What is your favorite course in Minnesota?

[JJensen]

What about Hayward and Telemark? I know they are in WI, but telemark is a very challenging course, and hayward just has a nice lay-out

[KevCarter]

There's a another great course just south of Hayward you need to see! :-)

[linkerpan]

Chaska has to be the best municipal course in the Midwest. Problem is, because is so cheap for residents, gets really crowded. But you are right, is a great course. I have played a lot of the munis, I will say my top five (but not even close to Chaska) are:
1. Chaska
2 Edinburgh
3. Eagle Valley (excellent staff maximizes value of course. Great, affordable teaching).
4. Keller (if only for the layout. Will be close for 2013 to remodel)
5. Inverwood

[JJensen]

[quote name='kevcarter' timestamp='1358465548' post='6248897']
There's a another great course just south of Hayward you need to see! :-)
[/quote]

Turtleback? My dad plays in spooner and Hayward a lot in the winter in the "North Lakes" league on Mondays. I might see if I can play a few this summer after I am done with competitive high school golf.

[Tiger's # 1]

I haven't been able to play a ton of courses but Dacotah Ridge is at the top of my list. The Jewel is also an excellent course

[BlaineGolf]

Yep Dacotah Ridge is really nice.

[Bitz22]

I play league at Northfork, love that course. Live by Bunker Hills, play it when I can. Victory Links is a fun course. Majestic Oaks is nice. I really love making the trip up to Giants Ridge and Wilderness.

[BlaineGolf]

[quote name='Bitz22' timestamp='1358990096' post='6285801']
I play league at Northfork, love that course. Live by Bunker Hills, play it when I can. Victory Links is a fun course. Majestic Oaks is nice. I really love making the trip up to Giants Ridge and Wilderness.
[/quote]I live by Bunker too. All good courses not amazing but pretty good.

[Bitz22]

Always good to get out and play close to home. I have a buddy that plays Chaska Town all the time, heard it's a great course!

[BlaineGolf]

Yeah my dad played in the mid am there last year and said its very tight.

[SPY ZINGER]

Stone Ridge

[hckymeyer]

[quote name='Bitz22' timestamp='1358990096' post='6285801']
I play league at Northfork, love that course. Live by Bunker Hills, play it when I can. Victory Links is a fun course. Majestic Oaks is nice. I really love making the trip up to Giants Ridge and Wilderness.
[/quote]

Just moved to Ramsey from the Woodbury area and played league at Northfork this year as well. I really like how differently the course plays based on which direction (and how strong) the wind is. Pretty sure I'll be a member here for years.

[quote name='SPY ZINGER' timestamp='1359000023' post='6286793']
Stone Ridge
[/quote]

How did I know you were going to say this?? Great course and I think one of the more underrated courses in the Metro.

Aside from Northfork and Stone Ridge I'll throw in a vote for Logger's Trail as well. IMO it's one of the better tracks for the money in the area. It doesn't hurt that Dunes, Northfork, Logger's and Sawmill all have reciprocity as well!

[Piper26]

Played Wilderness for the first time last week. Wide open fairways and nifty greens. Lots more slope and speed than what we're used to in North Dakota. It's a really good looking course just from scenery perspective, i like when there's no houses on the course for the most part and get the secluded feeling.

[venand]

This is a little mix of public/private but the Jewel is #1 in my opinion. If you haven't played it, GO. They offer descent deals to people driving down if you can cobble together a 4 some. As you can see I like the Brainerd area courses a lot. I wish we had courses like that closer to the metro.

1. The Jewel
2. Minneapolis Golf Club
3. Hazeltine G.C.
4. Dutch Legacy
5. Bobbys Legacy
6. Lester Park G.C (local Duluth Muni, but the "new" 9 has AWESOME views of Lake Superior. Plays really fast in the fall)
7. Willingers
8. Deacons Lodge
9. Preserve
10. Pines

[JJensen]

[quote name='venand' timestamp='1371665255' post='7283304']
This is a little mix of public/private but the Jewel is #1 in my opinion. If you haven't played it, GO. They offer descent deals to people driving down if you can cobble together a 4 some. As you can see I like the Brainerd area courses a lot. I wish we had courses like that closer to the metro.

1. The Jewel
2. Minneapolis Golf Club
3. Hazeltine G.C.
4. Dutch Legacy
5. Bobbys Legacy
6. Lester Park G.C (local Duluth Muni, but the "new" 9 has AWESOME views of Lake Superior. Plays really fast in the fall)
7. Willingers
8. Deacons Lodge
9. Preserve
10. Pines
[/quote]

You need to play the big 3 up on the range. They will easily be in your top 5

[Flip4000]

I have played northfolk a few times and its a nice track. I usually play cheap MN courses since me and my friends are in college and one guy in our 4 some is ridiculously cheap when it comes to green fees. I really like ridges at sand creek, River Oaks in cottage grove, and bluff creek. Not the most expensive places, but i like the fact that these courses present a challenge and have a good mix of wide open fairways, and tight holes that require some smart course management.

[asommers14]

TPC Twin Cities, Willingers and the Jewel are my favorite in the Twin Cities area that I have played. I always wanted to play Interlachen and Hazeltine but I dont have any connections to get on there. Can anyone help with that?

