Best Golf Courses In Minnesota

A nice, leisurely game of golf is often the best way to spend a beautiful day. You're outside enjoying the sun, getting together with a few friends or swinging solo (and hopefully getting a birdie on that tough par 4). But as August is National Golf Month, you don't want to play just any old green. You want to send that ball flying at one of Minnesota's best. Here are a few to get you started.

Check out last year's list, Best Public Golf Courses In Minnesota, for a few more ideas as well.

Cragun's Legacy Golf Courses
11000 Craguns Drive
Brainerd, MN 56401
(218) 825-2800
www.craguns.com

Three different courses can all be played here. Right on Brainerd's beautiful Gull Lake, the Cragun Legacy's 45 holes are all accessible to golfers, and home base is ever too far away. You can also find a pro-shop at the clubhouse, where all of the state-of-the-art gear is available for purchase. You can sign up for lessons, or take a crack at the simulator before you actually hit the green. The restaurant available is almost worth the trip itself, until you remember that you really came to golf. Note: If you're looking for a challenge, the Dutch Legacy course is known to be particularly tough.

Minnesota National Golf Course
23247 480th St.
McGregor, MN 55760
(218) 426-4444
www.mnnationalgolfcourse.com

Get lost in nature while playing 27 holes. Or just do the Savannah 9. Or do whatever you like after you've signed up for a tee time; this championship-caliber course is sure to have what you're looking for. The Stay and Play packages let you spend a night (or more) at the Big Sandy Lodge and really get some good golf in. The course offers men's, women's, and couple's leagues for you dedicated golfers, and make sure to stop by the bar and grill for a drink or a bite after you're done playing.

The Wilds Golf Club
3151 Wilds Parkway N.W.
Prior Lake, MN 55372
(952) 445-3500
www.golfthewilds.com

Top-notch facilities make this a special place to golf. With locker room showers available for men and women as well as a pro shop with everything you'll need for a day of golf, you'll be playing in luxury. The restaurant and beautiful fair-weather patio are also excellent perks. But when it comes down to it, it's all about the golf. True golf enthusiasts will appreciate world-class course designed by mult-champion Tom Weiskopf, and the grounds are always meticulously maintained. This is a golfer's paradise.

Related:  WCCO Viewers' Choice For Best Indoor Golf Range In MN

Theodore Wirth
1301 Theodore Wirth Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55422
(763) 522-4584
www.wirthgolfassociation.org

If you're not looking to travel too far from Minneapolis, this course has everything you could hope for just outside of downtown. While the kids go and play at one of the park's many other amenities, you can relax and enjoy a few quick holes with some of the very best views of the city. Known for its unique terrain, it's also a great course for beginners and offers incredibly reasonable rates, especially for a round of twilight golf. Pro tip: the Front 9 holes are superior to the back 9, both for city views and quick play.

Logger's Trail 
11950 80th St. N.
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 439-7862
www.loggerstrail.com

If you're looking to get the kids involved in the grand old game of golf, this is the place to do it. Kids under 15 play free, and there are always special rates and deals to keep an eye out for. Located just outside of picturesque downtown Stillwater, the course has some tough terrain for more experienced golfers, and plenty of holes for those beginners in the group. With a clubhouse opening soon, this will be a premier golf destination just outside of the Twin Cities.

Related: Best Parks In Minnesota

Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.