Northland members on the course and on the clubhouse verandas were treated to quite a view this afternoon as three sailing ships arrived in Duluth. The Duluth News Tribune has a photo gallery here showing some of the spectacular scenes as thousands of Duluthians and tourists lined the Lakewalk and Duluth Ship Canal to welcome the tall ships to the city.
Joe Kozlak (right, in photo above), recent winner of the Northland Junior Invitational, won the Northland Junior Club Championship today beating Bernie Kolar by three strokes after 36 holes of medal play.
Women at Northland have an opportunity to support breast cancer research by participating in the Rally For The Cure fundraiser on Wednesday, April 6.....and they can bring up to three guests. A $20 donation is requested, although additional donations will be gratefully accepted. Coffee and rolls will be served at 7:30am in advance of the 8:30am shotgun start. There will be plenty of prizes and a buffet lunch will be served following the golf. If you're interested in participating, please sign up in either the ladies locker facility or the golf shop. Sandy Nelson and Leslie Gramstrup are coordinating the fundraiser and are available to answer any additional questions.
Food costs have risen dramatically in recent months, and food service operations in many private clubs are feeling the pinch. Nearly half of the clubs recently surveyed by Private Club Advisor reported food costs 5 to 10 percent higher in the last 12 months. Four out of five clubs have boosted menu prices to offset the higher expenses. The majority went up 5 to 10 percent. About 40 percent of the clubs surveyed have reduced portion sizes to offset costs. Anecdotal comments said member response has been either neutral or positive. Other clubs have introduced more health-conscious menus. Among clubs that have not raised menu prices, changed portion sizes or otherwise altered their menus, 55 percent expect to do so before the end of the year. A recurring theme was that members' payment of dues implies some degree of immunity from inflation and an assurance of good value. In lieu of raising prices or paring back menus, some clubs have adopted market pricing or shifted to an a la carte format. Other suggestions include offering petite portion options, reducing waste by cutting back on the the number of buffets and variety of menu items, and shrinking plates and carry-out drink cups. Some clubs have negotiated with suppliers for guaranteed pricing in an attempt to control costs.
Northland Country Club welcomes the following new members: Matt & Sara Mathias and Chris & Kelli Priley have joined as Pre-Residents; Tim & Melissa Moriarty and Michael & Pamela Herrick have joined a Resident golfers; Jim & Cindy Holton and Sheila Sutton are new Social members. The new and revised Northland Membership Directory is now available online at the club's main website. For directions on how to access the directory, contact Membership Director Ann Robertson. Ann's email and phone number is listed at the top right of this blog site. Just click her name to send an email.
The Northland Junior Club Championships begin on Wednesday and will continue Thursday morning. Tee times will begin at 8am each day. Champions will be crowned for both boys and girls in competitions ranging from 3, 5, 9 and 18 holes. To sign up your junior golfer, contact the pro shop today.
The team of Gary Moline-Mike Patterson claimed the 2008 Member-Member Championship today, beating the team of Bob Ryan-Dick DeLano on the third extra hole of their sudden-death play-off. Both teams ended today's competition at 14-under par for the two-day event. Twenty-three teams competed this weekend.
The teams of Bob Ryan-Dick DeLano and Gary Moline-Michael Patterson are tied with eight points each after day one of the Member-Member event at Northland. Joe Johnson-Craig Dahl trail by just a single point. Five other teams are tied at +5, including defending champions Jim Abelsen-Rob Link. Today's play was match play against par, with a point awarded for each net birdie. Play continues Sunday with an 8am shotgun start. The format will be best ball. We've included the pairings below.
The Golf Shop is looking for both "A" and "B" players to compete in this weekend's Member-Member event. A number of single players have signed up and partners are needed to fill the field. Handicaps of 10 or less will compete as an "A" player while those with an index of 11 or higher will complete the two-man team. There will be a social gathering tonight (spouse-guests welcome) beginning at 6:30. Play on Saturday and Sunday begins at 8am with a shotgun start both days.
