white bear yacht club membership cost

White Bear Yacht Club Dellwood MN | Membership Cost, Amenities, History, What To Know When Visiting

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Nestled along the picturesque shores of White Bear Lake in Dellwood, Minnesota, the White Bear Yacht Club stands as a true gem among the state’s exclusive recreational destinations. This historic and elegant yacht club embodies the essence of lakeside luxury, offering members and guests an unparalleled experience in a serene, natural setting.

With a rich heritage dating back over a century, White Bear Yacht Club is a beloved institution renowned for its pristine waters, world-class amenities, and warm sense of community. Join us as we embark on a journey to discover the timeless beauty and hospitality that defines the White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, MN.

White Bear Yacht Club History and Founding

The White Bear Yacht Club, located in Dellwood, Minnesota, boasts a rich and storied history that dates back to its founding in 1889. Designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert , who later became famous for his work on iconic structures such as the United States Supreme Court Building and the Woolworth Building in New York City, the club’s architecture reflects the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era.

Founded by a group of enthusiastic sailing and boating enthusiasts, the White Bear Yacht Club quickly established itself as a hub for leisure and social activities along the pristine shores of White Bear Lake. Cass Gilbert’s architectural brilliance is evident in the club’s timeless design, which seamlessly integrates with the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Over the years, the club has played host to a myriad of sailing regattas, social events, and gatherings, earning a reputation for its commitment to promoting the sport of sailing and fostering a strong sense of community. Today, the White Bear Yacht Club stands as a testament to its enduring legacy, preserving the historic charm and architectural marvels that have captivated generations of members and guests alike.

White Bear Yacht Club Membership Costs and Dues

Here are the estimated and rumored Membership Costs and Dues for the White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood MN:

Estimated Costs:

• Initiation Fee: $10,000-$20,000
• Monthly Dues: $400-$600
• Food and Beverage Minimum: $150/month (May-September only)

Rumored Costs:

• Initiation Fee: $20,000-$30,000
• Monthly Dues: $500-$700
• Food and Beverage Minimum: $200/month (May-September only)

It is important to note that these are just estimates and rumors, and the actual Membership Costs and Dues may vary depending on the type of membership you choose and other factors.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about the White Bear Yacht Club Membership Costs and Dues:

• There is a non-refundable application fee of $250.
• Initiation fees can be paid in full upfront or over a period of time.
• Monthly dues are charged year-round, regardless of how often you use the club.
• The food and beverage minimum is only applicable during the summer months (May to September).
• There are additional fees for some activities and amenities, such as golf, tennis, and swimming.

White Bear Yacht Club Amenities

The White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, offers a range of amenities to its members, catering to a diverse set of interests and recreational activities. While specific offerings may change over time, here are some of the typical amenities you might find at such a yacht club:

• Sailing Facilities: As a yacht club, sailing is often at the forefront of its activities. Members can enjoy access to sailing lessons, sailboat rentals, and various types of sailboat racing and regattas.
• Dining: Many yacht clubs offer fine dining options, providing members with an elegant and comfortable setting to enjoy meals with a scenic view of the lake.
• Tennis and Other Sports: Yacht clubs often feature tennis courts, swimming pools, and other sporting facilities to cater to a variety of athletic interests.
• Social Events: Yacht clubs frequently host social events, including parties, galas, and special gatherings for members and their guests.
• Marina Services: Access to boat slips, docking facilities, and maintenance services for members who own boats.
• Clubhouse: A clubhouse typically provides a central hub for members, offering meeting spaces, lounges, and event facilities.
• Junior Programs: Many yacht clubs have programs for children and young adults, including sailing lessons and other activities.
• Waterfront Access: Direct access to the lake, with facilities for swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and more.
• Golf: Some yacht clubs may have golf courses or partnerships with nearby golf clubs to offer golfing opportunities to members.
• Fitness and Wellness Facilities: Gyms, fitness centers, and spa facilities to promote health and well-being.
• Social and Networking Opportunities: Membership often includes access to a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for boating and watersports.

White Bear Yacht Club Event Information and Dining Options

The White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, offers a variety of events and occasions for members to celebrate and enjoy. While specific events may vary from year to year, common events and celebrations at yacht clubs like White Bear Yacht Club may include:

• Sailing Regattas: Yacht clubs often host a series of sailing regattas throughout the season, where members can compete in various boat classes and racing formats.
• Opening Day and Closing Day Celebrations: Many yacht clubs mark the beginning and end of the sailing season with special ceremonies and social gatherings.
• Themed Parties: Clubs may organize themed parties throughout the year, such as costume parties, tropical luau nights, and holiday-themed events.
• Concerts and Entertainment: Enjoy live music performances, outdoor concerts, and other entertainment options that the club may host.
• Junior Sailing and Youth Programs: Clubs typically offer programs and events specifically designed for young sailors and their families, including junior regattas and summer camps.
• Social Mixers: Casual gatherings where members can socialize and network with fellow boating enthusiasts.
• Weddings and Private Events: Yacht clubs often provide event spaces for weddings, corporate functions, and private celebrations with stunning lakeside settings.
• Educational Seminars: Some country clubs host workshops and educational events related to sailing, boat maintenance, and other nautical topics.
• Holiday Celebrations: Special events for holidays such as Independence Day, Labor Day, and other relevant occasions.
• Annual Awards Banquet: A formal event where the club recognizes and honors outstanding achievements in sailing and contributions from members.
• Regatta Parties: Celebrations held in conjunction with major sailing races and regattas, featuring award ceremonies and social gatherings.
• Member’s Birthday Celebrations: Some clubs organize birthday parties for members, to celebrate their special days.

