Best courses in Twin Cities, MN

[rlheiman]

Looking for a hidden gem

I like to play a variety of courses in the Twin Cities. I like to play once or twice a week.

The problem is I seemed to have fallen into a rut. I keep trying new courses but most of them suck.

I normally play in St. Paul and Western WI.

Here are my favorites on no particular order. Anyone have something I should try?

Troy Burne
StoneRidge
Logger's Trail
Mississippi Dunes
White Eagle
St. Croix National

I have played most of the rest of the public courses on the East side.

Does the west side have anything to offer. I have tried the Lakeville, Burnsville area only to be disappointed.

Any help I enjoy playing all different courses, but most have not been worth the drive or green fees.

Thanks for any help.

Ryan

[nikeboy16]

come on over to the west side and Try out The Chaska Town Course, also The Legends in prior lake is really good, Rush Creek golf club is also good. just some options

[JHR]

I have a sister that lives in Savage and i have been out to play a couple of times, i really liked the TPC Twin Cities and i also liked The Wilds, i can not tell you where either are exactly, but i did think both were very nice.

[Fore!!!]

Try the course at Mystic Casino.They have a great twilight offering.

[schneck1977]

I don't have any ideas for you, but thanks for posting this. I have always wanted a good places to play list for the cities. I don't make it up that often, but would like to play next time I do.

[maskedman]

I'm interested, too, for a trip there this summer. Any courses in the 'northern hemisphere' of the TC are options (think a line from North MPLS to Forest Lake and north from there). Courses in nearby Wisconsn are fine, too.

 

Of the courses I've played and liked: St. Croix National (heard they were going condo); Purple Hawk; New Richmond. Learned the game at Phalen and Keller (3-4 x / week!) as a youngster, but can't comment on what's happened to them.

[husker77c]

I just Spent two summers in Eagan. I played quite a few courses in that area, The Wilds in Prior Lake, The Meadows at Mystic Lake Casino, and the legends are all great courses, with the edge going to the wilds, I say that because The Meadows is a fairly new course and I think needs a little time to grow, and the Legends I ran into some seriously slow players. Hope this helps.

[handz98]

I'll second the vote for Rush Creek and The Wilds. If you can find someone to get you onto them, Interlachen C.C. and Hazeltine National are great private tracks with major championship history to play.

[reeroe]

I live in the western suburbs and play 3 times a week. Most of my golf is at a private club but I get around to the high quality public courses with my friends. I highly recommend the Chaska Town Course. One of my favorite public courses in the state. The Legends and the Wilds are also fun to play but not on the same level as the town course. That's just my opinion.

 

If you were looking for great private courses the westerns suburbs you would have to many to choose from. ICC, windsong, MGC, Hazeltine, Spring Hill...

[rlheiman]

Thanks for the help.

 

I have played the legends. The lake hole is cool but the rest of the course didn't really impress me with all the houses around.

 

I will be playing Rush Creek this coming weekend I will see if I like that one.

 

Chaska Town Course is next on my list.

 

I tried to play the Wild as a single last year, and they wouldn't get me on for 4+ hours since they said they were booked full. I was not real happy about that so I haven't been back. I do believe the course is full of homes as well.

 

I did find a new course that I enjoyed. Tanner's Brook. Good shape, resonable, nice layout and no houses.

 

Anything else on the west side not private worth checking out.

[Kentsp1]

Minnesota Valley Country Club is amazing, as well as the obvious one that everyone is overlooking being Hazeltine National which is the definition of a gem. Both these courses are going to be very hard to get on, but if the chance arises jump on it! If you like links style golf, The Links at Norfolk is pretty solid. IMO

[AltusBeliever]

If you can get on Interlaken, Hazeltine, Oak Ridge, Somerset, Woodhill- you won't want to go anywhere else! (I forgot Minnekada and Spring Hill). Golf in the Twin Cities is as good as it gets anywhere except maybe for Chicago. A friend of mine is a member at Hazeltine. I flew up and played on a guest day back in 1999. Had played course 2 or 3 times while in college. Holy Moly, what a place.

Almost makes one want to move back to the once frozen tundra (thanks to global warming.)