National Weather Service radar indicates another line of rain is building near Grand Rapids following the line of thunderstorms that hit some portions of Duluth this morning...the radar indicates the new rain could arrive near the start of Men's League at 1:30 this afternoon, but no decision has made yet about play. Click the image to view the rain track updated animation.
Betsy Aldrich of Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata, MN., (shown above and at the right hitting her approach shot into hole 14) has claimed her second Northland Women's Invitational championship. The 2004 Northland champion won with a two-day total of 156, nine strokes better than second place finisher Kelsie Passolt (165). A group of four other Northland champions were close behind, including Kate Johnson (167), Jo-Anne Lindsay (167) Ann Zahn (168) and Sue Liberty (169). Following her victory, Aldrich offered that she was greatly impressed with the condition of the golf course during the tournament, and had considerable praise for the Northland volunteers and tournament leadership - especially Lois Mertz and Pat Fride - for making this year's event so special. The tournament's championship flight played the course for the past two days at just under 6,000 yards.
This year's invitational tournament featured a field of 99 golfers, many of them participating at Northland for the very first time. This year's tournament attracted a fine field of young women amateurs from across the state who indicated they felt extremely challenged by the playing conditions at Northland and look forward to returning in the years ahead.
Two of Northland's younger women finished first and third in the tournament's First Flight. Lisa Moline (center in the photo below) finished with a two-day total of 165. Laura L'Abbe (at right in the photo below) had a two-day total of 169. Second place finisher Laura Heck shot 166. Northland Country Club thanks and congratulates all flight winners, participants and volunteers for making the 2008 Women's Invitational such a great event.
The Duluth News Tribune spent much of the afternoon with the tournament's final grouping this morning and afternoon. We'll provide a link to their coverage as soon as it becomes available. UPDATE: Here's the link to the Duluth News Tribune coverage.
Betsy Alrdrich has the lead after day one of the 2008 Northland Women's Invitational Golf Tournament. Aldrich, the 2004 winner, was the only player with a round in the 70's today. Jo-Anne Lindsay, the winner in 2003 and again in 2006, is in second place, opening with an 80. Yet another shot back is Northland's Sue Liberty, a 9-time Northland winner and defending champion. The final group will include Anne Zahn, one of five players who recorded an 82. Zahn is a three-time Northland winner (1977, 1982, 1983). The final group tees of Wednesday morning at 8:40. Ninety-nine women are participating in this year's event.
The 83rd Annual Northland Invitational Golf Tournament is just three weeks away - are you planning to become a part of this great tradition? Over 120 players (members-guests) have already registered for the August 13-17 event, including many past champions. PGA Pro Joe O'Connor and tournament chair Joe Jeannette hope to have a field of at least 180 participants; with last minute entries it's possible the field could grow to 200. If you're considering playing this year, or have friends or relatives who would enjoy five great days of golf, please contact the golf shop today.
Northland's annual Member-Member 4-Ball will be held this weekend (July 26-27) and the golf shop is still accepting participants. If you're an individual looking to play, the golf shop has other singles looking for a partner. The two-man teams must have one player with a handicap of 10 or less while the other must be an 11 or higher. There's a player reception on Friday beginning at 6:30pm (spouses and guests are invited). Saturday's format will be match play versus par - Sunday will be a best ball of the twosome. Play begins both days at 8:00. The weather forecast looks great for the weekend. Call the golf shop today to register.
The 2008 Northland Women's Invitational Golf Tournament, featuring four recent champions, gets underway Monday with practice rounds and a field in excess of 100 women. The official start of the tournament is Tuesday morning at 8am. Among the field, 9-time winner - and defending champion - Sue Moline-Liberty, and past winners Jo-Ann Lindsay (2003, 2006), Betsy Aldrich (2004) and Kate Johnson (1998). Full competition begins at 8am Tuesday to be followed on the final day with a shotgun start at 8:30am on Wednesday.
