Club + Resort Talks Chats WithEric Peterson, General Manager of Cragun’s Resort, Golf & Conference

On the latest episode of Club + Resort Talks, Senior Editor Phil Keren visited with Eric Peterson, General Manager of Cragun’s Resort, Golf & Conference and Cragun’s Legacy Golf Courses in Brainerd, Minn. Peterson talked about his facility recently hosting the CRMC Championship, a PGA Tour Americas event. The four-day tournament in late August and early September was won by Denmark native Frederik Kjettrup with a score of 24-under par. This was the third consecutive year that Cragun’s served as host of the CRMC Championship, which happened on the resort’s Dutch course. Peterson gave an overview of the work that he and his staff did to prepare the golf course and other areas of the property for the professional tournament. As of now, Cragun’s will host the CRMC Championship for at least the next three years.

Phil and Editor-In-Chief Rob Thomas also talked about industry news stories happening in Nebraska, Washington D.C. and Illinois.

GrayBull Club in Maxwell, Neb. has opened to its members and their guests. Course construction began in June 2022 with strategic play in mind. The course was completed in August and measures up to 7,181 yards. The club offers a unique selling point: tee times are spaced at least 15 minutes apart to ensure a relaxed pace of play and excellent turf conditions.

The stay-and-play experience at GrayBull includes luxury on-site lodging with 60 beds on-site. There are 13 Executive Cottages and two Owners Cottages, all of which include four master suites and common spaces for entertainment. A limited number of cottages opened in August, and the remaining cottage construction will be finished in early 2025.

Rock Creek Park Golf Course in Washington, D.C. is undergoing a major rehabilitation project that is being led by the National Park Service (NPS) and the nonprofit National Links Trust (NLT). The work aims to enhance the course while also improving the park’s natural resources. While the project intends to remove more than 1,000 trees, including both invasive and unhealthy species, the NPS and NLT emphasize that the plan will replant more trees than are removed, focusing on native species to ensure the health of the park’s ecosystem. Efforts are also being made to reduce the golf course’s carbon footprint. The project awaits approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which will hold a public hearing to address concerns and consider the plan’s future.

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, Ill., recently launched its Integrative Group Wellness Programming to transform corporate meetings, retreats, and team-building activities into rejuvenating wellness experiences. At the heart of these new offerings is the award-winning Stonedrift Spa, a 12,000 sq. ft. wellness destination that anchors the resort’s extensive group wellness activities. The activities offered at the resort include: guided walking, hiking, and nature tours; group yoga, fitness, and stretch sessions; and mindfulness and meditation workshops.