The dining options at the White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, may vary, but typical options you might find at a yacht club include:

• Fine Dining: Many yacht clubs offer upscale dining options in an elegant and formal setting. These restaurants often feature gourmet cuisine and a carefully curated wine list. Members can enjoy a refined dining experience with lakefront views.
• Casual Dining: Yacht clubs may provide more relaxed dining options, such as a grill, bistro, or pub-style restaurant. Casual dining areas are perfect for members seeking a more laid-back atmosphere and a variety of comfort foods.
• Outdoor Dining: Enjoy the beautiful lakeside scenery with outdoor dining on patios or decks. Outdoor dining areas often offer a more relaxed atmosphere, allowing members to soak in the natural beauty while enjoying their meals.
• Member’s Bar: Many yacht clubs have a dedicated bar area where members can socialize, relax, and enjoy drinks and light fare. It’s a popular spot for post-sailing gatherings and casual meetups.
• Private Dining Rooms: For special occasions and private events, yacht clubs may have private dining rooms available for members to reserve. These spaces provide an intimate setting for celebrations or business meetings.

White Bear Yacht Club Dress Code and Guest Policy

The dress code and guest policy at the White Bear Yacht Club, like those at many private clubs, are typically designed to maintain a certain level of decorum, uphold the club’s traditions, and create a pleasant and respectful atmosphere for all members and guests.

Here are some general guidelines that are often found at private clubs:

Dress Code: The dress code at the White Bear Yacht Club may include the following:

• Appropriate Attire: Members and guests are generally expected to wear attire that is neat, clean, and in good condition.
• Formal Dress: Some areas of the club may require more formal attire, such as collared shirts, slacks, dresses, and appropriate footwear.
• Casual Dress: Other areas, like outdoor dining or casual dining spaces, may permit more relaxed attire, such as shorts and casual shirts.
• Swimwear: Swimwear is typically restricted to pool and beach areas, and cover-ups may be required in indoor areas.
• Hats and Headgear: Some clubs have policies regarding hats and headgear, often requiring the removal of hats when indoors.
• Denim: Some clubs may restrict the use of denim in certain areas, while others allow it as long as it is clean and presentable.

Guest Policy: The guest policy at the White Bear Yacht Club will outline the rules and limitations for inviting non-member guests to the club. Common elements may include:

• Guest Limits: Clubs usually have restrictions on how often and for how many guests a member can extend an invitation.
• Registration: Guests may need to be registered with the club in advance, and there could be a fee associated with hosting guests.
• Sponsorship: A sponsoring member may be required to accompany their guest during the visit.
• Compliance: Guests are typically expected to adhere to the club’s dress code and behavioral expectations.

White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, represents a cherished haven for those seeking a unique blend of lakeside luxury, nautical adventure, and a strong sense of community. With a rich history dating back to the late 19th century and an enduring commitment to preserving its traditions, this esteemed yacht club offers a wide range of amenities and opportunities for members to enjoy.

From world-class sailing facilities to fine dining and social events, the White Bear Yacht Club continues to be a beacon of leisure and camaraderie on the shores of White Bear Lake. Its timeless appeal and dedication to fostering a close-knit community make it a special place where members can create lasting memories and celebrate the beauty of lake life.

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White Bear Yacht Club

White Bear Lake, MN , United States • Private

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Before he moved to California where he laid the foundation of many of that state's best courses from the pre-Depression era, William Watson was a pioneer of golf in Minnesota. He arranged the first nine holes at White Bear Yacht Club in 1912 near the shore of White Bear Lake on some of the most roly-poly land imaginable. Several years later, Donald Ross, it is believed, added nine holes and remodeled the course. That rumpled, unmodified land is the heart and soul of White Bear Yacht Club. Modern architects would likely have leveled and softened the slopes and ravines, but here they bring the golf to life visually and psychologically, offering nary a level stance and asking the player to hit approaches with extreme control. Over the last two decades under the guidance of Jim Urbina the surrounding canopy of forest has been pared back to better reveal the massive, enthralling undulations of the course.

100 Greatest: The course was part of Golf Digest's original 200 Toughest Courses list from 1967-'68.

Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 191st, 2017-'18.

Best in State: Ranked fourth, 2023-'24. Ranked fifth, 2011-'22. Ranked inside the top 5, 1991-2003. Ranked inside the top 10, 2005-'09. 2023-'24 ranking: 4th.

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100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot options, layout variety, conditioning.

“While still highly rated, it is the most underrated top course in the state. The variety on the course, conditions, and the unique multi-clubhouse vibe is top on the state."

“Awesome rolling topography. Great conditions. This is such a fun course to play on these hills. The 18th hole is a little bit of a let down. Truly think they would benefit from switching the 9s."

“Old Donald Ross design built on undulating ground. Beautiful set of Par 3's are the highlight here. Here's a course where you will hit every club in your bag. This is a fun course to play. Jump at the chance to play here if ever invited."

“Delightful private club on a small site with considerable elevation changes. What I lacks in length is made up in variety, uniqueness/quirk, and challenging green complexes. Very soft when played, which is probably more often the rule than the exception (though reportedly, they do strive for firm conditions)"

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6550 York Avenue South, Suite 411 • Edina, MN 55435 • (952) 927-4643 • (800) 642-4405 • Fax: (952) 927-9642 © 2024 Minnesota Golf Association. All Rights Reserved

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56 Dellwood Ave, Dellwood, MN 55110, USA Dellwood, MN 55110

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An Insider’s Guide to the Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs

Editors’ Note: This article first appeared in our Summer 2013 issue and remains one of our most read stories from our archives.

