Private Club Membership Inquiries In Minnesota

[MNgolfer21]

Am thinking of joining a private club in the twin cities. I am in my early 20s and trying to get a gauge on costs and what are the best options. Would appreciate feedback and range of costs for private courses Hazeltine, Interlachen, Spring Hill, Minikahda, White Bear Yacht Club, Olympic Hills, Somerset, and Windsong. I am between these 8 courses only.

[henniga]

Good luck.  I'm fairly certain all of those have a significant wait list.  I'm pretty sure Interlachen, Spring Hill and Somerset are by invite only.  I certainly don't know your financial situation, but I think they are all at least $50K down stroke.

[okular]

Adding to above, that is correct about wait lists, Windsong, Minikahda and White Bear also have wait lists.  Interlachen, Spring Hill and Somerset are invite only and believe Spring Hill still requires you to have been a member at another club for at least ten years.  Downstroke on most of those is over 50k and several are around 100k or more now, you're young so most allow you to spread downstroke payments over an amount of years, but downstrokes can go up and down significantly year to year.

 

All those courses are solid, but you have to consider the intangibles too, they vary so incredibly different between them all you really need to get a sense of the culture and atmosphere.  Many of those clubs do not resonate with me on a level where I could be there everyday even if the course is elite.

 

Also, your location is a huge factor to consider - those clubs are almost all on differing sides of town.  Having your club be 10-20 minutes away, if an option, is almost priceless to someone like myself.

 

Best of luck in your search, happy to help answer any questions you have

Edited August 8, 2024 by okular

[pmccallum86]

18 hours ago, okular said:

Many of those clubs do not resonate with me on a level where I could be there everyday even if the course is elite.

 

I agree.  I think the only courses/clubs I would like to be at and play day after day in the Twin Cities metro are probably Minneapolis Golf Club, Minikahda and Minnesota Valley.  Paying the current ask for any private club right now is just silly unless you have millions in the bank. 

Edited August 9, 2024 by pmccallum86

[seus777]

Call and ask. You'll get much better info from the club itself than on an internet forum.

[phillyspecial]

On 8/7/2024 at 10:04 AM, MNgolfer21 said:

Am thinking of joining a private club in the twin cities. I am in my early 20s and trying to get a gauge on costs and what are the best options. Would appreciate feedback and range of costs for private courses Hazeltine, Interlachen, Spring Hill, Minikahda, White Bear Yacht Club, Olympic Hills, Somerset, and Windsong. I am between these 8 courses only.

My man here must follow CCS and is not wasting time on Mids.  Respect.  

 

My advice is to do heavy research and figure out which is best for you and make that your goal.  There will be wait lists, but time is on your side.  Id hate to be in my 40s and trying to figure this out right now in current club climate.  

 

Top question first and foremost is where are you going to settle down and buy a home and build your family?  If that is in ~Edina, well that narrows things down.  Same for Wayzata, St. Paul side etc.  

 

Little point in pursuing and going thru the wait list process if you do not know the answer to this yet.  You are going to want your main club to be <15 min away.  

 

Hazeltine is brutal to play and not fun btw, take it off the list.  

[jkody]

Thirded on where do you live, exactly, and what is your last name?

 

Setting aside the fact that you have singled out most of the "elite" private clubs, Windsong and WBYC are a full hour apart. Windsong and Somerset are also nearly an hour apart. Nobody in their right mind wants to be a member at WBYC if they live in the western suburbs, and I doubt anyone who lives in St. Paul is a member at Windsong.

 

Places that you might be able to get in without a long wait, the correct last name, and/or a massive initiation and that have great restored courses and (probably) great golfers, I would also look at Minneapolis, Midland Hills, and potentially Oak Ridge. Those places are likely far more cost-effective and achievable in the short term.

 

That said, if you live in the western suburbs and can swing the downstroke, Windsong probably has the best pure golf culture out there (though it is no doubt hard af) and likely has a reasonable waitlist considering they are opening their second course next spring.

[slideguy]

So I was a member of one of the clubs listed above.  We gave up our membership when we moved to the western suburbs and onto a course.  Windsong is a limited wait list as they are opening a new 18.  It is a significant drive if you are comparing it to a Hazeltine.  I can provide you with more insight on most of the clubs listed.

 

one thing of note is that the clubs you list have a pretty significant difference in type of club.  Hazeltine, Interlachen and Windsong are all very very different clubs.

[jshel]

Like others, where you live and work is a major factor. 

 

But, more importantly, what is most important to you: Golf course, practice facilities? Does it have to have a pool? Do you like to walk or ride?

 

The clubs you list are all good, but they are also all quite different in terms of culture, norms, etc.

 

Happy to answer questions and share what I know.  

[Schley]

On 8/26/2024 at 11:28 PM, jshel said:

Like others, where you live and work is a major factor. 

 

But, more importantly, what is most important to you: Golf course, practice facilities? Does it have to have a pool? Do you like to walk or ride?

 

The clubs you list are all good, but they are also all quite different in terms of culture, norms, etc.

