Table of Contents
Looking For Something to Do
Shortly before the hockey miracle of 1980, a lesser-known, implausible story was born on a plot of land on the east side of Two Harbors, Minnesota. Inspired by a sports culture established by their elders, both local and afar, four high school boys and their loyal coach traveled to the Majestic Oaks golf course in Blaine, Minnesota in early June of 1977 and returned home with the school’s first athletic team trophy in any sport since 1924.
How long was that trip from Two Harbors to Blaine?
Approximately 12 years.
Back in the late 1960s, children of baby boomers were looking for something to do. In the Mayberry of the north, options were plentiful. Free-range children explored at will. Sports to try. Rivers to swim. Lakes to fish. Forests to traverse. Paths to explore. Two of those paths led directly to Lakeview Golf Course. One from the eastern edge of the baseball field—the other from the VFW Club Post 4454 parking lot.
Tom Carlson, Mike Fitzpatrick, Charlie Dahl, and Larry Smith regularly followed those paths to partake in a game they would grow to love—golf.
Long before Tiger Woods, these youngsters were inspired by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, along with guys like Dave Ojala, Brian Saine, Donnie Norlen, Steve Hagen, Tommy Andreychuck, Spud Graham, Ray Untinen, Bob Hill, Steve Stojevich, Glen Wicklund, Fox Erickson, Mike Johnson, Mike Sansom, Steve Smith, Rick Nolander, Larry Gilbert, Mike Graden, Jim Norlen, Jim “Pope” Bislow, Wayne Dahl, Mark Krysiak and Schleppy—more on him later.
Palmer and Nicklaus, then who?
Local legends. Heroes. Role models. Characters. Influencers.
Lakeview Golf Course wasn’t Augusta National. Heck, it wasn’t even Lester Park. It wasn’t neatly manicured. No fancy driving range. No fancy clubhouse. No locker room. No tightly-mown fairways. “The rough” was never more aptly named than on that golf course. The official flower of the course was the dandelion. Typical weather? Diabolical. It wasn’t a lot of things. But for a bunch of sports-loving youngsters, what exactly was Lakeview GC?
It was…perfect.
The boys had the rare occasion to play beautiful golf courses such as Northland Country Club in nearby Duluth. Or, Cloquet Country Club just a few miles further down the road. They’d also seen prominent golf courses on television. Winged Foot. Oakmont. Pebble Beach. Augusta National. Cherry Hills. All conjured up images of luxurious surroundings.
Meanwhile in Two Harbors, Lakeview GC sat 200 yards–a long Par 3, from Lake Superior yet was constructed with an irrigation system consisting of nine garden hoses. The course would become parched. Golf balls would bounce high and roll far. Architects of the Roman aqueducts surely would have snickered and frowned. The nickname the kids tagged the course with was the unflattering, “Leatherbrook.” Quite a profound expression of agronomical interest from a gang of boys who wouldn’t mow their own lawns unless threatened with being grounded.
While it lacked the tidiness of other tracks, it provided an overabundance of the most important thing a youngster could hope for:
Opportunity.
In the early 70s, a “Family Golf Pass” for the entire summer would cost $50.00. Yes, the entire summer—fifty dollars. In today’s dollars, that’s equivalent to 10 large hot fudge shakes at the Dairy Queen. Don’t bother checking, I’ve done the math. It’s accurate.
The view from the Old #2 green towards #3
Wednesday mornings at Lakeview Golf Course were designated as Kid’s Day. Seven-year-old beginners up to the 18-year-old veterans. A brief lesson from local notables like R.C. Nolander, followed by some chipping and putting at the postage-stamp-sized putting green, then the kids were turned loose onto the golf course to learn important life lessons as they’d play, strive to improve, compete, hold each other accountable and most of all, have great fun.
While they received basic instruction, golf was predominantly self-taught amongst the boys. Trial and error ruled the day. Golf tips were always available in “Golf Digest” and “Golf” magazines which could be found on a table in the porch of the clubhouse. The magazines always featured a few golf tips. Read, then apply. Show your buddy. Share ideas. New concepts would initially feel uncomfortable. Golf balls did goofy things in flight until a technique was mastered. Yet, minor adjustments could be transformational. No “golf pros” to teach you. No swing videos to review.
Modern vernacular would define this approach as “organic.”
Long before the term “pay it forward” became fashionable, it was happening at Leatherbrook. Fathers taught their sons. Older brothers taught younger. Nowhere were the powers of observation applied with greater focus than when a youngster was allowed to golf with one of the many other outstanding local golfers. Watch and emulate. A thriving cross-generational culture of socializing, teaching, learning, and competing.
There was no driving range where someone would retrieve your practice balls. Practice was predominantly done on the course. If the coast was clear behind you, unzip the golf ball compartment of your golf bag & dump a few on the ground. Hit a few—then a few more—then a minor adjustment—then hit more. Then throw your golf bag over your shoulder & walk a few hundred yards until you retrieved all of them–some from this side of the fairway, some from the adjacent fairway, some bounced into the woods. This was Fitbit heaven, decades before counting steps became fashionable.
Daily routines included dialing the phone number to see who could play. Even this was drastically different than today. The boys called each other so often, they probably had the phone numbers of 20 or 30 friends memorized. The gang would meet at the course, divide into groups, then go play. They’d come off the course after their rounds and their buddies who played in the group ahead of them would invariably ask, “what did you shoot?” The questions were almost unnecessary. Body language and facial expressions read like a scorecard.
