Golf facilities of all types are like human beings. Each ages over the course of time with some aging faster than others. Updating facilities whether private, resort, daily fee or government-owned is a crucial dynamic in which various internal improvements are needed in order to remain attractive in the post pandemic time frame.
Many facilities — especially in the resort category — are keenly aware past headlines do not ensure future viability, consumer interest and, most especially, profits.
Destinations are always looking to add elements that drive new interest or rekindle a desire from past visitors to return. Pebble Beach did this in 2021 when hiring Tiger Woods to renovate The Hay Short Course. Pinehurst did similarly when adding The Cradle a few years ago. In both instances, the noted resorts are seeking to engage a wider audience of both core and casual golfers.
On the private side renowned clubs such as Baltusrol in New Jersey and Oakland Hills in Michigan have gone full speed ahead with Gil Hanse bringing back to the forefront original design elements fostered by architects A.W. Tillinghast and Donald Ross respectively.
The golf landscape is an extremely competitive one and being able to grab attention, and sustain it, is a never-ending quest.- especially for resort locations subject to constant scrutiny and problematic loyalty. Facilities seeking to expand a footprint beyond a regional to a national level need to demonstrate the capacity to hit home runs metaphorically in a number of ways. The bar for ultimate success is attained each day and then re-measured the following day and every other day after that.
Facilities are also keen to add other non-golf elements that can spur interest across a broader range of family members. The rise of pickleball demonstrates that in combination with other proven connections via culinary and spa offerings.
Minnesota may not have the longest of golf seasons but the interest within the State towards the sport is second to none. The Gopher State has the highest percentage of golfers relative to its overall population. Add in the length of daylight during peak summer months and the appetite for golf is nearly unquenchable for many.
The issue for Minnesota has been to expand the State’s golf visibility beyond the immediate 4–5-hour drive-by-car region that essentially serves a number of States in the North Central region of the USA.
The competition is fierce as neighbor Michigan has been long active in spreading the word in a systematic and comprehensive manner about the variety of golf options present there.
Other States, most notably Wisconsin, have made major leaps forward in staging key professional golf events and married that to a wide range of quality golf offerings throughout the Badger State.
Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake in Brainerd is attempting to branch out and tout the benefits of its longstanding varied recreational offerings while bringing to the forefront a repurposed identity with golf even more so in the lead position.
Lehman 187,491 Yards / Par-72 |
Situated on 900 acres, the central lure is beautiful Gull Lake. The golf side commenced in 1998 with the opening of 36 holes designed by architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
Fortuitously, a visit to the property years later by former PGA TOUR star and Minnesota native Tom Lehman who was watching his son compete in a golf tournament there provided an opportunity for discussion to take place with ownership on what a total golf makeover could mean for the property.
The work commenced June 1, 2020 and ready for opening this summer.
Lehman, the 1996 Open Champion, had already established himself with a number of successful design efforts but the opportunity to play a frontline role in his home State proved irresistible.
The $17 million project calls for 45 holes under the banner of Cragun’s Legacy Courses, reflecting the initial layouts by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and now, by Tom Lehman.
The flagship course is the Lehman 18. The course is a par-72 7,491-yard layout featuring a complete makeover highlighted by stacked-sod bunkers, 37 in total, which are well-positioned throughout the round of play.
The starting trio of holes is a quality blending with a par-4, par-5 and par-3 start. The opening hole at 430 yards provides a generous landing area to stretch the muscles but precision with the approach is crucial to secure a much-welcomed par start.
The par-5 2nd at 618 yards is a strategic three-shot hole. The landing area offers sufficient room but the mental rigors begin in earnest with the second shot as the landing area is pinched in between 104-acre Stephens Lake on the right and a narrowing area on the left with sand and rough awaiting. Players have to decide how much of a risk they wish to take on advancing one’s golf ball with the second shot.
The par-3 3rd at 219 yards is a demanding one-shot hole to a green offering vexing movements thwarting all but the most skilled of putters.
The one issue of concern happens after you conclude play at the 3rd. The Lehman course features a number of extended cart rides between holes (6th to the 7th, 9th to the 10th and the very long ride from the 13th to the 14th).
This aspect is not unique to many resorts, especially when housing situations are involved as the intent is to secure as much frontage of the housing with the golf course.
Cart rides can be innocuous for some but irritating to others. The continuity of the golf round can be interrupted and the overall flow of the experience can prove disconcerting.
The Lehman 18 includes four new holes on the far eastern side of the layout. Approximately 60 plus housing units of varying sizes will be created here. It will be an interesting thing to see in the years to come how the future inclusion of housing impacts the uncluttered connection to Mother Nature one gets now when playing.
