The People's Game

Golf began as a common man's game in Scotland—played on public land by shepherds, soldiers and shopkeepers—but the game certainly had more aristocratic origins when it reached the New World.

The first U.S. golf courses were private affairs, and most of those early clubs—Shinnecock Hills, Chicago Golf, The Country Club, Baltusrol and St. Paul's own Town & Country Club—remain private today. The game proved too popular, however, to remain the exclusive pastime of the well-to-do. Beginning with Glenwood (now Theodore Wirth Golf Course) in 1916, Minnesota began providing those who couldn't—or chose not to—join private clubs with many public golf options.

Demand for public golf has ebbed and flowed over the years, but in these post-COVID times, the demand is greater than ever. Fortunately, the Twin Cities has dozens of municipal courses—including 18-hole, nine-hole and executive layouts—to meet that demand.

Getting Kids on the Green
To ensure future demand, programs such as Youth on Course (YOC) and First Tee help young people get acquainted with golf by offering access to public courses at reduced rates. These initiatives have largely replaced caddie programs as the primary pipeline for youth to enter the golf world—but not completely.