Enger Park’s junior golf revival is pure Duluth

High above the city, tucked just off Skyline Parkway and framed by pine groves and billion-dollar views, Enger Park Golf Course has long been one of Duluth’s most beloved public assets — a green cathedral perched on the hill, where generations of locals have learned to chase birdies, shake hands, and say “fore” with sincerity.

But this summer, a new kind of magic is happening up there. And it’s coming from the smallest swings.

Thanks to a revitalized junior golf program led by instructor Sam Mesedahl and powered by a new partnership with First Tee, Enger Park has turned into a humming hub of youth development — and not just in golf, but in life.

“We’ve seen juniors getting into golf a lot more over the past few years, and it’s just been building and building every year, which is what we like to see,” said Mesedahl, a Hermantown native in his seventh season working at Enger. “This first year with First Tee has gone very well for us. Their junior golf connections are going to help us a lot going forward.”

The camps, open to both boys and girls, are held every Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., broken into three age-based sessions. Roughly 30 kids are currently enrolled, and demand has been so strong that a second session is being added in August.

“The classes have gone really well,” said Mesedahl. “It’s been kind of nonstop phone calls and emails about getting more kids in. We’re trying to fill our classes as much as we can.”

And they’re doing it the right way — with affordability and access at the forefront.

“For the main session, it’s about 150 bucks for six weeks — 12 classes,” said Mesedahl. “The August course is $95. But with First Tee, you don’t even have to pay that if you can’t afford it. They ask what you’re able to pay, even if it’s zero, and they cover the rest. That way, anyone can be part of it.”

Add in the Kids Golf Legacy Fund led by longtime PGA Professional Mark Carlson, which helps provide clubs and equipment to kids in need.

“We usually give away three to four sets every year,” Mesedahl said — and you’ve got a program built not just on lessons, but on equity.

Enger Park Golf, the City of Duluth, Indigo Sports, and Troon Golf are all invested to insure growing the game of golf in the region is a priority, Enger Park General Manager Craig Smith said.

"And now, through our partnership with First Tee of Minnesota, we can improve upon the Junior Golf legacy that was built by PGA Professional Paul Schintz here at Enger Park. We look forward to bringing kids into this game that will last a lifetime," said Smith.

Enger’s Long, Scenic Road

This isn’t the first youth movement in Enger’s history — but it may be the most promising.

The course itself opened in 1927, named in honor of Bert Enger, a Norwegian immigrant, furniture dealer and philanthropist who donated land and money to the city. Originally a 9-hole layout, Enger grew over the years into a full 27-hole public complex, and quickly became a municipal golf crown jewel. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was common to see dozens of kids playing dusk-til-dark, slinging bags on their shoulders and learning etiquette from crusty old starters.

“Enger’s always had a heartbeat,” said one longtime volunteer. “But what we’re seeing now is more organized, more intentional — and it’s got staying power.”

That resurgence has been helped by the course’s recent facelift. Following years of deferred maintenance and patchwork repairs, the city invested heavily in upgrades: tee boxes were leveled and reshaped, several bunkers rebuilt, cart paths improved, and the failing irrigation system completely replaced. Greens that once played like shag carpet now roll true, and even longtime regulars are noticing.

The clubhouse, too, has seen a refresh — with an expanded pro shop, new teaching technology, and a broader focus on programming, thanks in part to staff like Mesedahl, who started cleaning carts as a teenager and now leads one of the city’s fastest-growing youth sports initiatives.

“I just started in the PGA program last year,” Mesedahl said. “I’m working toward certification to run a course and teach full-time. Getting into junior golf really sparked that for me.”

Beyond the Game

What sets this program apart is what happens between shots.

“One of the core values we focus on with junior golf is patience,” Mesedahl explained. “Being respectful and being able to analyze what went wrong and how to fix it. If we screw up a shot, what can we do differently? What steps can we take to do it better next time? That kind of thinking translates into a lot of areas in life.”