The team of Paul Nelson, Ken Buck and David Whittaker are the 2008 McGladrey Team Champions and will represent Northland at the Midwest Sectional in early August. The team carded a best ball 60 today to beat two other teams by two strokes. The teams of Tony Yung-Cory Cartier-Todd Sieger, and Shane Johnson-Joel Kramer-Brett Stinson each had a 62. Seven teams competed in today's event. PGA Pro Joe O'Connor will join the winners at Troy Burne Golf Course in Hudson, WI on August 12. The winner of the sectional tournament goes on to the national championship in Pinehurst, NC.
Northland is blessed to have one of its largest caddie programs in many years - with more than 30 regularly getting a loop - and some of them are engaged in activities of note away from the golf course. We hope to present some of their stories here so members can get to know them a little better.
Kaitlyn Hunt is from Aurora and has already progressed up the ranks in the program, largely because of her experience as a golfer for Mesabi East High School. Kaitlyn, 17 years old, is very active in her school activities, including several sports, and is also a lifeguard at two different beaches on the Iron Range. Recently, Kaitlyn was a standard bearer during the U.S. Women's Open at Interlachen, working the final round on Sunday with professionals Suzanne Pettersen and Katherine Hull. Kaitlyn is also an "A" student and has hopes of being the latest Evans Scholar from Northland when she graduates next year.
Andy Krasaway is in his third year as a caddie at Northland, but he's beginning to make a name for himself on the junior golf circuit. Andy won the Junior Skyline Golf Tournament at Enger Park earlier this week, his third win on the junior golf circuit this season. Andy was also a winner at the Lakeview Junior in Two Harbors and the Nemadji Junior Invitational. In addition to those wins, Andy placed 4th in the Northland Junior Invitational. Just 14 years old, Andy was on the Hermantown High School golf team this past season; he'll be a freshman this coming school year and is also an excellent student.
It's Thursday and time for Men's League at Northland and a second night in a row of Happy Hour.
Here are the current point leaders in the two men's divisions. In the Hagen Flight, the team of Gregg McCall and Mike Qualio hold a 39 to 36 point lead over the team of Tim Smith-Bud Kolquist-John Simenson. In the Sarazen Flight, the team of Huck Andresen-Jim Fellman-Dan Baresh have a 38.5 to 31.5 lead over the team of Tom Seidelmann-John Baga.
Don't forget....Thursday Happy Hour featuring food and beverage specials starts at 5:00 and ends at 7:30.
Here are two images of hole #13 at Northland. The top image was recently taken. The bottom image (with some amateur photo manipulation) is the view preferred by Donald Ross historian Bradley Klein. Which do you prefer?Klein offered several suggestions for possible changes to Northland during his presentation last night. Overall, he had great praise for the course and its condition, saying it had improved considerably since his visit four years ago. Klein's visit is sure to spur some conversation among members.
The Klein visit produced yet another gem for the Northland archive - an aerial image from 1939. Previous to this image, the earliest aerial photo was from 1948. In the past, we've printed all the other aerial photos we've been able to find. This new one is a great addition to the history of the club. Just click the image below to view it in a much larger scale.
(The following story was posted Wednesday evening) Bradley Klein, contributing writer for Golfweek Magazine and author of "Discovering Donald Ross" spoke to a packed Donald Ross Room at Northland Country Club earlier this evening, telling members that "you've got a great golf course." Klein said he has seen considerable improvement in course conditions since his most recent visit four years ago, and told members they should not be afraid to continue with plans to further restore the character and integrity of "a classic Ross design." During his nearly two hour presentation tonight, Klein produced several documents confirming that Donald Ross had indeed inspected the Northland site as construction was begun, including a letter Ross had written in 1923 outlining his train trip to Duluth to inspect the property.
Klein also introduced members to an aerial image of Northland taken in September 1939, an image that had previously been undiscovered. The image is the earliest of its kind known to exist, clearly establishing original features on the golf course and serving as a learning tool for features that either disappeared or have been substantially changed from the original Ross design. Most obvious, according to Klein, are the addition of trees, replacement of bunkers, and the reduction and realignment of fairways and greens.