The boys wouldn’t wait for the adults to organize tournaments, they’d create their own. The “Rock Acres Open” was one such memorable event. A small entry fee was collected, then let the games begin. There was no trophy to be awarded but something more was won—honor. With such a deep talent pool in town, winning the Rock Acres Open or any other competition was an admirable accomplishment.
The putting green may have been the most prominent training ground for fostering creativity. The boys went far beyond putting. They’d chip from behind trees, through trees, over trees. Some contests involved shots from as far as 40 yards away. It wasn’t unusual to see them hitting shots from the far side of the parking lot, golf balls sailing over a parked car, or two onto the small green. Then there was the occasional foray to the south side of Hwy 61, hitting a shot across one of the busiest two-lane highways in the United States, then over a few mature pine trees to the putting green.. This wasn’t just fun & games. The competitive intensity was pervasive. Each boy always wanted to win.
“I’ll bet you a nickel, I can make that putt and you can’t!
“Let’s have a nine-hole putting contest. I get to pick the first hole. The winner of the match gets a quarter. Ready?”
Sometimes the stakes were slightly higher.
CHARLIE DAHL: “My initiation to gambling occurred in 7th grade during one of those contests at the putting green. Warren Neil, Jim Norlen, Mark Krysiak, and I were engaged in an intense putting and chipping contest. These guys were all several years older than me. Heck, I faintly remember Warren having a 5 O’Clock shadow of a beard that day. The contest wasn’t going well for me. We decided to play one more hole—double-or-nothing. I was already down $6.00, this was my last chance. Ten minutes later, my Dad arrived at the course with $12.00 to pay off the debt. Double-or-nothing wasn’t a good idea. No speech was necessary. My Dad knew the lesson was learned by the look on my face.”
Charlie would overcome this disappointment a year later when he would at least temporarily rise to the top ranking on the varsity golf team as an 8th grader. He would become only the second Two Harborite to letter in golf as an 8th grader—Steve Smith had done the same, one year before Charlie.
In this town of 4,000 people, the formula for making friends was easy. Watch cartoons, then go outside. Talk to other kids about the latest episode of The Road Runner, The Flintstones, or The Jetsons. Throw rocks into the lake at Burlington Bay. Bike or walk down to Agate Bay to watch the “Edna G” tugboat escort an ore carrier alongside the docks. Little League baseball—are you on the Twins, Reds, Yankees or Orioles this summer? Backyard football on Sunday afternoons after the Vikings demolished the Packers, Bears, or Lions. And, of course, the state sport of Minnesota—youth hockey. All four of these boys would climb the stairs of the newly built arena then get in line to receive the shin pads, elbow pads, cup, and helmet they’d wear during the forthcoming hockey season.
The 1968 or '69 Pony "A" Team
They were all multi-sport athletes. The sport of choice varied with the calendar. Football in the fall, hockey in the winter, golf, and baseball in the spring and summer. When they were bored, perhaps a bit of tennis, swimming or basketball.
It was not uncommon for the boys to play little league baseball in the morning, then refuel at the golf course clubhouse with the best Sloppy Joes in the midwest—along with a banana popsicle, then spend the afternoon on the course.
Lakeview GC wasn’t just a boy’s club. Two Harbors was home to numerous outstanding women golfers—and countless more who just loved to play. Women such as Ellen Saine, Phlaine Johnson, Shirley Nelson, Eleanor Peterson, Penny LaCasse, June Lindstrom and Lena House would inspire younger outstanding golfers such as Sheila Leppala and Cathy Erickson. The tradition continued in recent years as Hannah Johnson represented Two Harbors three times in the State High School Girl’s tournament followed by a distinguished career still underway at St. Scholastica. The women of the community made Lakeview GC feel like home.
Beyond Leatherbrook
"My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass!' Dad would reply. 'We're not raising grass. We're raising boys."
Golf wasn’t limited to the golf course. Plastic golf balls were an outstanding option for fun-loving young golfers. Kids would invent courses in their backyard, the neighbors yard, the nearby city park, or the closest vacant lot.
“OK, first hole. From here to within a club-length of the clothes-line pole.”
“Next hole–lets play from here to the flower bed in Mrs. Miller’s back yard.”
And so it went.
By the way, Mrs. Miller wasn’t fond of finding plastic golf balls nestled beside her geraniums each summer. But she was a good sport about it.
Plastic ball golf became so popular that the neighborhood boys invented a league—The Jerry Holisky Golf Association, with multiple golf courses laced throughout the town. One started in Holisky’s yard. Another from Darryl Johnson’s. Yet another, from Ron Barthell’s and another from Fitzpatrick’s. All of the events included cookies and kool-aid and perhaps a small donation to the pot to be awarded to the tournament champ. Boys from throughout the city would grab a golf club—typically a 7-iron, hop on their bicycles 20 minutes before the tournament was scheduled to begin, then converge on the designated venue of the day. They’d establish the rules, decide who would play together, who’d keep score and spend the day trash-talking while imagining they were Arnold Palmer on their way to winning The Two Harbors Open.
LARRY SMITH: “One of my best memories is the plastic ball tournaments we had through neighborhoods. We would hit from one house and cover several blocks during our 18 hole matches. We had entry fees and the winner used to make $2. That was a lot of money in those days. We would have 15-20 players at times. Jerry Holisky organized some of them. We would carve up lawns and dig holes to putt. Some of the things we got away with as kids were unbelievable.”
MIKE FITZPATRICK: “We had a course in the vacant lot next to my house. We dug holes in various locations then inserted coffee cans to replicate the holes on the green of a golf course, then placed small sticks inside so we could see them from far away. We’d mow a six-foot circle around each hole to serve as a green. Eventually, the police forced us to quit because we were running an “unlicensed operation” whereby we charged a 25 cent entry fee. I guess we were also annoying the neighbors.”