People still wear pressed tennis whites and go yachting. There are still women who call themselves “Babs.” But many of the Twin Cities’ private country clubs have changed, particularly since the Great Recession. Clubs with long-standing wait lists, like Interlachen and Woodhill , now find themselves with ample openings. Some, such as Dellwood Hills , have moved to a no-initiation model. Even the most exclusive clubs are offering terrific bargains for young people (half off the initiation fee for those under 40, for example).

“It used to be that country clubs were the domain of the truly well-connected,” confides one Woodhill member, who asked to not be named. “Now, clubs are clamoring for almost anyone with a wallet. Even Woodhill members are being asked to groom their contacts, to do recruiting.”

The glitz and formality of country clubs have faded, too. Woodhill and Minikahda used to host lavish parties for hundreds of people, à la The Great Gatsby . But galas have largely been replaced by patio BBQs and couples’ trivia nights. Once considered unthinkable, gentlemen at Woodhill are no longer required to wear neckties in the clubhouse after 6 p.m.

Which is not to say there aren’t real benefits to joining. If you want to tee off with Minnesota’s most powerful players, you will still find them at “the club.” Here’s your insider guide to the top venues.  

Photography by Wing Ta

Edina Country Club

Founded: 1923

The Basics: This lavish club is built around a core of nouveau riche. Transplants to Minnesota are sometimes advised to join Edina to build up social capital and then try for membership at the more prestigious Interlachen or Minikahda . The club is considered kid-friendly, especially since the 2008 hiring of Manager Carl Granberg, who added a slew of kid-centric offerings, such as pool-opening parties and kids’ etiquette classes. As of 2012, the club had 1.67 adults for every child. But for some, the place became a little too kid-friendly; there has been a moderate exodus of older members and empty nesters to Minikahda .  

Ancient History: The Edina Country Club was designed as a kind of community center. Real-estate mogul Samuel Thorpe bought a farm south of 50th Street with visions of an idyllic 585-home subdivision. At the heart of his “country club” neighborhood: an actual country club.  

Big Moment: A 1970 exhibition game between pro golfer Arnold Palmer and Gov. Wendy Anderson.  

Noteworthy Event: Easter Sunday Brunch with ham- and prime rib–carving stations, chicken Kiev, Cajun shrimp, and house-made chocolate eggs (hand decorated with edible paint, naturally). Don’t miss the roving Easter bunny, kids’ egg hunt and Easter Bunny-shaped ice sculpture.  

Clubhouse: The 65,000-square-foot shake and brick clubhouse is a sprawling, low-slung affair that overlooks the fifth green and sixth tee. Inside, off-white walls hem with dark-wood furnishings and gilt hardware.  

Golf Course: The original course is credited to Scottish-American designer Tom Bendelow, though he had a hand in only nine of its 18 holes. When the clubhouse was moved in 1959, the course was reoriented, and there have been issues ever since, mostly with winterkilled greens and awkward tees. The course was shut down for a year in 1996 so designer Roger Rulewich could do a complete overhaul. When that effort underwhelmed the membership, the club hired former Gophers golfer Tom Lehman to do a redesign in 2010 and again shut down the course for an entire year. Local golf blogger Jeff Shelman, a former sports scribbler at the Star Tribune , reviewed the new course, calling it “way more fun than before.”  

Other Amenities: An Olympic-sized pool, four clay and two hard-surface tennis courts, plus a winter clubhouse that offers two platform tennis courts and easy access to ice skating and hockey.  

The Damage: $50,000 initiation, $564 monthly dues, $75 monthly capital assessment for a golf membership. Members are also expected to spend $75 or more on food every month.

Getting In: The club offers 100 social memberships, 210 pool/tennis memberships and 375 golf memberships. New members are approved every third Thursday, but if you bring them a check and seem up-to-snuff, the club will get you into the facilities as soon as the next day. New members need one sponsor and two endorsers (endorsements can be as simple as an email to the general manager).

Notable Members: Plastic surgeon Doug Gervais; pro golfer John Harris; retailer Perry and Mary Mead, co-owners of Melly at the Galleria; Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Otteson; legendary venture capitalist Gordon Stofer of Cherry Tree Investments, who funded “Sesame Street Live”  

Networking Hot Spots: Cargill; Dalco Enterprises; Entegris; Ingenio; J.W. Hulme Co.; Lazard Middle Market; Preston Kelly; Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner; Steingart, McGrath & Moore; Thomson Reuters; QSR+

Interlachen Country Club

Founded: 1909

The Basics: Situated on the shores of Mirror Lake in Edina, this chummy club attracts a broad cross-section of new and old wealth. It’s much harder to get into than Edina, just two miles away. Interlachen has perhaps the most famous golf course in Minnesota; in recent years, it has hosted the Solheim Cup (2002) and the U.S. Women’s Open (2008).  

Ancient History: The club was established on 185 acres of farmland. Grain merchant Alvin Poehler was a major stakeholder in its early days.  

Big Moment: Bobby Jones’ famous shot in the 1930 U.S. Open, when he topped his shot into the pond and it skipped on the surface of the water to the far bank.  

Noteworthy Event: This July will mark the 45th anniversary of the Willie Kidd Invitational, named for the club’s long-deceased Scottish golf pro. People fly in from all over the country for the chance at a Willie Kidd Piper, a rubbed bronze statuette of a Scottish Highland bagpiper in full regalia.  

Clubhouse: The frame and timber Tudor-style clubhouse retains much of the masculine aura instilled by architect Cecil Bayless Chapman. The main dining room still has a soaring ceiling with exposed hardwood rafters. Details include mahogany-stained woodwork and scoop-back leather chairs.  

Golf Course: Designed by William Watson with revisions by Robert Trent Jones, Interlachen’s course is difficult, with many trees and nine water hazards. The signature hole is No. 18, where Bobby Jones accidentally skipped his ball across the water and ended the hole with a birdie.  

