Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 23

on research and planning committees,
MVCC put together a two-phase renovation
that was completed last July-in time
for the club's centennial celebration.
" About 100 members worked on it
for seven years, all volunteering their
time, " general manager Steve Gilles says.
" They're very enthusiastic. "
The project broadened from the bunkers
to a renovation of the course with
every type of MVCC player in mind. The
project included constructing five sets of
tees (stretching the course to over 7,000
yards), widening several
fairway corridors
to open up vistas and enlarging
the putting surface of seven greens. Most
significantly, MVCC rebuilt three greens,
including a redan and a punchbowl green
in honor of their original design.
Work on the clubhouse finished this past
winter and is ready to celebrate the club's
centennial-highlighted by hosting the
121st MGA Amateur in July. According to
Gilles, the project was a huge success: " We
wanted to modernize the infrastructure at
the club, significantly upgrade our bunkers
and magnify Seth Raynor's fun features-
making the course more playable and fun
for everyone. "
Black Magic Sand
Last summer, Forest Hills Golf Course in
Detroit Lakes replaced
old, hardened bunker
sand with shiny black
coal slag. Already popular
in North Dakota
and Montana,
slagfilled
bunkers crossed
Minnesota's border,
and Forest Hills is the
first course in this state
to use the product.
" It started with
GC
Hawktree
Thomas
in
Bismark, " Forest Hills
manager
Greyson
says. " There
are now 20 golf courses
using
it. We
called
Hawktree for feedback,
and they have no regrets. They love it. "
Forest Hills superintendent Nate
Holmstrom dug out his 15 bunkers, fixed
some drain tiles and filled them with the
slag-a byproduct
plant chimneys at Abrasives Inc. in Glen
Ullin, North Dakota. Abrasives calls the
slag " Black Magic " and grinds it to the
desired coarseness.
Holmstrom praises the product for
its cost (mid-range), maintenance (the
heavier slag is stable in windy locales,
drains well and requires little weed manfrom
cleaning coal
FOREST HILLS GOLF COURSE
agement), look (the sun sparkles off the
bunkers) and playability.
In The Loop
Its arrival long-awaited, The Loop has
scheduled a grand opening for May 5. The
former Chaska Par 30 site was completely
rebuilt to feature a nine-hole course
and the " Minnalayas " putting course,
each designed for all players-including
adapted golfers.
Delays due to pandemic-influenced
clubhouse construction costs and supply
chain issues pushed back the opening,
but with a decent grow-in last season, the
course is ready to roll.
Former Balmoral Golf Course owner
John Young came on board as pro in early
February, donated funding was secured
for two high-end adapted golf carts, and,
according to Chaska Town Course pro
John Kellin, juniors, seniors and women's
leagues opened for registration in March
(while plans for adaptive, couples and putting
programming are in the works).
" People are going to be really excited once
they come out here and play, " Kellin says.
" We want everyone to feel welcome. "
*************************************
THE LOOP
On April 2, Golden Valley CC unveiled a new
club logo and changed its name to The Club
at Golden Valley as part of a rebranding.
mngolf.org
Spring 2024 MINNESOTAGOLFER 23
PHOTOS: PETER WONG PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF FOREST HILLS GOLF COURSE
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024

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