Minnesota governor Tim Walz signed executive order 20-38 last Friday to lift restrictions on several recreational outdoor activities, including golf. As of Saturday, April 18, golf courses in Minnesota have been allowed to open as long as certain restrictions are in place to maintain social distancing and stop the spread of COVID-19.
While Minnesota golf courses are buried under snow for seemingly half of the calendar year, the state actually boasts one of the most robust and passionate golf communities in the United States. Minnesota consistently ranks near the top in statistics such as golf courses per capita and golfers per capita. Nearly 600,000 Minnesotans frequently spend time playing golf during the summer months.
Given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and the fact that more mainstream sports are unable to be played, one would expect the interest in golf to only increase in 2020. Golf offers a great way to exercise, enjoy the outdoors and bond with friends and family who you may not be able to see otherwise.
With all of that said, the Twin Cities area is flooded with affordable public golf courses that offer a terrific combination of affordable rates and a quality experience. Here are five options in the Twin Cities metro area that should include one for you, depending on where you live.
5. Riverwood National — Otsego
For golfers in the northwest metro area, Riverwood National Golf Course in Otsego delivers a great experience. The regular green fee of $35 for walkers is a steal for a course that presents a fair balance of obstacles and scoring opportunities. One note about Riverwood National is that longer hitters will have to think strategically about several tee shots throughout the round that will require less club than a driver.
The par-72 layout includes playing options for all levels, with six different tee options ranging from 5,496 yards to 7,022 yards. The course was built 15 years ago and thus most of it is not tree-lined. This can be more forgiving on tee shots, but the course can become more difficult on a windy day.
4. Eagle Valley — Woodbury
Eagle Valley twists and turns itself around several water hazards that present a rewarding challenge. Most remarkable about Eagle Valley is the condition of the course despite the high traffic the course sees on a daily basis. Fairways and greens are especially taken care of to give golfers a fair experience.
For just $40 on weekdays and $45 on weekends, golfers can walk all 18 holes of a beautiful setup and test every aspect of their golf games. Eagle Valley presents one of the best public golf courses in the area and is a terrific option for golfers in the southeast metro.
3. Highland National — St. Paul
Highland National was first designed in the 1920s and thus delivers more of an old-school experience with tree-lined fairways and smaller greens. The course was updated roughly 15 years ago to make the course longer and better suited for today’s golf community. The signature 15th hole features a Snoopy-shaped bunker that honors Charles Schulz, the Peanuts cartoonist, who learned to play golf at Highland National.
For $36 on a weekday or $39 on a weekend, golfers can play all 18 holes and experience golf the way it was played decades ago, with more emphasis on precision than power. Highland National offers four different tee options that range from 5,125 yards to 6,638 yards.
2. Links at NorthFork — Ramsey
The Links at Northfork brings a Scottish-style golf course to the northern Twin Cities metro, featuring wide fairways mostly unprotected by trees, hundreds of bunkers, and thick fescue to punish the worst misses. Every tee shot is defended by either a water hazard, bunkers or both and requires both precision and smart course management to earn a scoring opportunity.
The Links at Northfork has hosted numerous prestigious MGA events and is widely recognized for excellent playing conditions. The standard green fee of $47 allows golfers to walk 18 holes of superb golf. The Links at Northfork offers five tee options ranging from 5,236 yards to 6,989 yards.
1. Braemar Golf Course — Edina
Braemar is one of the most popular golf courses in the Twin Cities, and for good reason. The 18-hole course was redesigned and reopened in May 2019 to better fit the modern range of golfers of all skill levels. The course features several wide fairways that quickly run into fescue to punish those that miss too far right or too far left.
Golfers won’t find many trees or water hazards at Braemar, but they will find undulation on the back nine. Hole No. 13, a par 3 in which players hit downhill to the green, offers a view of hole Nos. 4, 5, 6, 14 and 15.
Despite a high traffic level, Braemar’s playing conditions are always in top shape. The course offers six different tee options that range from 4,234 yards to 6,884 yards.