This wouldn’t be the only run-in with law enforcement. On another rainy day, police officers drove onto the golf course to break up a putting contest on the 8th green.
Officer: “We’ve gotten reports that you kids are doing cartwheels out here on the greens.”
Fitzpatrick: “Officer, somebody is lying. Look at us. Does it really appear that either me or Tommy (Smith) could do a cartwheel? There’s just no chance.”
Fitzpatrick’s plea bargaining successfully nullified a short jail sentence.
Rainy days were no deterrent to creativity. The rain kept the adults off the course so the kids would make up holes. Instead of playing from the first tee to the first green, they play from the first tee to the 8th green. Creativity and exploration ruled the day. Imagine the imagination. Heck, imagine the freedom these kids indulged in compared to our current generation.
Tools of the Trade
While annual golf fees were inexpensive, there were still obstacles. There wasn’t a sporting goods store in Two Harbors. Clubs could be found in Duluth—though not so easily for left-handers. Often, sets of clubs were bought/sold from local golfers. Legend has it that three members of the varsity golf team in 1977 played with sets of golf clubs acquired by their parents during negotiations over a few adult beverages at the nearby VFW post.
These were blue-collar families with kids playing a polo-shirt sport. Golf balls were the biggest predicament. Lakeview GC was surrounded by forests. Golf balls easily found their way into the woods. Young golfers in Two Harbors spent plenty of time wandering through the trees adjacent to each hole—a single golf club in hand to turn away the branches and ground vegetation in hopes of finding a ball. A time-consuming process to be sure.
When they weren’t searching through the trees, they might be brave enough to venture into the pond between the 4th and 8th greens. Upon arrival, the boys would remove their shoes & socks—roll up their jeans—if they were foolish enough to not wear shorts, then dip one foot into the pond, trying to avoid the prevalent green slime at all costs. Let your foot sink through the mud, balancing yourself with your golf club. Then follow with the other foot. It would take a minute to acclimate to the shocking chill of the mud. Before each step, tap dance the other foot on top of the mud, hoping to feel a golf ball. Decades later, happiness persists while recalling the feeling of a golf ball compressed between the sole of a bare foot and the top layer of mud. After detecting a ball, you had to reach down into the pond & grab it. The boys would keep their toes on the golf ball, balance yourself on your other leg and the golf club, then reach with your free hand for the ball—hoping the ball didn’t slide away. When it was all over, you’d return home pockets filled with golf balls and the smell of pond scum wafting all around you.
All this so they could golf the next morning.
Emerging From Winter
High school golf in northern Minnesota presented unique challenges. Practice started before the snow melted. Temperatures in the 30s and 40s. Northeast winds blowing off of Lake Superior. Since the boys were prohibited from practicing on the golf course until it officially opened, the early-season practice involved hitting shots from a patch of brown grass on the outfield of the baseball field over a ditch to other patches of brown grass on the golf course’s first-hole fairway. The attire for these practice sessions typically consisted of stocking caps, scarves, light gloves, and winter boots.
Was there a guy in a cart on the other side of the ditch to gather and retrieve their golf balls? Nope. The boys would trudge across the ditch to retrieve as many balls as they could find, then walk back across the ditch, then do it all over again. And, again. And, again.
As if that wasn’t enough, they’d occasionally find someone to drive several miles inland from frigid Lake Superior to the local airport. Not exactly O’Hare, the lone Cessna-grade runway provided another open space for practice.
Airplanes. Airplane hangars. A landing strip. Fuel pumps. A few adolescents with mischievous tendencies.
What could possibly go wrong?
The moment the high school hockey season ended, daily attention shifted to weather conditions in the northern Wisconsin resort town of Hayward. Located 102 miles from Two Harbors—and 71 miles south of Lake Superior—green grass would appear several weeks sooner than along the north shore. The annual pilgrimage was the most anticipated road trip of the year. It was a right of passage for every young golfer to be invited for the first time—signaling you earned the respect of the older boys. It was not uncommon for snow to fly during these inaugural rounds of the year. That didn’t matter. Golf season had now officially begun.
Recalling the first time he played with Tom Carlson, Fitzpatrick said, “Tom didn’t start playing until 7th grade—much later than the rest of us. In his very first round, he shot something like a 55. It was amazing. He was using a borrowed set of those old Sam Snead golf clubs that many of us started with. He was just a natural—a great athlete.”
DAHL: We had already become buddies with Tommy Carlson via youth hockey. Tom said, “If you guys play golf, I might as well start.” He came out and copied what we were doing and became competitive within a couple of weeks. Tommy would become so good that he was the co-champion of a Lake Superior Conference match with a score of 2-under par, 70.”
RON BARTHELL: “We (Barthell and Tom Smith) played with the varsity golf team on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, then the baseball team on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We had the best of both worlds.”
FITZPATRICK: “During the summer before 8th grade, my Dad and I traveled to Fairbanks, Alaska. My uncle was managing a saloon. We stopped by to visit, and the conversation drifted to my progress with golf. My uncle pointed to a guy at the far end of the bar and enthusiastically said, “There’s the guy you need to talk to, Mike. His name is Schleppy. He played on the pro tour with Ben Hogan back in the ’50s.”
Next thing you know, we are at an airport landing strip hitting balls. Schleppy told me my swing plane was too flat and I’d never hit the ball far enough if I didn’t make a change. Guess what—he was right. Who would have thought that a turning point in my golf career would transpire by me walking into a saloon in Alaska at age 12?”
