Twin Cities - East Metro Private Club Recommendations

[Lexicographer]

Help Out a Poor Ignorant Iowan

Hey Twin Cities folks, I'm looking for some recommendations for private clubs on the East Side of the metro. I'll be working in Woodbury, but haven't decided where to live (Woodbury, St Paul, Mendota Heights, Stillwater, etc.). Part of the choice will be based on decent proximity to a good private golf club. Any reccos of what I should check out? Wish there was one in Woodbury, but no luck. From my early online research, Mendakota Country Club looks to be a good fit. Really want a place with a good practice facility and where it's easy to jump on and play a few after work. Younger membership that walks and an active men's night would also plusses.

A little about me:

36, high single digit handicap. I play, what I like to call, "high variance" golf. (Double bogey as likely as birdie, 92 one week, 78 the next). Have wife and two small kids, but they don't play and extra kid amenities (pool, etc.) are nice but not necessary.

[PhilTickelson]

You could check out Stoneridge, it's public but has a pretty strong group of members. It's a pretty expensive public course(~$100 on weekends) so it keeps a lot of the hacks away. It definitely has a private feel. Nice locker room with a great lounge area, friendly staff and a GREAT restaraunt. Stoneridge is a very solid course as well, bentgrass greens/tees/fairways, and it's in beautiful shape already this year.

I play mainly on weeknights and they have been wide open lately. I've heard the mens night gets pretty wild, but I've never participated. A lot of good golfers and quite a few young members. I walk mostly since I bought a clicgear and have noticed quite a few other walkers out there.

[PatCCraig]

I joined Town & Country in St. Paul last year after moving to MSP from Chicago. So far I really like it. The club is all of 10 minutes from my office in downtown Minneapolis, and the same distance for my wife who works in downtown St. Paul. It's right off of I-94 and easy to get to. It's the 2nd oldest golf club still located on its original site, and is a really fun classic golf course. The club sits on the eastern bluff of the Mississippi River on a hilly piece of property which features an old ravine that cuts through the middle of the golf course.

The golf course gets very little play outside of approx noon-2pm on Saturday's and Sunday's. There is a formal tee time system that you can use, but outside of larger groups no one uses it and it's really not necessary. There isn't even a "starter." It's easy to sneak out after work, hit 15-30 balls, then play the front nine in an hour or so. This surprisingly is a big issue at some well know MSP private clubs where tee times become a prized commodity and much of the afternoon golf is the corporate "Member + 3 guests" which I wasn't OK with. About 3 years ago they built and opened a brand new maintenance facility which a head superintendent of a nearby Top-100 club told me is one of the nicest he's seen anywhere. Thanks to the facility and the grounds staff the golf course is kept in great shape. T&C has a great professional staff that is really helpful and run a ton of fun events.

In addition to the golf course the club built a brand new swimming and tennis facility which sits on the river bluff and overlooks the Minneapolis skyline. There is also a clubhouse (which includes a small fitness center which gets a fair amount of use) which includes are the regular items...pro shop, locker rooms, bar, stag/card room, banquet facility, etc.

Biggest negative so far? Probably the range, which is essentially a big steep hill that you hit into. It's only ~220 yards long, so I can't hit driver. I'm not a huge range guy, but I actually miss hitting a few drivers here and there. That being said, there are quite a few clubs around the area that have pretty bad ranges (astroturf only, irons only, etc) so maybe it's just a product of the area.

Anyway, here is the club's website: [url="http://www.tcc-club.com/"]http://www.tcc-club.com/[/url] if you have any questions feel free to send me a message. Also, since I was in your shoes last year, I would be happy to help point you in the direction of other clubs.

[whoopdido]

Hey. Rather than start a new topic, I figured I'd just piggyback onto this one. I have the exact same question.

I'm 33 years old and live in Woodbury. I range between about a 4 and 7 handicap. I haven't belonged to a club since I was in high school when my family belonged to Hastings Country Club. I'm now looking to join a good club on this side of the metro. The last few years I've played in a league in Blaine, but I'm sick of driving from Woodbury to Blaine every week--I live and work in Woodbury. Other than my league, I try to play at least one other round a week around Woodbury (Prestwick, Eagle Valley, Stoneridge, Oak Glen and places like that)

Anybody know anything about Mendakota? Any other choices for me?

Thanks

[marckilgore]

Eagle Valley is so close to me, that I couldn't resist it for $1500 (+500 for cart). Surprisingly, it's a muni that has marshals that keep the pace of play going and the service there I think is really top notch. Drawback is that the greens are all mostly elevated and not much to them, but they do keep it in excellent shape. Since I live in Woodbury, I'd probably join Stoneridge if I could justify the higher expense to my wife. Prestwick I feel is way overpriced, and pace of play there has just been awful every time I have been there. I tried it once again last summer and wondered why I spent so much money for almost a 6 hour round. Seems odd that a more expensive course attracts so many hacks at that course.

[whoopdido]

I know what you mean about Prestwick. I do enjoy the course--there are some interesting holes and it's usually in very good shape, but I agree that it's overpriced. The pace of play is very slow too.

I contacted Mendakota about membership opportunities. They have some decent deals going on--discounted initiation fees. The dues seem reasonable in relation to what I think the country club cost structure should be. I'm trying to arrange a tour of the club for next week. I played the course a few times when I was in high school, but don't remember much about it.

[PhilTickelson]

Have you thought about joining Stoneridge? It's semi-private, sounds like you've played there so I won't say much more about it. I also live in Woodbury and you can't beat the proximity.

Honestly being a member there does feel like being in a private club, without the monthly dues and all that crap. Plus I'd put Stoneridge's restaraunt up against just about any other restaraunt in the cities. If you're under 35 it's a great deal at $1850/year, great range with a niec practice green with bunkers on the members only side.

If you ever want to play a round, send me a pm, I can show you the locker room and lounge and stuff.