BREEZY POINT — The Traditional Golf Course at Breezy Point Resort has been a longstanding cornerstone in Breezy Point, but new plans aim to turn it into a one-of-a-kind golf experience for the lakes area.
If you’re a golf resort that has your sights set on being a globally attractive resort where people might want to come from all over the country, you have to have more than just an 18-hole regulation course.
Eric Hart, Breezy Point Resort general manager
The redesigned 12-hole, par-3 course to take its place, Ace Valley, plans to integrate some of the best golf designs from around the world into a shortened course with greens to scale.
“If you’re a golf resort that has your sights set on being a globally attractive resort where people might want to come from all over the country, you have to have more than just an 18-hole regulation course,” Breezy Point Resort General Manager Eric Hart said.
While the new course intends to lean into some of the greatest golf templates there are, it looks to also provide a top-tier educational experience, celebrate the history of both golf and Breezy Point, and offer a casual, accessible experience.
“One of the concerns we’ve heard is about getting rid of the Traditional and what it’s always been to Breezy Point, and that’s something we don’t take lightly by any shape of the imagination,” Hart said.
The Ace Valley project started with an initial selection of 25 architects that were narrowed down to a final four. Andy Staples was ultimately chosen to design the course.
Original concept sketch from Andy Staples.
Contributed
“He has a couple of the top 100 courses in the country,” Hart said. “He came in, and he said, ‘The way that all the sections of the course all pull together in this one section is going to make the bonus hole tie into everything else, yet stand out so completely different from everything.’”
“We don’t want to tip too much off about the bonus hole, because the bonus hole is going to be spectacular. It will most likely be our most expensive hole to build,” he said.
In addition to each of the holes’ regular front and back tee boxes, each hole will feature Staples’ architect tee box to provide the designer’s preferred shot.
The holes for the course will encircle a central Social Club that promises to be a “destination within a destination,” including pickleball courts, bar, rooftop deck and a variety of viewing angles and TVs to watch golfers play.
The three-level clubhouse, accessible from County Road 11, will also have platformed tee boxes giving players the chance to hit from the clubhouse out into the course.
“Somebody might beat us to the punch, but we’re the first ones to design and put in play a tee box from the roof of a clubhouse. If you were to merge the idea of Top Golf with these short courses, we’re giving people two opportunities to hit off of platforms to greens, which completely transforms the way you play the hole,” Hart said.
An aerial photo of the Traditional Golf Course at Breezy Point Resort.
Contributed
Additionally, Ace Valley will feature LED directional lighting on the tee boxes and greens, allowing for extended play in the evenings, though the lighting is not expected to stay on later than 9 p.m. and will automatically shut off as the final groups complete each hole.
“It’s a great opportunity to build something that no one else has. People can always throw lights onto an existing course. But to design a course around it and have one tee box on each hole that’s set up to be played in the dark, it gives you something that literally no course in the Midwest has,” Hart said.
Hart added that this type of lighting will not light up areas beyond the course or impact nearby properties.
“We don’t have houses all the way around the course. There are some, but with the directional lighting they have nowadays, it won’t affect any of them,” he said.
Construction for the clubhouse is anticipated for early 2026 with a course design phase also expected for the spring of 2026.
Ace Valley plans to be open for golf by Memorial Day 2027.
“You know, it’s completely unpredictable up here, so that does affect some of it,” Hart said. “We plan to open the clubhouse April 1 of 2027, and then we plan to open the golf course. So, opening weekend for us would be Memorial Day weekend of 2027.”
The course will be priced between $50-$60 per round, making it more accessible to a wider audience.
The idea for the redesign project had been discussed for several years, but it wasn’t until recently that it started to become a reality.
“It was always something they were interested in. But it wasn’t until Dave Gravdahl passed away, unfortunately, that I sat down with the Spizzos and just said, ‘I would love to help Breezy Point any way that I can. This has always been our home away from home. The one deficiency I think you have as a resort is you have nothing that is a shorter round of golf and also a convenience to resort-goers,’” Hart said.
With the Whitebirch Golf Course and Arnold Palmer-designed Deacon’s Lodge, Hart said it’s difficult for golfers to get in a quick round of nine holes.
Hart said that while the new course is a significant investment and major move for Breezy Point Resort, it will be a major benefit to both the resort and the Breezy Point community.
“It’s like a golden opportunity. Imagine a living billboard, that’s what you’re getting when you walk through the gates,” he said. “We’ve got an amazing opportunity in front of us. It’s going to cost, but the return on investment is going to be massive because the entire community is going to benefit from it.”
While Ace Valley looks to become a destination within the Brainerd lakes area, it also intends to be something for the people of the area.
“The Social Club isn’t going to just be a place where resort guests go. It’s where the locals are always going to want to come. So in a way, it’s extending an invitation to everyone in the Brainerd lakes area and saying ‘This is for all of you, from us,’” Hart said.
