Brauer's Quarry at Giants Ridge — 2004 Winner

[Forrest Richardson]

For those of you not in Atlanta during Golf Inc. Magazine's Annual Awards Dinner for Development of the Year — please send your congratulations to Jeff Brauer who walked away with the 2004 Development of the Year in the Over $5 million category.

Sutton Bay won the under $5 million category (this was close to our heart, as we were the 2003 winner for The Hideout in Utah within the same category.)

Jeff was very humble in accepting the award. I believe I overheard him say "I owe most of this prestigious honor to my friends at GCA for their continued support and encouragement." At least that's what I think he may have said.

[Jeff_Brauer]

And I understand that when the Hideout won, the moderator said it was a real piece of work......just like it's designer......

[Rick Shefchik]

Who says all the great golf is on the East and West Coasts?

[A_Clay_Man]

Congrats Jeff!

From their web site;

The Quarry at Giants Ridge
Sculpted in equal parts from the north woods and reclaimed minelands, The Quarry at Giants Ridge is a Minnesota resort course with a style all its own. Dramatically reaised tees and deep hazards forged from mine lands, wetlands, forests and a former sand quarry challenge players to dig deeper, see farther and risk more.

In brief, this 18-hole championship course has redefined golf in the Midwest.

A par 72 and walkable 7,000 yards from the back tees, The Quarry honors the region's industrial past in a unique and cultrually significant way. Each hole is named for area mines, past and current--from hole four, which commemorates the giant Mahoning mines that produces more than 130 million tons of iron, to hole 18, named for the Embarrass mine, which today, is a 550-foot deep mine-pit lake, the deepest on the Mesabi Iron Range.

Nice cragginess!

[Jeff_Brauer]

Adam,

Thanks.  The 17th hole, shown in your post, is perhaps the least typical hole at the Quarry - we had to have an irrigation lake somewhere, so we lined one quarry pit and filled it with water here.  I would prefer they feature shots of holes 2, 6-9, and 16 to give a flavor of the course.

[A_Clay_Man]

Jeff- A course in Minnesota without a lake, would be like a Pat Mucci thread without a question (or 3)

The only problem I had, was there was no mention of the young architect responsible for their latest addition.

I suspect Forrest was being Forrest when he said you mentioned Ran's selfless contribution to the golf world, in your acceptance speech. But for whatever reasons, isn't it interesting that the award has now gone to two frequent posters. Maybe we will get more professional participation, if that's possible.

[Brad Klein]

Jeff, where's that garrotted chipmunk you left on the cart path?

[cary lichtenstein]

Conrads and nice web site photo tour

[RJ_Daley]

Yup, very cool.  Congrats Jeff!!!

So, we have Forrest and Jeff as regular posters, and let's not forget Mark Amundson from Sutton Bay, who has been very open about showing and sharing their award winner with us.  

[Dan Kelly]

Jeff, where's that garrotted chipmunk you left on the cart path?

Brad --

It's behind the photographer, and off to the right -- resting in peace. (And you're right. Don't ask.)

Jeff --

Congratulations.

I, too, wish they'd show those other holes. No offense intended, but 17 could be on any number of golf courses. Nos. 2 and 9, just to name two, could not.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Brad,

I am still grieving for that poor little chipmunk..........Its too soon to talk about it, but I want the world to know it ran under my back tire......and there is no truth to the rumor that I mistook it for a baby moose and went nucking futz......

Here are, in my view, a few more representative samples of how the Quarry areas come into play....from my website

The par 5 2nd, with alternate route directly at green over 20 foot deep quarry scar.....


The 435 Yard 3rd, not much in the Quarry department, but hitting over the bunkers left will bring the ball back on the green.


9th Hole, where the approach to the green uses an old haul road down to a concrete batch plant, now buried under three foot of fill in the fairway.....


The par 3 7th, over a deep quarry scar.  This one isn't entirely authentic - the original pit here (it extended through what is now 2 fairway) was the source of topsoil for the first course.  We deepened it for topsoil/sand on the second course.  This area had the finest sand, which we hauled around for fairway use. Over on 2, the sand was coarser, and the super thought it might damage mowers in the tighter fw cuts, so that went to the roughs.  In any event, legend has it that when you are in the bottom of that pit, your feet are a bit warm as you are so close to the center of the earth's molten core......


