Stunning Minnesota Golf Course Named Among America’s Most Underrated

Minnesota's golf season may be short, but golfers throughout the state make every round count. The state is often cited as having the most golfers per capita in the country. More than 577,000 Minnesotans hit the links as recently as 2023, which is more golfers per person than sunny Arizona.

Minnesota also has plenty of big-stage credentials. The state has more than 450 golf courses, hosted the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National in 2016, and will welcome it back in 2029. It's also a regular stop on the PGA Tour with the 3M Open.

However, not every great course gets the headlines it deserves. Some of the best golf in the country gets overlooked simply because it's tucked away far from major cities.

Now a national study has found that one of the 10 most underrated golf courses in America can be found in Northern Minnesota.

The Most Underrated Golf Courses in America

The ranking comes from Betway, which used desk research to select 39 lesser-known public courses across the U.S. Each course was scored on five factors: its Google rating, its Golf Digest rating, the price of a full round during peak season (cheaper courses scored higher), annual rainfall in the area, and the average wind speed during its windiest month.

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Each course then received a normalized score out of 100. Old Works in Montana took the top spot with a score of 90.10. The data was current as of September 2026.

The Quarry at Giants Ridge Is the 8th Most Underrated Golf Course

Minnesota's representative in the Top 10 is The Quarry at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, which finished eighth nationally with a score of 80.94. It's about an hour north of Duluth, and for golfers who know it, the ranking might feel overdue.

The course has a story as rugged as the Iron Range itself. The Quarry was built on the site of an old sand, gravel, and iron ore mining operation. Architect Jeff Brauer designed it, and it opened in 2003 as the second course at Giants Ridge, after The Legend.

Brauer himself has said The Quarry may be judged his finest work, crediting a site that mixes untouched land, an open-pit mine, and a sand quarry.

Its most famous hole is the 13th, a drivable par 4 with three routes to a green that's roughly 100 yards wide. Golf Digest once named it the best 13th hole built in America since 2000, and the magazine currently ranks The Quarry 58th among the country's 100 greatest public courses.

The views aren't bad either. The Wacootah Grille at the clubhouse overlooks the 18th green and Lake Mine, a lake known for its trout fishing. And when the golf season ends, Giants Ridge turns into one of Minnesota's hidden mountain destinations for skiing.

Can You Still Golf The Quarry This Year?

Good news for anyone hoping to squeeze in one more round: yes, for now. According to Giants Ridge, The Quarry's late season began Sept. 29 and runs until a closing date that hasn't been announced yet.

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This is northern Minnesota, though, and the weather gets the final say. If you're planning a trip, check with Giants Ridge before you make the drive. Otherwise, it's a strong candidate for the top of your list when the course reopens next spring.

The 10 Most Underrated Golf Courses in America

Here's the full top 10 from the study:

• 1. Old Works, Montana (90.10)
• 2. Running Y Resort Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, Oregon (89.91)
• 3. Circling Raven, Idaho (85.61)
• 4. Wine Valley Golf Club, Washington (85.48)
• 5. Tetherow, Oregon (82.46)
• 6. Sweetens Cove, Tennessee (82.09)
• 7. Sunriver – Crosswater, Oregon (81.86)
• 8. The Quarry at Giants Ridge, Minnesota (80.94)
• 9. Palouse Ridge, Washington (80.60)
• 10. Sand Valley – Mammoth Dunes, Wisconsin (79.47)