What Madden's on Gull Lake does

Madden's on Gull Lake is a family-owned luxury resort founded in 1929 in Brainerd, Minnesota, currently in its third generation of family ownership under Ben Thuringer and Abbey Pieper. The company operates on a 1,000-acre peninsula with over 2 miles of Gull Lake shoreline, running seasonally from April through October. Its product portfolio centers on four championship golf courses — The Classic at Madden's (Golf Digest Top 100 Public, 2025), Pine Beach East (celebrating 100 years in 2026), Pine Beach West, and The Social 9 — collectively offering 63 holes of golf, supported by TrackMan Dual Radar indoor simulators for year-round play. Diverse accommodations span four resort areas (Steamboat Bay, Wilson Bay, Madden Inn & Golf Villas, Mission Point) ranging from hotel rooms and cottages to multi-bedroom houses, with approximately 80% of rooms offering lake views; eight on-site dining outlets, a lakeside spa (the only one in the Brainerd Lakes Area), recreation amenities (4 pools, 3 beaches, marina, tennis, pickleball, water sports, inflatable water park), and dedicated meetings/wedding venues round out the integrated offering.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer resort, generating revenue through stay-and-play packages (from $134/person/night), a la carte green fees ($52–$190 depending on course/time), tiered annual golf memberships ($1,125–$2,875), spa and recreation fees, F&B transactions, and group/event bookings via an in-house sales team. Distribution is concentrated on the company's own website and phone reservations using TravelClick and RGuest booking systems, with minimal third-party OTA dependence and no institutional investor or parent-company affiliation. Customer segments are diversified across multi-generational families, golf enthusiasts, couples, corporate groups, and weddings, with no single named enterprise customer or revenue concentration risk evident.

The core technology stack is largely third-party rather than proprietary: TrackMan for swing analysis, TravelClick for reservations, and standard property-management tooling. The company's principal competitive assets are its irreplaceable 1,000-acre peninsula, 95+ years of brand equity, multi-generational guest relationships, and an environmentally certified Green Initiative Program (Golf Digest Green Star Award, 2010). Ongoing reinvestment — 2024 driving range renovation, 2023 saltwater pool, annual tournament hosting, and the upcoming Pine Beach East centennial in 2026 — supports a steady reinvestment-led growth posture rather than rapid expansion.

Name

Madden's on Gull Lake

Legal name

Madden's on Gull Lake

Website

https://maddens.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Madden's on Gull Lake is a family-owned Minnesota luxury resort (founded 1929, 3rd generation) on a 1,000-acre peninsula, offering four championship golf courses, diverse lakeside lodging, eight dining outlets, a lakeside spa, recreation, and event venues serving families, golf enthusiasts, couples, and corporate groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Resort Hospitality and Golf

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Kid-Friendly All-Inclusive Resorts (THAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resort & Hotel Water Parks (On-Property Guest-Access Parks) (THAAABAC), Destination Spa Resorts (THAGAMAA), Resort Convention Hotels (THAGALAC)

Keywords

• Resort hospitality services
• Championship golf operations
• Vacation accommodations
• Lakeside dining experiences
• Recreation and event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Brainerd

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Resort Accommodations: Lodging revenue from diverse accommodation options including cottages, villas, multi-bedroom houses, and hotel rooms. 80% of rooms offer lake views.
2. Golf Operations: Revenue from four championship golf courses including green fees, cart rentals, club rentals, memberships, and golf instruction. Courses include The Classic, Pine Beach East, Pine Beach West, and Social 9.
3. Food & Beverage: Eight dining outlets including The Classic Grill, Fairways, Mission Point, Lobby Cafe, Parfecto Pizza, 19th Hole, O'Madden Pub, and Madden Bros. Market
4. Spa Services: The Spa at Madden's offering massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and spa treatments
5. Recreation & Activities: Water activities, marina rentals, tennis, croquet, pickleball, pools, beaches, and recreational equipment
6. Meetings & Events: Wedding venues, corporate events, team building, and meeting facilities including The Pavilion event space

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Madden's on Gull Lake operates a family-owned luxury resort on a 1,000-acre peninsula on Gull Lake in Brainerd, Minnesota. The core offering combines lakefront lodging, four championship golf courses, multiple dining venues, a lakeside spa, recreation, and event/ wedding hosting. Approximately 80% of accommodations offer lake views, and the property includes a full-service marina, tennis and croquet club, and year-round golf instruction via TrackMan simulators.

