BELGRADE, Minn. (AP) -- There's a tribute to a Pearl Harbor veteran at one hole. At another, there's a sand trap in the shape of Italy honoring World War I vets.
Take a 450-foot walk through a trail in the woods and you're to be reminded of the jungles of Vietnam, says Marlyn Marquardt, who is closing in on his dream.
That would be MarHaven Greens, a unique golf course and recreational facility a few miles southeast of Belgrade in western Stearns County.
The 20-acre site on Marquardt's farm includes an unconventional 9-hole golf course, a 6-hole mini-golf course for disabled people, a clubhouse and walking trails. There also is a plan for a cross-country running course. All are built primarily as a tribute to veterans. It will be open to the public.
Marquardt, a Navy veteran, hopes for a Memorial Day opening, though there is a tremendous amount of work still to be done.
To pass inspection from Kandiyohi County officials (his property is across the road from Stearns County), Marquardt must have a blacktop parking lot that has yet to be installed.
"I've never golfed my entire life," said Marquardt, 47. "Just in high school phy-ed. Golf is just to get the public here. I went to golf because that was the only way to keep it private and zoned commercial."
Since he was a youngster, Marquardt has dreamed of fulfilling his grandmother's wish for a sanctuary, buying back the family's land 11 years ago. Toss in his service background, a no-quit attitude and some $200,000 in investments, and the dream is close to reality.
There are 50 charter members who have helped with financing, he said. Most are family and friends.
"I call them my disciples," Marquardt said.
And, if it doesn't work?
"At least I tried. I don't give up. I tried. That's all," he said.
Chuck Marks, a social studies teacher at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School, used to be the head wrestling coach for the Jaguars. Marquardt, a three-sport star at BBE, was one of his assistants.
While the idea of the course sounds crazy, Marks said he doesn't doubt Marquardt will complete the project.
"This is a mission for him," Marks said. "If he doesn't get it open by Memorial Day, he'll get it open eventually. He'll get it done. ... He needs to prove to people he can do it. It's definitely not a monetary thing."
Marquardt has talked with BBE school officials about using MarHaven Greens for cross-country meets. Paul Beuning, BBE's activities director, said school officials would inspect the course when it was complete.
A heart attack three years ago prompted Marquardt to get the project under way. He said the heart attack was the third sign from God that he needed to do it.
"The old boy upstairs was pushing me on my shoulder," Marquardt said. "He said, 'Hey, old boy. Time to get her going."'
Marquardt's two other near-death experiences happened in the Navy. Stationed in Guam, he said a car he was riding in was deliberately crashed into by another driver. The accident left him temporarily paralyzed.
Later in his enlistment from 1977-81, his ship caught fire at sea. Marquardt said he was trapped, but rescued because someone didn't obey orders. Otherwise, he would have died.
MarHaven Greens has been through a litany of paperwork, county boards, city and state officials and banks.
Marquardt said he designed the course "in my head," leading some to doubt his ability to pull it off.
"Mark my words," Marks said. "He'll finish it. The guy's got a real big heart. He's someone who took the military very seriously. This is important to him."
Marquardt said he went through a tremendous amount of red tape and nearly had to resort to threats to have the state put up official signs telling of his golf course.
At this point, Marquardt says he's $50,000 short of finishing, with little prospect of borrowing more money from bankers.
"This is my last push," he said. "This is all I can do. This is it. After this, that's it."
"I need publicity because I need [financial] help," he said.
Even if the course fails to open, Marquardt says he'll have done his best to fulfill a vision of honoring veterans.
"Let me ask you a question," he said. "Would you take $200,000 out of your pocket and then not get any of it back?"
"This isn't about me. This is about the veterans. This way, they have a place to go. This is their home. This isn't your home or the golf community's home. This is for the veterans."
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
