Superior National At Lutsen-Golf Course

What Superior National At Lutsen-Golf Course does

Superior National at Lutsen is a privately held golf facility located on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Lutsen, Cook County, Minnesota, operating 27 holes comprised of the River and Canyon 18-hole premier courses and the Mountain 9-hole course. The Mountain 9 also hosts Footgolf, broadening the venue's appeal to non-traditional participants such as families and groups. The company generated revenue from green fees, seasonal golf passes, club rentals, golf lessons, an on-site Bar and Grill serving Minnesota craft beers, pro shop merchandise (including logo balls and gift cards sold online), and recurring tournaments such as the George Nelson Jr. Challenge Cup and the 100-Hole Challenge.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer model with online tee-time booking provided through ezLinks Golf, an on-site pro shop for walk-ins and merchandise, and an e-commerce storefront. Distribution is supplemented by Stay and Play package arrangements with five regional lodging partners (Caribou Highlands Lodge, Eagle Ridge Resort at Lutsen Mountains, Mountain Inn, Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts, and AmericInn Lodge & Suites Tofte), tying golf rounds to accommodation in the Lutsen corridor. Charitable partnerships with Folds of Honor and the 10th Mountain Division underwrite annual fundraising events.

The facility completed a $4.6 million tee-to-green renovation of the River and Canyon courses in 2018 under golf course architect Jeffrey Brauer and holds Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary certification for environmental stewardship. Heath Ekstrom serves as General Manager and Head Golf Professional. No founding date, ownership structure, headcount, or revenue figures are disclosed in the source materials, and there is no evidence of proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or institutional funding.

Name

Superior National At Lutsen-Golf Course

Legal name

Superior National at Lutsen

Website

https://superiornational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Superior National at Lutsen is a privately held 27-hole golf facility on Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior, offering premier courses, footgolf, dining, lessons, and tournament hosting for individual golfers, families, and corporate/charitable groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Golf Course and Recreation Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Golf course operations
• Tee time booking
• Footgolf recreation
• Pro shop retail
• Golf event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lutsen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Golf Operations: Revenue from green fees, tee time bookings, golf passes, club rentals, and footgolf fees. Primary revenue driver for the golf course facility.
2. Food and Beverage: Bar and Grill restaurant and beverage cart service offering food, drinks, and local craft beers including Minnesota brews from Grand Marais to the Twin Cities.
3. Pro Shop Merchandise: Golf merchandise sales including logo balls and gift cards through the online store.
4. Events and Tournaments: Hosting golf scrambles, tournaments, and charitable events including the George Nelson Jr. Challenge Cup and 100-Hole Challenge benefiting Folds of Honor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Superior National at Lutsen operates a 27-hole golf facility on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, offering the River and Canyon 18-hole premier courses alongside the Mountain 9-hole course for shorter or casual rounds. The venue supplements golf with Footgolf on the Mountain 9, an on-site Bar and Grill serving Minnesota craft beers, golf lessons, club rentals, an indoor simulator in winter, pro shop merchandise, and hosted events and tournaments including charity fundraisers for Folds of Honor and the 10th Mountain Division.

