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North Country denizens live in hope this time of year. We know that spring is just around the corner. How? The 2023 Directory of Minnesota Golf Association (“MGA”) member courses arrived last weekend. Be still our hearts!
Minnesotans have 400 MGA member courses for our 5.7 million residents to choose from. That is one golf course for every 14,000 Minnesotans. But wait! Another 175 Minnesota courses are not MGA members, so–one for every 9,000 of us. That is ninth in “golf wealth;” The Dakotas lead the list of states. California is last at one course per 32,000 people. Tee times abound for our winter-fired longings.
But wait! Minnesota leads the nation in the percentage of residents who play golf—some 25 percent of us. By contrast, the 25,000,000 U.S. golfers in 2020 are about 8 percent. Less impressively, Joe Passov’s “golfiness” ranking puts Minnesota at 19th. The United States of Golf: All 50 States Ranked by Their Golfiness.
Whatever…. That 25 percent of us who play puts pressure on tee times, especially in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area—more so recently because golf was a healthy alternative to masking up during our ongoing, low-key pandemic. Overbuilding of golf courses on either side of 2000, combined with falling play until the Pandemic, caused some 80 Minnesota courses to close. The Metro area portion of that 80 is about 36.
Thankfully, North Shore residents and visitors can find a tee time more easily than city folk, just like we can find more space on our streets. We have Gunflint Hills and Superior National in Cook County, the Muni in Silver Bay, and Lakeview National at Two Harbors. The Iron Range is full of interesting, picturesque courses. There are less expensive Munis and grander resort golf including the Wilderness, two courses at Giants Ridge, and the Retreat in Floodwood.
The Duluth area has several courses including the Black Bear Casino course, several 9-hole courses, and the private Northland Country Club that was recently looking for more members. Alas, Duluth’s scenic Lester Park, 27-hole course is scheduled to close after 2023 for lack of total golf play. Enger Park is being redone and will be the sole Duluth city course after this year. Play Lester while you can.
Our Gunflint Hills has availability, especially in the afternoons and during the week. When the course joins the MGA this year, our marketing reach will expand. And Gunflint members will be able to have USGA handicaps to take with them when they snowbird. Current Park and Recreation Board policy, possibly changing this year, gives a discount to city residents because of the subsidy from the city’s profits from the Rec Park and Marina. In all events, get those old clubs out of the garage and become an Arrowhead swinger. Or play tennis with similar effect but more sweating.
P. S. The statistics provided in this column all come from internet sources deemed reasonably reliable by the author.
Correction and addition:
In a long-ago column on Snively Road in Duluth, it was misidentified as “Snidely Road.” While we always need a villain to boo, Snively was not he. I tried to watch a Duluth Library DVD about “Snively Road and The History of the Duluth Park System.” The first 10 minutes was full of history and cool views of old Duluth. Unfortunately, that diskette stopped functioning, so I could not finish it. I hope the libraries have or can get another copy. If not, you can search the internet for some written detail about Duluth parkways more than that old “61” column you can get from this paper’s archives.
Editor’s note: Stephen included a lively poem from Ezra Pound “Winter is icumen in” which is a great poem but not appropriate for the paper. Stephen’s column titled, “Summer is a comin’ in, Sing” comes from one of the oldest songs ever written.
Steve Aldrich is a retired Hennepin County lawyer, judge, and mediator. He and Myrna moved here in 2016. He likes to remember that he was a Minnesota Super Family Lawyer before being elected to the bench. Steve writes this column to learn more about his new home area, to share his learnings with others— and to indulge his curiosities. He likes performing weddings. Bouquets and brickbats to the editor or stevealdrich41@gmail.com. © Stephen C. Aldrich and News Herald, 2022.
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