Defining the single best golf course in Minnesota is like trying to name the state’s best lake - there are 10,000 beautiful choices, and the right one depends entirely on what you’re looking for. Instead of naming one winner, this guide breaks down Minnesota's top-tier courses into the categories that matter most to golfers: legendary private clubs, spectacular public-access tracks, and the best options near the Twin Cities. We'll look at what makes each one special and, from a coach’s perspective, how you should approach playing them.
This is the realm of golf history, major championships, and designs that have stood the test of time. Getting an invitation to play one of these is a special experience. If you ever get the chance, don't pass it up.
If you have to pick one course that combines historical significance, impeccable design, and a legendary reputation, it's Interlachen. This Donald Ross masterpiece is where Bobby Jones won the 1930 U.S. Open, the third leg of his grand slam. The course is a strategic puzzle filled with brilliant green complexes, thoughtful bunkering, and a routing that constantly asks questions of your game. It’s not about brute force, it’s about positioning and having a masterful short game. The par-5 9th hole, "The Bobby Jones Hole," is famous for the lily pad shot he skipped across the water to secure his victory.
Coaching Tip: At Interlachen, your work begins before you pull a club. Think your way around the course. The greens have subtle but significant slopes, so your primary goal on every approach shot should be to leave yourself an uphill putt. Trying to be a hero and attack every pin will leave you with treacherous, defensive putts all day.
Built to test the best players in the world, Hazeltine has done exactly that, hosting U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, and an unforgettable Ryder Cup in 2016. This Robert Trent Jones design is a big, brawny, and demanding track. With long par 4s, plentiful water hazards, and a finishing stretch around Lake Hazeltine that provides incredible drama, it requires both length and precision. It’s a pure test of ball-striking where there is nowhere to hide.
Coaching Tip: Don't be too aggressive at Hazeltine. Accept that bogeys will happen and that a par is an excellent score on most holes. The key is avoiding doubles and triples. Play to the fat part of the green, trust your course management, and focus intensely on your pre-shot routine to commit to every swing, especially under pressure.
For the golf architecture enthusiast, White Bear Yacht Club is a pilgrimage. This is a wonderfully quirky and creative Donald Ross design that stands in stark contrast to the modern championship layouts. It's famous for its wild, undulating greens and a routing that feels like it was discovered rather than built. It’s a course full of blind shots and unorthodox holes that reward imagination and a deft touch around the greens. It proves that a course doesn't need to be 7,500 yards long to be challenging and endlessly fun.
Coaching Tip: Leave your rangefinder in the bag and play with your eyes and your feel. This course is about creativity. Practice hitting different trajectories - high, floating shots and low, running shots. On the greens, your first putt is often about getting the ball into a two or three-foot circle, not necessarily making every first attempt.
You don't need a private membership to play GOLF Magazine Top 100-level courses in Minnesota. The northern part of the state, especially the Iron Range and Brainerd Lakes Area, is home to some of the best public-access golf in the entire country.
Picking between the two courses at Giants Ridge is a fun argument to have over a post-round beverage. They are both spectacular and consistently ranked among the top public courses in the United States.
Coaching Tip For The Quarry: Strategy is everything. The massive bunkers look scary, but they often define the ideal line of play. Before you tee off on a hole, look at the pin position and work backward. Decide where you want your approach shot to come from, and then pick a target off the tee that sets up that angle. Don't just mindlessly hit driver.
Pristine. That's the word that comes to mind at The Classic. The conditioning is what you'd expect at an elite private club. This course demands precision from start to finish. The fairways are framed by tall pines, the white sand bunkers are immaculate, and water is a constant threat. It's not overly long, but the penalty for missing a fairway is steep. It's a mature, traditional design that has a peaceful-yet-demanding atmosphere.
Coaching Tip: Focus on finding the fairway. This might mean laying up with a fairway wood or hybrid on some of the tighter par 4s. A shot from the fairway, even if it's 20 yards further back, is exponentially better than punching out from the trees. Treat it as a placement course, not a power course.
An Arnold Palmer signature design, Deacon's Lodge is a sprawling course set on 500 acres of forest and wetlands near the Brainerd Lakes. Palmer blended the course into the natural landscape beautifully. You’ll face forced carries over wetlands, navigate tree-lined corridors, and play around picturesque lakes. It has a grand scale and a genuinely fun layout that reflects The King's "go-for-it" style of play, with plenty of risk-reward opportunities.
Coaching Tip: On a risk-reward course like this, honest self-assessment is vital. Know your game. Decide on the tee which hazards you can realistically carry and which you should play safely away from. Trying to pull off a low-percentage hero shot can ruin a hole, but playing smart can lead to great scoring opportunities.
You don't have to drive three hours to find amazing golf. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area has some outstanding public courses that offer a private club experience for the day.
Sharing a neighborly fence with Hazeltine National, the Chaska Town Course is widely regarded as one of the best municipal courses in the nation. It's a pure golf experience. The design has a bit of a linksy feel, with rolling fairways, vast bunkers, and native grasses. The conditioning is consistently superb, and it’s a brilliant, walkable layout. It delivers incredible value and a layout that is fun and challenging for all skill levels.
Coaching Tip: Pay attention to the wind. On a more open, links-style course, the wind is a major factor. Learning to hit shots with a lower trajectory - a "knockdown" or "three-quarter" swing - is a huge advantage here. When it's windy, swing easy.
This Bobby Weed design on the east side of the metro is a tribute to classic golf architecture, drawing inspiration from famous courses like Oakmont and Shinnecock. You'll find deep pot bunkers, open, rolling fairways, and firm, fast greens. StoneRidge is known for its excellent course conditions and a diverse set of holes that will use every club in your bag. It’s a wonderful modern course with a timeless feel.
Coaching Tip: Master the bump-and-run. With firm greens and open approaches on many holes, you don't always have to fly the ball to the pin. Practice using a 7-iron or 8-iron from just off the green to run the ball up onto the putting surface. It's often a more reliable shot than a high-lofted pitch.
Minnesota's golf scene offers incredible depth and variety. Whether your idea of the "best" is a legendary private club like Interlachen, a dramatic public showcase like The Quarry at Giants Ridge, or a top-tier metro course like Chaska Town Course, the Land of 10,000 Lakes delivers.
Ultimately, a great round is about more than just the course - it's about playing smart and confidently. No matter which of these amazing venues you choose, having a solid game plan for each hole can make all the difference. That's why I've found tools like Caddie AI to be such a game-changer. You can get instant, realistic strategy for any hole on any course, telling you the right targets and what clubs to consider. If you find yourself in a tricky spot - like the deep rough at The Classic or behind a tree at Deacon's Lodge - you can even take a photo of your lie, and I'll give you a recommendation on how to play the shot. It helps take the guesswork out of course management so you can just focus on your swing.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
