Keller Golf Course

Story

Keller Golf Course is a classic parkland golf course in Maplewood, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul. The course is historically significant for its long association with the early days of professional golf; it hosted the PGA Tour's St. Paul Open from 1930 to 1968; two majors, the 1932 and 1954 PGA Championships; the 1949 Western Open (a near-major at the time), and in the 1970s, the LPGA Tour's Patty Berg Classic. The course was renovated by architect Richard Mandell and reopened in 2014 after a 2-year closure.HistoryThe course is owned and operated by Ramsey County and is open to the public.Paul Coates, a Ramsey County civil engineer, designed the course and supervised its construction. Prior to beginning, Coates used his personal vacation to visit some of America's great golf courses, such as Pinehurst, to learn the basics of course architecture. Despite its lack of designer "pedigree," Keller is among the most distinguished courses in the Twin Cities, and is known for its creative, strategic use of rolling terrain.The course continues to host Minnesota Golf Association and regional United States Golf Association tournaments and qualifying events. At 6650yd, one might expect the course would yield low scores to today's long hitters. However, even the area's best amateurs rarely "go low." Winning scores for regional events typically hover around 68 or 69 by even the area's best players.