Best Golf Courses in Minnesota: A Local’s Guide

Minnesota doesn’t get enough credit as a golf state. Maybe it’s the short season — we’re lucky to play from mid-April through October — but those five and a half months pack some seriously good golf. I’ve lived in the area long enough to know where the hidden gems are, and I’ve played enough mediocre muni courses to steer you away from the duds.

Here’s where you should be playing in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

The Championship Courses

Hazeltine National Golf Club — Chaska

Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Hazeltine is private, so most of us aren’t getting on unless we know a member. But if you ever get the invite — drop everything and go. This course has hosted the Ryder Cup, multiple PGA Championships, and a US Open. The back nine, especially 16 through 18, is some of the most dramatic finishing holes in championship golf. If a member calls, you say yes.

The Wilds Golf Club — Prior Lake

More accessible than Hazeltine and nearly as impressive, The Wilds is one of the best public courses in the state. Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the layout winds through wetlands, prairies, and mature hardwoods. It’s always in excellent shape, the par-5 8th is a monster, and the pace of play is well-managed. This is the course I recommend when out-of-town golfers visit and want to be impressed.

Green Fee: ~$79-$109

Legends Club — Prior Lake

Another Prior Lake gem. Arnold Palmer designed this one, and it feels like it — generous fairways, risk-reward par 5s, and green complexes that reward approach shots from the right angle. The practice facility is top-notch, and the course conditioning is consistently among the best in the metro.

Green Fee: ~$69-$99

Best Value in the Metro

Edinburgh USA — Brooklyn Park

Edinburgh has quietly been one of the best public courses in the Twin Cities for decades. It’s hosted LPGA events and Senior PGA Tour stops, and the green fee won’t break the bank. The layout is classic — tree-lined fairways, water on several holes, and greens that roll true. For the price, it’s hard to beat.

Green Fee: ~$45-$75

Prestwick Golf Club — Woodbury

If you play in the east metro, you probably already know Prestwick. Two solid 18-hole courses, both well-maintained, with a good mix of challenge and playability. It’s a great spot for a casual round that still tests your game.

Green Fee: ~$45-$69

Chaska Town Course — Chaska

Right next door to Hazeltine, Chaska Town Course gives you championship-level conditioning without the private club price tag. The layout is fun, the views are great, and you can tell your friends you played “next to Hazeltine.” Close enough, right?

Green Fee: ~$40-$65

Worth the Drive

Giants Ridge (The Quarry) — Biwabik

If you haven’t made the drive to the Iron Range for Giants Ridge, you’re missing out on one of the best golf experiences in the Midwest. The Quarry is carved out of an old mining pit, with dramatic elevation changes, exposed rock faces, and views of the Laurentian Divide. It looks like nothing else in Minnesota. Pair it with The Legend course for a 36-hole day, stay at the lodge, and make a weekend of it.

Green Fee: ~$79-$115

Wilderness at Fortune Bay — Tower

Even further north than Giants Ridge, Wilderness at Fortune Bay is pure northern Minnesota golf. The course winds through dense forests and along the shores of Lake Vermilion. It’s remote — really remote — but that’s the appeal. Wildlife sightings are common (I’ve seen bald eagles, deer, and once a black bear on the 14th). If you’re into the wilderness golf vibe, this is your place.

Green Fee: ~$69-$99

Dacotah Ridge — Morton

Down in southern Minnesota, Dacotah Ridge doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It’s part of Jackpot Junction Casino, which might explain why golfers overlook it, but the course itself is excellent. Rolling prairie terrain, wide fairways, and some of the best greens you’ll putt on in the state.

Green Fee: ~$49-$79

Cragun’s Resort (Dutch Legacy) — Brainerd

The Brainerd Lakes area is golf trip central for Minnesotans, and for good reason. Cragun’s Dutch Legacy is one of the top courses in the area. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with most Brainerd courses — Deacon’s Lodge, The Classic at Madden’s, and The Pines at Grand View Lodge are all worth playing. Book a cabin, bring the crew, and play 36 a day for a long weekend.

Green Fee: ~$59-$95

The Minnesota Golf Season Reality

Let’s be honest about what golf in Minnesota means. You’re checking weather apps obsessively starting in late March, hoping for an early thaw. Opening day is whenever the frost leaves the greens, and you’ll play in 40-degree weather just to say you got out. The peak season — mid-June through September — is genuinely perfect. Long days, warm temperatures, and courses that are emerald green.

Then fall golf hits, and there’s nothing better. Cool mornings, leaves turning, empty courses. Some of the best rounds of my life have been October rounds in Minnesota when you have the whole course to yourself and the air is crisp.

Quick Tips for Visiting Golfers

• Book tee times early for peak summer weekends — courses fill up fast
• Brainerd area is the best golf trip destination in the state (8-10 quality courses within 30 minutes)
• Giants Ridge is worth the 3-hour drive from the Twin Cities — make it an overnight
• Twilight rates are your friend — 5:00 PM tee times in June still give you 4+ hours of daylight
• Don’t sleep on the munis — courses like Keller in St. Paul and Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids are solid tracks for the price

Minnesota might not have the year-round golf of Arizona or the coastal drama of California, but pound for pound, the quality of golf here punches way above its weight. Get out and play.