[AcesAZ]

I live in the northern suburbs I really enjoy playing Bunker Hills (Coon Rapids) and The Links at Northfork (Ramsey). Both are moderately priced and nice layouts. In the western suburbs I like Chaska Town course the best. Southern suburbs- the Wilds and Legends club are nice. I also heard the new course at Mystic Lake Casino is really good.

[Hairpie]

While I'm not a MInnesota guy by any means I played in the 1992 USGA Pub Linx at Edinburgh in Brooklyn Park.....A pretty good course from what I remember it....alot of water and a very good routing...I recall a hole 17? that had an island fairway to a peninsula green...If its still in good shape it might be worth a try...

[mr_divots]

While I'm not a MInnesota guy by any means I played in the 1992 USGA Pub Linx at Edinburgh in Brooklyn Park.....A pretty good course from what I remember it....alot of water and a very good routing...I recall a hole 17? that had an island fairway to a peninsula green...If its still in good shape it might be worth a try...

Edinburgh is in decent shape these days. Nothing spectacular for the cost really. They are finishing up re-doing the ponds on the course so they hold water again (it was pretty ugly there for a number of years.)

 

Tanners Brook is my home course, but its a bit messy with a new clubhouse going up (done in July.) Very links style front 9 and overall, with a little woods on the back. Play is starting off the 10th due to clubhouse construction. One tough par 4.

 

One hidden gem I discovered last season was up at the National Sports Center in Blaine (a.k.a. "Victory Links.") It was designed by the PGA Tour and has some nice holes on it. Great greens. Ridiculous layout though. Some holes have 1/4 mile walk between them (and its a course set up for First tee juniors, so that makes it all the more ridiculous with the long walks.) Course backs up to the local airport. Just great golf holes set on garbage land. Very odd. Worth trying though. Kind of urban golf.

 

Rush Creek this weekend for my birthday (free green fee on your B-day via website. WORD!)

 

Links at NorthFork (also free B-day round.) Fun course. Wish they'd let it dry out and play hard and fast.

 

Also want to check out the Chaska Town Course.

 

Bunker Hills is always a good test.

 

Stone Ridge/Troy Burne are great. Go during the Spring/Fall rates. Too much money otherwise.

 

They keep adverstising this "Big Fish Golf" in Wisconsion in the local Pioneer Press. Pete Dye course. Anyone been there?

[prudy1006]

Great to hear people interested in MN Golf! Here are some of my favorites by location:

 

Twin Cities Area:

 

Public -

Rush Creek (maple grove)

Ledgends (lakeville)

The Wilds (savage)

Stonebrooke (shakopee)

Stone Ridge (woodbury???)

Breamar (edina)

 

Private -

Interlachen (Edina)...2007 Womens US Open

Olympic Hills (Eden Prairie)

Minnesota Valley Country Club (Bloomington)...US AM qualifying site in 2004

 

North:

 

Public -

Classic at Madden's (Brainerd)

Giant's Ridge (Biwabik..spelling)

The Wilderness (Tower)

 

Private -

Northland CC (Duluth)

 

South:

 

Private -

Rochester CC (rochester) ... a tillinghast design

Sombery GC (byron) ... home of the 2007 Nationwide Scholarship Showdown

[rlheiman]

Well, I keep trying.

 

I played the Meadows at Mystic Lake.

 

I played the Super Twilight. For $35 it is a great deal. At full price, no way.

 

They have a decent location except for that giant casino that you can see from every hole. The holes were too close together, always someone in your fairway from another hole. The last 3 holes were nice. It is a tough course with all the water and sand.

 

Rush Creek tomorrow, I hope it is better.

 

So far I will stick to the east side. Chaska will get a chance soon.

 

Here is my take. Eastside way better public, Westside way better private.

[mr_divots]

It had been a while (10 years or so) since I had been down to Mystic. I was shocked how huge the place is now. Business is good apparently.

 

You can certainly tell they spent a fortune on the place. The $35 super twilight is a steal, but their $85 typical green fee is way too much. Courses such as Troy Burne and Stone Ridge that also have bent grass tee to green seemed much better groomed in comparison. I know we have had dry weather, but it was like all the grass aside from the rough at Mystic was a little dry. Fairways were a little shaggy. Greens were nice and fast, although they were a bit bumpy and had a few putts wander off line.

