You must be intentional about getting to Giants Ridge Recreation to play two of the best courses in Minnesota, and we highly recommend doing so. It’s an easy hour drive north of Duluth, the Iron City on Lake Superior, three hours north of the Twin Cities, or from Grand Marais, as we traveled, it was two hours. 50 miles of that was along the scenic Outer Road. Wildflowers brightened the roadside under a haze of Canadian wildfire smoke, then rock outcroppings turned purplish on Vermillion Road. We’ve never seen such dense woodlands, with nary a home in sight, nor a cell signal found. Might we run into Jeremiah Johnson out on the Mesabi Iron Range? Go 75 miles too far and you’ll need a passport for Canada.
But that won’t happen, because you can’t miss The Quarry sign, then the Villas, and finally The Legend sign, right beside Giants Ridge Lodge, below the ski mountain. The chalet stands to the left, built in 1959 after local families carved the ski runs together. After some rough years of closure in the late 70s-80s, the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, a Minnesota economic development agency, acquired it and introduced golf in the late 90s. Enter John Kendall, Golf Director. As industry expert, Eric Hart says, “he’s given his life to Minnesota golf.” The team at Giants Ridge runs a truly ironclad operation.
Check in
We stayed in a suite at the independently owned Lodge next to The Legend. It includes a kitchenette and access to an indoor pool and large jacuzzi. You’ll see the maintenance team head out at dawn and return at dusk, under a sky that shifts from lightning show to sunset glow. Villas are also available onsite or find cozy rentals via Giants Ridge website and feel at “home on the range.”
Giants Ridge offers more than just world-class golf but of course, we’ll start on the courses.
The Legend
Jeff Brauer tackled a giant task building The Legend in 1997. Sharing some of the winter ski trails, tee boxes are marked like ski runs with green circle, blue square, black diamond. While chatting with Karl, the friendly starter and playing alongside Marketing Director Josh Woolery, deer danced through the first fairway into the woods. Would there be bears? On occasion. Karl recommended the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary and shared a cute photo of some cubs he’d taken.
The temperature was perfect but the sky a bit ominous. As mosquito repellent masked the faint smell of smoke, we declared it a great day for golf. At hole three, a long dogleg left, the main visual is the “footprint bunker.” Larger than Bigfoot’s and way larger than Yeti’s, it’s Brauer’s nod to the giant from Ojibwe’s native lore who created the ridges by laying down to rest. Go for it and you might be stuck in one of the four “toes,” but if you cross it, you’re way ahead. Take an extra ball and try it. What the heck?
Rain began to fall and then came a deluge. Thunder rumbled and water quickly flooded the fairways, so we played the two-putt rule – hit the green and pick up as a two count. Hole 6 had become a lake, but we all hit the green and sloshed through to pick up, laughing at our soggy pars. The most memorable rounds are played in the rain. But then lightning struck so we headed in. Everyone’s seen Caddy Shack.
Time to catch up on life in the pro shop. Katey Flannigan and team were stocking fresh apparel for him and her. She likes to feature local brands like Waggle and Swannie alongside mainstream names, in both pro shops. The popular Penguin line actually began as Munsingwear in Minnesota too, and Josh’s mom even sewed for them.
Refueled at Wacootah Grille, we returned to sunshine and resumed the round. On the 11th tee box, a gaggle of geese grazed and at the water’s edge by the green, a harmless snake startled us – ball abandoned.
The best of The Legend is saved for almost the last. Hole 16 hugs the lake, and then 17 pops as one of the prettiest par 3s anywhere, driving across the tip of the lake to a peninsula green framed by florals and trees in a stunning arrangement.
The Quarry
Jeff Brauer returned to craft The Quarry. Opened in 2004, if you’ve ever enjoyed playing Tobacco Road or Royal New Kent, you’ll get this design as well, since those Michael Stranz’ designs were Jeff’s inspiration. It’s a wonderfully wild golf coaster, built over a former sand quarry and iron ore mine, perennially hitting the top 10 lists.
The round begins with another mosquito warning. “Spray every two holes.” Some say they’re immune to local repellents and will drink it by the gallon. You can almost hear in their buzzing, “I smell DEET, let’s eat.” Drat, we forgot the dryer sheets that can help. While the Coleman repellent sold in the shop and our organic lemon oil combo aided in the fight, it was a cigar that brilliantly smoked them out and we were left unscathed.
From the outset, The Quarry’s topography is quirky, rugged, and “mogully,” reflecting the ski resort’s persona. It’s a bumpy downhill path from holes 4 to 5 with a big carry for long drivers. Hole 6’s green is surrounded by grassy ravines, and 7 is a doozy of a par 3 over a deep chasm. Hole 12 is a tough downhill par 4 with a narrow green approach, followed by 13, a short but multi-dimensionally troubled par 4, with fescue walled banks and bunkers protecting the roly poly green.
On 16, we spotted a full deer skeleton by the path. Reported at 9:30, the crew said they’d “heard a ruckus around 7, could’ve been a bear, maybe a timber wolf.” They moved the remains across the path, into the Superior National Forest. You’re nearly as far north as you can get in the lower 48, and it truly feels wild.
More Golf
The Legend and The Quarry could keep you happy for days but there are a few more courses in the area, including The Wilderness at Fortune Bay, another Brauer beauty, a half hour away. Thanks to casino funding, the course is adorned with incomparable horticulture on the tee boxes, and you can learn native words for the holes. Mukuaa means bear. Number 7 is ma’iingan or timberwolves and it could eat you up if you’re not careful.
Skiing
With 35 runs, 5 lifts, rentals, lessons and programs, Giants Ridge is known as the state’s best and host of the Minnesota State Alpine Championship each February.
Biking
Heidi Jo runs the show at the biking center with a full rental fleet and 12 runs, from approachable green to expert gravity, technical and chunky. It’s where “the young riders find their flow,” with camps and clinics. Anyone can safely explore the sport at the skills park or bike the Mesabi Trail.
Pool Haus
Opening this fall across from the lodge, is a new pool house with a concrete pool, community spa, and outdoor dry saunas.
Dining
Chef Jeremy DeBruzzi at Wacootah Grille, got his start at 11, watching Julia Childs and the Galloping gourmet. He later studied under the Queen of Denmark’s chef and authored the book, Minnesota Fish Tail. His specialty is sauces which we loved in his cajun pasta, enjoyed al fresco on the Mine Pit Lake, bordering the 18th green. Conversation ensued with the four men at the next table, identifying as “local hacks.” While disappointed in their round, but they’ll be back, again, and again.
Burnt Onion Kitchen & Brews serves up slope side flavor, seasonally in the chalet
Area Attractions
Biwabik: Music in the park with an americana gazebo and moose.
Hibbing: Bob Dylan Collection and dan Underground Mine
Chisholm: Minnesota Museum of Mining and Veteran’s Memorial.
Eveleth: US Hockey Hall of Fame
Nearby: Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary with limited hours.
Virginia: Heritage Museum and Ice Bumper Cars, that’s a first.
Visit www.giantsridge.com for everything you need, from trail maps to tee times and The First Timer’s Guide for bikers. The top rule in that Responsibility Code? Stay in Control. Good advice but count on losing yourself in the wild beauty of the Iron Ridge, on an ironclad golf vacation.
