In a state with a host of premier golf resorts, Giant’s Ridge is the Land of 10,000 Lakes’ white whale. Located in Biwabik, 61 miles north of Duluth, the facility boasts the state’s 4th and 16th rated golf courses (according to Golf Digest), and it contains all the golf that a player can handle. Both the Legend (built in 1997) and the Quarry (2003) courses were designed by Jeff Brauer of GolfScapes Design. The resort covers a massive acreage and includes a multitude of other non-golf activities. But this is not the site to look for the best recommendations on hiking and falconry. Let’s get to the golf.
The Legend
The infamous bear paw bunker on the par 5 third.
The first course my father, brother, and I played on our trip was the wide and playable Legend course. The three of us rolled up to the lesser-ranked of the two courses on the property and our expectations were quickly exceeded. The Legend is definitely the gentler brother of the Quarry, and while that is often perceived as some sort of slight, I found the course’s more subtle challenges to be a refreshing change of pace from the typical penal nature of modern design (more on that later). A perfect example is the 400 yard par-four 12th.
The inviting look of the tee on the twelth
The bowled nature of the fairway makes this hole an easy fairway to hit, even for a mid to high handicapper. But this hole also gives the better player a chance to cut the corner and put him/herself in a position to hit a wedge or short iron. Both my brother and I took advantage of this feature and were each rewarded with a green-light special shot into the green.
Pictured: Two great drives – Not Pictured: My ensuing three putt
The course is filled with fun holes like this, and it is definitely a track that can be enjoyed by golfers of all handicaps. However, as enjoyable a time as the Legend is, it definitely doesn’t let you forget that it’s a resort course. The holes don’t always flow together all that well and at times the transition holes are somewhat lacking in character. As outstanding the other three par threes are on the course, the sixth is a picture-perfect example of an utterly boring one-shotter. While it looks like a redan, it plays like your run-of-the-mill 185-210 par three that most modern designs repeatedly feature.
This faux-redan is one of the only slights that can be fairly leveled against the course
However, once your group finds its way past the Legend’s rare mis-steps and sometimes-obnoxiously long cart drives between holes, you will be rewarded with some of the most spectacular inland holes you’ll find at any public facility anywhere. While 17 deservedly gets the lions-share of the hype for this course, we found the 11th to be a spectacular par-three in its own right.
The short and thrilling eleventh
130 yards downhill to a peninsula green protected by a deep front left bunker. The 360 degree setting of tall pines and the quiet nature of this part of the property created a natural serenity that is so rarely experienced in golf, especially at a bustling resort. It is places like the tee box on the 11th where Giant’s Ridge is at its best: drawing upon the awe-inspiring beauty of the Northern Minnesota wilderness to create fun and memorable golf. But incredibly, the Legend does not reach its true peak for another six holes.
The sixteenth, a passable par 5
After the 16th, a decent albeit cookie-cutter par five, we reached the par three 17th. I had seen photographs and read enough about the hole to develop somewhat of a skepticism about the overwhelming buzz surrounding the striking one-shotter. But when I made my way up the stairs to the tee box and gazed my eyes on the hole, all the hype suddenly made sense.
Even with a lack of photogenic weather, the seventeenth flat out brings it visually
Brauer’s ability to visualize and execute this outstanding hole cannot be overstated. It is a wide enough area to accommodate the bail-out shot to the right yet still tight enough to get the heart rate pumping at a healthy clip. And with tees ranging anywhere from 137-226 yards, all are welcome to give this gem their best shot.
The Legend at Giant’s Ridge was a surprising and truly enjoyable way to spend a few hours. From the first tee box to the final green, you’ll get a fair shot to make some birdies and have tons of fun.
The Quarry
While the three of us had lowered expectations for our first round of the trip, the Quarry was afforded no such luxury. Ranked as the best public course in the state, the course had quite the reputation to back up. But even with a few days to digest the round there, I’m still not sure how I feel about it.
