Lakes area Golf Continued From Last Week
Last week, we talked about the amazing golf available in the Brainerd lakes area, and specifically, the Brainerd Golf Trail. This week, we pick up where we left off, and discuss the remaining courses.
With Craguns and Maddens, located on the south side of Gull Lake, fifteen miles north, is the historic Grandview Lodge, home to the Pines, Preserve and Garden golf courses. The Grandview golf team, ensures that each player is catered to, and with fifty four holes in the Grandview course family, there is definitely a place to fit everyone’s needs. Grandview prides itself in being one of the first resorts to offer championship golf in the Brainerd area. Introduced by executive Fred Boos, the Pines was one of the first top notch golf courses in the area. The Pines offers 27 stunning holes, laid out by course designer Joel Goldstrand that continues to draw tens of thousands to play every year. The Pines has been awarded with many prestigious awards. Including the gold medal from golf magazine, as well as they were ranked in the top 120 golf resorts in the world by Conde Nast Travelers in 2012, just to name a few. Along with the stunning Pines course, Grandview is also home to the par 35, relaxing Garden course. The Garden built in the 1930’s, is just like its social nine counterparts that are there to be family friendly and fun, but can also offer a challenge for any player. With these two courses located on the Grandview Lodge property, ten miles north of the Pines, is what I consider Minnesota’s greatest hidden gem, and that is the recently renovated, Preserve at Grandview Lodge. The Preserve is 18 holes of stunning championship golf that one has to see to believe. Having eleven elevated tee boxes, bent grass tees, greens, and fairways, all carved through some of Minnesota’s best forests and wetlands, leads to a golf experience like no other. With a view from the clubhouse that is like no other course in the country, the Preserve is the tip of the iceberg, to what make Grandview Lodge the most awarded golf resort in Minnesota.
At the end of this Lakes area golf trail, is a crown jewel of golf courses. Deacons Lodge in Breezy Point, is part of the Breezy Point resort family, but it is nothing like any other course in their possession. It was designed by the King of Golf, Arnold Palmer, and named after his father, Deacon. This course is 18 holes of championship golf that will not disappoint. The course consists of bent grass tees, greens, and fairways that carve through beautiful Minnesota forests, wetland, and stunning lakes. Deacons is so impressive, it has been listed on Golf Digest’s top 100 greatest public courses, and the 17th hole is even part of the Kings dream 18.
So next time you are planning you and your buddies golf trip, skip Pebble Beach, and play in Stern Rubber’s back yard, home to some of the greatest golf courses in the United States.