Boos, then the general manager at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, knew his resort needed to take another step forward to maintain its status as one of Minnesota's ­ and the nation's ­ top destination resorts.

All that was missing from Grand View Lodge was a championship golf course to go with all of the resort's other amenities, such as its challenging nine-hole executive Garden Golf Course, a tennis facility rated as one of the top 50 tennis resorts in the nation by Tennis Magazine, swimming (in Gull Lake and indoor), boating, fishing, bicycling, quality youth programs and much more. There was all of that and world-class accommodations and dining.

Behind the will and effort of Fred Boos, The Pines opened in 1990 and became the first championship golf course in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The Pines started an explosion in golf course construction that eventually led to several more new courses, all of which help make up the Brainerd Golf Trail. Today, golfers can choose between several championship golf courses of the 18 on the Trail ­ and they can thank Fred Boos for getting the ball rolling.

The Pines was the first, and now it is one of three championship courses under the Grand View Lodge banner. Coming on a few years later was The Preserve, which was followed by Deacon's Lodge. With the addition of another nine holes at The Pines, making it a 27-hole facility, Grand View Lodge now boasts 63 holes of championship golf.

The quality of the golf at Grand View Lodge has been acknowledged nationally many times over. The most-recent accolade came from Golf Magazine, which in its March, 2004, issue awarded Grand View Lodge a Silver Medal for the third consecutive year, thereby placing it among the top 75 golf resorts in the nation. Grand View Lodge is the only Minnesota resort ranked in Golf Magazine's top 75.

Other awards include a No. 63 ranking in the "Top 100 Golf Resorts in North America" as chosen by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Again, Grand View Lodge was the only Minnesota resort to be so recognized.

Previously, The Pines received Golf Digest's five-star rating for 2002-03, making it the only course in Minnesota and just one of 12 nationally to earn than honor. The Preserve received 4-1/2 stars in Golf Digest's "Places to Play" for 1002-03. The Arnold Palmer-designed Deacon's Lodge was named among Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" for 2002. And in 2003, Golf Week ranked The Pines and Deacon's Lodge among its top-10 public-access courses in Minnesota.

All three courses offer the spectacular Minnesota north-woods experience, with tall pines and birch trees bordering holes and wetlands and dramatic elevation changes adding to the golfer's challenge and experience.

Yet, as golfers who have played all three courses know, each course has a unique look and feel. The Joel Goldstrand-designed Pines is cut through tall pine trees and around several wetlands. The Mike Morley-designed Preserve has up to 75 feet in elevation changes as the holes wind through towering birches. Deacon¹s Lodge has a "Pine Valley" look with its vast waste bunkers and several forced carries.

But there's more than golf, such as Grand View Lodge's six restaurants. And once you've holed out that last putt of the day, you can soothe any aching muscles in Grand View Lodge¹s sparkling new Glacial Waters Spa, an Aveda Resort Spa that has drawn raves since opening last summer.

On and off the course, Grand View Lodge has everything to satisfy a golfer's needs. One would expect no less from a Silver Award winner.

For information on golf rates and packages at Grand View Lodge, look elsewhere on www.brainerdgolftrail.com or go to www.grandviewlodge.com. Or you can call the resort toll free at (800) 432-3788.