Paul:
Minnesota is interesting in that there were virtually no courses of note built between 1930 and 1990, save Hazeltine. The older courses should hold rather constant from list to list. Interlachen, Minikahda, Rochester, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Northland, Somerset, Woodhill, North Oaks, and White Bear are the class of this group. Add in Hazeltine and you have 11 that should be rather static.
Like much of the country, an absolute boom has occurred since 1990. The Pines at Grandview, the redesign of Scottdale, the TPC in Blaine, the Wilds, Jeff Brauer's courses, Madden's new design, Deacon's Lodge, and Chaska Town are a few that come to mind.
To show you how the timeline has affected thinking on the GD state list, take a look at how far The Pines at Grandview Lodge has fallen as there were more new courses to compare it to. Put simply, it benefitted from uniqueness to start out and fell as it wasn't so special any more. The more playmates you have in the room, the more critical you become about the first one. (Like I've ever hung out with playmates, but it sounded right.)
Fast forward to the late 90s and Bearpath, a very mediocre Nicklaus design. It was the state's first real big gated-community development and "Floridaized" their perspective. With literally 100s of places just like it here, it'd barely make 3rd or 4th decile. Yet it was something like #4 in state a few years back. Some year the list will come out and it won't be on there at all.
In defense of Northland, they probably have a shorter season than any other top course in America. They start a full two weeks later and end about two weeks earlier than clubs in the Twins. Perhaps nobody played it the month it was in great shape!?