With summer approaching, many high school students look for ways to entertain themselves with their three month break, and lots find their way to the golf course. However, golf is not a very cheap sport, and finding a good course that is worth the money can be tough, so I am gonna break down my top 5, from five to one, factoring in cost, distance and course quality.
5. Meadowbrook Golf Course
Meadowbrook might not be the nicest course, but it is certainly a community favorite. I really like Meadowbrook for its accessibility and price, with Youth on Course green fees being offered Monday through Thursday all day, and after 3 p.m. on Fridays and weekends. This allows for high school golfers to really get a lot of golf played during the summer months. This course is a full 18 holes, and is fairly diverse when it comes to types of holes. The course features mostly par-fours, with the occasional par-five or par-three hole thrown in the mix, and the course is fairly forgiving and spacious, which creates a more welcoming environment for newer golfers. I really enjoy all the rounds I play at Meadowbrook, and it’s a very fun place to go play with friends. Some of my favorite holes include hole six and hole 17. Meadowbrook Golf Course is located in St. Louis Park, near the intersection of Louisiana Ave and Excelsior Blvd.
4. Braemar Golf Course
Braemar Golf Course is a great spot for lots of things. Featuring a full 18-hole course, as well as an academy nine-hole course with a more youth focus, this course offers a lot of options for people of all ages. The unique feature of this property is its indoor golf dome. This dome is a great option for golfers looking to get some practice in during the snowy Minnesota winters, and is a cheaper alternative to an at-home simulator that many golfers lean to. The one thing I love about the Braemar dome is the ability to see your ball flight in person and not on a screen. As for the course itself, it is fairly forgiving and spacious, with some very wide and flat fairways and large greens. It also has a unique layout, which just adds a bit more interest to the round. Located in Edina, Minnesota, just off of 169 and 494, this course is very close to Park and the MSP metro area, and is a great option for players looking for different courses to play, no matter their skill level.
3. Theodore Wirth Golf Course
Theodore Wirth is a great place for many things, with the regional park offering many hiking and mountain biking trails, but the thing I enjoy most is the golf course. This 18-hole course is a beautiful place to play a round of golf, with great views of downtown Minneapolis and the surrounding area, while still maintaining that secluded feel with the thick woods surrounding the course. I really enjoy the scenery and greenery of this course, the clubhouse architecture style and how the many tall trees that line the fairways create a very nice and quiet atmosphere. One hitch I have with this course is the large undulations. This makes for a more interesting and sometimes challenging round, and adds to the scenic views of the course, but can make walking the course quite the workout. Overall, I still enjoy playing this course, and it’s one that I am sure to visit again. This course is located off of highway 55, near the Theodore Wirth trailhead.
2. Brookview Golf Course & Lawn Bowling
Brookview Golf is a 27-hole course in St. Louis Park, and it’s a great place for people of all ages to play. This course includes a full 18-hole course, as well as a nine-hole par-three course. The 18-hole regulation course is fairly long, with lots of long par-fours and fives, and not a ton of par-threes. However, this is made up for in the nine-hole, par-three exclusive course. This is a great option for golfers looking to play a short round with less pressure, and allows for less experienced golfers to get some experience with their shorter clubs. I especially like the time that can be spent off the course, with Brookview having a fairly inexpensive driving range, as well as a nice clubhouse and restaurant. One piece of the Brookview property I am yet to try is the lawn bowling, but I have heard good things, and I hope I can try that out this summer. Brookview Golf Course is located just west of West End, SLP, nestled in between highways I-394 and 169.
1. Baker National Golf Course
Baker National is one of the nicest courses I have ever played, and I would say it’s the nicest I’ve played in the Twin Cities area. This course has some great amenities for before the round, with complimentary range balls included in green fees, to go with a spacious range, as well as a fairly large practice green. It’s pretty easy to notice that the grounds crew at Baker National doesn’t take days off, as their course has been in amazing condition every time I’ve played there. The clubhouse and other facilities around this property also have a very cozy feel to them, and create a great relaxing atmosphere. This course has both a nine-hole and an 18-hole course, providing rounds of varying length for people who might just have time for nine. I, for one, haven’t had the chance to play the nine-hole, but the full course has been great every time. The only drawback I have for this course is the distance. Located in Medina, Minnesota, this course is about 25-30 minutes from Park, depending on where you live. I don’t know if I would still consider this the Twin Cities, but it’s close enough, and the quality of this course couldn’t be passed up on this list.
