HASTINGS, Minn. — With temperatures cracking 50 degrees on Friday, Carl Dabruzzi made a bold move.
"Sometimes," he says, "you've got to take a chance."
The business manager at Emerald Greens Golf Course opened his driving range in Hastings, becoming one of the first courses in the state to do so.
"You can see we still have some snow," Dabruzzi said, gesturing to the partially-covered driving range behind him. "We can hold off on picking balls until it goes away. We'll clear that up in a couple of days."
With temperatures projected to climb into the 70s next week, Dabruzzi said he expects to open the full golf course by next Friday – if not sooner.
"It's exciting. Very exciting, actually," Dabruzzi said. "They've been itching to get out and we've been itching to get them out. It's nice that the weather has finally fallen in our favor."
Tate Bennett Etzell, a senior member of the Eagan High School golf team, rushed over to Emerald Greens after learning from his coach that the driving range had opened.
"Oh, it's fantastic," Bennett Etzell said. "Good to get some fresh air out here."
Jakob Swanson, a collegiate golfer at Bethany Lutheran, echoed that sentiment.
He had grown weary of practicing indoors all winter.
"Just seeing the ball hit the mat, it's kind of boring," Swanson said. "Seeing ball flight and really feeling the wind and outdoors, it's really nice to be out here."
Hard to believe it was snowing just one week ago.
"Long winter," Carl Dabruzzi said. "This is a long time coming."
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