10.5 holes?!?!

The character-driven Gravel Pit in Brainerd, Minnesota, keeps digging itself a bigger hole.

And that’s just how ownership and patrons like it.

Following applause for the 2022 debut of its 13-hole par-3 course on a property that was an actual gravel pit a mere two years prior, the grounds have bet its own “Big Short” on a host of new holes.

In mid-2024, Gravel Pit introduced a 10.5-hole course, serving as a sister course to complement its original par-3 play. As the 2026 season approaches, Gravel Pit is one of the few facilities in America with two par-3 courses.

“I never thought that in our second year of business, we’d expand,” says Chuck Klecatsky, co-owner and operator at The Gravel Pit. “But people have been having a good time at the Gravel Pit since we opened in ’22, and, on the land that is now the 10.5, we’d initially drawn a driving range. Then, as kind of a survey, I kept asking people if they wanted to hit balls when they arrived, and I was getting one ‘Yes’ to every 20 ‘No’s.”

Informal poll conducted, Klecatsky went back to the design pit, re-tapping his superintendent-turned-architect.

“Scott Hoffman walked the 10.5 land a number of times and said, ‘Hey, man, that’s a little gem of a property over there,’” Klecatsky says. “So, we decided to build the second course and something that was a little different.”

Being “different” than traditional golf (or, even untraditional golf) has continued to define Gravel Pit’s budding culture of inviting inclusivity. “Here, the jam is social,” Klecatsky smiles. “It’s all about fun.”

With the fun tenet across the original 13 defined by some quirk, some genuine test and an awesome, natural aesthetic, the second course borrows from its 1,632-yard sibling.

Albeit with a bit more forgiveness.

“It’s a little bit less intimidating than the original, and while I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s easier, people do lose fewer balls,” Klecatsky says. “And the course grew in really well, just like the 13-hole course. There are very few trees over there, so, the turf quality — even though it was only a year old — grew in so nicely.”

Carded at a shade over 1,100 yards, the 10.5-hole course sports two water hazards, small greens and a happy host of Tom Fazio-style bowled collection areas that bank and feed back to the pin. While eight of the holes play at 116 yards or shorter, the newer grounds do sport earnest meat on No. 3. Listed at 156 yards, the test plays much longer over wetlands to a perched, muffin-top green; the hole understandably stands solo as the lone 10.5 play with a forward set of tees.

“Very fun, but extremely difficult,” Klecatsky says. “I mean, I like all of our golf holes, but between the two courses, there are three — No. 3 on the 10.5 certainly included — that are legit and could be on any course in the world.”

Laughing in self-deprecation when noting that the new addition “blew up” the grounds’ original concept and marketing of a two-hour day, Klecatsky has been pleased with early returns on the dual-play offer to guests.

“We’ve had a number of people who have been playing both courses in the same day, or, a lot of people who say, ‘That was super fun. Do you have a replay rate?’ So, then we send them to the second course,” Klecatsky says. “And that’s been a pleasant surprise, to see how many groups are playing both and making the Gravel Pit a little bit bigger part of their day.”

And for those still looking for some quick swings? There’s marketing muscle in that angle as well: “If people only play one of the courses,” Klecatsky says, “then they have this reason to come back and play the rest of the holes.”

As for that 0.5 on the card, the 69-yard putting-only hole rounding back home befits the grounds’ Good Times milieu and has fast proved an engaging bet setter.

“It’s been fun to hear the hoots and hollers from the last hole,” Klecatsky says. “And, now, I call 23.5 holes my new jam.”

Growing in popularity and renown far beyond its lake-laden northern Minnesota frontier, Gravel Pit’s penchant for laughs, challenge and accessibility to new golfers, all ages and ability levels is thriving with its increased variety of holes. And the guy behind a half-hole finisher doesn’t need an abacus to figure that out.

“Well,” Klecatsky says, “we’ve never been too good at math here.”

Tartan Talks 115

Chris Wilczynski has honed one of the trickiest assignments in golf course architecture: plotting and designing a layout surrounded by homes and neighborhoods.

Wilczynski joined the Tartan Talks podcast to explain the philosophies and tactics behind projects with significant real estate components. He and his team recently started field work at Esplanade at Rivergrass, a new residential golf course community in Naples, Florida. Rivergrass is Wilczynski’s fifth collaboration with national homebuilder Taylor Morrison under the Esplanade brand.

“It’s a unique balance,” he says. “If you were to build a new golf course that didn’t have the housing parameters, the deliverables and the aesthetics are probably going to be different than something with residential. The balance is really to understand the intent of what the community is. The golf course is an amenity to sell lots or sell homes.”

A different business purpose, though, doesn’t mean the golf needs to be compromised: “My goal is to have interesting designs, and to make them beautiful and make them playable,” says Wilczynski, who learned the importance of residential golf while working for the late Arthur Hills. “I can accomplish those goals within a residential golf community.”

The full episode can be found on the Superintendent Radio Network page of popular podcast distribution platforms.

People news

Legendary turf pro Paul R. Latshaw will receive the USGA’s Green Section Award later this month. Latshaw is the only superintendent to have hosted all three U.S. men’s majors — four Masters, two U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship — during a 37-year career at Oakmont Country Club, Augusta National Golf Club, Winged Foot Golf Club, Congressional Country Club and The Riviera Country Club. … Charles Aubry, director of agronomy at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, is the Georgia GCSA’s Superintendent of the Year. … Veteran golf course architect Brian Silva and colleague Brian Johnson partnered to launch a new design firm, Silva & Johnson, Ltd. The pair are working this year on San Antonio Country Club in Texas, Old Westbury Golf & Country Club on Long Island and Boca Raton Golf & Country Club in Florida. … Erin Wolfram is the new director of First Green and workforce development for the GCSAA. She brings 15 years of experience in the career services profession to the position. … The GCSAA also named Shelly Robbins, a sales and business development professional with more than two decades of experience, as its new senior director of foundation, corporate sales and events. … Kevin Laycock is the new VP of sales and order to ship for PBI-Gordon Corporation. … Soil Scout launched the Grandmasters Program, the first international recognition dedicated to professionals whose mastery of the rootzone has quietly shaped the modern game. The Grandmasters founding class includes Brent Downs and Andrew Northeim of the United States, Janne Lehto of Finland and Rodney McKeown of Singapore.

Course news

Construction is underway at Old Shores in the Florida Panhandle, the fourth golf course commissioned by developer Michael Keiser with architect Tom Doak. Lead associate Angela Moser is on the ground, busy at work shaping the course. Preview play on select holes is expected to begin as soon as the fourth quarter of this year, with a grand opening planned for fall 2027. A second 18-hole course is being designed and a short course is also being planned. ... INFINITUM, the 45-hole golf resort and real estate development on Spain’s Costa Dorada, started work on the front nine of the Hills Course as the second stage of its renovation project gets underway. The project is led by Dave Sampson of European Golf Design. … Troon is partnering with Buffalo Creek Golf Club, a daily-fee club in Rockwall, Texas, providing agronomy, operations and sales and marketing advisory services. … Bobby Jones Links is managing Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. … KemperSports, meanwhile, is now managing Lyman Orchards Golf Club (pictured), a 45-hole public facility in Middlefield, Connecticut, and Village Greens of Woodridge about 30 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.

Industry buzz

LebanonTurf received EPA registration for Fertilizer with Acelepryn insecticide plus Barricade herbicide, which control grubs and crabgrass. … Syngenta’s Atexzo insecticide/miticide is now also federally registered by the EPA. … The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has approved Albaugh LLC’s Diamid T&O for use in the state.