Spring of 1977
In their first official match of the year, Coach Jim Krysiak drove the Agates varsity golf team in Two Harbors High School’s black cargo van southwards towards warmer weather, where they finished an inauspicious 17th of 29 teams. The event was played in Forest Lake, on the same course where the Regional finals would be played six weeks later. The following two golf meets were also disappointing for the Agates golfers as they struggled to find their early season rhythm.
Things would change soon thereafter, including when the team set what was believed to be a high school scoring record during a meet at Enger Park golf course in Duluth when the top three players shot nine-hole scores of 33, 34, and 35—6 under par. Two Harbors would beat 52 of the next 77 teams they’d face on their way to the State Finals in Blaine.
Region 7 Tournament - Win and Go To State
Fitzpatrick, Dahl, Carlson, Smith, Ron Barthell, and Mike Stanko would represent Two Harbors in their return to Forest Lake Country Club for the Regional tournament. Mike Fitzpatrick had somewhat surprisingly assumed the role as the #1 player on the team. Always a consistent, patient player, Mike made up for his lack of flamboyance with a lethal putter and calm approach to the game—surely a positive trait for any golfer. These traits would benefit many others as Fitzpatrick selflessly taught countless youngsters during his 19 years as leader of the Wednesday morning youth program.
Details regarding the Regional tournament were sparse:
Like, “Two Harbors Won!,” sparse.
Neither individual nor team scores are available, though it is believed that Two Harbors won by three strokes. Regardless, for the second time in three years, the Agates golf team was returning to the state tournament. This time, represented by Dahl, Carlson, Fitzpatrick, and Smith. Barthell–one of the best multi-sport athletes in Two Harbors history–and the best teammate anyone could hope for, narrowly missed qualifying, losing in a playoff with Smith.
In 1975, as sophomores, Smith and Dahl were joined by Mike Johnson and Rick Nolander as they represented the north shore at the University of Minnesota golf course. The ‘75 team would finish last. Two Harbors narrowly missed qualifying for the state tournament in 1976.
SMITH: “Going to the state tourneys was quite an experience. We were a bunch of naive kids from a mining town, with barely a collared shirt in our closets. Many of our opponents were country club kids. We didn’t really fit in but we stuck together and played our best. Sometimes, our best was pretty good, relative to the competition.”
DAHL: “We’d gotten a taste of the state tournament in 1975. Coming up empty in ’76 in the Regionals in Virginia seemed to have eased the pressure on us in ’77.“
The 1975 State Tournament Team
State Tournament - Majestic Oaks - Blaine, MN
In hindsight, a surprising aspect of their accomplishment was the small town team’s participation in the AA division. They’d beaten the larger schools in northern Minnesota to win their regional tournament. Now, they’d be facing four prominent Twin Cities schools along with three other outstate teams.
The tournament would be played on Thursday and Friday, June 9 & 10. The team arrived in the Twin Cities a day early but tournament rules prohibited them from playing the course. This was a significant disadvantage since five of the teams were close to Blaine—it was highly likely that they had all previously played at Majestic Oaks.
Lack of familiarity with the course proved to be a liability on Thursday. Brimming with confidence when the day began, the Agates labored to 6th place among eight teams after the first 18-holes.
Day 1 Team Scores
- Edina West 221
- Fairmont 238
- Austin 240
- Elk River 240
- St. Paul Hill Murray 244
- Two Harbors 246
- Minneapolis Roosevelt 250
- Moorhead 257
On Thursday evening, the small town boys needed to blow off steam in the big city. They did precisely what you’d expect a group of 18-year-old boys to do.
They went to a playground.
Yes, a playground. Swings, a teeter-totter, a merry-go-round, monkey bars, even a slide. The story is reminiscent of the Hanson brothers in “Slap Shot” playing with their race car sets in hotel rooms while traveling with the Charlestown Chiefs. Ironically, the movie debuted the very same year—1977. Pure coincidence?
The boys awakened Friday morning to the sound of strong winds—and steady rain. Perhaps no golf team in the state of Minnesota was better equipped to perform in lousy weather than Two Harbors. Lake Superior was not golf’s best friend. On this day in Minneapolis, rain would fall sideways. Wind gusts tipped over flags on the greens. Diabolical. Just like home.
As Tom Carlson stated, “the weather was lousy on Friday—it was just like playing in Two Harbors!” Six short years after playing his first round of golf, he was playing in the state tournament.
Shortly before the final round, Coach Krysiak gathered the team together and stated that “Our goal should be to lower our scores four shots from the prior day. If we do that, we will be right in it” Carlson and Smith did exactly that while Dahl dropped two. Only six of the Top 40 individual participants were able to shoot lower scores on Friday compared to Thursday—three of the six were from Two Harbors.
Sixty of the best golfers in the North Star State teed it up that morning. Fifty-six of those golfers were believed to be carrying umbrellas. Four were not. Yep, those four. Despite that minor problem, Dahl, Smith, and Carlson all finished in the top 10.
On the biggest possible stage—for one glorious and horrendously North Shore-ish weather kind of day—their final four hours as competitive high school athletes—the Two Harbors High School golf team was the greatest team in the state of Minnesota.
SMITH: “It was a complete shock that we finished second. We were so far behind after day one. The weather was terrible. 30 mph winds the first day and the second had the same wind plus rain. That is why the scores were so high. We had never seen the course before going down there. We got there a day early but the state commission wouldn’t let us play the course.”
