Fairways & Greens - Minnesota

When golfers consider the efforts made in this state to provide a test of golf that has as much of a “links” feel as you can get, the conversation has to start with The Links at NorthFork.

Tee Times is once again doing a feature on “links style” golf courses in Minnesota for the July issue. This series is done to bring attention to The Open Championship, and to give golfers some idea of where they can experience the feeling and challenges of links style golf.

Sprawled out about the backwaters of the Mississippi River just about 1 mile southeast of the outskirts of Cottage Grove, is a more than just visually pleasing public golf course and wedding planner’s dream.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) golf courses that circled the thriving downtown area. With the experience gained from developing the four older siblings, one would think that the MPRB and Theodore Wirth would have had an easy time developing Hiawatha Golf Club, not so!

Meadowbrook opened for play in 1926, as the fourth sibling of the collaboration of Theodore Wirth and William Clark. People loved the new course that was built along gorgeous Minnehaha Creek (the brook in the name).

The story behind Gross National Golf Club, opened in 1925, reads like a modern day soap opera. Gross was the troubled child, but like many troubled children she turned out great when she grew up.

With the stunning success of Glenwood Park Golf Course, Theodore Wirth convinced Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) members it was time to create a sibling or second golf course.

If Theodore Wirth is the father of Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) golf courses, then appropriately – the first-born child should be named after the father.

Golf courses are essentially big parks where land gets set aside as open space as opposed to being turned in to housing developments or some other more-intensive use.

For all the acclaim their Brainerd Lakes neighbors get, it would be easy to overlook Cragun’s Resort. But that would be a significant mistake! Cragun’s provides many of the same resort amenities as the others: cabins, lakeside/lake-view lodging, a spa, spectacular service and tons of water sports activities.

Those of us old enough to remember Mr. Ed, the talking horse from the TV series of the same name, will recall that Mr. Ed had a special insight and was able to relate that insight to Wilber, his owner.

So you’re socializing with golfing friends and discussing the upcoming season. A newcomer to the group asks if anyone is a member at a private club. This is when you casually mention that your course, TPC Twin Cities, is the only one in the Minnesota to regularly host a PGA TOUR Champions Tour event.

A well-known Bible story has Moses stranded in the wilderness for 40 years. His fortune… pretty unfortunate. We’re left to assume his “wilderness” had to have been pretty rough. Pretty barren. Pretty much not pretty. Clearly he wasn’t in…

Take a look around. This is really going to be good.” Whether it was Bruce McIntosh (owner and man with the plan) saying it to his co-designer Mike Morley, or Mike (14 year PGA TOUR Vet and course designer extraordinaire) saying it to “Mac,” the message was concise and clear. “Let’s not mess this up.”

During this off-season, golfers on the south side of town will find a very pleasant surprise at A Lot of Green Golf. You’ve seen the golf dome just south of the intersection of County Road 42 and Burnsville Parkway for years, but you haven’t seen…

The Bunker Indoor Golf By Brad Parrott Looking to keep your competitive edge, feed your desire for competition, or just want to hit some golf balls in a controlled environment? The Bunker Indoor Golf Center located in Minnetonka is your answer....