Read about everything happening this spring and summer on the golf courses at Grand View Lodge, including opening dates, renovation progress, spring course conditions, leagues, tournaments, and more below! Then, book your golf getaway.
Courses Open for Play April 28 (Weather Permitting)
The Pines and The Preserve will open for play on April 28, the same weekend as the KFAN Golf Opener. The 2023 KFAN Golf Opener package includes lodging, one round of golf per day at The Pines or Preserve, a tent party with six complimentary drink tickets per person, and Minnesota Twins merchandise as door prizes!
The Common Man, Dan Cole, will also golf and attend the tent party. There is still time to book your KFAN Golf Opener package! Those not on the package can also access the tent party on April 29 featuring live music from the Mallrats Band for a $10 cover charge.
One of our KFAN friends, John Kriesel, stopped by last weekend "in costume" after a lost bet on the Power Trip Morning Show! However, he still made great memories with our team and elsewhere around the lakes area. Fun times!
Course Renovation Ahead of Schedule at The Pines
Thanks to the tremendous work of Bobby Jones Links and our team, The Lakes course was completed last fall and will be ready for play this spring. View the course renovation videos capturing the progress made and exciting strategic changes to the course. As a result, the Woods course renovation got underway ahead of schedule last fall. Four holes have been completed, with an anticipated opening date of June 1, 2023. Stay tuned for more project updates soon!
Work on the Marsh 9 is slated to begin this fall on September 5, lasting throughout the fall and expected to continue into spring 2024.
Spring Course Conditions
The course superintendents and their respective teams have dug down to the turf and are optimistic about excellent spring conditions for golfers. We are committed to providing the best playing conditions possible and look forward to seeing members and guests playing on firm, fast, and smooth greens this season at The Pines and The Preserve.
Associate Updates – Welcome Back Shaun Meinke and Jesse Nelson!
Shaun Meinke is returning to Grand View, where he was an Assistant Golf Professional for seven seasons. Please welcome Shaun back when you see him!
Jesse Nelson has also returned as our PGA Teaching Professional. Jesse's love for golf started 20 years ago while cleaning carts and clubs at Deacon's Lodge in Breezy Point. After a decade at Deacon's Lodge, he spent another ten years at Grand View Lodge as an Assistant and Head PGA Professional between The Pines and The Preserve. Over the last year and a half, Jesse took time to expand and grow his career again, this time as a Teaching Professional. He is a Class A PGA member and, most recently, a Certified Mental Golf Type Coach. The Mental Golf Type Coaching is an innovative and new approach to the golf game.
Jesse is also a very accomplished player in our Minnesota Section. He has accumulated 14 first-place finishes in his playing career and has twice qualified for the National Club Pro Championship. He is eager to get out on the course and guide members and guests in their golf experience.
Jesse will be offering a variety of lessons and coaching packages this season. When Jesse is not at the course, he enjoys spending time with his wife and enjoying their two young children.
Other returning associates guests can look forward to seeing this summer include:
- Tim Martin – Clubhouse Manager
- Eric (Ebay) Martin, PGA Associate – Assistant Golf Professional
- Levi Nix, PGA Associate – Assistant Golf Professional
- Matt Neumeyer, PGA Associate – Assistant Golf Professional
- Adam Haugen, PGA Member – Director of Golf
2023 Golf Leagues
Get your competitive juices flowing, have fun, and enjoy summer on the golf course by participating in one of our available golf leagues below. Email eric.martin@grandviewlodge.com for more league information or pick up one of our invitation letters at The Pines.
Gene Anderson Men's League
The longest-tenured league at Grand View, this morning men's league runs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This league is a great way to get to know other members and play a lot of golf. The Gene Anderson Men's League perfectly combines competitive and social golf. Shotgun starts occur Mondays and Wednesdays, with structured tee times on Fridays with a limited sign-up. There will be individual, team, and proxy games with a cash buy-in daily, and each day will begin at 9:30 AM and finish at approximately 2:00 PM with awards and beverages. This league is available for members only.
