Hardest Public Golf Courses in Minnesota
The hardest public golf course in Minnesota is Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove, with a slope of 149 and a course rating of 75.7 from the Duncan tees (7,290 yards). It is a public course, open to all golfers. Next are Willingers Golf Club (slope 148) and StoneRidge Golf Club (slope 145).
5 hardest public courses in Minnesota, by slope
Every course here has had its public access checked against a named source.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Slope | Course rating | Tee | Yards | Access checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rush Creek Golf Club | Maple Grove | Public | 149 | 75.7 | Duncan | 7,290 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Willingers Golf Club | Northfield | Public | 148 | 74.2 | Black | 6,809 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | StoneRidge Golf Club | Stillwater | Semi-private | 145 | 74.3 | Black | 7,013 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | The Wilds | Prior Lake | Public | 145 | 74.0 | Black | 7,012 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Dacotah Ridge Golf Club | Morton | Public | 144 | 74.7 | Tournament | 7,109 | Nov 2026 source |
How this list is built
Each course is ranked by the highest slope rating from its men's tees. Women's ratings are used only where a course publishes no men's rating. Only regulation 18-hole courses are included; nine-hole courses are left out.
Only courses whose public access Stymie has checked against the club's own site or another named source are listed, and private clubs are left out. That is why this list differs from the hardest golf courses in Minnesota, which ranks every rated course.
Courses are checked in order from the highest slope down, and the list stops at the first course whose public access has not been checked yet, so nothing here skips over an unchecked course. Courses that were checked and could not be confirmed as open to the public are left out. 309 golf courses in Minnesota have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 21 of them so far.
Semi-private courses limit public tee times. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Minnesota public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Minnesota?
Of the Minnesota courses Stymie has checked for public access, Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove has the highest slope rating: 149 from the Duncan tees, with a course rating of 75.7. Willingers Golf Club is next at 148. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Rush Creek Golf Club?
Yes. Rush Creek Golf Club is a public course, open to all golfers. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against rushcreek.com. Tee-time policies change, so confirm with the course before you go.
How is difficulty measured?
By slope rating, which measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It runs from 55 to 155, and 113 is standard difficulty. Each course is ranked by the highest slope from its men's tees, and only regulation 18-hole courses are included. Course rating, the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is shown alongside.
More Minnesota golf
- Hardest golf courses in Minnesota, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Minnesota
- Every rated course in Minnesota
- All Minnesota golf courses