The dramatic par 5 fifth
The Quarry was built on easily the most impressive piece of land that I’ve ever seen for a golf course. It was carved through an old sand and gravel mining operation, and has some stark elevation changes. Many of the vistas that are created by elevated tee boxes are truly sights to behold. However, my conflicted feelings on this course have nothing to do with its aesthetics. Rather, I take issue with the fact that the Quarry lacks an identity. At times it feels like it’s Harbor Town with elevation; other times it’s a tree-lined Chambers Bay. To show you what I mean, take a look at the 353 yard par 4 ninth:
The ultra-tight par 4 ninth
This hole encapsulates my frustrations with the Quarry. The look it gives the player off the tee is spectacular. The dunes create a chute for the player to hit through, which is one of the great visuals in golf. Unfortunately, the hole’s strategic character doesn’t match the level of its cool aesthetic. Wanting to take what the hole was giving me, I hit a 2-iron off the tee in hopes of setting up the optimal angle for a wedge. But after a striped tee shot down the right center of the fairway, I found that all I had given myself was a blind second shot to a heavily undulating green. My brother had found the far right side of the fairway and was completely blocked out by the trees in front of the green. The only option he had was to simply pitch it back towards the center for an angle to hit an approach shot.
Another look at the ninth
The bomb and gouge style of modern golf is frustrating and creates quite the quandary for golf architect. I can appreciate when an architect calls for a player to be precise off the tee, but this hole’s lack of width and angles strips it of what a golf hole needs above all else: options.
I wish I could simply leave it at that and denounce the course as simply another mediocre modern design that just relies on awesome views. But that would be patently false, as the Quarry delivers several kick-ass holes during your round there. The par 3 eleventh is one that immediately comes to mind.
142 yards, and you better not miss short left
The collective strength of the eight par 3s we played at Giant’s Ridge was formidable, and the 11th is definitely one of the best on the entire property. At 142 yards, it punches well above its diminutive weight class and plays extremely well. A wide angled green allows for a myriad of pin placements which can greatly alter the difficulty of the hole. Short par 3s are rarely built anymore, but Brauer reminds every player that plays the eleventh how fun they can be.
Of course, any review of the Quarry would be remiss without mentioning the 13th.
Spectacular
296 yards and an infinite number of ways to play this delectably short par 4. There is a good argument to be made for hitting any club from 7 iron all the way up to driver. Standing on this tee box gives the player options galore and is one of the most well designed holes I’ve ever seen. I could play this hole all day, trying different strategies and experimenting with the numerous angles it presents. A special golf hole.
Unfortunately, the course never quite comes close to matching the tactical genius of the 13th. The closest it gets is when your group arrives on the 17th tee. At 181 yards, it seems like another repetitive longish par 3. But what we found when we played the hole was a delightfully strong shot value.
The mounds surrounding the hole can all be exploited for the player’s gain
This par 3 is guarded on three of its sides by large mounds. They don’t appear to factor much into the strategy of the tee shot, but our group was shocked when my badly pushed 6-iron fed off the right mound and trickled back into the heart off the green, 25 feet away. I am always disappointed by the lack of aerial strategy (ramps, backboards etc.) in modern golf design, because when done well as it is here, it’s an exhilarating feature.
Even with the benefit of 800 words to flesh out my thoughts, my personal jury is still out on the Quarry. It’s highest highs are inspiring but its lowest lows are deeply frustrating. The general lack of width, especially off the tee, creates a challenge probably too penal for a high handicapper to enjoy. However, I’d love another crack at the course to see if I feel the same the second time around. For now, all I can say about it is that it is a really good modern design. And if that sounds like a backhanded compliment to you, that’s because it is.
All in all, the three of us greatly enjoyed Giant’s Ridge. The accommodations are spacious and comfortable, the prices are extremely fair, and the food was pretty decent. For any die-hard golfer in the North Star State, the resort should definitely be on the bucket list. Outside of Minnesotans however, you might consider taking your annual buddies trip elsewhere.
Dropping the Mike 