June 15, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

He didn’t know it at the time, but when David Anderson and his family decided to move from Northern California to Sioux Falls, it was a homecoming of sorts.

As it turns out, “my entire family homesteaded in Crooks in the 1860s,” he said. “My grandfather was born 15 minutes from where I live now.”

Anderson knew the family had lived in Brainerd, Minnesota, for a time. He lived in Pierre until third grade when his stepfather moved the family west.

So when his daughter and son-in-law and their four kids agreed it was time for the family to move out of California, those early ties helped narrow the search.

“We knew we had to move to get into a little better environment for the kids,” Anderson said. “My daughter said they wanted to buy tickets to look at Montana and South Dakota, and I said they’re two really big areas, so I would just pick one.”

But that was it as far as South Dakota ties – or so he thought.

“I went on Ancestry.com, and when they realized I was moving to South Dakota, they said, ‘You’re moving 15 minutes from the homestead,’” Anderson said.

The family fell in love with Sioux Falls Christian School for the kids and ended up buying an acreage between Lennox and Tea about a year ago, where they’re currently all living together and hoping to build a second house on neighboring property.

That put Anderson 6 miles from Bakker Crossing Golf Course – which has become a bit of a second home.

A competitive men’s fastpitch softball player who played on national championship teams, he “retired” from the sport at 71 – two years ago.

“I decided it was too dangerous, and I decided to take up golf, and it’s been quite a journey,” he said.

In California, he joined a program offering unlimited golf at two courses for a set price. In South Dakota, he discovered GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness, which offers unlimited golf at 16 courses, plus unlimited fitness.

“As soon as we moved, people started telling us to look into GreatLIFE, and it turned out to be half the cost of California plus so much more was offered, so it was unbelievable right off the bat,” Anderson said. “It was a miracle for me. All I have now is golf and grandkids. Either I’m babysitting or I’m playing golf. It was a godsend to hook up at Bakker Crossing.”

He’s now in a senior league on Tuesdays, a Bakker Crossing league on Wednesdays and a league at Willow Run on Thursdays.

“This is the best golf experience I could ever imagine,” Anderson said. “Every week, I meet more people. My first time out, I was in a club championship and got paired with a couple people, including a father and son, and they had an opening on their tee time, and now I’m part of that group, and they’ve introduced me to more people.”

He also has become close with the staff at Bakker Crossing.

“Even being 73, they treat you like you’re a professional golfer,” he said. “They don’t care what your score is. They just care that you love the game of golf and you’re a good person. The staff here are priceless; they’ve treated me so nice. It’s just been an absolute blast being here.”

When he’s not golfing, he has enjoyed using the 24/7 fitness center at Bakker and likes how “it doesn’t have to be a strenuous workout; you can easily get 30 minutes in, and it’s always open.”

Anderson even has introduced the game to the next generation of his family. His grandkids went to GreatLIFE golf camp at Bakker Crossing, “and they loved it,” he said. “They play all the other sports, but they loved golf.”

The entire move has become a bit of a homecoming. Shortly after they relocated, there was a family reunion, and Anderson met more than 50 relatives. He now has books that belonged to his grandfather, an Augustana University graduate who went on to become a doctor. He has learned where many family members are buried. And he clearly sees his own future here.

“It’s just been a miracle being here,” he said.

And with that, there were golf balls to hit, and he returned to the driving range.

To become part of the GreatLIFE golf community, click here to learn more about membership.