They’d aced their final exam. Their two-day total earned them a second-place finish. They earned that trophy in anonymity just as they played in anonymity in those vacant lots, back yards, and on their local golf course which would never appear on the list of Minnesota’s finest. It was a direct reflection of what can be produced via a largely unsupervised, carefree, inexpensive environment where kids are allowed to be kids without adults monitoring their every movement and moment. It was the result of a dozen years of nickel, dime and 25 cent contests—and one hard $12.00 lesson.
Day 2 - Team Scores
Day 2 - Individual Scores
- Two Harbors 236
- Edina West 239
- Austin 246
- St. Paul Murray 246
- Fairmont 252
- Minneapolis Roosevelt 254
- Moorhead 256
- Elk River 258
- Kroc – Austin 74
- Kidd – Edina West 76
- Skinner – Anoka 76
- Steiner – Hill Murray 77
- Dahl – Two Harbors 78
- Smith – Two Harbors 78
- Kendall – Henry Sibley 78
- Carlson – Two Harbors 80
Others: Otto (81), Ostby (82), Perry (83), Fitzpatrick (90)
North Shore Boys Beat Future Legends
Elk River was led by a couple of guys named Paul Ostby and Joel Otto. Ostby would become a goaltender for the Minnesota Gophers hockey team. He would then serve as an assistant hockey coach for the Gophers for many years. Otto played 14 years in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. A 6’4″, the 220-pound bruiser would finish with 195 career goals, participate in numerous international tournaments including the 1988 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and earn a Stanley Cup ring as a member of the 1989 Flames.
Surely, the ragtag boys from the North Shore couldn’t compete with two athletes of that caliber playing on the same team from Elk River. Right?
Two Harbors beat Elk River by 16 shots.
Oh, there were others. Jim Perry was a star pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. His brother was Hall of Fame pitcher, Gaylord Perry. Jim’s son, Chris, was a star performer for Edina West. Chris Perry would follow in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus & play college golf at Ohio State University. He was the runner-up in the prestigious U.S. Amateur tournament, then played eight years as a professional on the PGA Tour before injuries derailed him but not before he posted 14 Top-10 finishes in 1999. Only one golfer had more—a young hotshot named Eldrick Woods. Better known as Tiger.
OK, it would be a great story if our guys beat him, right? Overall, Perry beat Dahl by two, Smith by four, Carlson by eight, and Fitzpatrick by a few more. But on Day 2, Smith, Dahl, and Carlson all beat Perry—though Perry, a freshman, would recover from this setback by winning the individual championships in ’78, ’79, and ’80. An amazing high school career.
It doesn’t end there.
Jim Kidd was the individual champion. The son of famous Olympic skier Billy Kidd, Jim grew up playing at Interlachen Country Club—the same course where golf immortal, Bobby Jones, won the 1930 U.S. Open. Before privilege became a four-letter word, Kidd was a privileged golfer, practicing, playing, dining, swimming at Minnesota’s most prestigious country club. Surely a fine young man, but we are guessing he wasn’t regularly slogging amid mud up to his knees in a pond to find a few golf balls.
Perry. Kidd. Ostby. Otto.
Hold on. It gets better.
Finishing four shots behind Dahl, two behind Smith and just two ahead of Carlson, was a guy who eventually won five tournaments on the PGA Tour including one “major” championship—The British Open in 1996. Tom Lehman, from Alexandria high school, would also win the Tour Championship in ’96. His $1.7 million in earnings for the year made him the leading money winner on tour—just ahead of a guy named Phil Mickelson.
Lehman would go on to earn more than $21 million as a professional golfer but took it on the chin from the boys from up north.
Blaine wouldn’t be the last time Smith would cross paths with Lehman. Back in the late ’90s, the company Larry was working for had a national sales conference at the Ritz Carlton in Kapalua, Hawaii—not a bad gig. The timing coincided with the Mercedes Championship golf tournament at Kapalua. In addition to meeting Clint Eastwood and Dennis Hopper in the hotel—and working out alongside Tiger Woods, and a lengthy conversation with Phil Mickelson, there was one memory that topped them all.
While watching a practice round, one of Larry’s coworkers got Lehman’s attention by telling him “we have some Minnesotans over here.” Lehman politely stopped by to visit for 15 minutes.
Smith: “Hi Tom, my name is Larry Smith. Nice to meet you. I’m also from Minnesota. Two Harbors, to be exact. We played in the state tournament against you back in 1977.“
Lehman: “How did your team do. Did you beat Alexandria?”
“We finished second to Edina West.“
“How did you do individually, Larry?”
“I beat you by two, Tom.“
Lehman’s caddie, Andy Martinez, nearly fell to the ground laughing. Lehman had been the number one-ranked player in the world for a week. Now an unknown Minnesotan standing in the gallery was giving him crap.
Smith recalled, “Lehman was a gentleman and gracious with his time. The whole thing worked out great for me and my peers. That was a really cool experience. After sharing additional memories of the tournament, including the weather conditions, Lehman said, “I think you chose the wrong career, Larry.”
Larry replied, “Maybe. You got a lot better, I got a lot worse.”
DAHL: “It wasn’t until 1993 that Tom Lehman became one of the biggest parts of the story. After his 3rd place finish in The Masters, all golfers everywhere knew him. I was sitting on my couch between Erwin Johnson and Jay Osbakken with the scrapbook in my lap. Scrolling down the list and said “who else do you know that beat Tom Lehman? Very calmly Erwin points and says, “Larry Smith!” Kind of a surreal experience.
