Giants Ridge Honored by Golf Digest in America's 100 Greatest Public Courses Rankings By Brian Weis

Giants Ridge Honored by Golf Digest in America's 100 Greatest Public Courses Rankings

The Quarry Places 31st on Coveted List, Second Straight Top-35 Showing in Biennial Rankings

By Brian Weis

Giants Ridge - Minnesota's leading golf resort set in the rugged beauty of the Mesabi Iron Range - announces The Quarry layout ranked 31st in Golf Digest's biennial rankings of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses.

The Quarry maintained its top-35 showing from the 2017-18 list of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses rankings, and was the only course in Minnesota listed among the top-50. Golf Digest started this list in 2003, and boasts nearly 1,000 raters and approximately 2 million subscribers.

Designed by noted course architect Jeff Brauer, the aptly-named The Quarry is built on the site of a former sand quarry and iron ore mine. Dramatically raised tees and hazards forged from reclaimed and repurposed mine land set The Quarry apart from other courses and provide dramatic Iron Range vistas.

"We are delighted Golf Digest positioned The Quarry among the top-35 greatest public courses in the country on this prestigious list," says John Kendall, director of golf. "This accolade is a wonderful way to begin our 2019 golf season and accentuate the exceptional golf experiences and customer service we offer our guests."

The America's 100 Greatest Public Course award is the latest honor bestowed to Giants Ridge by the publication. Earlier this year, Giants Ridge received the "Editors' Choice Award" from Golf Digest in the "Best Golf Resorts in the Midwest" category. In addition to the Golf Digest honors, Giants Ridge and its courses have received accolades from Golf Magazine, Golfweek, My Golf Spy, WorldGolf.com and Golf Advisor.

A convenient three-hour, straight-shot along I-35 from the Minneapolis - St. Paul metro area, Giants Ridge boasts another championship layout, The Legend. Carved out of the Superior National Forest, The Legend is a true "northwoods" course featuring towering pines, giant fairways and majestic views of Wynne and Sabin Lakes. Brauer also designed The Legend, yet is a completely different experience from The Quarry, and one of the reasons why Giants Ridge is considered one of the state's best golf destinations.

Currently, Giants Ridge is offering value-laden stay-and-play packages to kick off its 2019 golf season. The Villas at Giants Ridge package includes one round of golf with cart on either of the resort's two courses (through October 15), range balls, a yardage book and accommodations for 10% off the regular price. The GreenGate Guest Houses package includes a round of golf on either The Quarry or The Legend, golf cart, range balls and a yardage book, and starts at $232 per person / per night. Early and late season packages at the Lodge at Giants Ridge start at $249 per person / per night and includes a two-night stay in a two-bedroom condo, discounts at the Sleeping Giant Grill and Bar, a round of golf per person/per day on either course, golf cart, range balls and a yardage book.

For more information:
www.giantsridge.com, 1.800.688.7669

Revised: 05/13/2019 - Article Viewed 10,148 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.