SARTELL — Although construction has started on a new clubhouse and restaurant, area golfers already think Three Tees Golf Course in Sartell is the best course around.
Three Tees, formerly known as Pine Ridge in its 18-hole days, was voted as the best golf course in the area. With loose criteria, readers of the St. Cloud Times picked their favorite local course, taking into account scenery, fees, convenience, condition and other factors important to themselves.
Now nine holes, Three Tees received 27.9% of votes among 17 area courses. Oak Hill Golf Club in Rice and Territory Golf Club near the St. Cloud airport were second and third with 19.7% and 13.4%. The St. Cloud Country Club was the highest-placing private club, winning 12.1% of votes.
People thought each course in the area deserved recognition as every venue received votes. In Sartell, Blackberry Ridge placed seventh in voting. On the last weekend in August the course hosted the College of Saint Benedict Invitational featuring opponents in the Division III Minnesota and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conferences. The Bennies were two strokes behind first-place finisher Macalester.
Purchased from the city in 2023 by House of Pizza restauranteur Brandon Testa, Three Tees has seen a lot of transformation over the past two decades. Soon after acquiring the course in 2008, Sartell built a youth sports complex, park and road where the back nine used to be laid out. Now, Testa has a vision for a clubhouse and restaurant triple the size of the old space. Three Tees has already bought new equipment for renovated supply sheds and demolished its old clubhouse, which had a bar and kitchen.
The whole community appreciates Three Tees from retirees using the driving range to stay sharp to teenagers riding their bikes to play a round. Testa sees his new restaurant as a social gathering place, too, able to host family events. The course has hosted middle school golf meets and during the winter, snowshoe and fat bike trails.
Contact reporter Reid Glenn at rglenn@gannett.com.
