Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2015 - 20

The Preserve renovation project began
with the elimination of trees in troublesome
areas in order to increase sunlight
and even out grass growth throughout
the course. It soon developed into more.
" Then we decided to enlarge all 18
teeing areas and create a better platform
for taking off on each hole, " says Frank
Soukup, director of marketing at Grand
View Lodge.
For Erickson, expanding the teeing
areas was pivotal. The squared shape
provides for easier and more consistent
maintenance with less mowing time,
while the size gives him more teeing options
and causes less wear-and-tear, particularly
on the par-3 holes. On the par
4s, however, the bigger tee areas allow
him to move up his tees, which increases
pace of play.
" I have more opportunity to put the
tees forward or move them back depending
on if I have a tournament day
or just a very busy tee sheet, " Erickson
says. " I can move them up and it would
affect my pace of play a bit, too. On the
longer par 4s, we can move the tees way
up and make it a much easier hole, so
you are hitting a shorter iron coming
in and you aren't looking for your balls
as much. Operationally, that is going to
make the biggest difference. "
The Preserve also plans to repave its
cart paths in May and improve the gradHole
15 at The Preserve
ing in some areas that weren't draining
well last spring during heavy rains.
Finally, it updated the clubhouse (with
an expanded pro shop), which is known
statewide for one of the best views in
Minnesota golf.
" You will see people come up to the
deck after their 18 holes with a sandwich
and a couple of beers, and they will
make little bets on everybody going off
the tee boxes or coming in to the greens, "
Soukup says. " So we want to make sure
people are comfortable sticking around
a little longer. "
While modifi cations to holes were
slight (some angles from the tees were
altered) the club is planning signifi cant
changes to the par-4 No. 5, considered
by many to be the hardest hole in the
lakes area. The Preserve received approval
for a permit from the Crow Wing
County Soil & Water department to
move/fi ll in upwards of 10,000 square
feet of marshland to lessen the carry to
the green. Work is scheduled to begin
once the ground thaws this spring.
Through it all, The Preserve team
set out to improve playability on their
course and they feel they have achieved
it. The work was done by John Reardon,
which caught the eye of some other
lakes-area courses.
" As soon as he fi nished our project,
Breezy Point contracted him; they're
trying to make improvements, " Erickson
says. " And while the project was going
on, I had the Madden's pro come out
here and talk to me about what we were
doing. We're all trying to get a few more
improvements made on our golf courses.
It really was a no-brainer for us. "
Continuous improvement: a nobrainer
for the courses, and a boon to
Minnesota golfers. MG
" We decided to
enlarge all 18 teeing
areas and create a
better platform for
taking off. "
-Nate Erickson
BEMIDJI TOWN & COUNTRY CLUB'S
NEW OLD LOOK
Last fall, Bemidji Town & Country Club completed what has been termed a
" sympathetic restoration " of its bunkers at the 96-year-old course.
" We re-contoured, remodeled and repositioned all of our existing bunkers,
which includes using new Ohio White sand, " head pro Rick Grand says.
" The styling changed to a more classic, grass-faced style, more in line with
the feel of the historical architecture of the course. "
Kevin Norby of Herfort Norby Golf Course Architects did the renovation,
which also incorporated a new irrigation system around the green complexes
for better maintenance effi ciency.
" It gives the superintendent more control in watering the course and
should result in a more consistent product, " Grand says.
20
MINNESOTAGOLFER Spring 2015
www.mngolf.org
PHOTO COURTESY BEMIDJI T&CC
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2015

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