This is one of my favorite periodic golf course rating guides (Golf Digest also has a great one). There are some interesting moves on the two lists – I’ve played all of the public-access courses and seven of the ten private courses. Wrote about my personal favorites back in 2020. Might need to review that post again soon…

Best public-access Minnesota courses:

• 1. Giants Ridge (Quarry), Biwabik (T122m) – hole #2 pictured above
• T2. Breezy Point Resort (Deacon’s Lodge), Brainerd (m)
• T2. Madden’s on Gull Lake (Classic), Brainerd (m)
• 4. Wilderness at Fortune Bay, Tower (m)
• 5. Giants Ridge (Legend), Biwabik (m)
• 6. Chaska Town Course, Chaska (m)
• 7. Meadows at Mystic Lake, Prior Lake (m)
• 8. StoneRidge, Stillwater (m)
• 9. The Wilds, Prior Lake (m)
• 10. Rush Creek, Maple Grove (m)

Best private Minnesota golf courses:

• 1. Spring Hill, Wayzata (T47m)
• 2. Interlachen, Edina (65c)
• 3. Minikahda Club, Minneapolis (T81c)
• 4. Hazeltine National, Chaska (T77m)
• 5. White Bear Yacht Club, White Bear Lake (T89c)
• 6. Windsong Farm, Independence (T154m)
• 7. Northland, Duluth (T161c)
• 8. Somerset, Mendola Heights (c)
• 9. Minneapolis GC, St. Louis Park (c)
• 10. Somerby Golf Club*, Byron (m)

Key: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960, * new or newly re-added, number means national ranking

The 48th annual event in Duluth had lots of great stories:

• Elisha Barno winning his record sixth title in 2:10:54
• New women’s course record by Volha Mazuronak (2:23:52)
• New Garry Bjorklund men’s and women’s course records: Tebello Ramakongoana from Lesotho in 1:00:17 (!!) and Annie Frisbie from Edina in 1:07:33
• Superstar Megan in 4:34:32 (10:29 Minute Miles)

I can’t get over that nearly sub-hour half – that’s a 4:37 Minute Mile… 😂

UPDATE: Ramakongoana also won the 2024 Bloomsday in Spokane 💜