The Wilderness At Fortune Bay – Beauty And The Best
By E. Nolan
Think of a course you would play every day of the year if you could. A course with no houses on it, no cars driving by, superbly managed, greens in perfect condition, beautiful views on nearly every hole, plenty of great scoring opportunities, and high shot values around every single corner… if those kinds of things are important to you. Do you have a course in mind? Is your course rated in the Top 100 Public Courses in the country? Is it a “bucket list” kind of course? Is it the kind of course that golf groups routinely label “the favorite course they’ve EVER held an event at?” Does your favorite “play every day” course check off ALL of those boxes? Mine does.
I actually have three courses like that, all of them checking off every beat-the-drum box – Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and The Wilderness at Fortune Bay. That’s some pretty exclusive, pretty elite company. Incidentally, all three of them are managed by KemperSports, but two of them are way out there in Oregon. The other one, The Wilderness, is right here in Minnesota. The Minnesota one is only 200 miles from the Twin Cities (most of that interstate – as in I35) and only 85 miles from the Duluth International Airport. In other words, (if you’re reading a print copy of this article) you can get there in a couple hours. A little further out? You can rent a bus from the five-state area (and/or Canada) and take a whole golf group there for the weekend. If you’re reading this digitally, from outside the Midwest, you can easily fly here and go play. It’s worth the trip on its own, but… paired with the other two Jeff Brauer courses at Giants Ridge (25 miles away) and the destination doubles in deserved acclaim. The Wilderness is a “Bucket Lister” for sure – “a place you MUST PLAY.”
Group One: Raise your hand if you’ve played The Wilderness. Okay, tell someone about it. Group Two: Raise your hand if you’ve never played The Wilderness. Group One: Look around you for anyone with their hand raised. They’re waiting for you to tell them about The Wilderness at Fortune Bay. Unfortunately, word of mouth doesn’t quite work like that. If it was that easy EVERYONE would know about The Wilderness and everyone would have played it by now.
But you can’t just tell people about the golf. You have to tell them about the Wilderness Grille – a “19th Hole” restaurant that could very well be the best casino golf restaurant in America, and is easily Top 3 of all golf restaurants in Minnesota. The views from that restaurant, especially from the patio if it’s nice enough to sit outside, are spectacular. The staff is always friendly, always on their toes, and the cuisine is magnifique (French, for magnificent) as Executive Chef Doug Sperry is the master of experimentation and hammering home what works. From soups to salads, ribs to daily specials, it’s no wonder so many sing his praises.
You also need to tell people about the resort – the Fortune Bay Hotel and Casino. It sits next door to the golf clubhouse, just a hundred yards (or so) away. What I always appreciate about the Fortune Bay Hotel is how clean and smoke-free their rooms are – very much unlike most casino hotels. With their pool and arcade it’s even a great place to take kids. Add in the proximity to the docks and the beach of Everett’s Bay – a sheltered cove on Lake Vermillion – and it won’t surprise you to see the parking lot stacked daily with trucks and boats of families on various getaways.
The resort offers a variety of rooms and suites (some with Jacuzzis and fireplaces), all with a mini-fridge, microwave and assortment of free spaces and balconies – some of those balconies featuring spectacular golf and lake views. You can get a whole lot of comfort in the confines of the room, and a whole lot of gaming excitement down the extended halls on the casino floor. The casino floor is loaded with slots (updated annually), blackjack and poker tables, and video poker machines. There are weekly and monthly promotions (you can win a Toyota Prius on Saturdays in April), and a constantly updated entertainment calendar with events and artists making appearances – particularly worth checking out over the summer.
While I’m a sucker for anything Chef Sperry and his team are cooking at the Wilderness Grille (every meal I’m there), others might enjoy the resort’s additional offerings. The Sunset Steakhouse is another more formal option, the Tamarack Buffet serves heaping plates of greatness to a procession of hungry crowds, and then there are the quick-serve Gold Mine Grill and North Star Bar with their burgers, snacks, beers, and mixed drinks for all ages (shakes for the younger ones). There’s a little bit of everything, depending on your fancy.
You don’t have to stay here to play here. It’s easier, but not necessary. In fact, avid golfers visiting Giants Ridge or Superior National understand just how close they are to greatness, and make it a point to swing by for at least one round. I’ve visited The Wilderness seven years in a row now, most of those stops with my entire family. It doesn’t feel like summer to not play there, and given my affection for the entire staff, it wouldn’t seem right to not mention their collective greatness. The man running the golf behind the scenes the past decade is now general manager, and he’s picked up perfectly where his phenomenal predecessor left off. “I can relate to your love for this place,” Ryan says, living that love out every day. “There’s no other course in America like this.” He’s right. “You’re lucky,” I reply. He nods. He knows.
The guy running a course with no less than 12 signature holes doesn’t have to say much about it – not to people who have played it. And to those who haven’t yet walked in marvel up its fairways, or taken 100 pictures along its paths, all he has to do is point them towards the first tee. They’ll find out soon enough.
Golf Digest placed The Wilderness 57th on their 2017/2018 “America’s 100 Greatest You Can Play” list. Last year the Senior Travel Writer for Golf News Network declared The Wilderness both “America’s Most Underrated Course” and “The #1 Must Play Course in America.” The year before GolfGetaways Magazine ranked the Par 3, 3rd hole one of “America’s 101 Best Golf Holes.” Our magazine, Tee Times, has heralded the Par 5, 1st hole as “Minnesota’s Best Opener” and listed the Biarritz-style 5th green as one of “Minnesota’s 18 Best Greens.” That’s all just scratching the surface of the acclaim this course has received. (Check out their website for more photos and awards.)
The Wilderness is a round loaded with split-level fairways, boulders, multi-tiered greens, panoramic water views and thrilling approach shots. It’s a collection of architectural brilliance (arguably Jeffrey Brauer’s best global design) and just might be the best course you play all year. The only way it won’t be… is if you don’t come up and play it.