 

Happy to answer questions and share what I know.  

Shelman will give you the low down, very knowledgeable for Minnesota golf clubs.

[postfold]

I was always curious about the culture and rep of the Town & Country Club in St. Paul.  I lived on the other side of the river years ago and club membership anywhere was far enough out of reach that I never looked into it.  If any has the scoop I'd love to know, via PM totally fine.

[mlwenzlick]

On 1/26/2025 at 1:33 PM, postfold said:

I was always curious about the culture and rep of the Town & Country Club in St. Paul.  I lived on the other side of the river years ago and club membership anywhere was far enough out of reach that I never looked into it.  If any has the scoop I'd love to know, via PM totally fine.

I don’t know a lot as it’s been 15 years since I resided around there, but I did get quite the chuckle when St Thomas (my Alma mater) tried to buy them and bulldoze it for a sports complex and were told to F off basically. #Respect

[orr444]

On 1/26/2025 at 1:33 PM, postfold said:

I was always curious about the culture and rep of the Town & Country Club in St. Paul.  I lived on the other side of the river years ago and club membership anywhere was far enough out of reach that I never looked into it.  If any has the scoop I'd love to know, via PM totally fine.

Some call it Town and Catholic. Short, very hilly small greens. Limited practice facilities. Old course with lots of history.

[HG17786]

i know this thread is old.  The business journal has been publishing a list of the most expensive clubs in town.  They do this annually.  The info is relatively easy to find.  As others mentioned, find a club close to your house.  its the best advise to give you.  Then there is the club culture.  Olympic, for example, has very good golfers.  My buddy is a 6 handicap and he's about the middle of the pack for their membership.  I do like Olympic, it is a fun course to play every week.  Interlachen i played very recently and it is amazing.  The monthly dues are stratospheric though, and that's something to keep in mind.  Hazeltine, i play twice every year and i think it would get boring.  I ended up joining a different club in the western 'burbs (not on your list).   I hear great things about windsong.

[Kranzb2]

On 6/3/2025 at 3:37 PM, HG17786 said:

i know this thread is old.  The business journal has been publishing a list of the most expensive clubs in town.  They do this annually.  The info is relatively easy to find.  As others mentioned, find a club close to your house.  its the best advise to give you.  Then there is the club culture.  Olympic, for example, has very good golfers.  My buddy is a 6 handicap and he's about the middle of the pack for their membership.  I do like Olympic, it is a fun course to play every week.  Interlachen i played very recently and it is amazing.  The monthly dues are stratospheric though, and that's something to keep in mind.  Hazeltine, i play twice every year and i think it would get boring.  I ended up joining a different club in the western 'burbs (not on your list).   I hear great things about windsong.

If my plan with wife goes like I want, I will be joining Olympic in next couple years. What club did you join if you dont mind me asking?

[benkodi]

How long is the waitlist at Olympic currently?

[WesternRacing]

DELETED.  I thought you were referring to the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Edited June 17 by WesternRacing

[Letmeplaypls]

Would love to know why the western burbs are so expensive. I’m in Hopkins. Closest public options are meh (bad shape and super busy) interested in private. Everything close by is $40k + $1400/mo (MN Valley, Oak Ridge, GV, MGC). I know people on St Paul side where places like Mid Hills, Indian Hills, etc. are a fraction of the price. Wish there was a more affordable private option west near Minneapolis. I don’t even care about the downstroke, I just can’t justify $1400/mo for the 30 rounds over 5 months that I’ll get.  

[phillyspecial]

On 7/7/2025 at 8:33 PM, Letmeplaypls said:

Would love to know why the western burbs are so expensive. I’m in Hopkins. Closest public options are meh (bad shape and super busy) interested in private. Everything close by is $40k + $1400/mo (MN Valley, Oak Ridge, GV, MGC). I know people on St Paul side where places like Mid Hills, Indian Hills, etc. are a fraction of the price. Wish there was a more affordable private option west near Minneapolis. I don’t even care about the downstroke, I just can’t justify $1400/mo for the 30 rounds over 5 months that I’ll get.  

Demand.  A decade ago, you could pay 5k down to walk into MGC.  ICC had 75+ open golf memberships - today the wait list is closing in on 150 families with <10 turning over per year.  I feel for the younger guys trying to find private options right now.  

 

But if you are thinking about private golf on a cost per round basis or sweating what you need to spend for your minimums, then it's likely not for you now or in the future.  If you do not value or desire the overall package that a great or very good private club presents, then you are better off sticking to public or some type of semi-private option.  

 

Personally, if it is something you do truly value, in this environment I would try to find the right club that I aspire to and just get on the wait list now.  Use the social membership to try to meet staff and members in the mean time.  I wouldn't waste much time or money on a 'starter' club just to go to back of wait list once it really matters when you start a family.  

 

 

[midwestg]

Check out Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo. Recently went private and a great course / facilities. They just invested a ton into the clubhouse and other amenities. Since they just went private around 18 months ago, they still have membership openings and some great pricing for younger folks.