
North Oaks Course
North Oaks Golf Club



About this course
North Oaks Golf Club occupies a naturally rolling, wooded property in the planned community of North Oaks, Minnesota, approximately ten miles north of downtown St. Paul. The course was designed by Stanley Thompson, the renowned Canadian architect whose work throughout the upper Midwest and Canada in the 1920s and 1930s established him as one of the era's most influential designers. Thompson's routing takes advantage of the site's mature hardwood forests and gentle elevation changes, characteristics typical of the glacially shaped terrain found throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The layout reflects Thompson's signature approach to strategic design, with fairways that reward thoughtful positioning and greens that feature subtle contours and natural integration into the surrounding landscape. The property's tree-lined corridors create definition and intimacy on individual holes while the routing moves through varied topography that provides both visual interest and strategic variety. Thompson's work here shares qualities with his other Midwestern designs from the period, emphasizing playability across different skill levels while maintaining challenge through green complexes and bunkering rather than excessive length. North Oaks Golf Club operates as a private facility serving the residential community of North Oaks, a development that grew around Pleasant Lake and maintains a secluded, low-density character. The club functions as a central amenity for the community, and the course has undergone periodic updates over the decades to maintain playing conditions while preserving Thompson's original design intent and routing.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Private column compares member-only and guest-restricted courses.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in MN
Quick facts
- Location
- North Oaks, MN, USA
- Access
- Private
- Year built
- 1951
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Stanley Thompson.
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 6,698 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.9/134
- Course Vaults score
- 8.1
Getting there
North Oaks Golf Club sits just twenty minutes north of Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), making the approach refreshingly direct for a club of its caliber. The drive traces a gentle arc through the suburban threshold before opening into the rolling, wooded terrain of the North Oaks community itself - a landscape of mature oaks and manicured fairways that announces arrival long before the gatehouse. Private aviation finds its closest perch at nearby St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) or the more spacious options at MSP's general aviation facilities, both offering swift transfers to the club's serene setting in Minnesota's most exclusive residential enclave. The final miles unfold through tree-lined roads that feel removed from the city's pulse, delivering you to a club whose understated elegance and championship pedigree have quietly defined Upper Midwest golf for generations.

FAQ
Common questions about North Oaks
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
North Oaks has a Course Vaults score of 8.1 out of 10 based on 20 logged golfers.
North Oaks was designed by Stanley Thompson..
North Oaks is listed as private on Course Vaults; guest access is typically restricted.
Par at North Oaks is 71.
North Oaks plays 6,698 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at North Oaks is 134.