Other Amenities: A six-lane, 25-yard pool, seven clay and two-hard surface tennis courts, plus a wellness center that offers massage therapy, pedicures, manicures, facials and reflexology.  

The Damage: $60,000 initiation plus $680 in monthly dues for a golf membership. The monthly food and beverage minimum is $100.  

Getting In: The multi-step process involves a questionnaire about your golf skills, various meet-and-greets, two separate reviews by the membership committee, and six letters of recommendation.  

Notable Members: Arne and David Rovick, sons of Edina Realty Founder Emma Rovick; St. Cloud Times Publisher Scott Johnson; Opus Founder Gerald Rauenhorst; Bachman’s President Paul Bachman; MacPhail Center CEO Kyle Carpenter; Allina Health System CEO Emeritus Gordon Sprenger; former Target CEO Bob Ulrich; former UnitedHealthcare CEO Robert Sheehy; former PepsiAmericas CEO Bob Pohlad; John Remes, president at KARE 11; William Lindsay, MD, who performed the first heart transplant in Minnesota; Sports-show host Dave Mona; Malt-O-Meal board chair John Lettmann  

Networking Hot Spots: CarVal Investors; CBRE; Dain Rauscher; Ernst & Young; Faegre & Benson; Hays Companies; Hoyt Properties; Norwest Mezzanine Partners; Piper Jaffray; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi; UBS

Minikahda Country Club

Founded: 1898

The Basics: Considered a transitional club between the more showy nouveau-riche clubs ( Edina , Wayzata ) and the decorous old-money clubs ( Woodhill , Somerset ), Minikahda is more prestigious than Interlachen and is difficult to get into.  

Ancient History: Minikahda was the first private club founded by the enterprising old-money families: the Washburns, the Crosbys, the Pillsburys, the Daytons. Situated right on the outskirts of Minneapolis, it originally served the milling barons who lived in the grand homes on Lake of the Isles. As those families began to migrate toward Lake Minnetonka, Minikahda was somewhat abandoned by the ultra-rich in favor of Woodhill.  

Big Moment: When the Archbishop of Canterbury visited in the early 1950s wearing his formal tailcoat and knee pants, and got very splashed by kids in the pool. (He laughed it off.)  

Noteworthy Event: Prim and proper luncheon for all past Aquatennial Queens, held each July. The menu is always the same: Minikahda chicken salad and sticky rolls.  

Clubhouse: The antebellum-style clubhouse has expansive views of Lake Calhoun. Members sit on the whitewashed grand portico and eat meals prepared by Ferris Shiffer, said to be the best private-club chef in Minnesota.  

Golf Course: In 2001, Minikahda hired Ron Prichard to return the course to a more undulating style, as envisioned by Scottish architect Donald Ross. He reconfigured all 18 holes, enlarged all the greens and dramatically lengthened the course. The signature hole is still No. 10, which starts off very steep and narrows down through a passage of old-growth trees.  

Other Amenities: A kidney-shaped pool that overlooks Lake Calhoun, six clay and one hard-surface tennis courts, and a separate paddle house for platform tennis.  

The Damage: $60,000 initiation plus $632 in monthly dues for a golf membership.  

Getting In: Applicants need a minimum of six sponsors. Expect a wait time of two months or more for your application to be considered. As of press time, there were 875 members; the club has a capacity of 915.  

Notable Members: Ecolab CEO Doug Baker; Constance Bakken, who bought herself a bank after divorcing Medtronic Founder Earl Bakken (also a member); Pillsbury heir and Washburn Crosby heir Robert L. Crosby; U.S. District Judge David Doty; Haskell’s CEO Jack Farrell; Rev. Douglas Fontaine, retired dean of the Cathedral of St. Mark; SimonDelivers Founder Simon Foster; Minnesota Monthly Publisher Steve Fox; Gabbert’s Founder Jim Gabbert; Rev. Tim Hart-Andersen, minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church; Peavey heir Frank Heffelfinger; former Brit’s Pub Owner Stuart Higgins; Rockefeller heir Alida Messinger; Target design chief Rich Varda; Rev. Canon Charles Vogt of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral; Minnesota Commissioner of Transportation Charlie Zelle  

Networking Hot Spots: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co; AWJ Capital Partners; Briggs and Morgan; C. Chase Company; Coldwell Banker Burnet; Dorsey & Whitney; Dougherty Financial Group; Gray Plant Mooty; Hillcrest Capital Partners; Lindquist & Vennum; McGough; RBC Wealth Management; Riverbridge Partners; TCF Bank  

North Oaks Golf Club

Founded: 1950

The Basics: Conceived and financed by the wealthy heirs of railroad baron James J. Hill, the North Oaks Golf Club has lost much of its prestige in its 63 years. Though the third-generation Hill heirs stayed involved until their deaths, the club is now populated mainly by lawyers, doctors and VP-level businesspeople from North Oaks and St. Paul. Members say they appreciate that their place lacks much of the social preening found in some other clubs.  

Ancient History: James J. Hill’s grandson, Louis Hill Jr., was caught up in the utopianism of the 1950s. Le Corbusier had his “radiant city.” Writer Ebenezer Howard envisioned a grand “garden city movement.” There was a feeling among power players and intellectuals that idyllic cities, towns and neighborhoods could be neatly and properly constructed. With that in mind, L. W. Hill Jr. convinced his fellow heirs that they could create a chaos-free community on their grandfather’s 4,000-acre farm. Thus, today we have North Oaks, a St. Paul suburb that is also a private, gated community. The golf club is part of that residential complex.  

Noteworthy Event: The Ray Vennewitz Acorn Men’s Invitational is the club’s much-anticipated guest/member tourney held each July.  

