A Golf Tour For Our Times

The state’s “South Shore” rivals the North Shore in dynamic scenery, golf and more—perfect for golfers anxious to hit the road again.

July 1, 2021 | 0 min.
By Chuck Lennon
Photos by Matt Seefeldt

In the post-COVID-19 world of golf, distance still matters, but more on the tee than in golf carts. Minnesota is renowned for its magnificent North Shore, but great golf also awaits on its “South Shore,” where some of the most dramatic views and challenging drives await the pent-up golf traveler. 

Eight of the 12 courses on this tour are par 71s, set among elevated bluffs shaped by Mother Nature and overlooking the Mississippi’s Lake Pepin, an expansive waterway with commercial and recreational shipping and boating. Eagles nest, soar and hunt all along this route; there’s a lot to see, including the National Eagle Center in Wabasha and an iconic carousel along the way—more about that later.

At the gateway to this tour in Red Wing, a trio of opportunities await, all par 71s. Both the Highlands and Lowlands eighteens at Mississippi National provide large greens and striking vistas. The Highlands occupies a blufftop overlooking the Hiawatha Valley and Mississippi River bottoms. Hole No. 17 features a 150’ drop reminiscent of Superior National at Lutsen’s famous hole. 

Lake City Golf is a par 71 across from Lake Pepin on gently climbing slopes with fairways open enough not to be penal.

Another par 71 in town, Red Wing Golf Club was dubbed the #3 course in Minnesota last year (golfadvisor.com) and celebrates 100 years this year. A bonus on site is the rentable Walsh House, a four-bedroom four-bath Victorian that overlooks the 18th green.

Just down shore from these gems is Mount Frontenac, which was once a ski hill, and you can tell if you walk and carry. They call the course “breathtaking” and the views indeed provide pause. Many years ago, a friend and I played the course and on the very elevated No. 8 tee, we were readying for our drives when a ginormous buck exploded from the woodline! We both dropped our golf balls and caught our breaths. 

South of that bone rattler, we played Lake City Golf, (a par 71!) across from Lake Pepin on gently climbing slopes with fairways open enough not to be penal. There are shrub-lined ponds throughout the course. On No. 18, get over the creek and avoid the pond to the left of the green and you’re good to go!

Coffee Mill Golf Course has pine-lined fairways, lovely conditions and splendid views of Lake Pepin, where Manager Chris Sill confirms all precautions are in the past, and the Bluff View Grill is open with specials. 

Keith Kalney is in his fifth year as General Manager & Director of Golf at The Jewel of Lake City, an Audubon course and the highest-end track on the south shore. The Jewel was designed by former University of Colorado football star and PGA Tour pro Hale Irwin. The Jewel hosts open events with varied formats on the second Monday of each month (check website).

Lake Pepin Golf Course is the third Lake City course on this tour and the second (Mount Frontenac) designed by Dr. Gordon Emerson, who also designed a bevy of courses in the state to our east. Owned by the Schmidt family, the course has big views of Lake Pepin from 12 holes and the clubhouse.

While both Zumbrota Golf Club and Piper Hills (Plainview) lean a bit west toward bluff country, they still maintain the ambiance of the shore. Zumbrota is a par-69 eighteen with nine parkland holes out and a linksy touch back in. 

The Piper Hills nine is busy with five leagues on four nights a week under new owners, the Sawyer and Montgomery families. In-season tourney examples include the Fire Department, Corn Cob and Minneiska Opens. Looking at the course rating and slope, it appears the course is a tough track for women at 75/131 compared to men, 69/127 from the white tees. When I asked about it, the fellow in the clubhouse pondered, then revealed that there are ponds smack dab in front of the tee boxes on three forward holes. 

Winona’s place in Minnesota golf history is cemented in the forms poured when Meadow-Brook opened in Pleasant Valley in 1897 and became a founding member of the Minnesota Golf Association in 1901. Entering its 101st year, The Bridges opened in 1920 as the 9-hole Winona Country Club. Today, it’s a par 71 known for uber-scenery and a Junior Golf Academy. 

Westfield Golf Club in Winona has 164 perfectly-distanced MGA members who call the course home. Founded in the 1920s as the Winona Public Golf Course,  it hosts several open tournaments each season. Westfield’s “Girls Gone Wild” Twilight League occupies Wednesdays, and the summer college student discount allows for a post-nine burger in the grill. 

Cedar Valley’s General Manager Julie Hennessy is the only woman pro on the south shore, overseeing three distinct nines, each with its own name. Each track has a stream in common, with Trouts Run offering the toughest par 3 on the course. Treasure Island has a two-tiered hole that starts with an island green, and the Green Monster nine, new in 2003, is the toughest, with a pond fronting the green on No. 4. Cedar Valley has a unique side hustle with a Tree Farm on site that offers 200 varieties. 

It’s no doubt the south shore’s magic equals the north shore’s allure. Take a drive and see for yourself. 

Chuck Lennon

Chuck Lennon has produced the “Driving Minnesota” series in the Minnesota Golfer magazine for more than a decade. He retired from media relations at Explore Minnesota Tourism in 2012, where, having been a liaison with the MGA, golf resorts and courses, effectively positioned the state as a golf travel destination. A product of Cretin and Highland Park high schools, he honed his journalism skills at the University of Minnesota and the College of St. Thomas. He is a member of the Golf Writers’ Association of America.   

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