10.5 holes?!?!

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

That’s just how both ownership and patrons like it.

Following applause for the 2022 debut of its 13-hole par-3 course upon 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 in full a 10.5-hole course, serving as sister course complementing its original par-3 play. As 2026 approaches, Gravel Pit is one of the few non-resort 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 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,” smiles Klecatsky. “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 intimating 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 Course sports two water hazards, small greens and a happy host of 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 as 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 of them, 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/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, then they have this reason to come back and play the rest of the holes,” Klecatsky says.

As for that 0.5 on the card, the 69-yard putting-only hole near 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 further 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.”

Judd Spicer is a Palm Desert, California-based writer, Minnesota native and senior Golf Course Industry contributor.