Clubhouse: Low and sprawling, the clubhouse has the feel of a high-dollar senior-living facility: clean, comfortable, rather antiseptic. The ballroom has fiberglass ceiling tiles. But there are nice views of the golf course.  

Golf Course: Designed in 1951 by Stanley Thompson, the 6,655-yard course was significantly renovated in 2007 by golfer Tom Lehman. Members say their course is quick, challenging and very underrated.  

The Damage: Initiation is $5,500 plus $593 in monthly dues. There is a $50 monthly food minimum for a golf membership.  

Getting In: Two letters of sponsorship are required. You do not have to live in the gated community to be a member.  

Notable Members: Former 3M CEO Lewis Lehr; Rev. Paul Morrissey, minister at the Church of St. Louis, King of France; Car dealer Lee Carlson, the father of FOX host Gretchen Carlson; Compulsive entrepreneur Tom Auth, who owns more than 30 different companies (from auto parts to chemical testing and wireless alarm systems)  

Networking Hot Spots: Cody Law Group; Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson; Homel Realty; Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt; Fredrikson & Byron; Brookdale Health; Johnstech International; White Pine Capital; Yaeger, Jungbauer & Barczak  

Town & Country Club

Founded: 1887

The Basics: Located near the Marshall Avenue–Lake Street bridge in St. Paul, this steady, low-priced club attracts midlevel VPs, St. Paul politicians and a surprising number of doctors.  

Ancient History: Before the great Minnesota barons were at Minikahda , White Bear Yacht or Woodhill , they were at Town & Country, the oldest private club in Minnesota. It was founded by the Nushkas, a social krewe born out of the first Winter Carnival, which included Lucius Pond Ordway and James J. Hill. True to its roots, the club originally had a toboggan slide and an official uniform: electric blue with astrakhan fur. The first version of the golf course employed tomato cans and fishing poles with red rags because members weren’t yet exactly sure how to play the unusual Scottish game.  

Clubhouse: Once a cool fin-de-siècle clubhouse designed by Cass Gilbert. But that was torn down in 1955 to go with standard dark brick. The main dining room has a nice view of the Mississippi River.  

Other Amenities: Four clay tennis courts and a swimming pool heated to 80 degrees.

The Damage: $8,750 initiation plus $667 monthly dues for a golf membership. The food and beverage minimum is $187.50 per quarter.

Getting In: Very easy. The membership coordinator will even find sponsors for you to meet if you don’t know anyone there.  

Notable Members: Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer; former Minnesota Gopher star tackle and World War II vet Ed Lechner; Nora McGuire, the first female golf pro in Minnesota; investor David Freeman, the former owner of the Nashville Predators; well-known car dealers Ron Saxon and Tom Krebsbach Jr.  

Networking Hot Spots: Advantus Capital Management; Dain Rauscher; First Farmers and Merchants Bank; ING; National Checking Company; Oberman Thompson; Schwan’s; UBS

Photography provided by Wayzata Country Club

Wayzata Country Club

Founded: 1956

The Basics: Where Woodhill is demure and secretive, Wayzata is glitzy and flashy: The two clubs are polar opposites, as different as Mark Dayton and David Koch. And yet, they are near neighbors, less than a mile apart, separated by a railroad track (literally). Culturally speaking, Wayzata is lively, fun-loving and very family-oriented. It also seems to attract more than its fair share of drama. Just Google Wayzata Country Club and “Ali Dunham” for one juicy tale that made it all the way to the TV show A Current Affair. The club has also attracted a few crooked characters, such as Denny Hecker and Tom Petters. In fact, a handful of members were accused of being co-conspirators in Petters’ $3.65-billion Ponzi scheme.  

Ancient History: For nearly 40 years, Woodhill was one of the few private clubs near Lake Minnetonka. As the area exploded with new residents after World War II, it was besieged with membership requests. This made Woodhill’s old-guard founders, who preferred to stay under the radar, quite uncomfortable. As such, the old-money families decided they needed a kind of pressure valve for their favorite club and so put up much of the early capital for Wayzata.  

Clubhouse: The Tudor cottage clubhouse is well-appointed outside and in. Even the lockers in the locker rooms have carved-wood doors.  

Golf Course: The splendid and tough 18-hole championship course is never lent to the Minnesota Golf Association for tournaments.  

The Damage: $35,000 initiation, $685 monthly dues, $100 monthly capital assessment plus a $160 bimonthly food minimum.  

Getting In: You need one primary and two supporting sponsors to write letters on your behalf. These letters, plus a formal membership application and credit report, are submitted to the board of directors for review. The process generally takes a couple of months.  

Other Amenities: Trap and skeet range, an Olympic-sized pool, six clay and two hard-surface tennis courts, two paddle tennis courts, a six-hole junior golf course, an ice rink in winter.  

Notable Members:  Former General Mills CEO Steve Sanger, former Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Publisher Vance Opperman, Gov. Wendy Anderson, TCF Bank CEO Bill Cooper, Archivers Founder Jann Olsten, professional golfer Tim Herron  

Networking Hot Spots: Campbell Mithun; C.H. Robinson; Deloitte & Touche; Fabcon; Fair Isaac; General Mills; Korn/Ferry; Kraus-Anderson; Medtronic; Merrill Lynch; Pentair; PricewaterhouseCoopers; RBC Wealth Management; Toro; U.S. Bancorp; Wells Fargo Home Mortgage  

White Bear Yacht Club

Founded: 1889

The Basics: Twenty miles northeast of St. Paul sits the White Bear Yacht Club, the only sailing-plus-golf club in the state.

