It happens every March. If you are a golfer in Minnesota, you start to have that real desire to get the clubs out of the garage and start planning your trips to the course. You’ve been watching the tour pros on television every weekend play in sunny weather, wondering just how quickly snow melt here at home. The Masters, with full azaleas in bloom, is right around the corner. Ugh, spring can’t come quickly enough.
Like most things in Minnesota, golf has been adapted for the seasons. If you just can’t wait to get the swing back into shape, the Twin Cities area offers many indoor golf domes, all season ranges and simulators. Here are examples of each:
Located in Eden Prairie, this 30,000-square-foot indoor facility offers a 10-bay driving range, a short game area, and a variety of putting surfaces (1,625 square feet of undulating green to be precise) on which to sharpen your game. It even features a large sand bunker. Being an academy, the facility also offers golf tips and lessons, club fitting, TrackMan Swing Analysis, and other services to help you improve your game.
Rain, snow or sunny skies, this full-length driving range offers 40 heated stalls for year-round outdoor golf enjoyment. Memberships are available, as are lessons if your swing is in real need of straightening. Take the entire family for a day and enjoy Big Bear Mini Putt, an 18-hole indoor miniature putt course. The facility is located in Chaska, near the intersection of 101 North and Flying Cloud Drive.
Want to hit a drive along the Pacific Ocean at Pebble Beach? How about trying to land a tee shot on the famed 17th island green at TPC Sawgrass? You can, without leaving Eden Prairie. Inside Edge Golf offers a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy their realistic PGA simulators. More than 50 famed courses are available in full 3D graphics. Nine simulators used a state-of-the-art aboutGolf PGA Tour Simulators that include three screens and SimSurround sound. You can also hone your short game on an 1,800 square foot contoured practice green, which includes a mini flop wall and chipping areas.
Of course, we are really quite fortunate to have such wonderful golf courses here in Minnesota. One may indeed soon be rated among the world’s best by Travel + Leisure magazine. Madden’s on Gull Lake has been nominated as part of the magazine’s World’s Best Awards Survey. Cast your vote for them if you agree. If so, you will be entered for a chance to win a $10,000 dream trip to a destination of your choice. Like other courses across the state I’m sure, Madden’s is also aware that gophers are itching to get out. Currently the resort is offering a St. Patrick’s Day Lucky 7 Promo. Sign up by Monday, March 17, and you will receive daily offers and chances a special prizes for discounts to play this year on what soon may be among Travel + Leisure’s world’s best courses.
