Spring Bloom

In an era when new course openings are as rare (and prized) as an albatross, Minnesota golf boasts several new course openings to supplement its annual renovations this spring.

Windsong Farm's New Acres
The headliner in local golf course development this season is Windsong Farm, which added an 18-hole championship course. The “North Course” joins the original to become the only Minnesota private club with two 18-hole tracks.

Architect John Fought (who co-created the “South Course” and renovated it in 2015) says the design gives members a completely new golfing experience. “We are very excited about the golf course,” Fought says. “It is absolutely the opposite of the other course.”

The original Windsong Farm course is a brawny 7,600 yards, while the tighter North Course, located on a smaller parcel across the road, winds around Fox Lake and is a 6,600-yard par 70.

“I have never built anything like several of the holes; it's the culmination of all these wonderful courses I've had the opportunity to see and play in my lifetime,” Fought says.

Fought refers to six par 3s, which feature different historic green styles to charm and challenge golfers. The second hole is an Eden green fashioned after No. 11 at St. Andrews, and the eighth green was inspired by the Dell hole at Lahinch. There is a Seth Raynor-like redan and a double green. Plus, the fourth's Biarritz green measures 73 yards long with a dip in the middle.

“It will probably have more variety than any green on the golf course,” Fought says. “With the tee and pin forward, the hole can play 135 yards; put them back, it'll play 235 yards.”

The course broke ground May 8 of last year and with good weather could see some play in early fall, and the membership is eager to tee it up.

“People are going to be fascinated; you'll have to think your way around this course,” Fought says.

Reimagining a Legacy
In 2020, pro golfer Tom Lehman traveled to Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake to watch his son play a tournament. Lehman's architect eye took over, and he studied where the players hit their balls. Later, at dinner with course owner Dutch Cragun, the two U of M alums discussed the course renovation and the pair soon got to work reimagining Cragun's two championship courses.

They turned the former Bobby's Legacy and Dutch's Legacy courses into the Lehman 18 and the Dutch 27, respectively. (Nine holes of the Dutch 27 will be finished this fall.) Lehman and crew renovated 31 holes, built 14 new ones and reduced the bunker square footage by 60%—but adorned some with gnarly fescue ridges strictly to be avoided.

He opened up the courses and made them visibly challenging with distinctive bunkering.

“We have two very distinct-looking golf courses,” Lehman says. “They play differently and look differently.”

Lehman designed the courses to be challenging for better players, yet kept playability for all golfers top of mind.

“The course was lacking width. There were a lot of unplayable areas for the mishit shot,” Lehman says. “We expanded the playable area by moving cart paths [and] removing trees and underbrush.”

The excavation opened up numerous vistas on the beautiful Brainerd property—a desire of the owner.

“It started with a vision that Dutch and the team around him had,” Lehman says. “I'm very motivated to make sure we don't leave any stone unturned ... to see this place recognized as one of the great places to play golf in the region, if not the country.”

How About a Quick 23.5?
While Cragun's courses were under construction, curious golfers took the short drive to the 13-hole Gravel Pit Golf Course that opened in 2022. The following year, increased numbers convinced co-owner Chuck Klecatsky (former director of golf at Cragun's) to add a second 10.5 holes.

The Gravel Pit's second course (designed, like the original, by The Classic at Madden's architect, Scott Hoffmann) offers a unique twist.
“The last hole runs directly back to our clubhouse and has a great downhill slope to it,” Klecatsky says. “We made it putting-only, so you putt from the top of this ridge down 60 yards to a putting green.”

The new course (open this spring) features several dramatic elevation changes, making for great views, challenging shots and friendly competition. Since the courses only take a couple hours to play, the Gravel Pit allows sixsomes, for large groups coming over from the bigger courses wanting to play together.

“We're about fun,” Klecatsky says. “I really enjoy people having a good time together.”