Product overview

Superior National at Lutsen operates a 27-hole golf facility comprising the River and Canyon 18-hole premier courses (recently renovated in 2018) and the Mountain 9-hole course. The venue offers golf, Footgolf on the Mountain 9, dining at the Bar and Grill, tournament and event hosting, golf lessons, club rentals, and merchandise including branded balls and gift cards. Lodging partnerships with nearby resorts complete the guest experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• River Course One of two 9-hole layouts that combine to form the premier 18-hole River and Canyon course at Superior National at Lutsen, renovated tee-to-green in 2018 by architect Jeffrey Brauer as part of a $4.6 million renovation. Open to public tee time bookings via the ezLinks Golf platform.
• Canyon Course One of two 9-hole layouts that combine to form the premier 18-hole River and Canyon course at Superior National at Lutsen, renovated tee-to-green in 2018 by architect Jeffrey Brauer as part of a $4.6 million renovation. Open to public tee time bookings via the ezLinks Golf platform.
• Mountain 9 A 9-hole course positioned for an 'Emergency 9' before or after an 18-hole round on the River and Canyon courses, or for casual mid-day rounds. Also hosts Footgolf activities and offers free 9-hole play for junior golfers (15 and under) with the purchase of a regular adult round.
• Footgolf Sport combining golf and soccer played on the Mountain 9 course, kicking soccer balls into oversized holes. Designed for families, groups, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and corporate events, with separate Footgolf rates published on the website.
• Bar and Grill On-site restaurant and bar at Superior National at Lutsen featuring Minnesota craft beers (from Grand Marais to the Twin Cities), burgers, sandwiches, and outdoor seating overlooking Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Mountains. Open daily with seasonal hours.
• Events + Tournaments Hosted golf events at Superior National at Lutsen including the George Nelson Jr. 'Challenge Cup' scramble and the 100-Hole Challenge for Folds of Honor, as well as corporate tournaments and group outings.
• Golf Lessons Golf instruction services offered at Superior National at Lutsen, led by PGA professionals including General Manager / Head Golf Professional Heath Ekstrom.
• 2026 Golf Passes Annual season pass products for unlimited or discounted play across the season at Superior National at Lutsen, with the 2026 Golf Passes available for purchase.
• Club Rental Rental golf clubs available at Superior National at Lutsen for players who do not have their own equipment, bookable through the pro shop.
• Pro Shop Gift Cards Pro shop gift cards available in denominations from $25 to $500, redeemable for golf, dining, and merchandise purchases at Superior National at Lutsen.
• Chrome Truvis SNL Logo Ball Branded Superior National at Lutsen logo golf balls sold through the online pro shop store as part of the facility's merchandise offering.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Caribou Highlands LodgecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLodging partner offering Stay and Play golf packages. Features indoor and outdoor pools and an on-site restaurant. One of the key affiliated lodging providers for Superior National golf guests.
• Eagle Ridge Resort at Lutsen MountainscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLodging partner offering Stay and Play golf packages. Features studios and condominium units with breathtaking views. Affiliated lodging provider for Superior National golf guests.
• Mountain InnminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLodging partner offering Stay and Play packages. Includes on-site massages and a storybook setting by the Sawtooth Mountains.
• Bluefin Bay Family of ResortscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLodging partner offering Stay and Play packages. Offers trio of options: Bluefin Bay on Lake Superior, Surfside on Lake Superior, and Temperance Landing - 7 miles from the course.
• AmericInn Lodge & Suites Tofte - Lake SuperiorminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLodging partner offering Stay and Play packages. Serves complimentary breakfast before golf days.
• Folds of HonorflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable foundation partner for annual golf events including the George Nelson Jr. Challenge Cup and 100-Hole Challenge. Provides educational scholarships to children and spouses of fallen or disabled military service members.
• 10th Mountain DivisionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary foundation partner for annual golf events honoring George Nelson Jr. and the 10th Mountain Division scholarship foundations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Oregon-based destination golf resort with multiple courses, on-site lodging, and F&B. Comparable as a leading U.S. destination golf resort benchmark; demonstrates the upper end of what a 27-hole-plus destination golf operation can scale into.
• Destination Kohler (Whistling Straits / Blackwolf Run): Wisconsin destination golf resort with multiple championship courses co-located with luxury lodging. Comparable as a destination golf + lodging model in the Upper Midwest with strong brand recognition.
• Pebble Beach Resorts: Iconic California coastal destination golf resort combining premier golf courses with luxury lodging and F&B. Represents the high-end benchmark for destination golf; useful as a strategic aspirational comparable for premium pricing power.

Direct peers

• Giants Ridge Golf: Public 36-hole golf facility in Biwabik, MN offering destination golf with lodging and on-site dining on the Iron Range. Directly comparable as a Minnesota destination golf resort competing for similar regional Stay-and-Play traffic in northern Minnesota.
• The Classic at Madden Resort: 27-hole golf course at Madden's on Gull Lake in Brainerd, MN, combining golf with full resort lodging, multiple F&B outlets, and event hosting. Closely comparable Minnesota destination golf + lodging model with similar multi-course structure.
• Cragun's Resort Golf Courses: Brainerd, MN resort operating multiple golf courses along with full lodging and event facilities. Comparable as a multi-course Minnesota destination golf resort with on-site dining and tournament hosting.
• Grand View Lodge Golf: Nisswa, MN resort offering multiple golf courses (including The Preserve and Deacon's Lodge) integrated with lodging, dining, and events. Comparable Minnesota destination golf + lodging model serving similar Stay-and-Play customers.

Emerging players

• Topgolf: Tech-enabled entertainment golf concept with multiple venues offering casual play, F&B, and events. Comparable as a non-traditional golf offering that competes for casual golfer dollars and family/group entertainment occasions, although with a fundamentally different delivery model.

Regional players

• Hazeltine National Golf Club: Chaska, MN private club that has hosted major PGA championships, regarded among Minnesota's elite courses. Comparable as a top-tier Minnesota golf property, though operates under a private membership model versus Superior National's public/membership hybrid.
• Lutsen Mountains (Lutsen Resort Association): Adjacent Lutsen-area ski/hospitality operator that overlaps the same Cook County, MN tourism ecosystem and lodging customer base. Relevant as a regional tourism peer and potential cross-promotion partner influencing Superior National's destination demand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/superiornational
• Instagraminstagram.com/superiornational
• Xx.com/superior_natl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Superior National At Lutsen-Golf Course