Product overview

Madden's on Gull Lake is a unified family-owned luxury resort offering an integrated golf-centric vacation experience. The product portfolio centers on four championship golf courses (The Classic at Madden's, Pine Beach East, Pine Beach West, and The Social 9) complemented by diverse accommodation options across four resort areas (Steamboat Bay, Wilson Bay, Madden Inn & Golf Villas, Mission Point), ranging from cottages and villas to multi-bedroom houses, with approximately 80% of rooms offering lake views. The resort's dining platform features six distinct restaurants (The Classic Grill, Fairways, Mission Point, 19th Hole & Pool Deck, Parfecto Pizza, Lobby Cafe) alongside a spa, extensive recreation (4 pools, 3 beaches, marina, water sports, tennis), and event/meeting venues. Golf memberships, vacation packages, TrackMan virtual golf simulators, and a Green Initiative Program round out the offering. The resort operates seasonally (April–October) on a 1,000-acre peninsula in Minnesota's Brainerd Lakes Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Spa at Madden's: The area's only lakeside spa offering massages, facial treatments, manicures, and spa pedicures.

Products and services

• The Classic at Madden's Championship 18-hole golf course ranked #80 in America's 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest (2025) and #76 in Golfweek's Top 200 Resort Courses (2025). Host of the 2025 MGA Amateur Championship.
• Pine Beach East Historic 18-hole golf course originally designed by James Dalgleish in 1926, featuring Minnesota's only Par 6 (618 yards), celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. Hosts the annual Memorial Day Parent-Child Tournament.
• Pine Beach West 18-hole course opened in 1965 with tree-lined fairways, gently sloping terrain, a standout par-3 #16, and typical play rounds of under 4 hours.
• The Social 9 Par-28, 9-hole short-game course totaling 1,341 yards along Gull Lake's scenic shores, with no tee time required and ideal for warm-up or relaxed evening play.
• TrackMan Virtual Golf Simulators Three indoor golf simulators powered by TrackMan Dual Radar technology, offering play on 300+ world courses, practice, club fittings, and lessons year-round. Operates during winter months when outdoor courses are closed.
• Resort Accommodations Diverse luxury accommodation portfolio across four resort areas (Steamboat Bay, Wilson Bay, Madden Inn/Golf Villas, Mission Point) including cottages, villas, multi-bedroom houses, and hotel rooms, with approximately 80% of rooms offering lake views.
• The Spa at Madden's Area's only lakeside spa offering massages, facial treatments, manicures, spa pedicures, and eco-friendly product container recycling.
• Dining Portfolio Eight on-site dining outlets including The Classic Grill (fine dining, #2 on TripAdvisor), Fairways, Mission Point (upscale seafood), 19th Hole & Pool Deck, Parfecto Pizza, Lobby Cafe, O'Madden Pub, and Madden Bros. Market.
• Recreation and Activities Extensive recreational amenities including 4 swimming pools, 3 beaches, marina with boat and watercraft rentals, water ski school, tennis and croquet club, pickleball, pedal bikes, and inflatable water park, spanning over 2 miles of Gull Lake shoreline.
• Meetings and Events Corporate meeting facilities (Town Hall Ballroom, Lexington Room, Golf Villa meeting rooms), team-building activities, wedding venues (including The Pavilion), holiday parties, and event-planning services.
• Golf Memberships Tiered annual golf memberships for Pine Beach East & West, Pine Beach West-only, and The Classic (waitlist), plus the Madden's Players Pass. Members receive unlimited golf, range balls, 10% discount on resort charges, and access to member events.
• Vacation Packages Bundled resort vacation offerings including Stay & Spa Package, Pure Classic Golf Package, Classic Deluxe Golf Package, Pine Beach Golf Package, Basic Resort Package, Morning at Madden's, Babymoon Package, Madden's Resort Package, and seasonal specials.
• Green Initiative Program Resort-wide sustainability program since 2008 encompassing ozone laundry, EV charging stations, composting, recycling, fryer-oil-to-biodiesel conversion, and energy-efficient equipment across housekeeping, food and beverage, golf, and spa operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of rooms offer breathtaking lake views
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Minnesota State High School LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Parent-Child Golf Tournament is sanctioned by the Minnesota State High School League under Bylaw 208-7 D
• Chris Foley Golf SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMadden's partners with Chris Foley Golf Schools to offer extended instruction options for juniors, ladies, and adults. Chris Foley provides golf instruction, club fitting, course management, and rules/etiquette education using a holistic instructional program focused on long-term improvement.
• Youth On CourseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMadden's is a proud partner of Youth On Course, a junior golf program that allows young golfers to play courses at reduced rates ($5 for Social 9 or Pine Beach West). Juniors purchase Youth on Course cards through the MGA website.
• Minnesota PowerminorOthersPartner in Madden's Green Initiative Program for sustainability efforts
• Minnesota WasteWiseminorOthersPartner in Madden's Green Initiative Program for waste management and recycling
• Excel EnergyminorOthersPartner in Madden's Green Initiative Program for energy efficiency
• Green Range Renewable EnergyminorOthersPartner that converts Madden's fryer oil into biodiesel fuel at their facility in Ironton, MN
• Minnesota Golf Association (MGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMadden's partners with MGA for Youth on Course program and hosts MGA Amateur Championship (2025)