[simple36]

[quote name='asommers14' timestamp='1372043232' post='7310842']
TPC Twin Cities, Willingers and the Jewel are my favorite in the Twin Cities area that I have played. I always wanted to play Interlachen and Hazeltine but I dont have any connections to get on there. Can anyone help with that?
[/quote]

+1!!!!!!!!!!!

hmmm, Interesting list by some. I agree Inverwood is a great course but they haven't been keeping it in the greatest of shape lately. Here is my list;

1) Southview Country Club
2) Hidden Greens
3) Somerset Country Club
4) Crosswoods Golf Course
5) Bullrush Golf Club

[OpusX20]

It's been many years since I lived in Minnesota. So, I haven't played most of the newer courses. Lots of good golf in MN. Very underrated. But, these are my favorites...

1. St. Cloud CC
2. Hazeltine NGC
3. Minneapolis GC
4. Chaska TC
5. Edinburgh USA

[GoTime]

Town course
Willingers
Mystic(close second favorite)
Wilds
Mississippi Dunes
Rush Creek

Minnesota Valley is my all time favorite. Haven't played most of the high money CCs though.

[linkerpan]

[quote name='Go_Time' timestamp='1372045015' post='7310996']
Town course
Willingers
Mystic(close second favorite)
Wilds
Mississippi Dunes
Rush Creek

Minnesota Valley is my all time favorite. Haven't played most of the high money CCs though.
[/quote]


I just played Chaska Town Course yesterday. Starting at noon. Walking. Big mistake. The course was playing long after all the rain, and wet shoes (I played with the waterproof mesh from Adidas) are heavy. It is still beautiful and technical. The greens a bit slow. I think it easily beats any other city owned course in state. Almost top 10, but is too hard to get a break will all the golf courses in Brainerd and the Iron Range.

[Joe85]

I've played quite a few private courses and many publics.

 

Favorite course is White Bear Yacht Club. Donald Ross designed - it is just so fun to play. If hitting from the tips you actually drive over highway 96 on two tee shots - it's so cool!

 

Close second is my beloved Keller Golf Course. One of the most famous affordable public courses in America.

[Fjc27]

I’m definitely in the minority here but I actually don’t care for The Jewel. In the metro, I’m a big fan of Edinburgh and StoneRidge.

[okular]

windsong is number 1

white bear is good, maybe ive played it too many times but it gets annoying after a while, its a very unique course, setting is serene, but as an everyday course, it loses its appeal quickly. 18 is maybe the biggest let down in all of golf. they started removing a ton of trees, including all on 17. guessing its due to disease or shade, but the course is losing its identity.

hard not to include interlachen. timeless classic.

troy burne is fantastic, technically wi, but i think it counts being just across the border.

midland hills is surprisingly fantastic given its location. finally played it last year and was blown away, absolutely incredible stretches of holes and some stunning green complexes. some odd holes due to routing issues over the years though. they are doing a restoration this season and am excited to see what it looks like after.

dacotah ridge is up there. similar vibes to windsong. some stunning stretches of holes. 18 is a beast.

im with fjc, the jewel was a huge let down.

northland also was a huge let down for me, the hype around it is crazy. the views are absolutely unreal on a few holes, but the course itself left me very unimpressed.

have yet to play minnikahda, but have a feeling it would be very high on my list.

chaska town course and stoneridge are excellent.

[BirdieRoll]

Okular (or anyone else) - how does Somerby compare to Windsong? I know the architects are the same (Fought/Lehman) and from the photos I've seen, both properties look similar although there is the housing component at Somerby. Strong slope ratings for both.

Best value in the Twin Cities: Keller on the east side, Braemar on the west side (both done by Richard Mandell).

Course I've cooled on the most is the Chaska Town Course. I don't care for holes 1-3. 11 is incredibly hard and 18 is a terrible finishing hole because there's nowhere to land your second shot. A good finishing hole shouldn't have group carnage every time. Conditioning is always good though and I believe they were redoing their bunkers last year.

[okular]

Somerby is called Windsong Rochester haha, mainly because of the same architects, but it shares so similarities as far as the course goes. If it were in the cities it would likely be in the top 10-15. Fantastic course. Windsong is definitely more natural and a better course overall, its very hard to beat its layout, flow and setting.

Fought is an overlooked master architect. Rush Creek, Windsong, Somerby, Sand Hollow, etc. He has a way of framing holes that is top tier. For some reason i always forget about it and it definitely is deserving of high praise, certainly deserves to be on this list.

Have a feeling Rochester CC will make some noise after this restoration.

[zonacats23]

Spring Hill. Absolutely amazing. Played it last May and it blew me away.

[okular]

thats awesome! im jealous. been trying to find a contact there for a while since it sounds like its invite only, interested in joining

[jshel]

To me, Windsong and Somerby have some similarities and some big differences.

They were built about the same time, but they are very different in that WF is a pure golf club and Somerby is definitely a country club with houses, pool, etc. Because of that, I think Somerby is a little more manicured and fancier (they paint the logo in the 10th fairway), there isn't as much native, the clubhouse is bigger and fancier, there are houses. WF is more of a retreat with no houses and is a little more pure golf.

I like both and I think there are some really good holes on each course. I think WF is more difficult, but both are very good.