Breezy Point (Deacon's Lodge)

The course itself emphasizes many of Minnesota’s noted natural features across its routing, including forests and the banks of both Lynch and Shaffer Lakes. One curiosity occurs later in the round, however, during hole Nos. 13, 14 and 15, where large swathes of sand occur. You haven’t actually traveled to the North Carolina sand hills, but the sprawling nature of this layout may make the round seem like a similar distance; the course is spread out across more than 500 acres.

Palmer may have understood the amount of competition in the Gull Lake region and acted to set Deacon’s Lodge apart with the distinctive sand features. It worked: Golf Digest frequently features the course among its Top 100 public options. The course was previously part of the Grand View portfolio, but was purchased by the Breezy Point group during 2012.