July 2023 Newsletter
"It's summer, and time for wandering." Kellie Elmore
Greetings from The Wilderness! The last few weeks, I've seen license plates from all over the United States. I've never seen such variety when I wasn't on a road trip myself; it must be the summer for travelling! I'll be doing that in August, too. I normally wouldn't take time off in the height of golf season, but my grandma only turns 90 once! I plan to make some amazing memories with her, and I hope that your summer is beautiful and memorable, too.
Rebekah Tweten
The Wilderness at Fortune Bay
Director of Sales & Marketing
From the General Manager’s Desk
Congratulations to Brian Harmon, the “Championship Golfer of the Year” (in my best British accent) with his dominating performance at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. It’s hard to believe that professional golf has already crowned all four Major Champions, with Jon Rahm at the Masters, Brooks Koepka at the PGA and Wyndham Clark at the US Open. Who would have guessed the last two deserving champions?!
This is one of the coolest and wettest July’s I can remember, which has made for some great days of golf for sure. The team has been busy accommodating numerous returning groups, along with new players discovering the majestic views and layout of the Wilderness at Fortune Bay.
One of my favorite things to do as a break from paperwork is to head down to the range for a little practice, but one of the most discouraging things is to see a practice tee that is beat up with divots everywhere. The picture below illustrates the proper way to practice or warm up, which allows for the tee box to fill back in quicker. Thank you for your cooperation.
Chef Mitch and his culinary team continue to provide our guests with fabulous food as so many guests have come to tell me that our Elote is the best they have ever enjoyed. Lori and the serving staff are taking great pride in making sure all guests receive nothing but the best service on Lake Vermilion with some of the best wines provided by Small Lots and Far North Spirits. So, make sure to call 218-753-7804 today to make your dining reservations and enjoy our breath-taking views from inside the clubhouse or out on the patio.
Here are some words of wisdom to help lower your scores and make your rounds more enjoyable, from my 31 years of experience as a golf professional with numerous students on the practice tee.
Keep Your Left Wrist Flat: Compress the ball with the club’s true loft.
The most important part of the golf swing is the moment of impact, or “the moment of truth,” obviously. And though there are a lot of different swings that can produce solid impact, it’s undeniable that there’s only one kind of impact that can produce a particular kind of ball flight.
The important thing to remember is that with a neutral grip, the back of your left hand represents the clubface. If the back of your hand is facing the target at impact, that’s where the ball will go.
A good ball striker not only has the back of their left hand aimed at the target, but they also keep their wrist flat. That way, they're trapping the ball between the clubface and the ground and preserving the true loft of the club – one of the keys to a powerful hit.
If the wrist cups, you are adding some loft through impact and giving up that ball–turf compression. Practice hitting balls focusing just on your left hand – not on your backswing, weight shift or anything else – and you’ll start to feel the connection between your hand’s position and the trajectory and direction of your shots.
As Always
Fairways & Greens,
Joe Wisocki, Certified PGA Professional
A Few Words from Wilderness Superintendent Trevor Rintala
You may have noticed the last time you were out that the fescue is slowly beginning to emerge; the buffer zone between our bluegrass rough and the wood line was seeded to fescue during construction. This area is in place to prevent any chemical runoff during large rain events. The fescue roots will often reach six feet in depth. Over the years multiple invasive weeds have over-taken these areas, growing much taller than the fescue below and blocking the sun from reaching the lower canopy: sweet white clover, bull thistle, great mullein and horsetail, just to name a few. Efforts are being made to reclaim these areas as they are in-play and could save you a stroke the next time you hit a less-than-perfect shot.
The work continues with brush removal and bunker renovations, some of the brush work began last year and can be seen in the photos below.
Assistant Superintendent Michael Galindo can be seen in front of some towering saplings that needed to be removed to provide to proper visibility of the 15th green. The new line of sight will ensure a safer shot with a reduced chance of hitting into unseen guests that may not have cleared the green.
Local property-clearing company owner Ron Gunderson was hired and made short work of the acre of saplings in the lowland. The brush hog and skid steer were far too heavy for the swamp work during the season, so we patiently waited for winter to firm up the area.
As we approach the midway point of the season there’s still plenty of work to be done but things are starting to shape up nicely. Every day we strive to provide the best quality playing surface possible, and we really hope you get an opportunity to enjoy it. As always, I’ll see you out there on the short stuff!
Trevor
For more information, call the clubhouse at 218.753.8917.