7 Minute Miles

Golf Digest 2007-08 Greatest Courses


My May 2007 issue of Golf Digest arrived this week and attached was a little supplemental book with their biennial 100 Greatest Courses list. This has always been my favorite national rankings list, although Minnesota courses always seem to take a back seat to other areas.

In the big list, two Minnesota courses retained their inclusion: Interlachen at #62 (down from #44) and Hazeltine at #89 (down from 72). I love both of those courses and I think they deserve all the recognition they receive. Newer courses like those in Bandon, Oregon are pushing everyone down, so the drops in rank aren’t a big shock.

Golf Digest also started doing a top 100 public course ranking a few years back, along with overall rankings by state (which I think they’ve done for a while now). This was more interesting for Minnesota courses, as there are a handful that made the big list:

  • The Quarry at Giants Ridge – #19
  • The Classic at Madden’s Resort – #42
  • Deacon’s Lodge – #52
  • The Legend at Giants Ridge – #59

What’s strange about this list is that courses listed as the best in Minnesota don’t match what made the national top 100. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay is listed between The Quarry and The Classic on the state list, but failed to make the national top 100. Unfortunate glitch for a top-notch course and operation at Fortune Bay.

Here is how they rank Minnesota courses overall (public and private):

1. Interlachen C.C. – Edina
2. Hazeltine National G.C. – Chaska
3. Spring Hill G.C. – Orono
4. The Quarry at Giants Ridge – Biwabik
5. Windsong Farm G.C. – Independence
6. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay – Tower
7. Somerby G.C. – Byron
8. White Bear Yacht Club – White Bear Lake
9. The Classic at Madden’s Resort – Brainerd
10. Deacon’s Lodge G. Cse. – Breezy Point
11. The Legend at Giants Ridge – Biwabik
12. Northland C.C. – Duluth
13. Somerset C.C. – St. Paul
14. The Pines at Grand View Lodge (Lakes/Woods) – Nisswa
15. The Minikahda C. – Minneapolis
16. Legends C. – Prior Lake
17. Legacy at Cragun’s (Dutch’s Legacy) – Brainerd
18. Dacotah Ridge G.C. – Morton
19. Minneapolis G.C. – St. Louis Park
20. Woodhill C.C. – Wayzata

Not exactly how I’d score it, but that discussion is for another day…

Originally published by DK on April 14, 2007 at 8:13 pm in Golf


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