Loon’s Nest Mini Golf at Island Lake – Shoreview, MN

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Played Multiple Times during Fall 2022

Reviewed by Mr. Tee

For years, we had seen the name Island Lake Golf listed as a place with an active mini golf course and I would double check by calling their pro shop only to reconfirm that the course isn’t open and in a state of disrepair. At some point in late summer / early fall 2022, AMA member and one of the top Minnesota-based putters Matt Roalstad mentioned that he went over to play a newly opened course called the Loon’s Nest and it was at Island Lake Golf. Based on the photos he shared with us, we were eager to get over to play especially since it was quite close to home!

Rating

Seeing old courses brought back to life brings us immense levels of joy. The Loon’s Nest mini golf course is a perfect accompaniment to a larger golf training center because the 18-hole course provides a wide variety of putting challenges for all skill levels. As far as competitive mini golf courses in Minnesota go, this course is probably the best option. It was an easy decision to add this course to our annual tournament schedule for A Couple of Putts and American Mini Golf Alliance (AMA). The turf is in fantastic condition and the smooth concrete white walls make for more consistent rebound shots. While hole-in-ones are possible on nearly all of the holes, the length of some of the holes and the breaks around the cup make it hard to score in the 30s. The back 9 is particularly challenging especially holes #16 & #17. The creativity of the hole design is what I find most appealing. The tall arcing Hole #15 is my favorite and the layout of Hole #13 with a downhill putt to a cup on top of a raised area is quite appealing. As I work on my putting game, this will most certainly be a course I visit with a high level of regularity.

Walkthrough + Talkthrough of the course with Shawn Brown, one of Minnesota’s top putters

General Advice from Mr. Tee on how to approach this course in competition

Clubhouse set up for mini golf as well as drinks
Simple and clean design
Hole #1 – Tried to capture the hard break to the right in this photo
Local league regulars Kathleen and Josh taking on #2
Some of our tournament winners Erik Haselius (putting) and Shawn Brown (sunglasses) on the tricky Hole #4
All smiles on my first visit. Clubhouse and driving range in the background
Hole #8 is aceable but has a tricky break to go along with the lovely design
Hole #9 and the back 9. You can see some of the undulations that make this a good challenge
Sunsetting on my first visit
Jason Peterson acing #12 in our local league or just happy he made it up that challenging hill?
Another view of #12 and the sunset
Course manager Ryan showing me how to play the clever #13 that ends downhill with the cup on top of a little island
Matt with a painfully near deuce on #13
#15 is my favorite hole. Challenging and a fun experience watching the ball come down from the arc
#16 is the hardest hole to get a 2
And laying up on #17 to somehow get a good line to the cup that is surrounded by obstacles is no picnic
Lots of subtle breaks on #18 especially with the putts close to the cup
Our local league’s first event at Loon’s Nest!

 

Island Lake Golf Website

1000 Red Fox Rd, Shoreview, MN 55126

Pros

Wonderful variety of gameplay
Smooth walls for rebound/deflection shots
New/fresh turf
Best course for competitive mini golf in MN

Cons

Not much in the way of kitsch or theming so far

Nerdy Notes

  • 18 holes. Par 54. All holes Par 3.
  • Adults $13.00 | Seniors $10.00 | Juniors $10.00
  • Rubber-covered putters and colored balls
  • Driving range, pro shop, concessions, and 9-hole Par 3 golf courses on the premises as well
  • Alcoholic drinks are available in the pro shop
  • Due to the high cement walls and a few steep slopes on the holes, this course is not ADA-friendly. There are sidewalks between the holes
  • A variety of leagues and lessons are available

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