what are the best PUBLIC courses on or close tothe Mississippi River?

[Jay Flemma]

So if you were to take a boat up and down the mississippii, like say, Mark Twain, where would you pull into port and head off for a quick 18?  What'sright in the river (any state is fine) and what's just close enough that you could get ground transport, play and then get back to the boat before day's end?

[Rick Shefchik]

In Minnesota, you could play Mississippi Dunes, just north of Cottage Grove, a southern exurb of St. Paul.

They don't have a dock, but you could drag the boat on shore next to the ninth green, run up to the clubhouse just beyond, pay your greens fee and get in a round.

I've written about the course before. It divides Twin Cities golfers into two camps: those who think it's a bizarre take on links golf, but fun and different, and those who hate it.

[Jay Flemma]

The boats a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitle bigger then that.  We're gonna need a decent sized port.

Can you think of anywhere else?

[K. Krahenbuhl]

The TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, IL is fun to play.

[Jeff_Stettner]

Reasonably close:

Gateway National (near St. Louis)
Dalhousie -- Private but worth the effort (Cape Girardeau, MO)
Kokopelli (Carbondale, IL)

[John Kavanaugh]

Considering that Mark Twain may have walked the grounds during the St. Louis Worlds fair of 1904 in Forest Park you should include the courses of same. note:  The courses were built in 1913 after the fair and Twain was dead.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Audubon Park Uptown N.O. You walk right thru the zoo. Further downstream, you could get to the TPC, although it is not "down by the riverside." (I think it has reopened.) also, English Turn, which is private but was accepting outside play post Katrina.

[Rick Shefchik]

Sorry, Jay. I must have been picturing a rafting trip with Huck, Tom and their hickory-shafted clubs.

There are lots of marinas in Hastings, about five miles downriver.  

[Doug Ralston]

Also close to St Louis is Annbriar, by Hurdzan. Good stuff.

Doug

[Dan Kelly]

Sorry, Jay. I must have been picturing a rafting trip with Huck, Tom and their hickory-shafted clubs.

There are lots of marinas in Hastings, about five miles downriver.  

I have every confidence that Huck and Tom would despise Mississippi Dunes.

(All of the Twin Cities' public courses fit your criteria, Jay. They're all within 20 miles of the river.)

How about Mississippi National, Rick? I haven't been there in 20 years or more.

How about The Jewel in Lake City? Did that turn out?

Isn't there something good in Galena, Ill.? The General?

Right up near Lake Itasca (the source of the river -- from the Latin verITAS CAput, true head), there's a fun little course called Headwaters. Nothing to write home about, architecturally, but plenty of fun.

Anyway, a few thoughts.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am not sure if Beau Pre in Natchez is public, but it is well thought  of. It is also a course of our own Mike Young. I am looking forward to seeing it and playing there next month. The Bluffs in St Francisville is a good A Palmer course. University Club in Baton rouge is a Jim Lioe course with some great holes on the back nine. TPC Fairfield in NOLA is ok.

[Tom_Doak]

Jay:

There is an Arnold Palmer-designed municipal course in Alton, Illinois , pretty close to the river.  My aunt and uncle lived there and it was being built just as I was getting into the business so they sent me a lot of clippings.  Don't know how good it is but Alton is just north of St. Louis and a real river town.

[JohnV]

tom,

I can't remember the name of it either, but it was the host of the US Public Links a few years ago.

[Dale_McCallon]

The Palmer course outside St Louis is Spencer T Olin.  I think the Olin family made money in aviation and was a friend of Palmers.  

Friends of mine in the area enjoy Annbriar more, but say people are more impressed by playing a Palmer course.

[Mike_Young]

Jay,
If you wish to play Beau Pre in Natchez it can be done with no problem  www.beauprecc.com   Natchez is a really nice town on the banks of the Mississippi...great rstarants and bed/breakfast type lodging......

[Jason Topp]

Brainerd, Minnesota

Classic at Madden's
Deacon's Lodge
The Preserve
The Pines

in that order.

[RJ_Daley]

Jay, If your going to travel up in what they call "gods country" from Galena north to twin cities, there are plenty of courses.  I'd take a few mile detour where the river splits between Minn and WI, up the St Croix where you can pick up nice scenery in Hudson and play two course within 2 miles of the river, Stone Ridge in MN, and Troy Burne in WI (Nationwide tour stop).

Also, plenty of course including the John Deere tour stop in Quad Cities.

Do a google map-aerial of the river and you'll find plenty of courses along the way.

[Tim_Cronin]

And if you can manage to get on one private course, you may want to make it Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club, on Arsenal Island between Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa. A private club with a fun turn-of-the-last-century layout on the government-owned island, of which most is an Army base. The club is separate, though I'm sure many army brass belong. Hook one badly on a couple holes and you're in the Mississippi. The only course I've played where you can look across the road and see a national military cemetery – for Confederate soldiers.

[Mike_Young]

And if you can manage to get on one private course, you may want to make it Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club, on Arsenal Island between Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa. A private club with a fun turn-of-the-last-century layout on the government-owned island, of which most is an Army base. The club is separate, though I'm sure many army brass belong. Hook one badly on a couple holes and you're in the Mississippi. The only course I've played where you can look across the road and see a national military cemetery – for Confederate soldiers.

Also, Davenport CC is a Colt/Allison ....played it a few years ago....

[Evan Fleisher]

The TPC at Deere Run in Silvis, IL is fun to play.

On top of that, throw in a round at the Rock Island Arsenal...would be a solid double-header in the Quad Cities!

[Greg Clark]

My 2 cents on the northern portion.  Brainerd offers some very nice golf.  I would pick Deacon's Lodge slightly over The Classic at Madden's.  Both are excellent options.

If the boat were to stop in Dubuque, then a fairly short drive will get you to Galena and the Eagle Ridge courses.  There are 3 there, and while the North and South are good, The General is definitely the pick.  Lots of elevation and a very solid course.

For the Quad Cities stop I would echo others.  TPC at Deere Run is an easy drive and is also situated on very nice property.  Several good views of the Rock River on the course.  As for a private play in the area I would favor Davenport CC over the Rock Island Arsenal course.  Alison design (it was reworked a little in the 60's or 70's) that hosted a few Western Opens when that tournament was still considered a "major."  I haven't played it in a long time, but I really liked it when I did.  

Sounds like fun.

[Jay Flemma]

The General!  There's an idea!

How close to the river is it?

[RJ_Daley]

Jay, no easy way to get up there from the River.  Look at the map/aerial.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=The+General+golf+course,+Galena+IL&layer=&ie=UTF8&om=0&z=12&ll=42.392023,-90.391045&spn=0.078604,0.154495

[Greg Clark]

I've never driven there directly from the river in Dubuque, but I would guess it's no more than an hour.  It's not right next to the river, so ground transport may be a little pricey and complicated, but no hill for a climber.

[Evan Fleisher]

I've never driven there directly from the river in Dubuque, but I would guess it's no more than an hour.  It's not right next to the river, so ground transport may be a little pricey and complicated, but no hill for a climber.

Not quite!

As a very recent former Dubuque-r...from downtown Dubuque to the General (located in the Galena Territory) is 25 minutes tops.  It is a simple drive on US-20 East out of town, and you can't miss the place.