DAHL: I ran into Lehman in 1995 at the NBA All Star game in Phoenix. Our company—Nick’s SportsWorld, had two trailers outside the arena selling souvenirs and t-shirts. Before the game, Lehman and his wife stopped by. I said, “Hi Tom.” He offered a simple “hi” in return. His wife whispered, “How do you know him?” I said I was from Minnesota and had played in the state tournament in 1977. Once again, Lehman was generous with his time and agreed that they should have kept the tournament at the University of Minnesota’s golf course. I told him our team from Two Harbors finished 2nd to Edina. He nodded and said, “Nice.”
FITZPATRICK: “Years later, I ran into Chris Perry at the Western Open in Chicago. I just had a minute and said to him, “Hey Chris, you don’t happen to remember golfing against a bunch of guys from Two Harbors, do you?” Perry responded, “Oh, of course—I sure do!”
Lasting Legacies
Truth be told, 40 years later Smith and Dahl would still be golfing at a level that Tom Lehman and Chris Perry would respect. Even at age 60, Smith was capable of breaking par on challenging golf courses near his new home in Dallas. Before moving away from Two Harbors—he would win a Lakeview GC Men’s Club Championship including a 36-hole Sunday performance of 68-71 for the best scoring day of his career. His opponent in the finals? A guy named Charlie. Both players finished under par in an epic contest. After high school, Smith would become an integral member of the College of St. Scholastica hockey team.
The name “Charlie Dahl” would be a fixture atop golf tournament leaderboards in Minnesota decades after 1977. Few things were more important for a native of Two Harbors than to win “The Shortstop,” later named the Agate City Classic. Twenty years after Majestic Oaks—and 27 years after winning his first tournament at age 11, Dahl would add “Agate City Classic Champion” to his resume.
Carlson and Fitzpatrick chose the fast lane. Both participating in auto racing after graduating from high school. By all accounts, Carlson is as talented preparing his cars, and driving them on Northland race tracks as he was on the golf course.
At the age of 23, after a few years of competitive drag racing—and refining his imitation of legendary Formula 1 racer, Jackie Stewart, Fitzpatrick would qualify to participate on the golf team at the University of Minnesota—Duluth. Encouraged to tryout by the late Jim “Butch” Kuronen, Mike thoroughly enjoyed playing among some of the more notable golfers to ever play in northern Minnesota. Few people–if any, have made a greater impact on golf in Two Harbors than Fitzpatrick. Mike led the Wednesday morning youth golf program for 19 years and has coached the Two Harbors High School boys and girls teams for 29 years.
FITZPATRICK: “I’m thankful guys like Mark Krysiak, Jim Norlen, Steve Smith, Mike Johnson, Betty L’Esperance, Eileen Dahl and Ernie Hall were willing to drive us to Duluth. Otherwise, we couldn’t have participated in the those youth tournaments. Duluth had a lot of “golf rats” just like us. We played against a lot great players.”
DAHL: “Playing in the meets was a breeze. The hard part was just competing within our own team. We had a lot of solid players like Barthell, Stanko and Scott Larson ready to jump in if any of us faltered.”
CARLSON: While Tom was also an outstanding hockey player, he said, “Golf was my favorite sport. We had a good group of guys and were real good friends. Krysiak was a fun golf coach!”
SMITH: “Golf served another important purpose—it kept us out of trouble.”
TOM SMITH: “Um, Larry, you realize this story is intended to be a portrayal of reality and I had a front-row seat to many of the things you and your friends did, right?”
LARRY SMITH: OK, perhaps you should say, “Golf served another important purpose in our lives—it kept us from getting into more trouble.”
SMITH AND DAHL: Mike Stanko was a beloved member of our gang—always fun to be around with a great sense of humor and frequent smile. He could play the game too—he definitely had some talent. We all miss him.
DAHL: “I remember when the 1971 high school basketball team returned from the State Tournament. The high school gym was packed. The team received a standing ovation. Lee Oling was telling some funny stories.”
SMITH: “People back home were thrilled for us but many of our classmates were gone, doing their thing because it was after school was completed for the year.”
SMITH: “Coach Krysiak was a strong influence in teaching us maturity and etiquette. He was less of a disciplinarian than he was in hockey. He was a very good man. The same goes for Fritz and Ida Lundberg. They were like grandparents to us all. They tolerated a lot from our gang.”
DAHL: “My recollections of Coach Krysiak, are unique. In hockey, he was a coach. In golf, he was a friend.”
DAHL: In 8th grade, I had moved up to the #1 ranked player on the high school varsity roster by the end of the season. “Bear” (Coach Kryskiak) sometimes buried me on the roster so I didn’t have to play against the top-ranked players from other teams to help with the pressure.”
Interlachen Versus Leatherbrook
Also during the mid-late 70s, the small, hockey-obsessed town of Roseau—population 2,500, was gaining vast adoration for challenging the Edina East Hornets and others on statewide television each March during the state high school hockey tournament. Roseau versus Edina. David versus Goliath. Most young Minnesotans could name half the roster of the Roseau hockey team. Months later, Two Harbors was challenging Edina, Hill Murray, Elk River, and Minneapolis Roosevelt.
Same situation. Wrong sport.
This was the State of Hockey—not the State of Golf.
After a stop at the television studios of KDAL Channel 3 in Duluth for a brief interview with legendary sports broadcaster, Marsh Nelson. the Agates golf team returned to Lake County in a school-owned cargo van with little fanfare. There was no car caravan on the familiar path from Minneapolis. No police escort as they entered the town. Accompanied only by one extra piece of hardware destined for a trophy case on 4th Avenue—a trophy they might never physically touch again as it sits beside the slightly deflated basketball from the state tournament in 1924.
