Cragun’s Resort

If I was forced to pick a favorite 18-hole routing on the Dutch 27, I'd go with the dramatic tee shots on the Blue and the scoring opportunities on the Red. The truth is there's no bad loop in the bunch. Architect Tom Lehman improved all three of them, giving golfers variety and shot-making that's fun for all. I saw a golfer make a hole-in-one on the ninth hole near the clubhouse when his shank hit a tree and bounced into the hole. Crazy.

When I first played the Lehman 18 in 2023, the new course hadn't matured yet. Now that I've seen the finished product, call me impressed. It's a wonderful upgrade from the old Cragun's courses. I'm not a fan of the long cart rides between several holes, but that's a minor inconvenience for enjoying so many good holes in Minnesota's north woods without civilization in sight. A mix of sodwall bunkers and others with fescue for eyelashes adds to its character. The tee shot over Stephens Lake on no. 16 gives the Lehman a signature moment.

The revamped Lehman 18 at Cragun’s Legacy courses offers a unique look and a good test for golfers. With dramatically cut bunkers that frame beautifully-shaped greens and sloping fairways, the beauty of Lehman’s is also its challenge.

Several of the holes offer blind or misleading tee shots, so having knowledge of the course with you goes a long way to making a good score, which can be had with greens that offer makable putts from any angle.

Conditions were top-notch for my round, with the grass fully grown in and bunkers raked smoothed. Greens showed only minimal wear/patchiness, nothing that affects playability.

The most memorable stretch of holes is 7-9, offering a more open feel and look that aesthetically rise above the holes around them. There is still a nice sense of isolation as you drive around the course, though future housing development is scheduled.

The staff is welcoming and the course offers all the amenities you’d expect from an upscale public venue.

I thoroughly enjoyed my round and would recommend adding the course to any Central Minnesota golf trip.

For those who have played the Legacy courses at Cragun's in the past, they will recognize some of the holes and shots on the new routing. The biggest takeaway from a round in July was how thin and firm the fairways were. There was no way to control the ball. Sometimes it would bounce into hazards and bunkers far past your normal shot pattern. Hopefully by summer 2024, the playing conditions will have matured, giving Brainerd another signature place to play.