 

Something about going around the giant maze of concrete cart paths made it feel more like a golf cart track than a golf course. It seemed like an easily walkable course, but given that there is no break price-wise for walking, there is little incentive to do so. I agree, the last 3 holes were pretty good (probably because they are furthest away from the casino, (save for the 18th having the casino as the backdrop behind the green.) The cart GPS seemed off on a couple water holes. Had 115 yards showing to the pin on 16. Hit a pretty good GW with a wind at my back (my 115 club) and came up about 20 yards short. Flushed a PW from the same spot, and was 4 feet from the hole (my 135 club.) I kind of chuckled as we looked upon another group coming up 16 and kept hearing "splash" after "splash." It wasn't until I played the hole myself that I understood. Anyone have a scuba mask handy? I bet there are LOTS of balls in that pond. :rolleyes:

 

Overall, there was just something about the holes where none of them really stood out from one another. A couple of the par 4's I literally thought to myself, "Didn't we already play this hole?" I could see playing the twilight or super twilight if you live on that side of town. But 90 miles round trip for me is not worth the hike. Beware post round "club washer$" looking for a handout, and the fact the parking lot is about 500 yards from the clubhouse and they won't let you take the carts to your car to drop off your clubs for some odd reason. (Again, eager attendent$ waiting with carts to drive you out there.) The place is just too "Urban" in feel for me I suppose, with all the asphault close by and the Casino. They try to be "upscale" but it just doesn't feel it.

[lutherham]

Wow! I had no idea we had so many MN fans out there. I play out if the Tine' and we are getting ready for the 09' PGA, for those of you who have not seen the changes to the back nine...WOW! I'm pretty sure #13 is the hardest par 3 I have ever played tipping out at 260 with water left and trees/bunker right. The new tee on #15 had really given the tee-shot a "natural" feel. I'll offer my two cents on the topic.

 

Private:

Windsong - Once termed Minneapolis CC West....this is a bruisers golf course, long, dry, awesome! Best greens in the state, personal favorite.

 

Hazeltine - Long, THICK rough. Tournament track record and I have seen legit 2's post 95. It can drive you nuts! Play the right tees to enhance the experience. Try a "transfussion"

 

Olympic Hills - Love it. Great social club. If you are moving to Minneapolis, look at joining. They have a young membership chalked full of professional athletes. FUN golf course. Everything you could want in a private club. I predict they will finish #2 in city league this year!

 

Minnekhada - I fell in love there a few years back during a practice round for the State Am. MC thank you very little! Standing on the #18 green, watching some racked out bombalati drink a cosmo with DT Minneapolis as the back drop. Minnutes from Uptown, grab a piece of fish and a drink on the rooftop @ Stellas. You'll be loving life.

 

Public:

CTC: Chaska Town Course - The price has gone up, and at last years AM it played easy, but this is a good track. A lot of birdies out there and a laid back feel. Affordable, fun, good shape. Head to Heart Breakers for a discounted pitcher!

 

The Wilds - I still like it. If you are looking for a place to play in the Spring or Fall, head to Prior Lake where you will pay the temp. Casino is walking distance and it makes for a great day with the guys....too bad there are no ripper clubs close!

 

The Classic - It's not in the cities, but sue me! It's a 10+ If you are not from the midwest and you want to get a solid bang for your buck, head up North! Great facility, well priced for the course is a bear (you might actually see one) from the tips!

 

Face it....MN is cold as hell for 6.5 months a year, thats why God invented Arizona! But there really is no better place to play golf during the summer! If you are thinking about getting out. Do a little research, try and get on to one of the courses I've listed and I promise you'll thank me! Great thing about living/working here....A lot of companies have half day Friday!!!!! LATER Gent's tee time in 90 min!

 

Cheers! :rolleyes:

[mr_divots]

I'd love to try some of these private tracks, but not in the loop with members. If anyone has suggestions of how to get on these exclusive course, I am all ears. :rolleyes:

[rlheiman]

Everyone keeps saying how great all these private tracks are. Anyone know how to play them? I have zero connections to get on.

 

I have tried politely asking the courses if I could play as a guest when they are not busy. Hazeltine was the only one to respond saying I could, when they weren't busy, but that never seemed to happen.