The 16th is a straight par 5 hole, played bravely with a tee shot carry over a mining scar, and the second carrying the old road (highlighted with a bunker) in the distance.  Played safely, it is a Z shaped fairway, and true three shotter.



The 13th has been shown before, a short par 4 with green sitting atop an old mining ledge.....


Forrest,

It was great to see you in Atlanta.  When we get together, there is more needling than at a tatoo parlor.  However, I just noticed that you posted this as the "Winer" of the year?  Did you mean "Whiner" or "Winner?"

[Forrest Richardson]

Since corrected...my apologies. Great photos! When I get to Minnesota this January I'll go there.

[paul cowley]

jeff .......good looking and quite varied and it appears full with a strong finish !!!.....from a winers perspective.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Since corrected...my apologies. Great photos! When I get to Minnesota this January I'll go there.

Yeah, the course really looks great in white.....  

[RJ_Daley]

I really believe that course would look wonderous in a 12" cover of new snow!!!  Great pics Jeff.

Let me kick myself in the rear one more time for not getting up there this year!

[Jeff_Brauer]

I really believe that course would look wonderous in a 12" cover of new snow!!!  Great pics Jeff.

Let me kick myself in the rear one more time for not getting up there this year!

RJ,

I suspect it will be there next year, a claim a few Florida courses may not be able to make....

[W.H. Cosgrove]

January may not be a bad choice over July......-25° or hoards of mosquitos?  What a choice.  Is the Cutters included in the Green fee?  

The iron range has certainly changed since I attended summer camp in Eveleth!

[George Pazin]

We deepened it for topsoil/sand on the second course.  This area had the finest sand, which we hauled around for fairway use. Over on 2, the sand was coarser, and the super thought it might damage mowers in the tighter fw cuts, so that went to the roughs.

How common is it throughout the midwest to find usable topsoil/sand like this? I was under the apparently mistaken impression the midwest was one giant clay factory (except for those lucky folks in Nebraska).

Congratulations, Jeff. We can all say we knew you when you were simply Keffrey Bauer.

[A_Clay_Man]

G, The clay factory is a not exactly accurate. The mid-west, especially areas as fertile as Minnesota, have wonderful dark rich black soils. Likely accumulated from the retreating glaciers.

The only "famous" clay factory, i'm aware of, is the vien that runs through Colorado, Nm and all the way through well into Mexico.

[Jeff_Brauer]

We deepened it for topsoil/sand on the second course.  This area had the finest sand, which we hauled around for fairway use. Over on 2, the sand was coarser, and the super thought it might damage mowers in the tighter fw cuts, so that went to the roughs.

How common is it throughout the midwest to find usable topsoil/sand like this? I was under the apparently mistaken impression the midwest was one giant clay factory (except for those lucky folks in Nebraska).

Congratulations, Jeff. We can all say we knew you when you were simply Keffrey Bauer.

George,

There are deposits of sand and gravel throughout the Midwest.  In this case, it appears that a glacial outfall deposited some sands in the form of eskers and drumlins in this area.  The 12th hole of the first course had a large sand deposit.  The glaciers are also responsible for the gravel deposits, too.

The site was unique in that we could have used the sand for greens mix, with some screening, (but elected not to) and that we also used on site gravel (again, screened) for lake rip rap, cart path base, 4" gravel layer, etc. in addition to fairway and rough topsoil.

At nearby Fortune Bay and the first course at the GR, we had to haul in topsoil from different pits.  As mentioned, the contractor found and leased what later turned out to be the Quarry site as the closest source of topsoil cover for the first course.  In so doing, he was probably the low bidder.

[texsport]

I really believe that course would look wonderous in a 12" cover of new snow!!!  Great pics Jeff.

Let me kick myself in the rear one more time for not getting up there this year!

The Quarry is scheduled to close Oct. 17 so there's still time!

I'm playing it this weekend-the trees are in full fall color.