We expect to have a copy of Klein's presentation available for review in the next day or so. There's also some additional documentation that is being developed to show members how the original golf course design compares to today's version.
Before leaving Northland following his two day visit, Klein was presented with a photo taken from the top of the 15th tee. He also took the time to personally autograph copies of "Discovering Donald Ross" for Northland members.
Klein's visit also attracted attention from the local media. We'll post links to newspaper and television coverage as soon as they become available.
It's Wednesday night....time for the Wednesday Night Happy Hour from 7:00 to 9:30.
In just a few minutes, the 4:30 informal Ladies night golf outing begins. At 6:00, Bradley Klein speaks to the membership about his findings after two days of reviewing the golf course.
Take the time to participate in either event and wind up the evening with food and beverage specials at Happy Hour prices.
Golfweek contributor and author Brad Klein and a group of Northland members were on the course at 7am today, so he could get a reflection of playing conditions in advance of his presentation to members tonight about the golf course. Klein is shown with caddie Dr. Tim Smith chipping to the first green. Tonight's presentation is open to all members. Klein will present a PowerPoint detailing what he sees as the strengths and some weaknesses with the golf course. The presentation will begin at 6pm.
Bradley Klein, Golfweek contributor and author ofDiscovering Donald Ross, walked all 18 holes of the golf course late this afternoon with members of the Green Committee and Board of Directors in preparation for his meeting Wednesday night with Northland members. Klein is shown in the photo with Scott Anderson, Green Chair Dr. Tim Smith, Superintendent Chris Tritabaugh and David Whittaker. Klein recently obtained aerial photographs of Northland from 1939 and was reviewing the current layout of the course with some of the historical documents. Klein will play the course on Wednesday allowing him to more fully note how the course has changed over the years and to see first hand the areas in which course features might be improved. During the meeting with members, which begins at 6pm, Klein will discuss his review and share his thoughts about ways in which Northland might be improved. If you plan on attending, please contact the office as soon as possible on Wednesday.
If the weather forecast is correct, we should have a great night for the "Carnival in Rio" pool party Friday night. This annual all-member event is traditionally one of the largest parties of the year. The event this Friday will feature food and beverages with a Latin American theme. And, there's live music to dance to this year as well. If you're planning to play golf, there's a 4:30 shotgun start. If you bring a guest and stay for dinner, there's no guest fee for the golf portion. Please RSVP the office as soon as possible. Cost for the entire evening's event is just $29 per person. The fun starts with a social hour at 6:30 and dinner at 7:30.
The office at Northland has already received quite a few calls from members planning on attending the Bradley Klein appearance at 6pm Wednesday night. Are you planning to attend? If so, please call the office by 3pm today so planning can be finalized. We anticipate a fairly strong audience to hear Klein as he addresses members about his impressions of Northland following his two days of inspection.As we mentioned previously, copies of Klein's "Discovering Donald Ross" will be available for purchase and for his autograph.
We have one final installment from our interview with Brad Klein. As you can see by the image on the post below this, Klein will meet with Northland members on Wednesday evening at 6:00, after he's had a chance to thoroughly review the golf course - he will also take time to play on Wednesday. If you plan on attending the open forum, we do ask that you notify the office so we can plan enough seating. There is no charge associated with the meeting.
NCC: Do you generally find membership is open to your honest comments and assessment about their course?
Klein: I don't think it's a good think to just make a lot suggestions or to criticize what people have done. My job as an outside consultant is to educate, to help people appreciate, and also to humor a little the folks who take themselves too seriously. This is a game after all. It's supposed to be fun. It's not deadly serious stuff, and I have found that if you approach these matters with the proper sense of care, love and attention you can convey what's special about a place while helping members and decision-makers feel good about the responsibility they have as care takers.
I won't guarantee that everyone will like what I have to say. My experience is that a small, often vocal minority of folks at any club is sometimes determined to be naysayers. And at a certain point, you stop trying to convince those people and address, instead, the vast majority of members, who like golf, who love their golf course and might be open to a larger vision of their place.
