Minnesota Golf Course Named One of Most Underrated in U.S.

Golf is a sport that's gaining popularity in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and one Minnesota golf course was just called one of the most underrated in the entire country.

If you like to get out and hit the links during our warm weather season here in the North Star State, you're not alone. Explore Minnesota says that over 577,000 Minnesotans play golf, and those resident golfers played 7.96 million rounds in 2023. Visitors added another 870,000 rounds, for about 8.83 million rounds overall, according to a recent study.

Golf Is Becoming Big Business in Minnesota

Golf isn't just a game, mind you; it's also a big Minnesota industry: golf generated about $3.04 billion in total economic impact, supported 34,829 jobs, and generated about $1.207 billion in wage income, according to a recent MGA economic-impact study.

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And there are a LOT of places you can play golf in Minnesota, as well. Explore Minnesota Golf says there are currently over 470 golf courses and facilities across the state, including 49 off-course facilities. The Minnesota Golf Association currently counts over 380 member courses in its membership, with around 90 percent of those facilities open to the public, according to both organizations.

Minnesota Golf Course Earns National Recognition

But only one of those courses was just named as one of the best in the U.S. The Quarry at Giants Ridge has been named as one of the most underrated in America, according to a new survey by Betway Insider. Google Maps says the course is located near Aurora, Minnesota, north of Duluth and east of Hibbing, about 4 hours and 15 minutes away from Rochester.

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Their report looked at categories including Google Rating, Golf Digest Rating, Price, Rainfall, and Peak Wind Speeds, and then ranked some of the most underrated public courses that are available to the average golfer.

The Quarry at Giants Ridge Is a Minnesota Golf Gem

The Quarry at Giants Ridge was built on the site of an old sand/gravel and iron ore mining operation and is now the number-one public golf course in Minnesota, its website says. It also ranked #8 in the survey with a score of 80.94 out of 100. Here's how it earned those high marks:

Playing over the rolling hills in the shadow of the Blue Mountains, Wine Valley provides a picturesque view throughout the round and a capable challenge for golfers of all levels. Golf Digest gave the Quarry at Giants Ridge a rating of 4.4.

However, the survey did point out one negative as well: the average rainfall for the Quarry at Giants Ridge came in at 30.94 inches, which was among the highest out of all the courses.