Town & Country Club in St. Paul, Minnesota, has completed a major restoration that highlights its unconventional closing stretch of holes. The project, finished in May 2025, preserves the course's historic routing while enhancing its scenic views and playability. Architect Jeff Mingay and superintendent Bill Larson led the effort to return the 132-year-old course to its original intent.
Town & Country Club, the oldest golf course in Minnesota, opened in 1893 with six holes and expanded to 18 by 1907. The current routing, in place since 1920, features a unique finish: a par-3 14th followed by three consecutive par-5s and ending with another par-3 18th.
The Golf Course Enhancement Project began in 2016 with small restorations of bunkers and greens. By 2024, a comprehensive overhaul touched every hole, including tree removal to open sightlines to the Mississippi River, downtown Minneapolis, and the Lake Street Bridge. The course, set on 96 acres with 80 feet of elevation change and a ravine separating the nines, now showcases over 30 grass species, including bentgrass from Scotland.
"The holes really fit the strange topography," Mingay said. "We really don’t care about similar par on back-to-back holes, we don’t care about total par."
Larson, who retired after 36 years, noted members' initial resistance to tree removal but eventual appreciation: "All of a sudden you go, ‘Wow, look at that view.'"
The 14th, a 234-yard par-3, starts the stretch with added bunkers for visual impact. The par-5s (15th, 16th, 17th) run parallel, now mowed short without separating rough or trees. The 15th offers a blind second shot dropping 60 feet to the green. The 17th, Larson's favorite, provides skyline views from its elevated green. The downhill par-3 18th demands precision to avoid missing long.
In 2022, the club rejected a $61.4 million offer from St. Thomas University to buy the course for sports facilities. Mingay compared the restoration to assembling a 100-year-old puzzle, blending historic elements for cohesion.
The course remains a private club with 575 members, emphasizing short walks, fast greens, and minimal water hazards.
