When you think of golf, what do you think of? Perhaps it’s dew glistening off a freshly-mown fairway, or sun peeking above the horizon, offering the morning’s first wave of warmth. Or perhaps it’s the glow of a mellow, orange sun setting between the pines and over the lake, resting below a piercing blue sky.
If that’s what you think of, then you’re thinking Minnesota golf. With more than 500 courses throughout the state, the opportunities to partake in such a peak experience are plentiful and many golfers sojourn to Minnesota to do just that. Golf in the land of 10,000 golf holes and 10,000 water hazards begins in early April and is great through early November.
By land, air and/or sea, Madden’s on Gull Lake is worth traveling to by any means necessary.
Did you know: Minnesota leads the nation in golfers per capita? The town of Hibbing is home to a golfer who consistently plays more rounds and posts more scores than any other golfer in the U.S? Minnesota is the only state to have hosted all 13 USGA championships, plus the Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, Solheim Cup and others? Last but not least, Minnesota will host the 2016 Ryder Cup!
TOP GOLF DESTINATION
Known as a top U.S. golf destination, Minnesota offers hundreds of courses, excellent conditions and affordability. Minnesota, in the last decade, has become one of the hotbeds of the game. In recent years, the state known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes has made a concerted and successful effort to thaw the perception of also being known as the Land of 10,000 Frozen Hazards.
Territory Golf Club is a terrific track in St. Cloud.
Golf visitors ranked Minnesota No. 4 on a list of 13 top golf destinations, behind only Florida, Arizona and South Carolina. The Minnesota Golf Association counts 508 golf courses. Nearly 90% of Minnesota’s golf courses are open to the public. There are 19 golf resorts.
NATIONAL EVENTS
As the only state to have hosted every one of the 13 championships conducted by the U.S. Golf Association, Minnesota has a rich history of championship professional and amateur tournaments. It’s also home to PGA Champions Tour-3M Championship, and will host the Ryder Cup in 2016, at Hazeltine National. There have also been national championships for men, women, mid-amateurs, seniors and juniors, public links, the Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup here.
Then there is the PGA Championship, which was played in Minnesota in 1932, 1954 and 1959 and in 2002, at Hazeltine National, located in a Twin Cities suburb. In September of the same year, the Interlachen Club in a neighboring suburb hosted the women’s Solheim Cup.
QUALITY GOLF
The overally quality of golf in Minnesota is on par with anywhere in the world. The listing of golf courses included in the Minnesota golf landscape constitutes a hall of fame of national regional “award winning” courses from such publications as Golf Digest, Golf Week, Golf News, Business Week, Sports Illustrated, NGCOA, etc. The headlines change, but the story remains the same: Minnesota’s golf is a sight to see.
VALUE
If you’re a surveyor of Top 100 public golf courses in the United States, and have played some of the top Minnesota golf courses, then you already understand the unbelievable value to be found at the state’s resorts and facilities. Hands down, top Minnesota golf courses deliver tremendous value.
From the Twin Cities metro area to resort links, there’s a wide selection of courses for an easygoing round of golf or a challenging game that tests your skills. “Value” is a major attribute of golf in Minnesota, with green fees lower than other golf hotbeds around North America.
Green fees range from about $30 at the well-manicured municipal courses of Minneapolis/St. Paul, to $100 for the upscale public courses surrounding the Twin Cities and resort locations around the state. Seldom will you find green fees for any public or resort course in Minnesota — cart included — for more than $100. Many facilities offer great stay & play packages, too.
VARIETY
The variety of the 500 Minnesota courses (with approximately 90% available for public play) allows golfers to opt for their favorite style, whether links, deep woods, or breathtaking river and lake views, all woven into Mother Nature’s natural beauty. Choose from family-friendly par- 3 and executive courses to championship courses and former pro tour sites — Minnesota has it all. With such a variety of courses to choose from, it’s no surprise that golf is such an integral part of life for so many Minnesotans and for the state’s many visitors as well.
Minnesota ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. in number of golf facilities. Visitors planning a trip to Minnesota should consider potential golf venues in three distinct parts of the state:
Minneapolis and St. Paul
The Twin Cities and nearby suburbs boast both traditional courses with rich heritages and more modern layouts built in the last decade or two. An international airport serves the area, and it’s only a 15-minute ride to the downtown of either city.
Central/Northern Minnesota
Numerous new public and resort courses have sprung up in the Lakes and Iron Range areas of central/northern Minnesota. These locations, a two-to- three hour drive from the Twin Cities, are also served by commuter airports. While once purely fishing and hunting destinations, golf is getting plenty of attention in towns like Brainerd, Grand Rapids, and Biwabik, as well as Duluth and the North Shore along Lake Superior.
SMALL TOWNS, BIG VALUES
Small towns in the northwest, southeast and southwest portions of the state have attractive courses open to visiting golfers, particularly from close-by states of Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. Some of the best values can be found off the beaten path, and Minnesota’s small towns are certainly no exception.
ECONOMIC VALUE TO STATE
More people play golf in Minnesota per capita than any other state in the union. Minnesota historically ranks at or near the top in golfer participation in the USA. The Minnesota Golf Association’s research found that 31% of Minnesota’s household-population play golf. Approximately 700,000 residents call themselves golfers.
The golf industry is extremely important to the state of Minnesota, generating almost $3 billion in direct, indirect and induced economic impact of the approximate $11.3 billion Minnesota tourism income.
The result is a state more than willing to roll out the green carpet for visiting golfers. The golf season might only last seven months, but the roots of the game run deep and strong. For beauty, variety and value, Minnesota’s golf is as great as it gets in the game.
All you have to do is get here.
Visit www.mngolf.org for more information, or www.exploreminnesotagolf.com.
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