Beautiful Girls Golf Trip
Needham, MA
Ashland, MA
Minneapolis/Stillwater, MN
Ah, the quintessential guy movie with the chick flick title.
This is a 'movie' golf weekend where you'd better have a private jet, either that or maybe you could piece it together in a couple of smaller trips. Of course, given the snow and winter weather nearly being a character in the movie, you'd almost have to schedule these visits during mid-winter for the full effect; however that does put a damper on the whole golfing aspect. Bring some orange balls I guess.
Beautiful Girls is the story of a late-20's NYC piano player named Will (one of sometimes-inconsistent Timothy Hutton's most nuanced roles ever) who's winding down his bachelor days, in a solid relationship with a slightly-above-average-looking lawyer chick, and thinking about giving up his young man's piano dreams for a sales job. Will goes back to his rural upstate hometown for the holidays and a class reuinion, and spends 2 weeks hanging out and getting drunk with his high school buddies. If you haven't seen it, for f*&#'s sake, go out and rent it tonight, it's a modern day guy movie classic.
I love this movie because it reminds me of going back to my tiny one-stoplight hometown in Western PA over the snowy holidays through college and my early 20's, and spending most nights getting loaded with my high school buddies, in old haunt dive bars and around kitchen tables, and largely reverting back to our high school selves, getting in fights, etc. It reminds me of how unnervingly clean the air smells and how the night cold slaps you half-sober when you finally step back out into the startlingly quiet winter nights while the snow squeaks under your boots. And admit it, you had a school boy crush on an underage Natalie Portman in this movie, same as the rest of us.
Marty
Haven't met a guy yet who's seen this movie and didn't.
Here's one of the more thoughtful (and probably over-thought) reviews I've seen on the film: www.scriptfactory.co.uk/go/News/Reviews/Article_6.html.
The movie was written by a guy named Scott Rosenberg who grew up in a little town called Needham, MA outside of Boston. The screenplay grew out of his relationship with both his hometown and his high school buddies. Rumor has it the Johnston Inn in the movie was inspired by John Stone's Inn in nearby Ashland, MA.
If you've got old money family anywhere near Boston, Needham is actually only 6 miles from The Country Club in Brookline MA, so pull those strings and get yourself on for a round at a Ryder Cup caliber, seriously exclusive country club. If not, George Wright GC is also only 6 miles away, an old school Donald Ross that's worth a round. Not in great shape, and sometimes a brutal pace of play, but it's not often you can play a Ross course for under $50. Or, T&L Golf digs Granite Links GC, only 11 miles away. Routed through 450 acres of quarries and landfills leftover from Boston's Big Dig, the bunkers look like footprints from prehistoric beasts. One final option would be Stow Acres North Course, recommended by Golf Digest as the best public course in the state, and it hosted the 70th U.S. Amateur (17 miles from Needham).
A little further south you'll find two great courses at Pinehills GC by Rees Jones and Jack Nicklaus II. Also in that area, warm up at short course Southers Marsh ($35 Wknd, www.southersmarsh.com), which plays around 100-year-old cranberry bogs and tall white pines. Waverly Oaks ($85, www.waverlyoaksgolfclub.com) has heaving terrain, the par-3 17th emulates the famous 16th at Cypress Point with bunkers instead of ocean, and the Waverly Grille serves up good chow. OR, hit well-groomed Atlantic CC ($55 Wknd, www.atlanticcountryclub.com).
Most of the actual movie scenes from Beautiful Girls, however, were shot in various locations in and around Minneapolis, MN. The bowling alley is on Lake Street in Minneapolis. All of the town scenes are in a little nearby town called Stillwater, MN. The Timothy Hutton character gets off the bus right next to the downtown Stillwater liquor store (they later go to the same store). The drug store where Rosie O'Donnell has her only tolerable movie rant ever is on Main Street Stillwater. One of the bars is in the next town north from Stillwater (not sure of the name, but I'm sure as big as "the next town north of Stillwater Minnesota" probably is, it shouldn't be that hard to find).
Some fun links on Beautiful Girls trivia and Stillwater MN:
http://americasqueen.8k.com/beautifulgirls_m.html
www.cafepress.com/zachsite.14994458
www.funtrivia.com/playquiz.cfm?qid=180806
Where To Play: The Ridges At Sand Creek (Jordan MN, www.ridgesatsandcreek.com). Per Golf Digest: A brilliant 3-year-old layout. 11 holes are laid into thick woods below a ridge. The rest are links-style creations on higher, more open terrain. Sand Creek winds itself through several holes, with wetlands and well-placed bunkers in play. Golf Magazine likes the Ridges' outdoor deck for good Buffalo wings and an even better walleye sandwich. Or, Stonebrooke GC is relatively short with rolling terrain, lots of water, and a ferry ride across Lake O'Dowd on the 8th. Dine at the new clubhouse with waterfall-side seating, or at local fave supper club Dangerfield's. The Wilds GC is a Weiskopf-Morrish design with slopes up to 147. It's a long beast with broad fairways and wavy-edged bunkers, several lake/marsh-side holes, great Twin Cities skyline views from the 18th tee, and a good Sunday brunch buffet on the patio of The Wilds Pub.
Best Bar Nearby, Minneapolis: Stuff Magazine likes The Annex (582 Hennapin Ave, Minneapolis). 3 words: Total. Hottie. Waitresses. (Whose collective favorite drink is called a Redheaded S!ut, a shooter of equal parts Jagermeister, Red Bull, and Cranberry). Enough said.
Gentlemen's clubs: Schieks or Déjà Vu for upscale (go for a bed dance or the Erotic Loft at Déjà Vu), Skyway Lounge for a divier club, or Choice for a rowdier, hands-on joint.
Where To Grub: NorthWest Airlines' World Traveler magazine says Dakota Jazz Club has been quoted as "the most comfortable jazz club in the world for musicians and audiences", with cuisine featured in Cooking Light magazine. Murray's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge (26 S 6th St, 612-339-0909, www.murraysrestaurant.com) circa 1946 has won the prestigious Wine Spectator's Award Of Excellence. OR, Manny's Steakhouse (612-339-0201) makes some Best Steakhouses in the U.S. lists.
Where To Stay: A B&B in Stillwater would give the homiest feel. Try the Water Street Inn (101 Water St, 651-439-6000) or the Lowell Inn (102 2nd St N, 651-439-1100, www.lowellinn.com).
For upscale in Minneapolis per Golf Magazine, end the day at Prior Lake at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel (800-813-7349, www.mysticlake.com). Do a casual dinner at Minnehaha Cafe, upscale fare at Ribbons, or the as-far-as-the-eye-can-see Four Seasons Buffet. OR, Country Inn & Suites features golf packages (800-574-2150, www.countryinns.com).
Further Diversions: Shopaholics will head straight for The Mall of America in Bloomington. Just leave before credit card meltdown. Or families can head for Valleyfair -- the Midwest's largest family amusement park. Try a corn dog.
Trivia: Paul's monologue to Will: "A beautiful girl can make you dizzy, like you've been drinking Jack and Coke all morning. She can make you feel high full of the single greatest commodity known to man - promise. Promise of a better day. Promise of a greater hope. Promise of a new tomorrow. This particular aura can be found in the gait of a beautiful girl. In her smile, in her soul, the way she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's going to be okay."
[Fat Guy Note: I have not taken this trip or explored any of these courses/locations. As always, proper research and reservations are required. I'm just the idea guy on this one.]