BIWABIK, Minn. – Dec. 14, 2004 – The Jeff Brauer-designed Quarry at Giants Ridge, its golf holes diving and rising into and out of the deep pits and high piles of a former mining operation, has been named by Golf Digest as the Best New Upscale Public Course for 2004.

The sister to 4-year-old The Legends at Giants Ridge, which has been ranked the top public course in Minnesota, The Quarry has been described by Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten as "as fine a set of golf holes as has been produced thus far in the 21st Century."

"In the national arena," Whitten added, "this Quarry will swallow up all Quarries before it, from Florida to California. It's a combination of Pebble Beach, Pine Valley, Merion and Tobacco Road, with a bit of architectural Tabasco sauce sprinkled in for the occasional jolt... It is the rarest of courses, 18 holes without a single lackluster feature."

Brauer concurred that mining remnants create an unusual and dramatic appearance, ranging from steep-banked bunkers and spoil piles to old mining implements, all creating what a mixture of looks from Pine Valley [in New Jersey] to Ballybunion [in Ireland]." Announcing the award, Whitten added that The Quarry is "a brilliant architectural declaration about where the game, and golf design, ought to be headed in the future."

The Golf Digest honor comes in the wake of the Troon Golf-managed Quarry at Giants Ridge being presented a national Golf Development of the Year award from Crittenden, the publisher of Golf Inc. magazine, as best public development built for more than $5 million. Brauer, whose completely redesigned Creek Course at Indian Creek Golf Course in Carrollton, Texas, was rated 7th among Best New Affordable Golf Courses, acknowledged the latest awards are "a thrill," adding, "There is a lot of good work out there and it is nice to be judged at the top."

After Brauer designed The Legend at Giants Ridge, course officials were spurred to add a second course because tee times were full and they were turning away many thousands of golfers. State officials challenged Brauer to build a course even better than The Legend. At that time the Texan declared that the encore 18 would be "even better... longer, stronger and ready for a championship tournament." It appears he was correct.

"I doubt you will find two such completely different golf experiences at one resort, both designed by the same architect," said Mike Gentile, development director of Minnesota's Iron Range Resources Agency (IRRA), which developed Giants Ridge. "I have heard comments to the effect that we must have brought in another architect. But Jeff did both of them."

More information about The Quarry may be obtained by calling 800-688-7669 or on the web site: www.giantsridge.com.

Contacts:
Mark Leslie
(207) 933-6708
gripfast@ctel.net
Or
Jeffrey D. Brauer
(817) 640-7275
jeff@jeffreydbrauer.com
Or
Mike Gentile
(218) 865-3024
mike.gentile@giantsridge.com