In that sense, I've been able at almost all places I've spoken at and consulted, to connect and communicate and link up with the people there who are interested in thoughtful improvement.
If you don't already have a copy of "Discovering Donald Ross" we have been able to secure two boxes for distribution to members on Wednesday. Klein will happily autograph your copy.
It's time for one of the largest parties of the year - the annual All-Member Pool Party. The theme for this year's party is "Carnival in Rio" and we'll celebrate with "Live Music" and sample the food and beverages of Latin America. The social hour for the party begins at 6:30 with dinner to follow at 7:30. Cost for this entire evening is just $29 per person....Guests Are Welcome....but the office would appreciate your RSVP as soon as possible. If you're planning to play golf and bring a guest, the guest will be able to play golf for free if they stay for dinner. Just call the golf shop to sign up for the 4:30 shotgun start.
The third installment of the recently completed interview with noted Donald Ross historian Bradley Klein concerns Ross designs, and plans many clubs around the country have made to renovate or restore the original course character.
NCC: What key lessons could modern architects learn from studying Ross designs?
Klein: Routing: the use of land, the proximity of tees to greens; the brilliant way he located green sites on little rises, and created the turn point or kick point of fairways on little upslopes so that key features were visible.
NCC: Many clubs occasionally embark on plans to restore or renovate a Ross design. Many times this is done without a sense of history or tradition. How important is it to understand the past and how important is the development of a master plan before engaging in any coursework?
Klein: I think that you have to adapt and utilize present technology, but there was an art and craft to the classic designs of people like Ross that is still special and worth recapturing. So I like to document what was original, how it changed, and what you realize pretty quickly is how about 85% of the significant changes to a golf course over the years was the product of unintended evolution and how the other 15% was the product of people who didn't know what they were doing. It's amazing how careless people were when they started planting trees everywhere, or took out the short carry bunkers, or decided to save a few thousand dollars by letting greens shrink 25%.I'm not blaming members or green committees. Many architects who should have known better didn't; they made changes for the sake of "modernizing," or they would focus more on safety and convenience rather than on style, art form and strategic nuance. So I think it's important to document and review, not to relive the past or to blame people but to appreciate what was there and to be able to decide in a more informed manner what the next 10 or 20 years should look like. Nobody at a club that's 80 years old has any real idea of what the place was really like. That's why you need placemats of the old routing; old photography and original design sketches in the clubhouse and elsewhere. It's all part of helping people appreciate the place and cultivating an ethos of humility and profound responsibility so that any future generations can enjoy the course and any changes are undertaken gingerly, and with a sense of grace.
We'll conclude with the final installment of the interview later this week or weekend.
Please remember, Klein will be visiting Northland next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, and is scheduled to meet with the membership Wednesday evening to review his findings after he has had an opportunity to tour and play the course. The meeting with members is tentatively scheduled for 6pm Wednesday. If you're planning on attending, it would be helpful to notify the office so we can begin planning for seating.
Minnesota Power crews have removed a row of pines along Glenwood Avenue bordering the 12th fairway at Northland. With frequent topping to prevent the trees from encumbering the power lines, many had become quite stressed and were dying or were already dead. The removal or the trees coincides with the construction of a new fence along the golf course property. Most of the existing galvanized fence has already been removed to make way for the new fence. The new fence will be 900 feet long - over 100 feet longer than the once it replaces - will have two gates and will be a green coated material that will blend with the environment.
Superintendent Chris Tritabaugh has provided an update on his blog about recent projects taking place on the golf course. The story begins....
The photo below shows the irrigation running on the bottom of 4 fairway, in the the area we placed the drainage last fall. While I am not a fan of conducting experiments on the golf course we are using this area as a bit of trial area. On Friday morning we core aerified this area. After the aerification we followed with an application of compost, which we then dragged into the holes. Using compost as a topdressing for the fairways is something I have been researching quite a bit. There are a number of golf course that have gone with a compost topdressing program and have seen excellent results. This area on #4 will be monitored closely to help make a decision on future widespread compost topdressing.
