By GolfFellow

Major golf events are important to Minnesota because surveys show that this type of visitor stays longer and plays more golf while here.

Minnesota’s rich tradition of hosting major golf championships includes U.S. Opens in 1930, 1970 and 1991, when the late Payne Stewart won at Hazeltine National. The PGA Championship selected Minnesota in 1932, 1954, 1959 and 2002, and returns to Hazeltine in August, 2009. Hazeltine www.hngc.com will also host the Ryder Cup in 2016.

The U.S. Women’s Open Championship www.uswomensopen.com was played here in 1956, 1966 and 1977, and it returns to Minnesota June 23-29 at Interlachen Country Club in Edina. The Champions tour’s 3M Championship, is set for July 14-20 at the TPC of the Twin Cities, its 16th year here.. www.3Mchampionship.com

Considered by many as the heyday of Minnesota golf were the years when the PGA’s St. Paul Open was played at Keller Golf Course www.ramseycountygolf.com from 1930-1968, with the final held in 1969 at Braemar www.braemargolf.com under the name Minnesota Classic.

And the St. Paul Ladies Open (1973, 1974) became the Patty Berg Golf Classic and had a run at Keller from 1975 to 1980, and the LPGA also had Minnesota tour stops in 1990, 1991, 1997 and 1998 and hosted the Samsung World Match Play Championship in 1999.

Minnesota’s golf pedigree has evolved well beyond the hosting of major events, though. The state has more than 500 golf courses, golf tourism is a $360+ million business, Minnesota has emerged as a popular golf travel destination, and has more golfers per capita than any other state.

The major golf events are selecting Minnesota for good reasons.

Posted by Chuck Lennon / Golf