Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 21

Springg
M A K E O V E R
made a change, " Leary says. " Our guys
reshaped and re-contoured the hole, so
that No. 12 will be the last substantive
ARNOLD PALMER AND ANNIKA SORENSTAM
AT THE ROYAL GOLF CLUB.
spirit continues with the new owners of
the Royal Golf Club being constructed
on the same beautiful property.
In addition to the former 27-hole
course being converted to a fantastic
18-holer, Royal GC owner Hollis Cavner
(who runs the annual 3M Championship
at TPC of the Twin Cities) and his
architects, Annika Sorenstam and the
Arnold Palmer Design Company, have
created a short course as the centerpiece
of the project.
The short course's six holes (each
about 100 yards) will feature a theme of
iconic golf courses (Augusta National,
Pine Valley, St. Andrews, etc.), a two to
three bay indoor teaching area for yearround
use, a nearby pool and fi tness
center, LED lighting for night golf and
music to chip and putt along to.
" We are trying to get kids interested
in golf, so we are creating a little bit different
atmosphere, " Royal GC director
of golf Jim Leary says. " We are wiring
in in-ground Bluetooth speakers [...] so
when you walk to the fi rst hole you can
play music. I think it will be one of the
signature pieces of this property. "
The entire project (which began in
March 2016, when Cavner's company,
HC Golf Course Development, purchased
the property) suffered a loss with
the recent death of golf legend Arnold
Palmer, who, along with Sorenstam, designed
the course. But despite the King's
passing, his signature will be present.
" On Mr. Palmer's fi nal visit, he and the
owner talked and thought, 'We [don't]
like how No. 12 turned out,' and they
design change that was made. "
Palmer and his group designed the
back nine while Sorenstam designed the
front. The new course wends though
the entire property, and new housing is
planned only for the far perimeter of the
course. Maintaining the bucolic setting
was important to everyone involved, but
no more so than to Sorenstam, who fell
in love with the land at fi rst sight.
" It's just very natural, very quiet out
here-it's so reserved, " Sorenstam says
of the 477-acre property. " It's hard to
fi nd those places nowadays. It reminds
me of my home-in Stockholm. "
All the new holes have experienced
change and reworking, but Sorenstam
took one of the best holes-the former
par 4 No. 2 on the white nine, which
wound around a large pond-and made
it even better. The new No. 2 was lengthened
to a par 5 (520 yards from the back
tees) that still utilizes the narrow, bottleneck
landing area near the water.
" I really love the change that was done
to No. 2, " Leary says. " It was a great par 4
along the water, but now it is a great risk/
reward par 5. The neck of that fairway
narrows in, so if someone hits a good
drive, the fairway will actually thin out
at around 270 yards. If you are going to
go for this green in two, you play uphill
to a beautiful green complex [formerly
the third green]. "
The Queen Nine (the front) is scheduled
to be ready (weather permitting)
in July, while a rainy fall delayed the
King Nine, which, along with the short
course, is slated for a late summer opening.
The 2017 season will serve as a test
run for 2018, when the ANNIKA Intercollegiate,
presented by 3M, arrives. The
tournament, typically held in Orlando,
moves to Olympic Hills in Eden Prairie
this fall, and then to The Royal GC in
2018 for the foreseeable future.
" It's the top ladies golf teams in D-1,
and they will be coming to Minnesota, "
Leary says.
As are plenty of new looks for Minnesota
golf. MG
Gophers
Heading
Indoors
Long Minnesota
winters might
have gotten a
little shorter for
local golfers, as
the University of
Minnesota announced
plans
for a $3.5 million
indoor training
center at its Les
Bolstad Golf
Course. The U of M announced that
a $1 million gift from the John W.
Mooty Foundation is earmarked for
the facility.
The training center will be located
on the St. Paul campus and will
be the fi rst indoor facility for the
Gophers golf teams. It will include
men's and women's locker rooms,
offi ces for the coaching staffs, a
lounge for students and a U of M
golf Hall of Fame.
In commemoration of the gift,
the facility will be named the John
W. Mooty Golf Training Center, honoring
the patriarch of the Mooty
family and creator of the foundation,
who passed away in 2015.
Mooty's son Dave says the gift was
the result of his father's love for the
game and the university.
" Dad was passionate about golf
and played with my two brothers
and me every summer and down
in Arizona until he was 85 or so, "
Dave says. " Plus, Dad was a very
generous donor to the U of M and
its law school in both athletics and
academics. We wanted to continue
that tradition. "
The facility is planned to feature
heated indoor hitting bays for allweather
practice and two indoor
practice greens. The U of M is hoping
that construction on the training
center can begin soon. -J.O.
www.mngolf.org
Spring 2017 MINNESOTAGOLFER
21
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL KELLEY
PHOTO BY PETER WONG
http://www.mngolf.org

Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017

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Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - Cover1
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - Cover2
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - Contents
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 2
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