On Saturday, July 19th, Northland is having a local qualifying event for the PGA McGladrey Team Championship. We must have 7 teams of 3 players to have the event. Each team may consist of all men, all women or mixed. The format is a best ball of three and you will receive 50% of your handicap. Guests playing with members must have an established USGA handicap. The winner of the local event will then move along with Northland PGA Professional Joe O'Connor to the Regional Qualifier which is August 12th at Troy Burne in Hudson, Wisconsin.To sign up your team, please go to this website and register your team http://teamchamp.pgalinks.com. If you have any further questions please contact Joe or Sarah LeClair in the Northland Golf Shop at 525.1970.
On Sunday (see story below), we published the first part of the interview recently done with Bradley Klein in advance of his visit to Northland. Today, we continue to explore his thoughts about modern design versus classic design.
NCC: Aren't concessions to the modern game (length - aerial attack) inevitable?
Klein: I'm not sure what "inevitable" means when we are dealing with human choice and decision-making. People decide to act or they don't. That's not destiny. The thing is to be open and clear about changes rather than doing things slowly behind the scenes (like sneaking in new back tees) or wallowing in club politics. What gets overlooked in all of this is the need to monitor and manage change, especially in the face of slow, gradual processes that accrue slowly over time: greens shrivel, trees overgrow, fairways get narrower, bunkers grow in, turf types evolve, non-native trees get planted, teeing grounds shrink on the margins. I think attention to those matters is more important and certainly less "sexy" but of crucial impact in the long run. As for concessions to the modern game. I'd start with cart management, regaining native turf types, keeping the golf course firm, airy and sunlit. As for changes in strategic play and the aerial game, the best defense against power golf is firm ground so that interesting things happen to the ball when it lands. That includes drying out the course; it also means recapturing lost marginal hole locations, creating interesting recovery options from the rough and surrounds; and promoting angles of play. At a place like Northland, it also means recovering lost views, both internal to the golf course and of the larger setting. I bet years ago they had a great view of Lake Superior from the top of the golf course, and that was part of the whole aesthetic experience there.
We'll have an additional installment of the interview in the days ahead. Northland members will get an opportunity to talk with Klein following his tour of the golf course on Wednesday July 16. A tentative schedule calls for Klein to meet with interested members at 6:00 on Wednesday evening somewhere in the clubhouse. Further details will be published as events are finalized.
As of 7:30 this morning, 112 women are expected at the 2008 NWGA Gala Guest Day at Northland, making this one of the largest - if not the largest - guest days for women at Northland. The groups will tee off in a shotgun start at 8:30 and will have lunch once all groups have completed play.
Northland members on the course and on the clubhouse verandas were treated to quite a view this afternoon as three sailing ships arrived in Duluth.
Joe Kozlak (right, in photo above), recent winner of the Northland Junior Invitational, won the Northland Junior Club Championship today beating Bernie Kolar by three strokes after 36 holes of medal play.
Women at Northland have an opportunity to support breast cancer research by participating in the Rally For The Cure fundraiser on Wednesday, April 6.....and they can bring up to three guests.
Nearly half of the clubs recently surveyed by Private Club Advisor reported food costs 5 to 10 percent higher in the last 12 months. Four out of five clubs have boosted menu prices to offset the higher expenses. The majority went up 5 to 10 percent.
About 40 percent of the clubs surveyed have reduced portion sizes to offset costs. Anecdotal comments said member response has been either neutral or positive. Other clubs have introduced more health-conscious menus.
Northland Country Club welcomes the following new members:
The Northland Junior Club Championships begin on Wednesday and will continue Thursday morning. Tee times will begin at 8am each day.
The team of Gary Moline-Mike Patterson claimed the 2008 Member-Member Championship today, beating the team of Bob Ryan-Dick DeLano on the third extra hole of their sudden-death play-off.
