In Town for a Twin’s Game? Set a Tee Time While You’re Here

Baseball is a great sport, perfect for passing the summer time in months of endless days of leisure. So, if you are coming to town to watch the Minnesota Twins or St. Paul Saints play baseball, why not also do something during that trip that gets you off your stadium seat? How about a round of golf at one of the Twin Cities’ great golf courses?

Think about it, you can schedule a tee time at one of the excellent Twin Cities golf courses in the late morning, finish your round in the afternoon with plenty of time for a quick visit to the 19^th hole. Then, it’s on to the ballpark to watch some baseball and rest up for the next day’s round. Even if you are attending a noon game, there is time for some golf after the local nine closes out the visitors.

And we have the perfect places to get in nine or 18 holes — all within easy driving distance from Target or CHS fields.

If You’re Going to a Saints Game

Prestwick Golf Club

Prestwick Golf Club, in Woodbury, is a great challenge for golfers with its 18 unique holes, exciting elevation changes, and beautiful grounds. Recognized by the National Audubon Society for its arboretum-like environment, Prestwick is a beautiful suburban stroll through a supremely manicured course.

StoneRidge Golf Club

StoneRidge Golf Club, in Stillwater, is not to be missed if you are in town for a ballgame. Annually ranked the No. 1 Best Twin Cities Course You Can Play by Golfweek magazine, StoneRidge offers an exquisitely maintained course in a bucolic setting with challenging and remarkable holes (including the famous Barn Hole) that you won’t soon forget.

The Royal Golf Club

The Royal Golf Club, in Lake Elmo, is the newest track on the block. The reimagined Tartan Park Course is set to open this spring in Minnesota. With nine holes each designed by the late Arnold Palmer and legendary Annika Sorenstam, the Royal Golf Club took the 18 best holes from the former 27 and created a course fit for a king and queen.

If you Have Tickets for the Twins

Edinburgh USA

Just to the north of Minneapolis lies Edinburgh USA golf course, which is a Robert Trent Jones II design and a whole lot of fun. You might need your A-game to play this one as it has nearly 70 bunkers, 12 acres of water, and was formerly home to an LPGA Tour event. You will have 16 holes to prepare for the intriguing No. 17, known as “the island hole.” Hopefully, your iron and wedge games are dialed in by then.

Rush Creek Golf Club

Traveling to the northeast you will encounter Rush Creek Golf Club, which also has hosted pro tour and elite amateur events. Set near beautiful, rural Maple Grove, this eye-catching course features a stout challenge among gorgeous marshland that gives it its name. And don’t pass up the expansive and stately clubhouse where you can find a great meal or refreshing pre-baseball game beer.

Braemar Golf Course

If you only have time for nine holes, Braemar Golf Course, in nearby Edina, is the place to go. The famed course designer Richard Mandell recently renovated the nine-hole course and is hard at work finishing up the new 18-hole track. Mandell is fashioning it out of the former 27 holes at Braemar, and the local golfing public is anxiously awaiting the final product, which should open in late summer/early fall.

Chaska Town Course

Just 30 minutes west of Minneapolis, Chaska Town Course is one of the real gems of the metro area. Recognized as a Top 25 Municipal Course in the USA by Golfweek and rated as a Top 10 golf course in Minnesota by Golf Digest, CTC has the accolades and the chops to back it up. The oak groves, open prairie, and picturesque wetlands are the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the downtown ballpark.

People often want to separate baseball and golf in the summer, but with a little planning (and games that don’t go into extra innings), a golf and hardball trip makes for an excellent weekend in the Twin Cities.