Every kid in the program is asked to set personal goals — from swing mechanics to behavior — and reflect on those goals at the end of each session. Some arrive with raw talent. Others are just learning to hold a club. All are treated with the same steady encouragement.

“We’re not looking for kids to come out and be Tiger Woods,” Mesedahl said. “We’re just looking at where they started, and whether they’ve moved forward in their own game. That’s how they enjoy it — by hitting those goals, and creating new ones.”

His teaching is backed by deep mentorship. He credits longtime First Tee coach Walt Tabory, who moved to Duluth after 20 years running junior programs in Kansas City, as a hands-on architect of the new curriculum. “He’s been a huge help in our journey with First Tee,” said Mesedahl. “Walt has done a lot of work making our lessons happen, setting dates and filling the program.”

Others who helped guide Mesedahl include Larry Brotherton — a PGA Teaching Hall of Famer and former Enger starter — and local coaches Todd Peterson and Dan Szymczak, now leading the College of St. Scholastica’s men’s and women’s golf teams.

“They all played a role in showing me how to teach, how to communicate,” said Mesedahl. “Especially Larry — he really helped me get on the right path with junior golf.”

Even former instructor Deb Showalter played a critical role in building Enger’s junior foundation. “She’s done a lot of women’s lessons and helped with junior golf in the past,” said Mesedahl. “She’s still involved here and deserves a lot of credit.”

Looking Forward

Mesedahl hopes to expand the program in future years — more sessions, more flexibility, more integration with tournaments.

“Right now, Enger doesn’t have junior tournaments, and that’s something we lost in recent years — especially after the COVID shutdown,” he said. “But First Tee is a great way to get into events. They endorse tournaments all summer long. And if we’ve got kids we think are ready, it’s our job to recommend them to things like national qualifiers.”

That kind of scaffolding — from practice green to podium — is what’s been missing. And now, it’s quietly being rebuilt.

As Mesedahl put it: “For us, success is just personal advancement. Not everyone’s going to be a scratch golfer. But if a kid comes here, sets a goal, and leaves having achieved something — that’s the win.”

At Enger Park this summer, there’s no scoreboard. But if there was, the numbers might read something like this:

Smiles — plenty. Confidence — growing. Game — improving.

And the future? Looking very bright from up here.

Wilderness open tryout camp

CLOQUET — The Minnesota Wilderness will take a major step toward shaping their 2025-26 roster this week as the North American Hockey League club kicks off its main tryout camp here.

The camp opens today with a two-day goaltender session, where 40 goalies will compete for 20 available slots. The top performers will advance to the main portion of the camp beginning Monday afternoon, joining 175 skaters for a three-day slate of scrimmages.

Players will be split into 10 teams and evaluated Monday through Wednesday. The tryout process culminates Thursday with two showcase games — a “Futures Game” at 10 a.m., followed by an all-star matchup that will help coaches finalize invitations to the team’s preseason practices, which begin Aug. 24.

The top 30 players from this week’s camp will earn invitations to return for the start of the regular season.

Several new faces are expected to be in attendance, including all players tendered by the Wilderness this offseason and those selected in the 2025 NAHL Draft. They’ll be joined by 13 returners from last year’s squad.

Northeastern Minnesota will be well-represented, with more than a dozen local high school players set to hit the ice. Among them are forward River Freeman of Hermantown, who appeared in 29 games for the Wilderness last season, and defenseman Sam Troutwine of Eveleth. Troutwine played nine games for Minnesota in 2024-25 after being acquired from the Corpus Christi Ice Rays, where he skated in 28 contests.

Another notable local is Cloquet native Niko Gentilini, who signed a tender earlier this offseason. He led Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in scoring last year with 21 goals and 34 assists in 28 games.

General manager Brandon Ferns, head coach Zach Stepan and assistant coach Evan Alexius will lead player evaluations throughout the week.

All camp events are open to the public and free of charge.