Breezy Point

Getting To Know: Breezy Point Resort

An Insightful Interview With Mark Neva, Head Golf Pro

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Mark Neva who shares some valuable tidbits about the resort.

Give Our Readers an Overview of the Golf Course/Property
Named in honor of Arnold Palmer's father "Deke", Deacon's Lodge is considered one of Palmer's best designs. Sculpted from 500 acres of Northern Minnesota wilderness, Deacon's Lodge combines the uncompromised beauty of surrounding lakes, woodlands and wetlands with a nationally acclaimed layout meticulously maintained to exceed your golf adventure expectations. Featuring massively wide bent grass fairways, masterfully designed green complexes, and native transition areas throughout, Deacon's Lodge guests are greeted by 18 championship holes equally deserving of signature hole status.

Additionally, Breezy Point offers its original championship course Whitebirch, a local favorite, and The Traditional course which played host to both Patty Berg and Walter Hagen in the early 1900's. Complimented by 4 unique restaurants, "Dockside" sports bar, spa, boat marina, paddle driven cruise boat, sugar sand beaches and multiple accommodation options, Breezy Point has been Minnesota's "Go-To" resort for over 90 years

For someone who has not played the course in a while, has there been any new changes/renovations to course or property?
Purchased in 2012 by Breezy Point Resort, Deacon's Lodge has recommitted itself to course conditioning. Although Palmer's blueprints remain unchanged since 1999, new technologies, equipment, and turf management practices have allowed Deacon's Lodge to fine tune the details. Coupled with 20 years of maturing, The Golf Course at Deacon's Lodge is said to be in the best condition ever.

What is your course's claim to fame, or is there a little known fact that golfers should know about the property?
Selected as one of Arnold Palmer's best in the inaugural issue of Kingdom magazine, the dramatic par 3 seventeenth at Deacon's Lodge was chosen from a list of 2,700 Palmer designed holes to be included in the "King's Dream 18"!

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
Arnold Palmer Signature Course, Arnold Palmer Design Company
Top 10 New Public Course in United States, Golf Digest (2000)
Minnesota's Top 5 Public Course, Golfweek Magazine (2005-Current)
America's 100 Greatest Public Course, Golf Digest
Top 100 Courses You Can Play, Golf Magazine

What tournaments/events have you (recently) hosted or will be hosting?
2004 Senior Players Championship (Minnesota Golf Association)
2007 Mid-Amateur Championship (Minnesota Golf Association)
2011 Players Championship (Minnesota Golf Association)
2015 Senior Amateur Championship (Minnesota Golf Association)

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
A number most likely never to be repeated, staff member Jesse Nelson (PGA) shot a remarkable "62" during a mystical round that included a "hole-out" eagle on the par 4 16th and "in the dark" pars on the closing two holes. 62 is the lowest score ever recorded at Deacon's Lodge by 3 shots!

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
In addition to being visually stunning, extra wide fairways, massive green complexes, and 6 unique tee options make Deacon's Lodge enjoyable to all skill levels. A course on everyone's must-play list, Deacon's Lodge promises to challenge the best while entertaining the rest. Furthermore, we guarantee you'll be greeted with a smile!

More Information
Breezy Point Resort
9252 Breezy Point Drive
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
(800) 432-3777

www.breezypointresort.com

Revised: 02/05/2018 - Article Viewed 21,803 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.