TRAVEL: Giants Ridge (MN) Should Be On Your Golf Trip Short-List!

When planning a golf trip, you try to look for high-value places that are on the rise. Those hidden gems that haven’t exploded yet, like Sweetens Cove almost ten years ago. Giants Ridge (MN), similarly, is a place on the rise that should be on your guys’ trip short-list.

Set in the rugged beauty of the Mesabi Iron Range, Giants Ridge is proud to announce that both of its championship courses, The Quarry and The Legend, were lauded by Golfweek’s annual Top Resort Course Rankings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Quarry moved up one spot from last year’s rankings to a tie for 35th in 2023. Designed by Jeff Brauer on the site of a former sand quarry and iron ore mine, The Quarry was the only Minnesota course listed among the top 77 layouts. Tied with The Quarry at No. 35 was Mid Pines Golf Club at Southern Pines in North Carolina. Finishing 37th was the Championship Course at Sand Hollow in Utah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One year after soaring 63 spots in the Golfweek resort course rankings, The Legend rose 11 additional spots to secure a placement at 119th in 2023. Carved out of the Superior National Forest, The Legend is a true northwoods Brauer design featuring towering pines, giant fairways, and majestic views of the Wynne and Sabin Lakes. Finishing tied for 117th was the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Ross Bridge in Alabama and Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas. The University of Virginia Golf Club Birdwood at Boar’s Head Resort in Virginia was 120th.

In sum, despite never hearing of Giants Ridge, its courses outperformed courses you’ve probably dreamed of playing.  

Golfweek’s elite team of more than 850-course raters determine the publication’s annual course ranking lists. Each year, the panel evaluates courses, grading each nominated layout based on ten criteria. According to Golfweek, “[the raters] also file a single overall rating on each course. Those overall rankings on each course are averaged, then each course is ranked against other courses.”

John Kendall, Director of Golf, said:

“It’s always an honor to be recognized in such a prestigious list as the Golfweek resort course rankings, and it’s especially rewarding to see both Giants Ridge courses ascend year after year. These rankings continue to cement Giants Ridge as the region’s preeminent golf destination, and we can’t wait to kick off the 2023 season.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The year 2022 was a banner one for Giants Ridge. Golf Digest bestowed its highly coveted “Editor’s Choice Award” in the Best Golf Resorts in the Midwest Category to Giants Ridge. Celebrating the “best of the best” golf destinations, Giants Ridge was one of only eight resorts listed in the Midwest and the only destination in Minnesota.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Quarry received further plaudits from Golfweek, placing tied for 135th in the publication’s “Top 200 Modern Courses,” built-in or after 1960 in the United States. Both The Quarry and The Legend finished in the top 10 of Golfweek’s annual “Best: State-By-State Courses You Can Play” rankings, with The Quarry notching the top spot as the best public course in Minnesota for the eighth consecutive year. An easy drive from the Twin Cities, Giants Ridge was the only resort in the state to boast multiple courses in these rankings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was also a landmark year for The Legend, with the course celebrating its 25th anniversary and hosting a commemorative event attended by golf course luminaries, dignitaries, and course architect Jeff Brauer. The Legend paved the way for The Quarry and spearheaded the Iron Range into becoming a truly world-renowned golf destination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Besides its two revered golf layouts, Giants Ridge offers numerous crystal-clear lakes, rivers, and streams ideal for swimming, boating, and fishing. Hiking and biking trails also cut through the towering pines found in the area, and chairlift rides offer breathtaking views of the stunning Iron Range.

Cover Image Via Giants Ridge