Edinburgh USA Golf Course

Edinburgh USA occupies a site in Brooklyn Park, a northwestern suburb of Minneapolis, and represents one of Robert Trent Jones, Jr.'s designs in the Upper Midwest. The course opened in the 1980s during a period of significant residential and commercial development in the northwest Twin Cities corridor. Jones, known for his strategic bunkering and emphasis on risk-reward shot values, brought his design philosophy to relatively flat Minnesota terrain, working with the natural topography and incorporating water features that are characteristic of courses built in this region during that era. The layout reflects Jones's tendency toward generous fairway corridors balanced by well-defined hazards that penalize wayward shots. Water comes into play on multiple holes, a common element in suburban Minneapolis courses where wetlands and drainage considerations often shape routing decisions. The course serves both daily-fee and member play, functioning as a public facility that accommodates a range of skill levels while maintaining design integrity through green complexes that reward precision in the short game. Edinburgh USA fits within the broader context of Minnesota golf, where courses must account for a relatively short playing season and where maintenance practices focus on hardy turf varieties suited to cold winters and humid summers. The course provides a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design experience accessible to the northern Twin Cities golfing community, offering strategic interest without the severe elevation changes found in his more mountainous projects.