Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2009 - 27

At the top of the Minnesota River Valley,
in the western part of the state, an area that
was once tall-grass prairie is now a place
where good golf prevails.
By Chuck Lennon | Photos by Paul Markert
T
he ancient tall-grass prairie once covered 18-20
million acres. Today only minuscule examples of it
remain, and several of those examples exist on this
driving tour. Along the road, bursts of the prairie coexist with
granite outcroppings, lakes and brisk rivers.
Granite is abundant here, in fact, and geologists from
around the world travel to the area to study its deposits (and
hopefully, play golf as well). The keen eye will discover hues
ranging from gray to pink to dark red in the rocky protrusions
at Granite Run Golf Course in Granite Falls.
Other courses on this tour also hold quiet beauty. Ortonville
Municipal Golf Course, located on Minnesota's " west coast "
at 26-mile-long Big Stone Lake, is near two tall-grass prairie
preserves. Tiny Graceville Golf Club holds nine holes en route
to Morris' Pomme de Terre Golf Club, one of four Joel Goldstrand
designs in the region. Benson Golf Club, The Crossings
at Montevideo and Hawk Creek Country Club in Raymond
round out the Goldstrand contributions herein.
Morris is an outdoorsy destination, with fi shing, canoeing
and golf options on the scenic " Prairie Passage. " The
community also offers a variety of dining choices. Dawson,
home of the nine-hole Dawson Golf Course, is the center
of a vibrant arts community that stretches across west
central Minnesota.
Raymond, about 10 miles west of Willmar, is a town with
a baseball pedigree (its high school team has enjoyed three
recent trips to state), and that pedigree naturally blends
with the local golf course. The Willmar lakes area, home to
Eagle Creek Golf Club, is a good lodging hub for this tour,
particularly because its lakeshore harbors neat resorts.
One intriguing " castle " on Green Lake even hosts murder
mystery dinners.
The courses on this tour and what's left of the tall-grass
prairie share something in common: both are guardians
of different-but-splendid natural landscapes being held in
safe harbor. Enjoy.
MORRIS
ORTONVILLE
RAYMOND WILLMAR
West Central
Prairie Tour

Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2009

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