 

I will keep up the search.

 

As far as best in the state, Giants Ridge and Wilderness at Fortune bay blow everything away around the cities. Can't wait to get up there again on June 8th.

[rlheiman]

Westside finally gets a course right.

 

Rush Creek was nice. It wasn't too hard without wind, but the 30 mph wind on the last 3 holes was brutal.

 

Decent shape, not spectacular, but good, fun layout. Only problem too much $$ for a 5+ hour round. Edit:(I wasn't paying attention to when our tee-time was, yeah only 4 hours. Isn't wasn't as slow time wise as it felt on the back nine. Front nine was excellent speed. Back nine really slowed down. That might be because of the layout, there are some really tough holes on the back around the marsh/swamp)

 

Nothing to wow me back, but a very nice track. If I lived on the west side I would play it more for sure.

 

Now when can I start checking out the privates??

[mr_divots]

Everyone keeps saying how great all these private tracks are. Anyone know how to play them? I have zero connections to get on.

 

I have tried politely asking the courses if I could play as a guest when they are not busy. Hazeltine was the only one to respond saying I could, when they weren't busy, but that never seemed to happen.

 

I will keep up the search.

 

As far as best in the state, Giants Ridge and Wilderness at Fortune bay blow everything away around the cities. Can't wait to get up there again on June 8th.

It was about 4 hours. We did run into a few slow groups, but it really wasn't that slow. We teed off at 1:40 and were done by about 5:50 PM.

 

I enjoyed Rush Creek. Conditions were good. Greens I thought were a little bumpy, but I think that is from over-watering. They rolled at a medium clip. A little slower than other courses in this price range. Nice white sand soft bunkers.

 

One gripe- the yardage poles. I was fooled twice by them. Most courses, you have a 150 pole, and then plates at 100 and 200. On one shortish par 4, I pulled my tee shot left and had to hit around a bush. I saw what I thought to be the 150 pole to my right, pulled 8 iron, and executed a shot I was truly proud of that was tracking right at the pin. To my dismay, it ended up about 35 yards long, as it was a 100 yard pole on that hole!! Who the heck has a 100 yard pole when all the rest of them have been 150's!!! Grrr...

Another hole, what turned out to be a long par 4, I thought I saw the 150 pole smack dab in the middle of the fairway on the crest of a hill. Pulled 3 wood, as it was about 250 out. Get to my ball and have 200+ left to the pin (Pinseeker 1500.) That blew. Made big numbers on those holes because of that.

 

Other than that, I really liked the course. Very fair layout for the most part with not many blind shots. Nice setting with no houses save for one par 3. Conditions were good. $80 good? Not quite. Fortunately, it was my B-day today and we got to split the cost of one round. It was a fairly easy walk overall if you are reasonably fit. The front side had a couple par 4's back to back that were a little too similar in length. Par 4 13th hole is one devilish little hole. Look out for that one! 18 is an absolute bear as well- especially with a 30 MPH wind. Probably one of the toughest finishing holes I have played here in the cities.

 

Definitely worth checking out though if you haven't played here before.

[SPY ZINGER]

Glad you guys got out to Rush Creek, it's a nice course.

 

Ryan, if you play at a course regularly, your PGA pro can usually arrange T-times at private courses. You usually end up paying the guest rate (w/o member) which is usually a but higher. I played TPC twin cities this way. It was $175.

 

Hillcrest in St. Paul is an awesome "Golfers" club. It's always in great shape and a really walkable private course in the city (Mcknight and Larpentuer.) If you and Divots are interested, I think I can arrange a 4Some, and we can give it a go. Another one I wanted to try was the Hudson CC in Hudson, WI. I have never played it, I have played Hillcrest though and really enjoyed it.

 

If you know an employee at 3M, the Tartan Park course is a REALLY CHEAP private course to try. Not as well maintained as a typical private course, but nice enough for the money.

 

For others looking for a nice course, I must also plug the Sanctum Sanctorum, White Eagle in Hudson: www.whiteeaglegolf.com

 

BTW, Happy Birthday Divots! :rolleyes:

[mr_divots]

Thanks Spizinger! We'll have to get out again soon!

