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A New Era for Grand View Lodge Golf 2022 brought excitement and change at Grand View Lodge through a partnership with Bobby Jones Links for a three-phase renovation project at The Pines, ranked as the No. 4 public-access course in the state by Golfweek. In 2023, golfers will be able to reap the benefits. The Lakes Course saw a significant transformation to the bunkers last fall. Bunkers were added in certain areas and removed in others, improving the course’s strategy, playability, and drainage. Ohio’s Best white sand was also added to enhance the bunkers consistency and playability. Golfers will immediately notice the change on the first tee of the Lakes track, where a decision will have to be made on whether to lay up or try to carry two large fairway bunkers that have been reconfigured and
re-contoured, bringing them more into play. The changes continue on every hole except for the signature par-3 7th, which does not feature a bunker. Concluding the Lakes stretch, golfers will also notice a major transformation on the par-3 ninth, which has been a very difficult test with a two-tiered green in the past. The right, lower-tiered side of the green was eliminated, improving the shape of the hole and making it much more visually pleasing. Similar changes have also occurred on the Woods Course, where Bobby Jones Links made significant progress ahead of schedule last fall. The Lakes Course at The Pines will be open immediately this spring, while the renovated Woods Course is slated to open June 1. The final phase will be the renovation of the Marsh Course, which will see vast renovations
to tee boxes, bunkers, and cart paths and will open in spring 2024. Adam Haugen, director of Golf at Grand View Lodge, added, “Last year, we couldn’t wait to get this project started; this year I can’t wait to see the reactions from golfers after they experience the improvements. Year after year, we continue to elevate the golf experience for our guests and members, and we look forward to continuing to do so.” During this upcoming season, golfers at Grand View Lodge will have the best golf experience in the Brainerd lakes area with a newly renovated 18 holes at The Pines with nine more to follow, as well as the challenge of its other 18-hole championship course, The Preserve, known for its pristine conditions and elevated tee boxes.
Tips FROM A PRO Practice for Performance - Distance Control Chris Foley of Chris Foley Golf School
Golf is one of the few games that is not practiced on the actual field of play. Games like football, basketball, tennis, and hockey are all practiced on the court, rink or field where the game is actually played. Unfortunately, in golf, the majority of our practice occurs at a driving range. Most of the time the driving range has no resemblance to the golf course. This environment typically doesn’t lead to great performance on the golf course. To transfer our practice on the driving range to the golf course we need to have the following elements. 1. The drill, game, or exercise needs to create awareness and be engaging. Things like changing targets frequently, creating different sensations or feels and pushing you out of your comfort zone 2. The practice needs to be measurable. When we measure our practice, it gives us a true gauge of how we are doing. From day to day we can track improvement or regression. 3. There needs to be consequences in practice. We need to compete while we practice. This is what truly bridges the gap between the
range and the golf course. The practice experience needs to be closer to the actual golf course experience. As you start the golf season an area of focus in your practice should be distance control on the putting green. Distance control is the most important element of putting. Having great distance control minimizes three putts and enhances the opportunity to make putts. For better distance control, try the following exercise. 1. Place two coins or ball markers on the practice green approximately 18 inches apart. The markers create a zone where you are trying to stop the ball. The markers should be placed so that from one side the putt is uphill and from the other side the putt is downhill. 2. Place a ball one pace away from the zone on the uphill side and a ball one pace away on the downhill side of the zone. The objective is to putt each ball and have them stop inside of the zone. Alternate between hitting the uphill putt and the downhill putt. 3. Move back one pace if both balls stop in the zone.
18 | 2023 BRAINERD LAKES AREA GOLF GUIDE
4. Continue this process moving back one pace following having both balls stop in the zone. 5. The exercise is completed when you have successfully had both balls stop in the zone from one, two, three, four and five paces on each side of the hole. 6. Track how many putts it takes to complete the exercise. To add an element of competition to this exercise, practice with a friend. Start at one pace with one person on each side of the zone. Each player hits a putt. If the putt ends in the zone the player receives a point. Switch sides and move back one pace. Continue this process moving back one pace after each player putts. The first player to get to five points wins. After the players putt from five paces, if neither player has scored five points move back to one pace away from the zone. Utilizing this exercise to improve your distance control! You will make more putts and will shoot lower scores!