The teams of Bob Ryan-Dick DeLano and Gary Moline-Michael Patterson are tied with eight points each after day one of the Member-Member event at Northland.
The Golf Shop is looking for both "A" and "B" players to compete in this weekend's Member-Member event. A number of single players have signed up and partners are needed to fill the field. Handicaps of 10 or less will compete as an "A" player while those with an index of 11 or higher will complete the two-man team.
National Weather Service radar indicates another line of rain is building near Grand Rapids following the line of thunderstorms that hit some portions of Duluth this morning...the radar indicates the new rain could arrive near the start of Men's League at 1:30 this afternoon, but no decision has made yet about play.
Betsy Aldrich of Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata, MN., (shown above and at the right hitting her approach shot into hole 14) has claimed her second Northland Women's Invitational championship. The 2004 Northland champion won with a two-day total of 156, nine strokes better than second place finisher Kelsie Passolt (165).
Northland Country Club thanks and congratulates all flight winners, participants and volunteers for making the 2008 Women's Invitational such a great event.
Betsy Alrdrich has the lead after day one of the 2008 Northland Women's Invitational Golf Tournament. Aldrich, the 2004 winner, was the only player with a round in the 70's today.
The 83rd Annual Northland Invitational Golf Tournament is just three weeks away - are you planning to become a part of this great tradition?
Northland's annual Member-Member 4-Ball will be held this weekend (July 26-27) and the golf shop is still accepting participants.
The 2008 Northland Women's Invitational Golf Tournament, featuring four recent champions, gets underway Monday with practice rounds and a field in excess of 100 women. The official start of the tournament is Tuesday morning at 8am.
The team of Paul Nelson, Ken Buck and David Whittaker are the 2008 McGladrey Team Champions and will represent Northland at the Midwest Sectional in early August. The team carded a best ball 60 today to beat two other teams by two strokes.
Kaitlyn Hunt is from Aurora and has already progressed up the ranks in the program, largely because of her experience as a golfer for Mesabi East High School. Kaitlyn, 17 years old, is very active in her school activities, including several sports, and is also a lifeguard at two different beaches on the Iron Range. Recently, Kaitlyn was a standard bearer during the U.S. Women's Open at Interlachen, working the final round on Sunday with professionals Suzanne Pettersen and Katherine Hull. Kaitlyn is also an "A" student and has hopes of being the latest Evans Scholar from Northland when she graduates next year.
Andy Krasaway is in his third year as a caddie at Northland, but he's beginning to make a name for himself on the junior golf circuit. Andy won the Junior Skyline Golf Tournament at Enger Park earlier this week, his third win on the junior golf circuit this season. Andy was also a winner at the Lakeview Junior in Two Harbors and the Nemadji Junior Invitational. In addition to those wins, Andy placed 4th in the Northland Junior Invitational. Just 14 years old, Andy was on the Hermantown High School golf team this past season; he'll be a freshman this coming school year and is also an excellent student.
Here are the current point leaders in the two men's divisions.
Klein offered several suggestions for possible changes to Northland during his presentation last night. Overall, he had great praise for the course and its condition, saying it had improved considerably since his visit four years ago. Klein's visit is sure to spur some conversation among members.
Update: The Duluth News Tribune provided front-page coverage Thursday morning. Here's the story.
During his nearly two hour presentation tonight, Klein produced several documents confirming that Donald Ross had indeed inspected the Northland site as construction was begun, including a letter Ross had written in 1923 outlining his train trip to Duluth to inspect the property.
Klein also introduced members to an aerial image of Northland taken in September 1939, an image that had previously been undiscovered. The image is the earliest of its kind known to exist, clearly establishing original features on the golf course and serving as a learning tool for features that either disappeared or have been substantially changed from the original Ross design. Most obvious, according to Klein, are the addition of trees, replacement of bunkers, and the reduction and realignment of fairways and greens.
We expect to have a copy of Klein's presentation available for review in the next day or so. There's also some additional documentation that is being developed to show members how the original golf course design compares to today's version.
