Posted: 8/7/02

Let's roll: Blumreich helps Hazeltine National

Branden Peterson
Sports Intern

The long awaited PGA Championship to be played at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska will welcome the worldís best golfers to perhaps the most prestigious golf course in Minnesota.

One of Forest Lakeís own has been working to make sure the golf superstars will be guaranteed a test worthy of a major championship.

Grant Blumreich, son of Karen Furyk and Gary Blumreich of Forest Lake, is a groundskeeping intern at Hazeltine this summer as the course prepares for next weekís PGA Championship.

A 1997 graduate of Forest Lake High School, Blumreich first desired to become a golf professional after high school. After bouncing between Century College and golf aspirations in Arizona, Blumreich returned home in 2000 to attend the University of Minnesota.

He is currently a junior earning an environmental horticulture degree with an emphasis in turf management.

Experiencing his first internship has become more informative than any schoolbook.

ìIím definitely learning a lot. Iíve learned a lot about the management of people, how to deal with diseases, and how imporant teamwork is.î Blumreich said.

Hazeltine National has been host to several attention-grabbing golf venues. The course hosted the U.S. Womenís Open in 1966 and 1977, the U.S. Open in 1970 and 1991. A six-year golf course maintenance member at Forest Hills Golf Club, Blumreich was drawn to Hazeltine both for its history and a curiosity of working for another golf facility.

ìThat drew me here, but after working six years at Forest Hills, I just wanted to see how another course ran. But ever since Iíve been working at a golf course, and watching golf on TV, Iíve wondered what goes into a tournament like this.î

Blumreich quickly found out how much work a tournament such as the PGA Championship requires.

ìI knew it was going to be lot of work, but it was alot more than I had expected. They warned me. I knew it, but itís just been a lot.î

After completing the spring semester, and shelving his books for the summer, Blumreich immediately headed to work May 15. He soon learned work weeks of more than 50 hours were not out of the question.

ìMy boss told me to expect to work until 9 oíclock. Luckily, thatís only happened two times.î Blumreich explained.

Mornings often begin before dawn for Blumreich. And as he and his co-workers make last minute adjustments to Hazeltineís luscious grounds, the workdays continue to lengthen, sleep will get more sparse.

The work isnít accomplished easily, and as Blumreich sees it, tournaments such as the PGA Championship canít be done too quickly or with too few people.

ìThe most important part is the people around you. If you have a good staff around you, you can do it.î

ìExperienced crew, good attitudes, team effort, itís all a team effort, thatís what itís all about.î

Blumreich has personally watched Hazeltine prepare day-by-day for the PGA Championship. He believes golfers and tournament spectators will be impressed by Hazeltineís grounds. But itís the challenges of Hazeltine that will have people talking.

ìPeople are going to stuggle with the wind and the rough. If the winds are blowing out there, itís going to be tough. No matter where you are on the course, youíll feel it.î Blumreich emphasizes.

Most projects are completed. Metal bleachers surround greens, green speeds are at a rapid pace, and the rough is anticipated to be seven inches by next Thursdayís opening tee times.

Years in the making, the sweat and blood work is done. Blumreich wants to get rolling.

ìIím ready for the tournament. Letís go. Letís do this thing.î

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