 

My Dad used to have a corporate out at HillCrest when I was in H.S. (many moons ago.) I got to tag along every once in a while and had fun playing there. Lots of hilly lies (HillCrest- go figure!) They tout themselves as having the "Best greens in the Twin Cities" in their recent ads. Would be fun to play it again now that my game is A LOT better than it was in H.S. :rolleyes: Rheilman and I are heading up to The Quarry and Legends on the 8th for the ultimate 36 hole one day road trip. Can't wait! Maybe we'll have to all get together for a HillCrest outing after that!

[rlheiman]

It is great to get out and play the various courses in the Twin Cities. So many to choose from.

 

I played Hillcrest last fall. It was as always in excellent shape, and lately it doesn't look like it gets lots of play. (I drive by it everyday) The layout is tight and short. The worst layout for a first hole. from club house to 1st tee, you have to drive infront of the tee-boxes and then back to the tee. I can't believe someone has not gotten hit by a tee shot, not knowing someone was teeing off and going to the first tee. But other than that, nice old school private course, that I would imagine someday might go public, they are hurting for members. It would be fun to play again.

 

I also did find a connection to a private course. I might be able to get a 4some on Hudson CC. I will check into it.

 

I also will put a plug in for white eagle, it is one of my favorite courses around, very hilly, can be very tough, and super scenic. Only detraction is I really enjoy walking when I play, and for those that have been to white eagle know it is impossible. You would have to be an olympic athlete to walk that course. from 10 to 11 is a long drive over the hills, under the road, etc.

[maskedman]

I'd be interested to know if Tanner's Brook will be playable the week of July 4, as it's a course I usually play once during my annual treks to MN. New Richmond (WI) is also a nice course.

 

What I really like about MN golf is the seemingly endless selection of reasonably priced public and semi-private courses, something not as easy to come by in the greater NYC area.

[rehab]

Clifton highlands and Clifton Hollow south of Hudson are nice courses also. Kilkarney in river falls just re did their club house and was working on the course last fall. my buddy Barett is the new pro at Stonebrook so I would like to get down there to play also.

[AcesAZ]

The Quarry and Legends at Giants Ridge and The Wilderness at Fortune Bay are the 3 best public courses in the state. The Quarry is my personal favorite and can be a real challenge from the tips. 75.6 rating. Hole 4 is 269 yard par 3, I have to hit a 3 wood!!! LOL The greens have a ton of slope and have always been in excellent shape and speed when I've played. Whats great about all these courses is there are no houses and they are carved through the natural northern MN forests. Very scenic and nice elevation changes. Also if you take a day off during the week for a 36 round daytrip you are usually one of the few people up there. No waiting for 5 hour rounds.

 

Heres my top 5 public

 

1.)Quarry

2.)Wilderness

3.)Legends (Giants ridge)

4.)Troy Burne

5.)Deacons Lodge

[DEWOLFOL]

Just to add a couple that I haven't seen mentioned, to round out the list of excellent value courses (pretty much east metro):

 

1) Hidden Greens in Hastings (very cool little course cut through the woods)

2) Bellwood Oaks (right next door to Hidden Greens)

3) New Richmond (already mentioned -- a true gem, hidden away)

4) Keller in St. Paul/Maplewood

5) Inverwood (short, but difficult track -- maybe the nicest muni next to Chaska)

6) Cannon Falls Golf Club (also difficult, but a cool little course that is overlooked)

7) Crystal Lake (Burnsville?)

8)

 

You can walk all of these (Inverwood is a challenge to walk though) for less than $35, some for less than $25 at times.

 

And, to add a few that I think are over-rated, over-priced, or not worth the time:

1) Summit (near Cannon Falls GC) - a long way for a decent course

2) St. Croix Natl (a joke carved out of old ski slopes -- a lot like Afton Alps). Pricey too as I recall.

3) Afton Alps -- back nine is ridiculous target golf, used nine iron on par 4 tees

4) Chaska -- nice, but not worth the $ in my opinion. Legends is better.

5) Prestwick in Woodbury -- too much $

6) Purple Hawk (read about it, drove a long way to play it, but not worth the drive if you live south)

7) Legacy -- another long drive for an average course

 

It is amazing how much great golf there is here when I think through all of these courses. I wonder if anywhere else in the US has as much golf per capita, especially at this quality and these prices.