MINNESOTA: FALL COLORS GOLF CAPTIAL OF AMERICA

Nowhere where else in America will you find a better collection of golf courses to play and experience Fall Colors Golf. Minnesota’s diverse natural landscape offers great golf on a variety of terrains. From the rugged rocky cliffs, mountainous terrain and tall pine forests of the Lake Superior coast, to the thousands of lakes, historic resorts and wooded hillsides of Central Minnesota, to the scenic bluffs and valleys along the Mississippi. Minnesota’s diverse natural landscape is a great host for golf courses, and Minnesota is a great host for golfers.

Beautiful white sand that was barged in from the Ohio River valley fills the bunkers at the magnificent Legends Golf Club located 20 minutes south of the Mall of America in Minneapolis. The attention to detail and service here is of the highest quality at this Gill Design, daily-fee facility. The Legends features huge greens and generous landing areas with a 30 acre lake, cascading creeks, “links” mounding, boulders, scenic woodlands and wetlands, native grasses and the best collection of 3-pars you’ll find anywhere. Needless to say, The Legends “Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” certification is in the works. The Legends is the #1 course in the Twin Cities area, Top 3 in the state and was recently voted the “2006 Golf Course of the Year” by the Midwest Golf Course Owners Association.

Another course to visit after a trip to the Mall of America is the Rush Creek Golf Club. Rush Creek is a public course with a private-club feel and offers an exciting mix of rush-filled marshlands, lush fairways and tree-lined backdrops. At the Stonebrook Golf Club in Shakopee, an intimidating tee shot must carry at least 200 yards over water to the fairway, after your tee shots you must drive your carts onto a ferry that transports you across Lake O’Dowd. It’s quite unique! Called Minnesota’s “Crown Jewel of Golf”, The Wilds in Prior Lake features 150 feet in elevation changes, towering Ponderosa Pines, 70 strategically placed bunkers and breathtaking vistas. The Wilds is also conveniently located next to the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, so you can win back any wager you lost on the golf course.

The Northwest/Central Lakes region has become a haven for golf and is home to the one of the world’s top golf destinations, the Brainerd Lakes Area. Here, you will discover a multitude of world-class courses and resorts all within 45 minutes of each other on the Brainerd Golf Trail. Mature pine and birch forests, natural marshlands and lakes abundant with wildlife are some of the reasons the area has become a favorite fall colors golf destination. Three renowned golf course architects took advantage of Paul Bunyan’s handiwork by creating 54 holes at one of the “Top 100 Golf Resorts in the World,” The Grand View Lodge. The Pines at Grand View Lodge, built in 1990, is one of only twelve golf courses to receive Golf Digest’s coveted 5-star rating and the only one in Minnesota. Arnold Palmer recently put his stamp on the Brainerd Golf Trail with a superb new design called Deacon’s Lodge. Named after his father and proclaimed as Palmer’s finest design, Deacon’s is a golfer’s natural sanctuary nestled around three wilderness lakes, deep wetlands and pristine forests.

Another first class resort in Brainard Lakes that has a rich tradition of hospitality and treating each guest with friendliness and personal service is Cragun’s resort. Located on the shores of Gull Lake, Cragun’s features three new Robert Trent Jones Jr. courses. These Legacy Courses at Cragun’s Resort are embraced by the world’s largest Audubon Signature Sanctuary, where fall colors abound on over 1,000 acres of woods, pristine Legacy Lake and wetlands areas spanned by 1,400 feet of wooden bridges.

The sun glistening off Lake Superior reflect on brilliant yellow Birch trees, the whisper of the wind through the tall pines and the echo of your tee shot off the rocky outcroppings all awaits you in Northeast Minnesota. Carved out of the rugged Superior National Forest just one hour northwest of Duluth, Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort boasts two of the Top 100 golf courses in America and the new Quarry Course, the #1 “Best New Upscale Public Course in America for 2004.” Award winning architect Jeff Brauer used a nearby abandoned iron ore mine to create this classic track. The Legend, is an equally spectacular course at Giants Ridge where a moose crossed my path on the 13^th hole. One of the most picturesque courses in Minnesota is Superior National near the shores of Lake Superior north of Duluth. Three separate nines with unmatched vistas were built across this diverse, rugged topography offering both beauty and an incredible challenge to golfers of all skill levels.

Another one of Jeff Brauer’s top designs and the 2005 #1 Best New Upscale Course in America is The Wilderness at Fortune Bay. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay is located only 20 miles from last years best new course winner The Quarry. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay is carved out of the dense Minnesota Northwood’s near The Boundary Waters and stretches to over 7,000 yards with an impressive 144 slope rating. The first hole, a 649 yard par five sets the tone on this golfing masterpiece. At the Wilderness at Fortune Bay, play is not limited to the golf course. Fortune Bay Resort Casino, located on Lake Vermilion, is a complete vacation destination with golf, marina and Las Vegas style-casino gambling.

Courses along the Mississippi River, in the Root River Valley and in and around Rochester welcome golfers with fall colors scenery unequaled in the Midwest. Nestled amongst the grand bluffs of the Mississippi River in Lake City is the new Jewel Golf Club designed and owned by three times U.S. Open Winner, Hale Irwin. The Jewel Golf Club winds throughout 800 acres of the river valley and is sure to provide an enjoyable and colorful experience for golfers of all skill levels. Additionally, the Lowlands and Highlands courses at Mississippi National traverse up and down the slopes overlooking the Mississippi River providing magnificent fall colors for golfers and the Bald Eagles soaring overhead as well.

Minnesota offers unparalleled fall colors golf, super fall specials, lodging and recreational opportunities for the entire family. In Minnesota it’s golf. And a whole lot more. For more information log-on to: golf.exploreminnesota.com

Explore Minnesota Golf

6550 York Avenue South

Suite 211

Edina, MN. 55435

800-657-3700

www.exploreminnesotagolf.com

THE JEWEL GOLF CLUB

Nestled among green hills and rugged bluffs along the mighty Mississippi, The Jewel offers spectacular home sites, world-class golf, and a dynamic array of recreational opportunities.

On Saturday, September 18, 2004, at exactly one o’clock, in the shadows of Sugar Loaf bluff, Hale Irwin hit the first golf ball off a tee at The Jewel Golf Club in Lake City. Irwin, part owner and designer of The Jewel course, went on to play nine holes and quickly charmed the gallery of property owners and guests with a personality as warm as the day’s sun.

The outing, on the eighteen hole championship course nestled among the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley and beautiful Lake Pepin, was part of a weekend long Founders Club event for Jewel property owners and guests. Construction of the golf course was completed last summer and its grand opening for play is expected in May of 2005.

SOMERBY

The crown jewel of the Somerby Community near Rochester, Minnesota, , is the new Tom Lehman signature championship golf course with it’s new “English Manor” style country club.

Nature provided the perfect setting for one of Minnesota’s newest premier 18-hole golf courses. Well known golf course architect John Fought teamed up with British Open Champion Tom Lehman to create “a golfers paradise” on 450 acres of rolling hills and natural wetlands.

They combined worldwide experience on the links and exceptional design talent to fashion a course that takes full advantage of the terrain and meandering creeks. Pockets of grassy wetlands, lakes and ponds are carefully integrated into the bent grass fairways and approaches to the greens. The result promises to be as challenging as it is beautiful.