| I love to find new places to play golf as I travel | | | | not swirling you can have a birdie opportunity. On the |
| around the great state of Minnesota. The Glacial | | | | other hand, if you don't place your drive properly or |
| Ridge area of the west central part of the state | | | | you get too aggressive on your approach shot |
| offers many fine golf courses. Today I am going to | | | | double bogey or much worse is a definite possibility. |
| share with you just a small piece of the story that is | | | | An interesting feature at Pezhekee National is the |
| Pezhekee National Golf Course located at Peters | | | | "19th hole". I know what you are thinking,and this is |
| Sunset Beach Resort. The Peters family has spent | | | | not a bar. Though there is a small clubhouse with a |
| the better part of four decades nurturing this | | | | patio where you can enjoy a cold beverage after |
| beautiful piece of property into the golf course you | | | | your round, the "19th hole" at this Minnesota golf |
| see today. | | | | course is exactly that, an additional hole to play after |
| If you are a long ball hitter and are looking for a | | | | your 18-hole round is complete. This is a nice little |
| challenging Minnesota golf course, this is the place to | | | | 140-yard par-3 hole that was part of the |
| play. Pezhekee National measures 7,263 yards from | | | | decommissioned holes from the original nine. This |
| the championship tees with a course rating of 75.2 | | | | comes in very handy to break a tied score or to see |
| and a slope index rating of 138. I played from the | | | | who buys the frosty cold beverages as you make |
| middle tees, which was a challenging enough | | | | your way down to the clubhouse. |
| experience for my game. The middle tees play at | | | | Pezhekee National at Peters Sunset Beach Resort is |
| 6,592 yards having a course rating of 72.2 and a | | | | an easy 2-hour drive from the Twin Cites area |
| slope index of 132. Playing from the middle tees | | | | northwest mostly on Interstate 94 then concluding |
| Pezhekee National features four par- 4 holes that | | | | on one of several state highways leading into |
| measure over 400 yards. The shortest par-3 hole | | | | Glenwood. An excellent value in a family or group golf |
| measures 151 yards. The remaining par-3's measure | | | | vacation would be to use Peters Sunset Beach |
| from 185 to 199 yards. Another interesting bit of local | | | | Resort as a home your base and play unlimited golf |
| history on this Minnesota golf course is that each hole | | | | at Pezhekee National; then make day trips to any of |
| is named with a Native American Indian name, most | | | | the other area golf courses within a 45 minute drive |
| revolving around the folklore of Princess Minnewaska | | | | from Glenwood. Visit their website at for additional |
| and friends and enemies of her tribe that made this | | | | information on their Sports Special Package. If you |
| region of the state their home. | | | | are interested in being a daily fee player and not stay |
| Pezhekee National is a Minnesota golf course that | | | | at the resort, the fees are quite reasonable. You can |
| makes you consider risk-reward options. Aggressive | | | | play 18-holes Monday through Thursday for $30.00 |
| play can come back to bite you if you hit an errant | | | | and just $35.00 Friday through Sunday as well as |
| shot. You cannot blindly go into all the par-4 holes and | | | | holidays. Golf carts are available for rental at $28.00 |
| hit a driver. There are many holes where calculated | | | | for 18-holes or $64.00 for all day. The all day fee |
| distance control, especially off the tee, is vital. If you | | | | comes in nicely when taking advantage of the Sports |
| simply want to play mindless golf and "grip it and rip | | | | Special Package. |
| it", this may not be the Minnesota golf course for | | | | The pace of play at this Minnesota golf course, as is |
| you to play if you want to score well. On the other | | | | true for many of the rural golf courses, is excellent. |
| hand, if you are patient and play with a strategy you | | | | We played our 18-hole round in just over 4 hours. I |
| will have birdie opportunities. A perfect example of | | | | encourage you to take the opportunity this summer |
| this is on one of the new holes, number 11, also | | | | and visit any of the over 300 Minnesota rural golf |
| known as Yo-he-wa, which is a 381-yard par-4 from | | | | courses for their excellent value, beautiful scenery, |
| the middle tee box. This hole plays to an island green. | | | | abundant wildlife, brisk pace of play and friendly staff |
| If you play your tee shot properly and the wind is | | | | members. |