To travel to the north country can have many different meanings to many different people in Minnesota. To me, the north country is a great place to play golf. The north country is home to many fine golf courses. Pokegama Golf Course in Grand Rapids is just one of the hidden gems waiting to be discovered by golfers from all across the state of Minnesota.

Grand Rapids is located approximately 175 miles north of the Twin Cities on U.S. Highway 169 or approximately 80 miles northwest of Duluth on U.S. Highway 2. Grand Rapids is on the banks of the Mississippi River in Itasca County, the land of tall timber and iron ore. Tourism is also a major factor for the local economy with many recreational opportunities including golf, fishing, water skiing, and other water related activities on the area lakes. Other activities include hunting, as well as enjoying ATV and snowmobile trails in the area.

Pokegama Golf Course is located on the shores of beautiful Pokegama Lake. Pokegama Golf Course has a mixture of mature hardwoods and evergreens lining its fairways. The trees along the fairways are not so densely populated that an errant tee shot is automatically deemed a lost cause. The golf course is tough but still fair to the player who is patient and keeps the ball in play. The greens roll true and have undulation that tests the putting skills of every player. You will not find a flat green on this golf course, not even the practice green is flat. Be prepared to pick a line and be committed to your stroke. If putting is not the strong part of y our game, you could be in for a long day and an inflated score.

Pokegama Golf Course measures 6,481 yards from the back tees with a course rating of 70.3 and a slope index of 121. The elevation changes are a challenge and the views of Pokegama Lake are beautiful.

My favorite hole on the golf course is number 14. This is a dogleg left, uphill 415-yard par-4 hole that features out of bounds up the left side the entire length of the hole. When you proceed from the tee box to the crest of the hill you can see the green is slanted right to left. The green is also protected on the left by a bunker that is unique to say the least. The bunker is supported by a retaining wall that is approximately 10 feet above the fairway. If you attack a sucker pin placement on the lower third of the green and are short, you have a distinct possibility of attempting to hit a very high flop shot to clear the retaining wall as well as the bunker before reaching the putting surface. For added character, the retaining wall supporting the bunker is covered in vines. This makes a very visually appealing accent to this golf hole.

Director of Golf Bob Cahill and his staff offer great hospitality to season pass holders and daily fee players alike. A true value in Minnesota golf is the rate of $35.00 Friday-Sunday after 2:00PM for 18-holes of golf and a golf cart. Please visit the website www.pokegamagolf.com for additional pricing information. Course Superintendent Dan Peluso and his staff put the golf course in excellent playing condition, which also leads to a very fast pace of play. On a sunny Saturday afternoon my playing partner and I played in 3 ? hours. I absolutely love the pace of play at the hundreds of Minnesota rural golf courses. Slow play is ugly and the golf courses of rural Minnesota are beautiful.

By offering great golf courses, fair rates, friendly staff and a fast pace of play you really owe it to yourself to check out Pokegama Golf Course or any of the other Minnesota rural golf courses.