Ancient History: Originally a summer hotel, the yacht club still rented rooms to vacationers through the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent the summer of 1921 at the club but were kicked out before September (probably for fighting, which they did all the time). In 1922, Fitzgerald published Winter Dreams , a short story about a caddie-turned-businessman who falls in love at Sherry Island Golf Club in Black Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Noteworthy Event: The Sailors BBQ features a competitive scow, a BBQ buffet on the Lakeside Lawn and cocktails galore.

Clubhouse: The clubhouse is an interesting mix of nautical and Nantucket: white clapboard and blue awnings next to bold arches and sweeping porticos. Currently, a $3.2-million renovation is underway. As of Memorial Day, club members can enjoy a new 25-yard competition pool, a kid’s splash pool and wading area, a new dining terrace with lake views, a new 1,200-square-foot lakeside pavilion with firepit and patio, a new tennis house, and a new on-course restroom. The club is also funding a shoreline restoration project.

Golf Course: The Donald Ross–designed course is separated from the clubhouse by Dellwood Avenue.  

Other Amenities: Four clay and two hard-surface tennis courts.

The Damage: Initiation is $26,550 initiation, $725 monthly dues.

Getting In: As of press time, there were 200 members; the club has a capacity of 225. Applicants need two letters of recommendation from club members. New members are approved the second Tuesday of the month.

Notable Members: Ordway family heirs Todd Nicholson, Horace Irvine III and Ford Nicholson; Regions Hospital CEO Brock Nelson; art dealer and Coldwell Banker Burnet Co-founder Dar Reedy

Networking Hot Spots: 3M; CentraCare Health System; Craig-Hallum Capital; Hallberg & McClain; Securian Financial Group; Smith Barney; St. Croix Orthopaedics; Western Bank

Woodhill Country Club

Founded: 1915

The Basics: Woodhill is an interesting contradiction. It’s unassuming on the outside but exceptionally hard to get into. The membership is mostly old, traditional, proper and conservative. This is, after all, the club that kicked out Gov. Mark Dayton when he brought black friends around the clubhouse in the early ’70s. (Dayton was accepted back into the fold after he married a Rockefeller heir in 1978, but he resigned his membership after he decided to run for U.S. Senate.)

Ancient History: When the old-money families had migrated from Kenwood to Lake Minnetonka, they needed a new private club, and they built a simple one, with no flourishes or special airs. The painted-brick exterior was designed with one purpose: to keep away potential kidnappers-for-ransom such as the gang that nabbed Minnesota brewer Bill Hamm in 1933 or St. Paul banker Ed Bremer in 1934. That wealth-based paranoia still influences Woodhill’s members in the 21st century — some of the older members still drive Chevys and Fords; many wear midrange clothing brands.  

Big Moment: When 19-year-old Jack Nicklaus shot a four-under-par 67 in 1959 to win the Trans-Mississippi Amateur.  

Noteworthy Event: There are lots of parties around the midsummer Woodhill Invitational golf tournament. Highlights include a cocktail party on the tennis courts and a black-tie dinner on Saturday night. But the biggest deal is the party held on the second night at one member’s home on Lake Minnetonka. Almost everyone arrives by fancy boat.  

Clubhouse: Pragmatic and generically pleasant (think Chippendale cane chairs with floral upholstery and rolled-arm sofas next to beige walls). Very few fancy details.  

Golf Course: Unlike many clubs that distinguish between golfers, swimmers, tennis players and socialites, Woodhill has just one membership category: in. As such, the Donald Ross–designed course is virtually empty half the time. The signature hole is No. 6, which starts very steep and is incredibly picturesque.  

Other Amenities: Ten clay tennis courts with a dedicated tennis clubhouse.

The Damage: $45,000 initiation, $741 in monthly dues.  

Getting In: A yearlong process of cocktail parties, dinners and more cocktail parties before you are thoroughly vetted and approved.  

Notable Members: Ned and Bob Dayton, scions of the department store fortune and first cousins to Gov. Mark Dayton; Phil Ordway, the real-estate investor and great-grandson of 3M Owner Lucius Pond Ordway; Fred Boos, owner of Grand View Lodge in Brainerd; Malt-O-Meal heir Conley Brooks Sr.; former North Stars, Twins and Vikings investor Wheelock Whitney; Executive Roger Headrick, who once owned the Minnesota Vikings; John J. Taylor III, who owns one of the top 10 beer-distribution companies in the country; Helen Waldron, granddaughter of John Pillsbury Snyder and great-great granddaughter of John Sargent Pillsbury, founder of Pillsbury  

Networking Hot Spots: If upward mobility is your aim, Woodhill isn’t your game.  

The governor’s office denies Governor Dayton was kicked out of Woodhill saying that’s “just a story.” His spokeswoman did confirm Dayton was once a Woodhill member but is not now.

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Best Bar Snacks Minikahda Club  

Best Golf-Only Club Three-Way Tie: Hazeltine National Golf Club, Spring Hill Golf Club, Windsong Farm Golf Club

Hardest Club to Get Into Somerset Country Club, closely followed by Interlachen Country Club  

Best Signature Drink Bootleg from the Minikahda Club  

Best Locker Room Wayzata Country Club (newly renovated with Cambria quartz)

Best Ninth-Hole Shack Wayzata Country Club. You can hit the shack from 5 different holes. Insider tip: Bonnie Pipkorn makes the strongest libations.  

Most Swinging Club Bearpath Golf & Country Club  

Best Overall Community North Oaks Golf Club

Busiest Club Edina Country Club

Best Place to Have a Wedding Lafayette Club  

Best Range Tie: Hazeltine National Golf Club and Windsong Farm Golf Club  

Best Entrance Woodhill Country Club  

Best Caddie Program Interlachen Country Club  

Best Course Not Noted Minneapolis Golf Club

Best Swim Team Bearpath Golf & Country Club

Hardest Greens to Read Northland Country Club  

Most Appreciated Course Interlachen Country Club

Read this article as it appears in the magazine.

