The Wilderness golf course wraps up season with a bang

The Wilderness golf course wraps up season with a bang

Golf Digest names Minnesota course among æBest Places to Play,Æ awarding it 4.5 stars

TOWER, MINN. û As the staff of The Wilderness prepares to close the golf course for the winter, they can take pride in knowing theyÆre the best of the best.

Golf Digest recently named The Wilderness among the æBest Places to Play,Æ awarding it 4.5 out of 5 stars, a distinction that went to only 13 percent of the best 6,000 courses across North America and the Islands. Evaluations were based on total experience, which includes the actual course, the service, the value for the money, the pace of play and the conditioning of the course.

Reviewers posted glowing comments online. ôOutstanding!ö ôPlayable from all tee boxes.ö ôThe elevation changes are used to the best of their ability.ö The ôgreens are tough but fair.ö ôMany of the holes have breathtaking views!ö ôWorth every penny.ö

Golf DigestÆs award means a lot to Wilderness Manager Tom Beaudry of KemperSports. ôThis golf course is all about going the extra mile. Our identity is wrapped up in customer service, providing a first-rate experience for every golfer û novice or veteran, newcomer or regular,ö he said. ôTo be given such an elite status confirms that all our hard work is paying off.ö

ItÆs not too late to enjoy The Wilderness, which closes Oct. 12. After the 18th hole, golfers can enjoy a wide array of services conveniently provided just yards away at Fortune Bay Resort Casino, including a luxury hotel, an action-packed casino, a full-service marina, a rustic RV park, an award-winning heritage center and a first-rate conference center.

ôAnd thereÆs lots of delicious food!ö Beaudry adds.

Indeed, the hungry golfer can feast at the Tamarack Dining Room, the Tamarack Lobby Lounge, the North Star Bar, the Baystreet Deli or the Wilderness Bar and Grill, which serves up savory gourmet food.

The many branches of Fortune Bay make it a first-rate destination, said General Manager Gary Gotchnik. ôOne branch inspires another to achieve excellence,ö he said. ôWe keep raising the bar.ö 

For example, he said, while Golf Digest was singling out The Wilderness, Aristocrat was selecting Fortune Bay to be one of just two casinos nationwide to pilot its cutting-edge social network called the Sentinel III, which provides an opportunity for group winning and shared prizes.

The casinoÆs sophisticated IT department and first-rate customer service set it apart, said Aristocrat Sales Director Jim Lethert. ôMost people think of Vegas when they think of state-of-the-art gaming, but some of these smaller, native-owned casinos have the most highly-trained staff,ö he said.

ôWeÆre working quietly up here,ö Gotchnik said. ôWe may be tucked away in the woods, but in many ways, weÆre on the forefront, just a few miles north of ordinary!ö

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