Giants Ridge Now Offering Finn Cycle By Brian Weis

Giants Ridge Now Offering Finn Cycle

Motorcycle-Inspired, Electric Cycle Creates Fun, Excitement at Minnesota's Premier Golf Resort

By Brian Weis

Giants Ridge - Minnesota's leading golf resort set in the rugged beauty of the Mesabi Iron Range - now features the exciting Finn Cycle, a two-wheeled, electric cycle designed to offer a comfortable and invigorating ride throughout a round of golf.

Among the first in Minnesota to offer the Finn Cycle, Giants Ridge's rolling terrain provides a fun and fast experience for golfers. The Finn Cycle travels at the same speed as a traditional golf cart, approximately 15 mph, and offers the opportunity to substantially speed up the pace of play by naturally encouraging ready golf with each player driving directly to his/her ball.

The golf bag sits along the center-line of the Finn Cycle offering easy golf club access and riding stability. The Finn Cycle has front and rear suspension for a comfortable ride and braking with hand-operated hydraulic disc brakes. The electric motor is in the rear wheel offering a sleek design and the lithium battery can go 36 holes on a single charge.

Subject to availability, cost to rent a Finn Cycle at Giants Ridge is $21 plus tax. Rental kiosks are available at both of Giants Ridge's golf shops, which includes a short training video for golfers. The cycles are already in high demand as younger players and golf purists relish the new, entertaining way to traverse the resort's two championship courses.

"Guests will be able experience the Giants Ridge courses from a whole new angle from the Finn Cycle," says Director of Golf John Kendall. "The Finn Cycle adds yet another thrilling and sporty element to our world-class resort courses."

A convenient three-hour drive along I-35 from the Minneapolis - St. Paul metro area, Giants Ridge boasts two of the highest ranked layouts in state, The Quarry and The Legend. Although both tracts were designed by renowned course architect Jeff Brauer, each course features its own unique layout and character.

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.

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.

Earlier this year, Giants Ridge received the "Editor's Choice Award" from Golf Digest in the "Best Golf Resorts in the Midwest" category. The publication also ranked The Quarry No. 31 in its biennial rankings of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses. In addition to the Golf Digest honors, Giants Ridge and its courses have received accolades from Golfweek, My Golf Spy, WorldGolf.com and Golf Advisor.

Currently, Giants Ridge is offering value-laden stay-and-play packages for the 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: 08/16/2019 - Article Viewed 13,246 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.