courses cut through wooded areas and have natural water and marshes as hazards. They’re both excellent.”

Of course, nearby Lake Mille Lacs, Minnesota’s second largest lake, is a constant reminder that there are plenty of other recreational options at Izatys, which has a variety of cottages, hotel rooms, and townhomes.

For example, the resort’s Walleye World Marina has pontoons, fishing boats, speed boats, and other watercraft to rent. The marina’s staff also guides fishing tours to track down Lake Mille Lacs’ most famous residents—those meaty walleyes.

“We’re a family-oriented resort, so we always have lots of events and activities for every age,” Turpin says. “As an example, we have two pools, a white sand volleyball court near the pools, bonfires at night, and great restaurants right on site. And, we bring in bands for special occasions.”

At Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood, Minnesota, near Brainerd, two golf courses represent the range of activities the resort has to offer. One of the courses, Alec’s 9, is a sporty par-34 layout that’s perfect for the whole family, including children and beginners. This course has been around since the 1920s, and it once had sand greens and relied on cows and horses to mow the fairways.

The other golf course, however, the Lakes, is an eighteen-hole championship layout designed by well-known regional architect Joel Goldstrand. The course is geared toward more experienced players, even though players of a wide range of skill levels will enjoy it.

Of course, golf is only part of the package at Ruttger’s, which boasts a four hundred-acre site rife with a variety of lodging facilities—from cottages to villas and lodge rooms—a sand swimming beach, a variety of shops and restaurants, a spa, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, day programs for kids, nighttime bonfires, and plenty of fishing and water sports on Bay Lake.

“The lake has good fishing for the whole family, including lots of pan fish, like sunnies and crappies for the kids,” says Todd Bymark, of Ruttger’s. “They catch a lot right off the dock.” He adds that the Department of Natural Resources has opened up nearby water-filled mining pits for lake trout fishing.

Take off for a getaway at Superior Shores Resort, the well-known lodge just outside of Two Harbors, where excellent golf can be part of a well-rounded vacation experience.

That’s because right outside Two Harbors is Lakeview National Golf Course, an eighteen-hole track that plays to more than 6,700 yards from the back tees. Also, within an hour’s drive of Superior Shores is Superior National Golf Club in Lutsen and the two renowned courses in Biwabik, The Quarry and The Legend at Giants Ridge.

“I would say golf is just part of the draw for people who come to Superior Shores,” says Darrin Young, the general manager, noting that Superior Shores is a perfect place to enjoy North Shore activities and sites, including miles of beaches peppered with a variety of rocks and agates; the Gitchi Gami biking trail; guided lake trout and salmon fishing; and cruises on Lake Superior’s North Shore.

When it comes to getting out on Lake Superior, Young recommends a number of cruise boat companies, including Grandpa Woo Excursions in nearby Beaver Bay. Captain Dana Kollars narrates a variety of lake and river tours, including a new excursion in June that follows the runners in Grandma’s Marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth.

“On those cruises you get to see the lake and the shore from a whole different perspective—looking in from the lake,” Young says. “It really is fascinating.” Back on land, Superior Shores offers pools, hot tubs, restaurants, and 104 guest lodge rooms and a number of lake homes for rent. Like the other resorts listed here, Lakewoods Resort near Cable, Wisconsin, offers golf as part of an overall menu of recreational activities.

First of all, Lakewoods is located on massive Lake Namakagon, which is known for producing muskies up to forty inches long. Second, the resort is set amid the pristine Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, meaning there are always plenty of outdoor activities.

Back at the resort, which offers a variety of cabins, condos, golf villas, and other rooms, much of the activities focus on the Forest Ridges Golf Course and the lake, where Lakewoods offers boat rentals of all kinds, including its unique two-person mouseboats.

“Families take part in all of the lake activities, from fishing to kayaking and canoeing to water-skiing and tubing,” says Kathy Rasmussen, a member of the family that has owned the resort since its founding in 1907. “But we also get a lot of golfers coming here mainly to play golf through one of our stay-and-play golf packages,” she adds. “Our course is wonderful, with plenty of trees and water and great views.”

Forest Ridges, which measures in at nearly 6,100 yards, is another Joel Goldstrand-designed course. In addition to the resort’s own course, there are thirteen other golf courses within an hour of Lakewoods, including one at Telemark, the ski lodge near Cable.