Pike Lake Golf & Beach Club - Exciting Multi-Use Development for the Community
What if there was an idyllic place on a lake, just outside of Duluth, where people could play golf, have a delicious meal, go to the beach, get married, hold a reception or a party, and even buy a beautiful new townhome to live year-round?
Pike Lake Golf & Beach Club fits the bill for all that and much more. Located on East Pike Lake Road at the intersection of Martin Road on the eastern edge of Pike Lake is this multi-use site with a storied history.
It was a stagecoach stop in the 1890s, with the recreation area first developed in 1917 as the site of a hotel, water slides and a Ferris wheel. It was often referred to as the “Atlantic City of the North.”
It later became known as the Duluth Auto Club, with the American Automobile Association of Minnesota (AAA) operating it as a golf course from 1931 until 2016. After three years of legal wrangling, the AAA was finally okayed to sell 68 acres on this site to Roger Anderson, a long-time Pike Lake resident, and his family— wife Dianne and sons Travis and Anthony.
The Andersons have an exciting long-term vision of all that the Club can offer with golf, beach, family recreation and special events. In March of 2020, they began work on the renovation which included the Clubhouse with a new fully loaded kitchen, and improvements to the course. They were able to open in the early summer of 2020, and things have been hopping ever since.
Featuring beautiful views and well-groomed fairways and greens, their executive length, par 32 nine-hole golf course offers challenging play for all levels of golfers. They have a Junior Golf League for kids ages 5 to 17 for lessons to help kids learn the basics of golf and develop their skills. The Clubhouse has a small shopping area with golfing and Club attire and other golfing needs.
Their beautiful beach area is family-friendly, with a kids’ play area, picnic tables, and wonderful spots to put down a blanket or a beach towel to catch some rays. People are invited to relax in the sun or shade on the patio.
The daily beach rate is $3 per person or a $25 beach punch card good for 10 visits. They also offer kayak rentals for two hours, three hours, or a full day. The beach and outdoor patio area are also pet-friendly. Guests are asked to leash their dogs and clean up after them.
The Beach Club includes indoor seating, bar seating and a large patio for outdoor seating overlooking the lake. Inside the Clubhouse are big-screen TVs, speakers and new lighting.
Offering a Friday night fish fry and other drink and food specials, they have a varied menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner selections.
Their large breakfast menu, served from 7 to 11 am, includes eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, french toast, pancakes, omelets, breakfast burritos, and breakfast sandwiches. Breakfast also includes their full bar menu with Bloody Marys, screwdrivers and mimosas.
Lunch and dinner, served from 11 am to 8 pm., offers a great selection of “pub-style” fare with appetizers/quick bites, including wings, battered crispy green beans, chicken tenders, cheese curds, fries and onion rings. A fresh selection of salads, a variety of baskets including chicken sandwiches, a BLT, nine choices for a variety of 1/2 pound burgers with assorted toppings, and a kids’ menu, give guests something to fit every appetite.
One recent dinner patron said, “This was my first visit to the Golf Club since the new owners upgraded the former Auto Club. The restaurant, bar and patio are a welcome addition to the Pike Lake/Caribou Lake community as a whole. I look forward to other improvements or amenities the new owners will bring to the Club.”
Other fun things to do onsite include playing Bocce Ball and Corn Hole. The Club has held car shows, rummage sales and skating parties in the winter. Anderson notes they also plan on having live music.
Hosting a wedding and a reception with the space and the flexibility for 200+ guests or intimate small groups for just family and friends gives couples the chance to create their own magical one-of-a-kind, unforgettable day.
The event planner at Pike Lake will work with couples to decide where on the property they want the wedding set up. The Club provides two bartenders, tables and a tent for bar service. Couples are free to supply their own rentals, a caterer, DJ, band, lighting, tent, tables and chairs.
Planning a private party is made easy with a variety of options with a package of a private room and a bartender to take care of drinks and food. Parties for birthdays, bachelor/bachelorette parties, baby showers, retirements, and corporate groups, are just some of the options for special events that the site can accommodate. They are also building a 250-300 person event center for larger parties and events year-round.
Anderson has received approval to build twin homes and other housing on the property for purchase, rent or as coops. “The land is the most valuable thing we have here, and we are excited to provide options for lake living. We want to have a model home ready as soon as we can.”
He said he wants this Club to be a family legacy to be handed down for generations. “We want this to stay a golf course here forever.”
He added, “My family and I are so proud that the community is taking advantage of all that we have to offer. It is a country club for everyone, without the fees.”
Visit their website at www.pikelakemn.com for more information, to book tee times, and to find out about upcoming special events. People can join their E-Club at the website to stay up to date on specials and news.
