Biwabik, Minn. - The Jeff Brauer-designed Quarry at Giants Ridge, was named as the best new upscale public course for 2004 by Golf Digest.
The sister to 4-year-old The Legends at Giants Ridge, which was ranked the top public course in Minnesota, The Quarry has been described by Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten as as fine a set of golf holes as has been produced thus far in the 21st Century.
"It's a combination of Pebble Beach, Pine Valley, Merion and Tobacco Road, with a bit of architectural Tabasco sauce sprinkled in for the occasional jolt," Whitten said. " It is the rarest of courses, 18 holes without a single lackluster feature."
"Mining remnants create an unusual and dramatic appearance, ranging from steep-banked bunkers and spoil piles to old mining implements, all creating what a mixture of looks from Pine Valley [in New Jersey] to Ballybunion [in Ireland]," Brauer added.
The Golf Digest honor comes in the wake of the Troon Golf-managed Quarry at Giants Ridge being presented a national Golf Development of the Year award from Crittenden as best public development built for more than $5 million.
Brauer, whose completely redesigned Creek Course at Indian Creek Golf Course in Carrollton, Texas, was rated seventh among best new affordable golf courses, acknowledged the latest awards are a thrill.
"There is a lot of good work out there and it is nice to be judged at the top," he said
After Brauer designed The Legend at Giants Ridge, course officials were spurred to add a second course because tee times were full and they were turning away many thousands of golfers. State officials challenged Brauer to build a course even better than The Legend.
"I doubt you will find two such completely different golf experiences at one resort, both designed by the same architect," said Mike Gentile, development director of Minnesota's Iron Range Resources Agency, which developed Giants Ridge. "I have heard comments to the effect that we must have brought in another architect. But Jeff did both of them."
