Superior National At Lutsen – The North Shore Of Minnesota

The most surprising contrast between the North Shore of Oahu (in Hawaii) and the North Shore of Lake Superior (in Minnesota) is the GOLF… and not the way you’d think. The golf is WAY better in Minnesota! SERIOUSLY. Sure, Oahu may have more sun, more surf and more global touristic allure, but the water VIEWS are just as stellar in Lutsen, the lodging (at Lutsen Resort) is closer to the beach than any hotel you’ll find in Hawaii, and the activity options in the area throughout the summer… well… they sure don’t pale in quantitative comparison to the Hawaiian counterpart either. So, who cares if we’re comparing climatic apples to watermelons? In terms of the golf… Oahu golfers WISH they had the waterfront golf on their North Shore that we have! Oahu golfers WISH they had anything close to Superior National.

Only 90 minutes north of Duluth, Superior National was always a good golf course with great views. Don Herfort provided the original design in 1988 and his protégé Kevin Norby finished the project for him. The course opened in 1991 and Joel Goldstrand added the “signature” Canyon nine in 1999. There were great holes on every nine, but the course seemed to be lacking a consistent punch. Deserved or not, with three different identities, Superior National was a bit too schizophrenic to be adequately recognized on the “Best in State” lists. Enter Jeffrey Brauer, architect of the local (national) powerhouses The Wilderness at Fortune Bay and The Quarry at Giants Ridge. In 2013 he was brought in to gather the best elements of Superior National into ONE 18-hole routing and to give the course a legitimate shot at “Best in State” contention. The results of nearly $5 million and four years of meticulous renovation? Yeah, this is definitely “One of the 10 Best Golf Courses in Minnesota” and THE Best Golf Course on Lake Superior. No question. Period. Exclamation Point.

Architects tend to get all the credit for the courses they build, but I contend the people who envisioned the course, and the people who operate it every day are just as worthy of praise. I credit George Nelson for the development of the property back in 1986, particularly for all the people he brought up to the North Shore (since) to discover more of the “coastal” allure. I credit Scott and Nancy Burns, the owners of Lutsen Resort (across the street from Superior National) for all the love and money they’ve poured into the course over the years, from the marketing to the incredible lodging package compatibility. I credit the former Head Professional, Greg Leland, for his critical contribution to kicking the renovation off. And I credit Heath Ekstrom, Superior National’s Manager and Head Golf Professional for all of his (and his remarkable team’s) efforts in working with Jeff Brauer to perfect the design and for providing the daily promotion that is necessary for everyone around the state to realize that the course is FULLY OPEN FOR PLAY IN 2018 and to recognize that (in my opinion) Superior National NOW is truthfully one of the SIX BEST COURSES IN MINNESOTA.

Brauer’s Newly Redesigned River (Front) and Canyon (Back) Nines are the Feature Nines – THE “Superior National 18.” But don’t worry, the beloved Mountain Nine isn’t getting left out of the action. Not at all. If anything it’s getting more (and diverse) play. It’s a great “3^rd Nine” for those LONG Summer Days, where 18 holes isn’t nearly enough golf for the addicts like me. New tees have been added to make it more Junior and Family friendly. It’s been greatly cleared out to become more playable and more fun AND rumor has it, the Mountain Nine might even become the state’s newest Foot Golf course next! (That would be awesome!)

I’ve asked my editor to share a few highlight pictures from my September 2017 round of Superior National. This is genuinely what Superior National looks like now! #WOW

Superior National is just a couple of miles from Lutsen Mountain, with the Summit Express Gondola, the wild Alpine Slide, Trails and Canoe Tours. The course is a few miles further away from Grand Marais, gateway to the famed Gunflint Trail and home of World’s Best Donuts and a dozen different restaurants worth trying out. Lutsen is surrounded by incredible natural beauty, above with the mountains, below with the lake and all around with the best weather in the state throughout most of the summer – warm, sunny days and cool, clear summer nights.

Bottom Line: Hawaii is great, but so is Minnesota. As someone who travels all over the world to cover and play the great game of golf, I’m thrilled that we have some of the best golf anywhere right here – and honored to say that some of our very best is at Superior National at Lutsen.