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island): Heritage family-owned resort on Mackinac Island, MI, comparable to Madden's as a multi-generational, historic American resort with destination dining, recreational programming, and premium pricing for a similar leisure guest demographic.
• Big Cedar Lodge: Bass Pro-affiliated destination resort in the Ozarks offering multi-course golf, lodge/cottage lodging, full-service spa, dining, and family recreation; comparable to Madden's as a nature-anchored, multi-generational leisure destination.
• Geneva National Resort: Wisconsin lake/golf resort with multiple courses, villa lodging, spa, and dining that mirrors Madden's golf-centric resort model in the Upper Midwest. Competes for the same drive-to golf-and-family leisure trips.
• Breezy Point Resort: Long-established family resort in Pequot Lakes, MN, in the Brainerd Lakes corridor, offering similar cottage/villa lodging, championship golf, dining, and event space targeting multi-generational families in the same regional competitive set.
• Grand View Lodge: Historic family-owned resort on Gull Lake in Nisswa, MN, directly competing in the Brainerd Lakes Area with similar multi-generational family lodging, golf, spa, and lakeside recreation offerings. Closest geographic and product analog to Madden's.
• Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake: Brainerd Lakes Area family resort directly competing with Madden's on Gull Lake shoreline, with comparable lodging, multiple dining outlets, golf, marina, and event/wedding venues serving overlapping Midwestern family and corporate groups.

Broad incumbents

• Boyne Resorts: Multi-property Midwest resort operator (Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, Inn at Bay Harbor) offering golf, lodging, and year-round recreation. Overlaps Madden's as a broader incumbent in the regional golf-resort category with greater scale and geographic reach.
• Pinehurst Resort: Premier multi-course golf destination in North Carolina with extensive lodging, spa, and dining. Serves as the high-end benchmark for golf-centric American resorts with a national draw, comparable to Madden's Classic-led positioning but at materially greater scale.
• Kalahari Resorts: Multi-property indoor waterpark/convention resort operator with a flagship in Wisconsin Dells, WI. Directly competitive for multi-generational family travel demand from the same Upper Midwest drive market that feeds Madden's.
• The Broadmoor: Iconic luxury destination resort in Colorado Springs offering championship golf (multiple courses), spa, fine dining, and extensive event programming. Comparable as a benchmark for premium positioning and full-amenity resort economics, though at a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maddensresort
• Facebookfacebook.com/maddensresort
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/214237

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Madden's on Gull Lake