Tags: country club , golf , minneapolis , private club , st. paul

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In 1921 F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent the summer—or at least part of it—living in a rented room at White Bear Yacht Club . Located 20 miles northeast of St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald’s hometown, the club seemed a perfect place to swim, relax and play golf in a quiet setting where Fitzgerald also could write.

But as was often the case, the Fitzgeralds did far more drinking and fighting than swimming, relaxing, playing golf or writing, and were tossed out before the first leaf fell in September. A year later, Fitzgerald published the short story Winter Dreams , the tale of Dexter Green, a successful businessman who falls in love with the daughter of a man whose bag he once toted as a caddie at Sherry Island Golf Club in Black Bear Lake, Minnesota. No doubt, White Bear was a foundation for that work, as well as for The Great Gatsby and the quote commonly attributed to Fitzgerald: “The rich are different from you and I.”

Certainly, White Bear’s original members lived not unlike the way Jay Gatsby did, with black-tie dinners and debutante balls in the original clubhouse (destroyed by a fire in 1937), which is said to have resembled an ocean liner.

The current membership  is considerably more casual, but not when it comes to golf—and for good reason. The club’s golf history is a rich one. For years Walter Hagen held the course record. White Bear’s second pro, Tom Vardon, was the younger brother of six-time British Open winner Harry. In 1929 member Harrison “Jimmy” Johnston became the only player besides Bobby Jones to win the U.S. Amateur between 1927 and 1930. But at White Bear, Donald Ross is the name that matters most of all. Ross’ history with the club is a bit fuzzy, as most documentation of the original course design was lost in the fire. All that survived was a promotional pamphlet bearing the legend: “Original design by William Watson. Developed by Tom Vardon and Donald Ross.”

Vardon tinkered with the layout during his tenure, which began in 1916. It is believed that Watson, a well-regarded Scottish designer, created some initial drawings for a lost front nine. But Ross’ fingerprints mark each of the 6,471 yards that sit across a road from the shores of White Bear Lake, where several of St. Paul’s most prominent families formed a sailing club in 1889.

In the early 20th century, Ross performed a considerable amount of work in Minnesota, designing or re-working Minikhada, Interlachen and Woodhill around the Twin Cities, as well as Northland near Duluth. White Bear’s official history includes the diary entry of a member recounting a 1910 meeting at which Ross (but not Watson or Vardon) discussed plans for the front nine. Further supporting Ross as the designer is the biography Discovering Donald Ross, which places him at the club in 1912 and 1915. The front opened in 1912 and the back in 1916.

Having grown up in Dornoch, Scotland, Ross was heavily influenced by the way natural beauty had been harnessed at his home course, Royal Dornoch, as well as by a typically Scottish love of a brisk walk. The raw material at White Bear was a rugged, rolling parcel that is believed to have been a potato farm. At this stage in his career, Ross was designing courses that focused on the existing contours of the land and took advantage of natural mounds, many of which mark the topography of the rough at White Bear.

The layout favors the shotmaker over the big hitter, demanding creativity, accuracy and focus on every shot from nearly every location—most of them uneven—on the course. The 405-yard 1st breaks a bit from Ross’ tendency toward gentle opening holes. From a high tee box, the fairway drops significantly downward and then up to a large, elevated green, required a precisely judged, well-executed mid-iron shot. Anything short will roll down the hill.

The 429-yard 2nd features another Ross hallmark, a V-shaped fairway that sits right of center. The topography siphons good drives toward the middle, but almost always results in a sidehill lie, which is preferable to the alternative: missing the fairway.

The challenges are varied through the course of the 18 holes. On the 383-yard 12th, a well-hit drive can kick forward off a slope, but the green is hidden by a false front that runs dramatically away from the line of play, often causing what seems to be a great shot to end up in a bunker behind the green. The par-5 13th has a roller-coaster fairway that gives way to a narrow approach, while the back nine’s other par 5, the 16th, has a tight driving area.

The course has been altered a bit over the years. The club has removed bunkers and planted hundreds of spruce trees in the 1960s and ’70s, no doubt a result of the “beautification” movement that swept across much of American golf during that era.

In some cases, Ross’ offset tee boxes were squared to the fairway and on the picturesque 189-yard 8th, a member of the green committee cleared an oak-filled hollow below the tee one winter during the early ’60s, eliminating what had been a blind tee shot.

Led by former golf chairman Mark Hallberg, the club recently restored the course to Ross’ original design. Working with Tom Doak and using pictures from the ’40s, the club has rediscovered lost bunkers and removed many spruces. But for the most part, the committee has left intact the greens, which Doak calls “the most severely undulating greens Ross ever designed.”

In more than the putting surfaces, White Bear is a throwback—nearly everyone walks the course as Ross intended, braving steep hills that can tax even the best-conditioned golfers. Ross designed each hole for maximum beauty and challenge, and the course provides just as formidable a test today as it did for Hagen and Vardon.

Members like to tell the tale of a guest who spent the day bedeviled by the terrain to which Ross hewed so closely nearly a century ago. Coming off No. 18, the man stormed up to a member and complained that he’d had “only one flat lie all day!”

“Where?” the member asked. “I’ll have to have that fixed.”

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Club + Resort Business

Membership Boom Shows Signs of Holding Firm at Twin Cities Clubs

By Joe Barks | October 4, 2021

Bearpath G&CC

Half of 24 clubs in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region reported to a local business journal that they have reached their limit for golf memberships, and many said they are now boosting initiation fees, canceling trial memberships and planning capital improvements to solidify their appeal. The high percentage of families and young executives among new members is seen as an encouraging sign for why the rebound could have staying power, even if the economy turns south.

