MGA Foundation’s 100 Hole Hike Returns for 2026

The sun is barely up at Lafayette Club, and a small crowd is already gathering on the first tee.

By the time the last group finishes, it will be evening, the group will have played 100 holes, and every one of them will have raised money to help a kid somewhere in Minnesota play golf for the first time.

This is the 100 Hole Hike.

Where the Hike Began

The 100 Hole Hike started as a national fundraiser through Youth on Course. The MGA launched its own Youth on Course chapter in 2017, and demand grew fast to stage the Hike in Minnesota.

MGA's Joel Comstock, who was instrumental in launching the Youth on Course program in Minnesota back in 2017, remembers those early years well.

"We needed to find another way to cover our expenses that we were creating," he explains. "The 100 Hole Hike has been a great tool for us here in Minnesota."

Minnesota now ranks second nationally in Youth on Course participation, behind only Northern California, where the program started.

"We're the second largest in the country," Joel notes. "When it comes to members, we're just surpassing 29,000 now, and we have 151 course partners in our state alone."

That growth means more kids and families playing golf, more families on the course together, and more courses opening their doors to young golfers who might never have picked up a club otherwise.

Three Kinds of Challenges

The MGA Foundation is hosting three hikes in 2026.

Lafayette Club: Minnetonka, July 27 (Recap)

Lafayette was the longest walk of the three, but Joel says it’s worth it. "You'll walk 23 miles," he says. "There are a couple of holes right on Lake Minnetonka, and the view is unreal."

Founded in 1899 on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, it's one of the oldest golf clubs in the state, and its nine holes still trace the same peninsula the club has called home for over a century.

Hikers played through some of the hottest temperatures of the summer, a testament to their dedication to the cause.

The Gravel Pit: Brainerd, July 29 (Recap)

New to the rotation this year and built on a former working gravel pit designed by Scott Hoffmann, the course features short, precision holes ranging from 60 to 200 yards, with fescue fairways and dramatic elevation changes that make it feel bigger than it is.

Lafayette and the Gravel Pit together brought out 32 hikers and raised more than $35,000 for Youth on Course Minnesota members, with donations still coming in, enough to cover roughly 6,000 more rounds of golf.

The Loop at Chaska: August 28 (Upcoming)

The Loop is the most approachable of the three, with a course made almost entirely of par threes. Built by the City of Chaska alongside the nonprofit Barrier Free Golf, it was designed from the ground up for accessibility, with no bunkers or rough so golfers of any ability can play it comfortably.

"It's a really cool site to stand on that first tee and see the whole course," Joel says, "with hikers going out in groups of three or four."

Each site closes to outside play for the day, so hikers have the course to themselves from sunrise to sundown.

Don’t Overthink

A hundred holes in a day sounds like a lot, and it is, and that’s the point. But it’s doable.

"You don't train for a hike the way you train for a marathon," Joel explains. "If you've walked 18 holes, that's four or five miles, so you know you can handle the distance. Just bring extra socks."

Golfers who want an even lower barrier to entry can sign up as a team and split the load. Joel adds, "Grab three golfing buddies, and go around a few times together to get 100 holes between the group."

And for anyone worried they aren't fit enough or experienced enough to take it on, Joel says: "If you love the game and don't mind walking 18 holes," he says, "you can definitely walk the 100 Hole Hike."

A Day You Don't Want to End

Between rounds, hosts keep the energy up with music, a birdie leaderboard, and a few casual competitions.

Sponsors donate prizes for closest-to-the-pin challenges on select holes, giving tired golfers something to smile about by hole 70.

When the last group comes in, Joel says, "We all sit around, a couple coolers of drinks, just tell stories about what we did and how fun it was. ‘This was amazing, I'm so glad we did it, and I want to do this again.’"

That’s the goal: raise money for Youth on Course Minnesota.

Every hiker who signs up, every donor who chips in, and every friend who shares the fundraiser helps a kid somewhere in the state get on a golf course who might not otherwise have the chance.

Join the fun and pass the word along to someone who loves the game as much as you do.