Playing Favorites

Tim Ridley, partner, Meagher & Geer law firm in Minneapolis

How often do you play? Two or three times a week—he’s been golfing for 20 years. “I played with my father when I was little,” he says, but didn’t pursue it as a teenager. “I really enjoy it now.”

Handicap: 7.

Favorite Courses

Twin Cities: He has three: Minneapolis Golf Club, Wayzata Country Club, and Interlachen Country Club. “All those courses are scenic and challenging.” He’s also a member at The Minikahda Club.

Greater Minnesota: He doesn’t play outside of the Twin Cities a lot, but he likes The Classic at Madden’s, Giant’s Ridge, and The Wilderness at Fortune Bay in Tower.

U.S. and beyond: He again names three: Pebble Beach, Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, and The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

 

Larry Berle, founder, LB Productions, an entertainment company in Minneapolis. His book about playing Golf Digest’s top 100 golf courses in the United States over a 10-year span will be released in May.

How often do you play? “Now that I’m not working anymore, I play three or four times a week. That’s been pretty consistent for past couple of years.”

Handicap: 12. “It’s changed in the past year and gone down a little but hangs around in that area.”

Favorite Courses

Twin Cities: Interlachen Country Club. “It’s extremely well-designed and taken care of, with a fair amount of history in it. There’s something about the experience out there that makes it a wonderful place to play golf.” He’s also been a member at Bearpath for ten years.

Greater Minnesota: He likes Giants Ridge, but there are plenty of great courses to choose from, he says. “In the last five or six years, they’ve built some really terrific public courses in Minnesota: The Wilds [Golf Club in Prior Lake], Rush Creek [Golf Club in Maple Grove], Troy Burne. There is terrific stuff in Brainerd, too. Brainerd has made a real effort to promote itself as a golf destination.”

U.S. and beyond: Considering his experience, it’s not surprising that he has several favorites. “The group would include Pebble Beach; Cyprus Point Club, a very private club right next door to Pebble Beach; and a place called Merion Golf Club, a private club in Philadelphia.” He also notes Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, a lush course in the middle of the desert, created by Las Vegas resort developer Steve Wynn and architect Tom Fazio.

 

Ryan Alexander, financial representative, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, an insurance and financial services firm in Edina

How often do you play? Three times a week in the golf season. “I do half my business through golf and specifically prospect for [clients] that are golfers. They have to share the same passion for the game as I do.”

Handicap: 0.

Favorite Courses

Twin Cities: Interlachen Country Club—he grew up playing high school golf there. “But day in, day out, I like the Minneapolis Golf Club. It’s a player’s club, and it has the most single-digit handicappers in the state. I love the course. I could play three times a week and never get tired of it.” He’s been a member at the club for five years, joining when he was just 24.

Greater Minnesota: He’s played all of the courses in the state and says he enjoys Windsong Farm.

U.S. and beyond: Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona, is one of many favorites. Of the club’s seven courses, he enjoyed Chiricahua the most. “I like desert courses, with the mountains and the perfect green patches stuck in the middle of the desert scenery.” He’s also enjoyed playing St. Andrews in Scotland, where he shot a -2 while playing with his father in 2002. “It was the greatest experience. I birdied the last hole on the Old Course and my dad shot a 75.”