9-5 League
The 9-5 is a Wednesday-night men's league from May to August. This 9-hole league has a shotgun start at 5:30 PM every Wednesday, excluding the last Wednesday of the month, where participants gather for an 18-hole round at 4:00 PM. There are individual and team games nightly, as well as a season-long individual points race based on finishing positions. Break up the week and enjoy a fun golf night!
Hole-In-Wine
Hole-In-Wine is a new Thursday night 9-hole ladies league with a 5:30 PM shotgun start from May-August. Each night there will be a team game where participants can win prizes from the Pro Shop. The nightly entry fee also includes a drink ticket for your round!
2023 Golf Events
The Pines and The Preserve look forward to another great summer of events and tournaments. View the tournament lineup below and email matt.skoglund@grandviewlodge.com for further questions and registration information.
Drive For Thrive – Monday, June 12 at 11:30 AM
Organized by the Glacial Waters Spa, the first annual Drive for Thrive event will be held at The Pines. This women's only event is a 9-hole scramble for teams of four. This event will benefit the GVL Thrive initiative organized by the INDY Foundation, supporting Minnesota's cancer warriors and their families.
Minnesota State Putting Championship – Saturday, July 22 at 5:00 PM
The Minnesota State Putting Championship is a two-person putting best-ball event perfect for golfers of all ages. It is played on all 18 holes of the Lakes and Woods courses at The Pines. Nine holes will be designated as hole-in-one holes with the opportunity to win $100 gift cards. This fun night on the course is followed by an award ceremony with food after, and the winning team will have the opportunity to make a putt for a Grand View Lodge membership!
Member Guest Beach Party – Sunday, July 23 at 1:30 PM
The member-guest event will be played on the newly renovated Lakes and Woods courses at The Pines. This two-person net best ball competition comprises teams with one member and one guest. Prizes are flighted, so nine teams will walk away as winners! The awards ceremony will occur on the Grand View Lodge beach on Gull Lake with an exceptional barbeque dinner.
Par 3 Shootout – Saturday, August 12 at 5:00 PM
The second annual Par 3 Shootout will be played on the Woods course at The Pines. Each hole is converted into a par three hole. The top 10 finishers from the first nine holes will go around again in a shootout-style format. The worst scorer will be eliminated from each hole until only one person is standing! Players who do not qualify for the shootout can follow the group and enjoy complimentary beverages during the shootout.
Grand View Lodge Club Championship – Sunday, August 13 at 8:00 AM
The annual club championship will take place on the Lakes and Woods courses at The Pines. This year's championship will consist of four divisions: Men (Blue Tees), Women (Red Tees), Senior Men (White Tees 55-64), and Super Senior Men (Gold Tees 65+). Net and gross winners will enjoy new and improved awards this year!
Fish and Golf – Saturday, September 23 – Sunday, September 24
The 15th annual Fish and Golf tournament will start with the fishing portion on Gull Lake on September 24, with golf being played at The Pines at 9:00 AM on September 25. This event requires participants to fish around the lake and score based on species and weight on the lake, as well as having a successful three-person scramble team on the golf course! Lunch and dinner are served each day while awards and results take place!
Iron Man – Saturday, October 14 – Sunday, October 15
The 28th annual most challenging golf tournament in the world will be played at The Pines and The Preserve. This event takes the strength to endure the late-season weather and the most challenging course setup in the world! Rule one, as always, is, "No whining!" This three-person scramble event crowns a net and gross champion. Also included is a giant gross skins game. The Iron Man is always an enjoyable event to cap off a successful golf season!
Tip from the Pro – Don't Break the Chip!
Watch this video and learn how to relieve tension in your golf swing from our PGA Teaching Professional, Jesse Nelson. Learn how you can improve your game this summer with all of our lessons, junior golf camps, and beginner nights from our team of teaching professionals.
See you on the Course
The Grand View Lodge golf team couldn't be more excited to start welcoming members and guests back to The Pines and The Preserve and is looking forward to another fantastic summer on both courses. Take a look at our golf packages, book a stay, and have some fun on two of the state's most pristine championship layouts- just make sure to hit em' straight!