The Jewel is a Hale Irwin layout on the bluffs above Lake City that goes through 800 acres, which includes some residential housing. The course offers five sets of tee boxes stretching from 4,900 to just over 7,000 yards, in order to accommodate players of varying abilities. The parkland-style layout actually features a few holes with wavy, links-flavored terrain.

Marketing hype aside, Lake City (the birthplace of water-skiing) really is a gorgeous and charming town along Lake Pepin, part of the Mississippi River. This part of southeastern Minnesota is especially colorful and popular in late autumn when the leaves are turning.

The in-season walking rates are $40 on Mondays and Tuesdays, $50 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the $70 on Fridays, weekends, and holidays (carts are $18). Junior, senior, twilight, and shoulder-season rates are available, as are memberships.