This was a quintessential small-town accomplishment. Two Harbors was a special place in the late 60s and 70s. Kids could trust adults. Parents could allow their kids to roam free without worrying – well, at least not to the extent that they worry today. Four golfers represented the community. A cross-generational culture of support for youth sports made this story possible.
Coach Krysiak’s son, Mark—himself a mentor of all the members of the ’77 team, recalled the thoughts of his late father.
“My dad was very excited and proud of the boys. He held that feeling to the day he died. The way they held their composure after the first round mini-disaster and came back from 6th place to nearly winning it all was something he thought very few players were capable of doing. And to have almost all of the Two Harbors golfers improve on their scores the second day in adverse weather conditions was beyond remarkable. He called it his “Favorite Sporting Event” that he was ever involved with.
My dad talked about this for the rest of his life. He was VERY proud of these guys!”
Mark added: “I would love to have seen that magical turn-around by those guys. Like my Dad—I feel, as quiet as it was, it was arguably Two Harbors’ greatest high school athletics moment.”
The Boys of Leatherbrook—and their loyal coach—they did all right.
Even if hardly anyone knew.
Final Team Scores
Final Individual Scores
- Edina West. 460
- Two Harbors 482
- Austin 486
- St. Paul Hill Murray 490
- Fairmont 490
- Elk River 498
- Minneapolis Roosevelt 504
- Moorhead 513
- Jim Kidd – Edina West 147
- Joe Kroc – Austin 150
- Steve Skinner – Anoka 152
- Jim Steiner – St Paul Murray 154
- Chris Perry – Edina West 156
- Tom Hoak – Edina East 156
- Jim Hunt – Edina West 157
- Chuck Dahl – Two Harbors 158
- Lon Lindell – Fairmont 158
- Paul Ostby – Elk River 159
- Larry Smith – Two Harbors 160
- John Ballsrud – Tartan 160
- Tim Thoreson, – Hastings 161
- Dick Hamten – Woodbury 161
- Barry Kendall – Henry Sibley 161
- Tom Lehman – Alexandria 162
- Tom Carlson – Two Harbors 164
Others:
Joel Otto – Elk River – 169, Mike Fitzpatrick – Two Harbors – 177
About the author
Just a guy who loves sports, travel, food, and writing. I've lived in Two Harbors, MN, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, and my current location of Denver. Trying to visit every sports venue on the planet before I die.Related Posts
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Thomas,
We are grateful that you invested your time and talent to bring our childhood back to life. Many of these memories were long forgotten.
While there were four of us in Blaine, there were several others that were part of our team including Mike Stanko, Ron Barthell, Scott Larson and Thomas Smith. Special thanks to Coach Krysiak, who led us in hockey or golf since we were five years old.
We were blessed to grow up in Two Harbors and have parents and other adults that supported our sports journey. Many thanks to everyone that helped us kids stay on track.
Sincerely,
Larry Smith
Class of 1977
Thanks to you, Charlie, Fitz, Tommy, Mark Krysiak and Ron Barthell for the assist on this one. Couldn’t have done it without all of you.
Outstanding! Outstanding story, Tom! Wow. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article. You are a terrific writer; a gifted writer. And you need to write more. I write about sports all the time but not like this. Your detail and descriptions had me feeling, again, what a cold, windy, gray spring day along the north shore is like. You wrote with such joy and that was so evident. Awesome work memorializing this 1977 team and reintroducing it almost 50 years later. I hope I run into Chris Perry soon! Congrats. Hope to see you soon, too!
Thank you Jerry – that’s high praise, coming from someone of your stature. If you cross paths with Perry, I’d love to follow this story up with his thoughts of growing up in Edina back in the 70s. I do have a project in mind regarding you. No joke. We’re going to do something before your football season starts.
Well done, Tommy. Well done.
Thank you Debbie – I greatly appreciate the note.
Thanks Tom, what a great read. Can’t help but feel the pride you portray for your town, school and teammates. Wish everyone had that kind of pride.
Kevin Morsette
Hi Kevin – great to hear from you – I appreciate the kind words – and yes, I certainly am proud to have grown up in Two Harbors around so many great people, like you.
Honestly – I did not want this “read” to end. I had just moved to Florida for the summer with my mom. I remember getting updates from Larry via landline phone calls. Such a memorable time for many heart felt reasons. Your writing brought me more insight to your journey. Incredible piece Tom! Blessings. Connie
Thank you Connie – there will be more stories forthcoming. 🙂
Great article Tom! While I never ascended to the level of these guys, I sure could relate to a lot of the stories. I spent several summers out on that course, and will always remember Wednesday mornings, under your tutelage.
Thanks for a great read!
Doug
Thanks Doug – I appreciate the kind words!!
Tom, I felt like a part of the group. You were so blessed to enjoy childhood as you did and have the support of adults along the way. There’s a lot to be said about growing up in a small town
Opportunity presents itself and you and your family ceased the moments to have lived a full and exciting life
I am so happy that you are my son in law
Thank you for the kind words Putzie!!
Awesome story Tom! Throughout, you brought memories, emotions and admiration. A great tribute to friendships, sports and small town living. Thanks for sharing your talents! The story brought a smile to my face and elicited great memories of these people, the golf course and Two Harbors!
Thanks Debbie – I put a line in there about the Dairy Queen. I still remember when you worked there. 🙂
Tom, you truly are a gifted writer. I was captivated from the very beginning, through to the end. Your ability to describe the retrieval of those golf balls from the mud will always be remembered!
I’m sorry that my own boys didn’t have the experience of growing up in Two Harbors. You described an incredible freedom of living in a small town and the strength of friendships with others who shared a passion for sports!
