The Wilderness at Fortune Bay – Played September 2021
- Rankings: Golf Digest Public #59
- Location: 1450 Bois Forte Road, Tower, Minnesota
- Year: 2004
- Architect: Jeff Brauer
- Course Access: Resort
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Gold: 7,207 yards, Par 72, 75.3 Rating/142 Slope
- Blue: 6,772 yards, Par 72, 73.2 Rating/137 Slope
- Blue/White: 6,460 yards, Par 72, 71.8 Rating/134 Slope
- White: 6,147 yards, Par 72, 70.4 Rating/131 Slope
- White/Green: 5,662 yards, Par 72, 68.1 Rating/127 Slope
- Green: 5,324 yards, Par 72, 71.7 Rating/129 Slope
I kept rolling further north for the remainder of the trip, basing myself in Duluth before heading to The Wilderness at Fortune Bay.
The course is located on the Vermillion Lake Reservation, which is a smaller part of the Bois Forte Reservation of the Minnesota Chippewas. The band runs the Fortune Bay Resort Casino in addition to the golf course. I didn’t get a chance to check out the casino but you pass it on your way to the clubhouse. It looked quite nice from the outside.
The Wilderness at Fortune Bay is my first Jeff Brauer course played, but it wouldn’t be the only one for very long. More on that soon.
The setting for the course is pretty remote and is about 90 minutes from Duluth. Wilderness is an apt name. They also have a name for each hole, which is one of my favorite small pleasures in golf.
Hole 1 – 562 yards – Par 5 – White Pine
Right from the start you can tell this course will be a little different. A large rock outcropping looms up the left before bunkers and rough split the second part of the hole right up the middle. It will take most of us three shots to get to the green.
Hole 2 – 426 yards – Par 4 – Pine Marten
With an elevated tee the inclination is to launch one. Don’t let me tell you otherwise. The shorter hole into the perched green the better.
Hole 3 – 166 yards – Par 3 – Walleye
The severe ridge in the green steals the show on this serene hole. It’s an absolute no-no to be on the upper tier if the flag is on the lower tier.
Hole 4 – 393 yards – Par 4 – Blue Heron
A split fairway forces you into a decision off the tee. Don’t send one into the rocks.
A successful tee shot gives way to a more serene approach to a relatively benign green site.
Hole 5 – 348 yards – Par 4 – Ruffed Grouse
This tee is said to be the highest point on the golf course. From these heights the main goal is hitting the fairway as you’ll want a clean lie to approach the green.
This is one of the wilder greens I’ve seen. It features a huge swale in the middle and plenty of slope off each side.
Hole 6 – 375 yards – Par 4 – Bear
From the back tees, the name “Bear” fits this hole well. The going is a little easier from up here with the fairway bunker the main obstacle.
Depending on where your tee shot lands, the approach can be obscured by the contours.
Hole 7 – 139 yards – Par 3 – Osprey
Really downhill par threes can be fun, but I don’t really love it when you can’t see the green. Thankfully the hole is short and you can walk to the edge of the tee to survey the terrain.
Hole 8 – 511 yards – Par 5 – Timberwolf
Slicers beware of the huge water hazard on the right side of this hole. Good drives will give some the opportunity to get home in two.
With the shape of the hole you can play the second shot to not carry much of the water at all.
A big green is inviting to long second shots, but difficult to putt if you’re on the wrong level.
Hole 9 – 369 yards – Par 4 – Beaver
The flatness of this hole strips some of it’s impact away, but a carry over water will keep you engaged all the way to the finish.
Hole 10 – 403 yards – Par 4 – Moose
A wide fairway begs for the driver. It’s best to get to the left side for the best angle into the green.
The approach is to a green with plenty of sand in front but still open before the actual putting surface.
Hole 11 – 383 yards – Par 4 – Cedar
With a fairway canting to the left, a smooth draw up the right side plays well from this tee box.
The uphill approach can be tricky. Shots with too much spin will rip back down the large ridge in the green.
Hole 12 – 129 yards – Par 3 – Loon
Large, heaving contours ring the outside of the green on this short, watery hole. The middle of the green is pretty tame, so if you can get one on the green the putt should be quite makeable.
Hole 13 – 325 yards – Par 4 – Muskellunge
Billed as the signature hole, this one sits alongside Lake Vermillion. Something to find the fairway will leave you an easy approach while you look for wildlife along the lake.
But don’t go long as the woods sit close to the back edge of the green.
Hole 14 – 374 yards – Par 4 – Lynx
This flips the direction of the last hole and plays left to right. The green is pretty inviting to any drive in the fiarway.
The green is quite deep as you can see below.
Hole 15 – 458 yards – Par 5 – Red Pine
The first time around the Wilderness at Fortune Bay will have you flying a bit blind. That certainly holds true here. A hazard sits on the left as the fairway pinches in before opening up to the green. Precision off the tee is crucial.
Depending on where your drive is you can have totally different views, as seen above and below.
Hole 16 – 517 yards – Par 5 – Eagle
Back to back par fives and this one has a double fairway. The upper level will aid your drives with runout and gives a better angle to the green.
Hole 17 – 174 yards – Par 3 – Deer
The beauty of the property is on full display at this hole. The opening of the green allows you to run up your tee shot if the aerial assault isn’t your speed.
Hole 18 – 408 yards – Par 4 – Turtle
The tension on this finisher comes into play on the approach. Your drive plays to a pretty open fairway.
Trouble lurks short left of this green, while the bunker behind is no picnic either.
I had a nice day out at The Wilderness at Fortune Bay. A chance pairing with strangers turned out really nicely which is always a good thing. I’d imagine the course is a fun pairing with a casino weekend as it won’t beat you up too bad. I’m glad I trekked up north to play it.