The strength of the Lehman 18 is centered around the collection of engaging par-4 holes. Beyond the opening hole, the 7th and 9th conclude the outward side in grand fashion.
The 7th plays 441 yards and features a blind landing area off the tee followed by a riveting frontal mounding area before the green. The green is bolstered by two sections and golfers need to pay particular attention on where to land the approach.
The 9th is equally testing at 441 yards. The cape-like hole tempts the boldest of shots from the tee down the right side but the smarter play is to use the ample left landing area for the drive. However, the more one goes left the longer the approach to the green will be. Golfers need to think carefully and act resolutely with execution on both of these fine holes.
The start of the inward half keeps the momentum going with two quality two-shot holes with the 10th at 450 and 11th at 443 yards respectively. The 10th climbs uphill to a superb target The 11th is a quality cape-like hole where players have to decide how much of the left-hand corner they wish to bite-off with the tee shot.
Unfortunately, the stretch of fine golf is interrupted by the perfunctory drop-shot par-3 12th. The beauty of the hole location is present but it’s more eye-candy than maximizing strategic appeal.
Thankfully, that slight deviation is countered by the riveting par-5 13th. The hole climbs uphill and turns right and ends with a green well-crafted and featuring run-offs to the sides for those unable to execute with precision. Many times, par-5 holes can be viewed by players as easy fodder ripe for score plucking. The four at the Lehman 18 are anything but.
The 14th is a testing long par-3 hole at 217 yards but it’s more of a connector for the final four holes ahead than anything of architectural significance.
The concluding quartet of holes again brings to the forefront a captivating array of par-4 holes with varying degrees of design elements of sophistication and overall challenge.
The short 15th tempts the boldest of plays at the 331-yard hole. The prudent play is placing the tee shot in the ideal landing area for a short pitch to the neatly positioned green.
The 16th commences from an elevated tee and the 423-yard par-4 forces players to decide on alternate routes. The most direct line brings into play a longer carry and the possibility of a mishit causing serious pain on the scorecard.
The penultimate hole can stretch to over 500 yards and success with the tee shot is mandatory. The more right you place your shot the better the angle for the approach. The juxtaposition of the architecture and the natural Minnesota countryside provide an ideal golf setting here.
Related: Grade “A” Architecture
The closing hole plays 484 yards. For those brave — or foolish enough — to attempt the hole from the Tour tee area be prepared to face a daunting 240-yard carry to get to the fairway over wetlands.
Thankfully, Lehman added several more benign tee locations that don’t require such a Herculean carry. The green is set on a slightly elevated rise with a wide assortment of riddles that need proper care to end the day on a high note.
The elasticity of the course is something Tom Lehman wanted to provide given the mixture of core and recreational players involved each day. And if golfers are cognizant of their own limitations via selection of the appropriate tee box, then sufficient challenge will be presented without becoming an unrelenting slog of constant punishment.
Given the speed with which matters have moved — credit Superintendent Matt Mckinnon and his hard-working team for the quality turf conditions given the newness of the layout.
The companion Dutch 18 presents a far different look with eyebrow grass surrounding the bunkers. Notably, the Dutch provides a more compact routing so green-to-tee treks are very minimal.
In addition, the adjoining Red Nine is being renovated with a planned opening expected for the 2024 season and which will be placed under the banner of the Dutch 27.
The Lehman 18 is a top tier addition to the front-line array of worthy public golf options throughout Minnesota. For those flying into Minneapolis the car ride is just over two hours in length and free of major congestion.
While not as remote as the cluster of compelling golf located in Bandon, OR, the issue for Cragun is to ramp up the reasons why core golfers need to head there.
There are other options of note nearby with the likes of Madden’s on Gull Lake, Grand View Lodge and the Sand Gravel Pit. The possibilities are present for the broader Brainerd area to move up the golf ladder but, as mentioned earlier, the competition is indeed fierce and the overall quality of the golf product available will need to remain at the highest of levels for that to happen,
Brainerd may not have been on the golf map previously for many golfers but the Lehman 18 has certainly changed the conversation. The plans in motion already could well provide the pathway for even greater attention.
In sum — make the visit and see for yourself.
A no brainer for sure. No pun intended.
Sustainability Series
Part 1 – Debate growing – questions abound — answers needed
Part 2 – Debate growing – questions abound — answers needed
Part 3 – Innovative program bringing new golfers forward
Part 4 – “The Time Factor”
Part 5 – Water watch worrisome
Part 6 – J. Bryan Unruh, Institute of Food & Agricultural Science,
Part 7 – Repurposing facilities, Minnesota’s momentum