It's Wednesday night....time for the Wednesday Night Happy Hour from 7:00 to 9:30.
Here are the results of this past Sunday's Parent/Junior Golf Outing at Northland. Congratulations to the winners and all participants.
Golfweek contributor and author Brad Klein and a group of Northland members were on the course at 7am today, so he could get a reflection of playing conditions in advance of his presentation to members tonight about the golf course. Klein is shown with caddie Dr. Tim Smith chipping to the first green.
Bradley Klein, Golfweek contributor and author of Discovering Donald Ross, walked all 18 holes of the golf course late this afternoon with members of the Green Committee and Board of Directors in preparation for his meeting Wednesday night with Northland members. Klein is shown in the photo with Scott Anderson, Green Chair Dr. Tim Smith, Superintendent Chris Tritabaugh and David Whittaker.
If the weather forecast is correct, we should have a great night for the "Carnival in Rio" pool party Friday night. This annual all-member event is traditionally one of the largest parties of the year.
The office at Northland has already received quite a few calls from members planning on attending the Bradley Klein appearance at 6pm Wednesday night. Are you planning to attend? If so, please call the office by 3pm today so planning can be finalized. We anticipate a fairly strong audience to hear Klein as he addresses members about his impressions of Northland following his two days of inspection. As we mentioned previously, copies of Klein's "Discovering Donald Ross" will be available for purchase and for his autograph.
We have one final installment from our interview with Brad Klein. As you can see by the image on the post below this, Klein will meet with Northland members on Wednesday evening at 6:00, after he's had a chance to thoroughly review the golf course - he will also take time to play on Wednesday. If you plan on attending the open forum, we do ask that you notify the office so we can plan enough seating. There is no charge associated with the meeting.
It's time for one of the largest parties of the year - the annual All-Member Pool Party.
The third installment of the recently completed interview with noted Donald Ross historian Bradley Klein concerns Ross designs, and plans many clubs around the country have made to renovate or restore the original course character.
Minnesota Power crews have removed a row of pines along Glenwood Avenue bordering the 12th fairway at Northland. With frequent topping to prevent the trees from encumbering the power lines, many had become quite stressed and were dying or were already dead.
The removal or the trees coincides with the construction of a new fence along the golf course property. Most of the existing galvanized fence has already been removed to make way for the new fence. The new fence will be 900 feet long - over 100 feet longer than the once it replaces - will have two gates and will be a green coated material that will blend with the environment.
The photo below shows the irrigation running on the bottom of 4 fairway, in the the area we placed the drainage last fall. While I am not a fan of conducting experiments on the golf course we are using this area as a bit of trial area. On Friday morning we core aerified this area. After the aerification we followed with an application of compost, which we then dragged into the holes. Using compost as a topdressing for the fairways is something I have been researching quite a bit. There are a number of golf course that have gone with a compost topdressing program and have seen excellent results. This area on #4 will be monitored closely to help make a decision on future widespread compost topdressing.
On Saturday, July 19th, Northland is having a local qualifying event for the PGA McGladrey Team Championship. We must have 7 teams of 3 players to have the event. Each team may consist of all men, all women or mixed. The format is a best ball of three and you will receive 50% of your handicap. Guests playing with members must have an established USGA handicap. The winner of the local event will then move along with Northland PGA Professional Joe O'Connor to the Regional Qualifier which is August 12th at Troy Burne in Hudson, Wisconsin. To sign up your team, please go to this website and register your team http://teamchamp.pgalinks.com. If you have any further questions please contact Joe or Sarah LeClair in the Northland Golf Shop at 525.1970.
On Sunday (see story below), we published the first part of the interview recently done with Bradley Klein in advance of his visit to Northland. Today, we continue to explore his thoughts about modern design versus classic design.
As of 7:30 this morning, 112 women are expected at the 2008 NWGA Gala Guest Day at Northland, making this one of the largest - if not the largest - guest days for women at Northland.
