Andrew Parks 2025-01-02 06:33:22
GREAT OUTDOORS
GOLF
Houston White Breaks Down His Favorite Golf Courses
As if he wasn’t busy enough running The Get Down Coffee Co. and launching clothing lines with the likes of Target and the menswear shop MartinPatrick3, Houston White is also behind the annual Be the Change MN tournament at Theodore Wirth Golf Club. The benefit is one of White’s many efforts to broaden the game’s reach to undeserved communities and exemplify Black excellence through fashion, sports and culture.
Now in his mid-40s, White has played golf for more than two decades. With that in mind, we asked the North Minneapolis native about five of his favorite courses in the metro area.
Prior Lake
The folks that work here have always treated me well. They’re very hospitable, very cool people. It also has the country club feel of being secluded, which means a lot to me, because it’s the place I go to just get away.
That’s something I tell every single entrepreneur: ‘You have to have a release valve.’ Golf is a superpower for aspiring young professionals – both a respite and a way to connect with other people.
One thing about this one, though: It’s not a course where I would bring somebody who is just starting to play golf. This is for when you progress a little bit.
Stillwater
I love this place. It’s a links-style course, like what you’d see in Scotland when golf started – no trees, and a big flat area. Links golf is all about placing the ball, but you don’t have the trouble of a traditional golf course, which is you hit it in a tree. It’s more forgiving in terms of space, but more difficult in terms of navigating everything.
There’s just something about the open air here that feels different to me. It’s a beautiful, challenging course. I really enjoy it.
Maplewood
This is more of a traditional course, where the fairway is wide and there’s trees lining the fairway. It’s a short course, but it has a ton of history. They used to play the St. Paul Open there with Arnie Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. It just has this mystique, man.
It’s beautiful. It’s well maintained. It’s oldschool. It’s regal. And it has the essence of ‘this is golf.’
Stillwater
I remember when this course first opened. It’s links on the front, and then it turns into a more traditional course on the back. It’s the best of both worlds. It can take a long time to finish, but it’s beautiful, man.
Woodbury
Here’s the thing about Minnesota: I could go on and on and on about the great courses here, from the Chaska Town Course and Francis A. Gross to Hidden Greens in Hastings. Hastings should have its own golf loop, actually; there’s so many little, amazing courses there.
Prestwick, over in Woodbury, reminds me of your favorite dive Irish bar – if it was a golf course. It just has this vibe to it, where it’s not pretentious. It’s dope. It’s chill. It’s like, ‘We do what we do, and we do it well. We’re not trying to be anything else.’ That type of thing.
Golf Trails
With nearly 500 courses in Minnesota, planning your golf getaway can be tough. Wrap several top-rated courses into one trip by following a golf trail.
Here’s a small sampling of the state’s golf trails:
• Minnesota Golf Trail
• Brainerd Golf Trail
• Wild North Golf Trail
• Minnesota River Valley Trail
• Mississippi Bluffs Trail
• Waters of the Dancing Sky Trail
Explore Minnesota’s golf trails for the ultimate golf getaway at exploreminnesota.com/where-to-golf-in-minnesota
From challenging championship layouts to relaxing greens, we have the perfect spot to get a few rounds in.
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