I am very pleased that you shared this on line, so that I was able to learn more about my family’s history!
Love, ‘Aunt Margo’
Thanks Aunt Margo! It sure would have been interesting if the Bonneville boys grew up along side us in Two Harbors!
This is the second best story I’ve read in years. The best story I’ve read is the same story read the second time. Well done Tom. Great evocation of a time and place gone by…
Hey Andy – Well, I certainly respect your opinion on various things – I greatly appreciate the comment.
Wow what a great story. I am truly sorry I missed it by being gone from TH. The description of Lakeview wasn’t different from 1960 when I was doing many of the same things. Fritz and Ida were memorable parts to the experience. You are right, no lessons, just dig it out of the dirt as Ben Hogan remarked. Thanks again for bringing back all those memories and letting me relive some wonderful times growing up in Two Harbors.
Thank you Dave. It was a pleasure meeting you — and playing with you in the Heritage Days Scramble last year. Hope all is well.
Thank you Tom for writing this story. I have heard many parts of this story over the years, but enjoyed hearing about the whole story and all the background. You are a fantastic writer and it was also great that you added so much input from everyone involved. I especially liked learning that some of the guys did talk with Tom Lehman, years later, about the State tournament that Two Harbors came second in and Tom Lehman also participated in.
Thank you Sheila – this was a fun story to write.
This was SO good! Make this a “30 for 30” on ESPN
Thank you Jeremy – it was a fun story to write. Hope your Dad enjoyed it.
Excellent journalism. A great read- brought back many memories.
Thank you Brad – much appreciated, especially coming from someone with your background. Hope all is well.
What a great read. Tom, you are a very talented writer!
Thank you Jody!
Again Tom! Thanks for doing such an eloquent job on the history of “Leatherbrook” golf and a very fine group of young athletes. This is something that I (and my family) will treasure. It has brought many fabulous memories and some tears from family members! Looking forward to your next piece!
Also if you ever attend an event in the “Valley of the Sun” let me know, I would love to catch up!
And thanks for your contributions. Perfect way to end the story. Yes, if I ever start traveling again, and I’m in Phoenix, I’ll let you know.
Great writing and the telling of a fantastic story. You not only captured our attention and held it but also proved to many that by being creative, being competitive, having fun while working hard at what you do can lead to rewards and lasting memories. Jim was so proud of the golf team and what you boys accomplished and achieved. I’ll never forget the call Jim made home when you guys turned in the “Top Score” on that second day of the golf tournament despite the howling winds, rain and a morning temp of 55°, he was excited and knew you guys realized you had that chance to shoot for second place and you succeeded.
Thru his coaching teaching years he was always happy to see golfers, hockey players and students alike who worked hard trying to achieve their goals.
Tom, I have the detailed 1977, now yellow page, Chronicle write up “Two Harbors golfers bring home second place trophy from state” plus a few other items he saved. If you’re interested in receiving the Chronicle write up or anything else I’ll gladly send it to you.
Again, Congratulations on writing an outstanding, heart warming, fun and true story about “The Boys from Leatherbrook”. Thank you for those fabulous memories we’ll never forget.
Joyce Krysiak
My heart thanks you for this, Tom!! My first smile came when I read my Dad’s name. Thank you. I could visualize the putting green and loved the memories of the old course. Loved the plastic ball league!! My brother and I used to play PGA tour around the house on 3rd Ave. The journey to the state high school tourney was a wonderful read. Having been a spectator, partner, and sometimes competitor with most of the boys of ’77, I’m going to smile that much more the next time I see them. Can’t wait for the next post.
Amazing , enjoyed every second reading it. As did many others. Deb Halsted
Thanks Tom! You really brought back old memories! I still remember coming home reeking pond scum and my mother ordering me to take a bath.
I too had an encounter with Tom Lehman. In my senior year at the University of Minnesota I lived in a dorm and my room was very close to Tom’s room and I got to know him well. I knew he was on the university golf team but I had no idea that he was talented enough to go on and have success on the PGA tour and win a major. He was just a regular guy in the dorm back then.
– Mike Johnson
Thank you Mike. After you posted your Comment, I texted Charlie and Larry. Charlie texted back to ask that I add you and Mike Sansom to the list of influencers. My immediate thought was–they are already on there. Then I looked and realized you weren’t. I added both of you. You both definitely belong on that list. We all looked up to you back in those days. And I love your story about Lehman. Hard to believe that so many of you have crossed paths with him.
What a awesome Picture of Great Competitors. Proud to have been Blessed enough to have been a little part of what Tom wrote so well.
There were so many that were so good. It was harder to Win in town than out of town😉
I was done but could not leave this be. The Writer did not mention himself once in this wonderfully written story that brought us all back. Humbleness is the closest thing to Godliness and I for one admire Tom for this. Tom is definitely one of us! Lastly it’s obvious he is not only talented on a Golf Course but as a Sports Writer to.
Agree 100%. “Tom Tom” as he will always be to me, has many gifts.
Tom,
This brought back so many memories, my mouth hurts from smiling! Yourself, Steve and Larry brought golf into my life and I still love it today! The story about wading in the mud in the “pond” was like you were there when we did it 5 years later (except we would not wash the balls until later so we could excitedly find out if we got a Kro-Flight or a Top-Flight). Great job, it really made me miss Two Harbors and my cousins, who were my idols as a kid!!
Sparky
You got me thinking back to those days.
How many times did you and I have to double up on bags because your brother and Steve Olson got a fire call while we were playing?
Doug
Well done!
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