Andrew Schaeppi joined Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville, Minn. in April, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reported. The 31-year-old’s job in construction is stable, his economic concerns largely vanished and the club was enticing to him, since it recently went through a roughly $2 million course renovation.

And if that weren’t enough, Schaeppi was tired of super-crowded public courses.

“Trying to find tee times at the public courses was ridiculous,” he told the Business Journal. “Everything [at Midland Hills] is also pristine, everything is always taken care of. For business it’s great.”

Schaeppi isn’t alone, the Business Journal reported. Country clubs in the Twin Cities are reporting membership levels not seen since before the Great Recession or even longer. Many have now instituted waiting lists for new members, or are close to their membership cap.

The surge in demand has created a host of good “problems” for clubs, the Business Journal noted. Many are raising initiation fees, canceling trial memberships and pouring money into capital projects since the coffers are full—especially after banquet business has rebounded to some extent and a handful of clubs received Paycheck Protection Program loans.

In Minnesota, golf rounds were up about 30% in 2020 compared to 2019, the Business Journal reported, prompting many people who could afford to join a private club after tiring of rounds at public courses taking five hours or more. And because many people were working from home during the pandemic, the time saved by not commuting made it easier to play golf, with fewer people in gridlocked traffic.

And while interest rose, availability sank, the Business Journal reported Most, if not all, of the counties in the Twin Cities area lost golf courses over the past decade to housing projects. And many country clubs in the Twin Cities have invested in multimillion-dollar projects recently, making them more attractive to current and prospective members.

Also, because the pandemic largely left white-collar industries untouched, layoffs were few and the paychecks kept coming.

“Obviously [the economy] was a tremendous help,” Tim Ivory, the recently retired General Manager of Midland Hills told the Business Journal . “We all saw what happened in 2008 when white-collar industries got hit. We all lost a third of our memberships.”

With membership surging, it’s getting harder to find a country club with openings, the Business Journal reported. About half of the 24 country clubs in the Twin Cities region that responded to the publication’s query said they’re now at their limit for golf memberships.

“The private club industry has seen a notable increase in new memberships since May of 2020,” Rollie Carlson, Managing Director for the Upper Midwest chapter of the Club Management Association of America, told the Business Journal . “There have been comments from some clubs not previously having waiting lists now having them.”

Dellwood (Minn.) Country Club added about 50 net memberships this year, according to General Manager Pete LaCoursiere, the Business Journal reported. While the club previously did not have an initiation fee, it now now charges $7,500 to join. Dellwood’s golf course, lazy river and clubhouse were attractive to nearby white-collar residents, LaCoursiere said.

“We have people that work remotely from their laptop downstairs” in the clubhouse, he said. “We picked up a lot of members because nobody wants to spend five-and-a-half hours” playing a public course.

And because of the boost its operating budgets have received from those gains, LaCoursiere added, Dellwood is also renovating its patio and bar area and adding other features.

At White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, demand is so high that the club plans to boost the price of annual golf memberships from $35,000 to $50,000 in 2022, the Business Journal reported.

Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Prairie, Minn. raised one of its membership categories from $15,000 to $25,000 recently and is considering another increase, the Business Journal reported. The club has added 50 net memberships this year alone, according to General Manager Greg Olson—and the club is undertaking who a $5 to $6 million golf course renovation, in part because membership is so strong.

“Monthly dues revenue is at an all-time high,” Olson said. “We sold more young-executive memberships than regular memberships. For some reason, there’s just a lot of money out there.”

Midland Hills and Medina (Minn.) Golf & Country Club are among the other area clubs that also recently raised initiation fees, the Business Journal reported.

And while the golf and country club industry is notoriously cyclical, with country club memberships among the first expenses to go in economic downturns, area club officials are optimistic that at least some of the current rebound will permanently stick, the Business Journal reported, for one primary reason: Young families are making up a large percentage of new members.

The Lafayette Club, which sits on the shores of Lake Minnetonka in Minnetonka Beach, Minn., has added about 50 net memberships in 2021, bringing its membership total to its highest in about 20 years, the Business Journal reported—and many of the new members are families with young kids who play the club’s 9-hole golf course.

“I’m in my 50s and remember as a kid, Dad went golfing but he didn’t take us kids,” noted Nicole Smith, Lafayette Club’s Director of Membership and Catering Services. “Today the family unit is different and kids go [to play, too]. It creates interest at a younger age.”

Additionally, the Business Journal noted, youth who aren’t members of country clubs are also playing more golf—and in theory could join a club once they’re adults.

The nonprofit group, Youth on Course, subsidizes rounds of golf so kids can play for just $5, and the Minnesota Golf Association’s division of Youth on Course had about 4,600 members in 2019, the Business Journal reported. That number had increased 185% to roughly 13,100 as of mid-September, according to the association. And rounds through the program were up, too. Minnesota kids played 18,260 rounds through the program in 2019, and this year the association expects to hit about 51,000—up almost 180% within two years.

About The Author

Joe Barks contributes to Club & Resort Business magazine working out of Wayne, Pa. (suburban Philadelphia). He has been covering the club and resort industry since the launch of C&RB in April 2005 and during that time has written cover-story profiles of over 150 club and resort properties, as well as many additional articles about specific aspects of club management and profiles of leading club managers. Barks has been a writer and editor for specialized business publications for over 40 years, covering a wide variety of industries and professional disciplines over the course of his career. He is a four-time winner of Jesse H. Neal Awards from the American Business Press, known as the “Pulitzer Prizes” for industry trade publications. He has also been a freelance contributor to many leading national consumer and business publications, and served as Marketing Manager for the Hay Group, a leading worldwide management consulting firm. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

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