2024
#3, Top 5 Resorts in The Midwest: Readers’ Choice Awards 2024, Condé Nast Traveler
#68, Golfweek’s Best 2024: Top 200 resort courses in the U.S., Golfweek
Featured in Discovering the Joy of Lake Life, Cover Shot, July/August 2024 Issue, Condé Nast Traveler
#3, Readers’ 10 Favorite Resorts in the Midwest of 2024, Travel + Leisure
#2, The Best Public-Access Courses in Minnesota 2024, Golfweek
2023
#5 Top 5 Resorts in The Midwest: Readers’ Choice Awards 2023, Condé Nast Traveler
#10 Travel + Leisure Readers’ 10 Favorite Resorts in the Midwest of 2023, Travel + Leisure
#15 The Classic at Madden’s, The 15 Best Golf Courses in Minnesota (2022/2023), Golf.com
#4, Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play 2023: Minnesota, Golfweek
#81 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, Golf Digest
2022
#5, Top 5 Resorts in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest: Readers’ Choice Awards 2022, Condé Nast Traveler
2021
#1, Top 10 Resorts in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest: Readers’ Choice Awards 2021, Condé Nast Traveler
#4, Top 10 Resort Hotels in the Midwest, Travel & Leisure World’s Best 2021
Best Summer Resort, Midwest Living’s Best of the Midwest 2021
#62, The Classic at Madden’s, Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses
#9, The Classic at Madden’s, Golf Digest’s The Best Courses in Minnesota
#120, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best 2021: Top 200 Resort Golf Courses in the U.S.
#5 in Minn., The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best 2021: Best Public Golf Courses You Can Play, State by State
2020
#98, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best 2020: Top 200 Resort Golf Courses
#7, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play 2020: Minnesota
Top 8 Minnesota Spa Resorts, Trips to Discover
#2, U.S. News 5 Best Resorts in Minnesota
2019
#4, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best 2019: Best Courses You Can Play
#9, The Classic at Madden’s, Golf Digest’s Best Golf Courses in Minnesota
#59, The Classic at Madden’s, Golf Digest’s America’s Top 100 Public Courses
2018
#3 Top 10 Destination in the Midwest, Condé Nast Traveler
#4, The Classic at Maddens, Golfweek’s Best 2018: Courses You Can Play
#10, The Classic at Madden’s, Golf Digest’s Best Golf Courses in Minnesota
2017
#92, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best: Top 100 Resort Courses in U.S.
#4, The Classic at Maddens, Golfweek’s Best 2017: Courses You Can Play
2016
Best Team-Building Activity/Facilitator/Coordinator, MN Meetings & Events
Best Renovation, MN Meetings & Events
#4, The Classic at Maddens, Golfweek’s Best 2016: Courses You Can Play
Next 100, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best: Resort Courses, 2016
2015
#6 Top 10 Resorts in the Midwest, Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards 2015
Best Golf Venue, MN Meetings & Events (2015)
#8, The Classic at Madden’s, Golfweek’s Best: State-by-State Courses You Can Play, 2015
2014
#53 Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World, Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards 2014
#5 Best Resorts in the Midwest, Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards 2014
#25 Top 25 Resorts in the United States, Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards 2014
GolfWeek’s Top 10 List, Best Courses You Can Play in Minnesota (2014)
Best Social Media Presence, MN Meetings & Events (2014)
2014 & 2015 Voted “Family Vacation Critic” Favorite
2013
“One Course for the Rest of Your Life,” #24, Golf Channel (2013)
#1 Rated Buddies-Trip Destination in Minnesota, Golf Digest (2013)
Best Social Media Presence, MN Meetings & Events (2013)
2012
The Classic at Madden’s, 53rd on Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Places You Can Play” (January 2012)
“America’s Top 100 Resort Courses,” #88, Golfweek (2012)
2011
“Best Resort with Meeting Space,” “Best Outstate Venue,” Minnesota Meetings & Events Magazine (2011)
2010
“Best Golf Venue,” Minnesota Meetings & Events Magazine (2010)
The Classic at Madden’s, “Top 10 Most Affordable Courses in the Country,” Golf Digest (2010)
Golf Digest’s Green Star Award (2010)
“Best Resort” Minnesota Meetings & Events Magazine (2010)
2009
Explore Minnesota’s Sustainable Tourism Award (2009)
Number 40 of America’s Best 100 Golf Courses in the Nation, Golf Digest (2009)
Rated 5 Stars, Golf Digest (since 2009)
“Best Value on America’s Top 100 Public Courses,” #24, Golf Digest (2009)
2008
5 Star Rating, Golf Digest “Best Places to Play Guide, August, 2008
Meetings Mid-America Magazine ‘Best of’ Award, 2006, 2008
“Best Resort” Minnesota Meetings & Events Magazine (2010)
2007
Golfweek’s Best, The Classic at Madden’s, #5 in Minnesota (March 2007)
Zagat Award, America’s Top Golf Courses, 2006-07
2006
Zagat Award, America’s Top Golf Courses, 2006-07
5 Star Rating, Golf Digest Magazine, May 2006 (one of only 17 courses in the US)
Golf Digest 100 Greatest Public Courses (2005/06)
2005
Golf Digest 100 Greatest Public Courses (2005/06)
50th Best Public Golf Course in America, Golf Digest, April 2005
2004
MN Meetings & Events Magazine, Best Golf Resort in Minnesota (2002-2005)
2003
Minnesota Meetings & Events Magazine ‘Best Golf Resort & Lodge or Lakefront Property’ (2003)
Number One Public Golf Course in MN Golf Week Magazine (March 2003)
33rd Best Public Golf Course in America by Golf Digest (April 2003)
MN Meetings & Events Magazine, Best Golf Resort in Minnesota (2002-2005)
2002
Minnesota Monthly Magazine (March 2002) Minnesota’s Favorite ‘Swanky Course’ (The Classic)
Number Two Best Public Course in Minnesota, Golf Week (March, 2002)
ESPN (June 3, 2002) Featured The Classic on the premier of Jack Wagner’s Golf Show “Off Course” with guest Governor Jesse Ventura
‘2002 PGA Teacher of the Year, Minnesota Section’ (Chris Foley)
MN Meetings & Events Magazine, Best Golf Resort in Minnesota (2002-2005)
2001
PGA Golf Professional Christopher Foley (July 2001) Rated by Golf Digest Magazine as ‘Number Three of Top Forty Golf Instructors in the United States’
Minnesota Golf Course Owners Association Course of the Year (The Classic, 2001)
2000
Golf & Travel Magazine (November 2000)
The Classic at Madden’s rated 27th in Golf & Travel Magazine’s ‘America’s Best 40 Resort Courses
1999
Minneapolis StarTribune (April, 1999) #1 Course in Minnesota
Lake Country Echo (September 1999) The Classic at Madden’s was named ‘Number One Golf Course in the Lake Country’ by Minnesota golf writers Charley Walters, Gregg Wong (St. Paul Pioneer Press), Jeremy Milsop (Brainerd Dispatch), and Don Peddie (Lake Country Echo)
1998
Seed Research Magazine (January 1998) Course of the Year
1997
Golf Digest (1997) Best New Public Upscale Golf Course in North America
ZAGAT Survey (1997) One of America’s Top Hotels – rated “Excellent”
Fairways Magazine Top 175 ‘Women Friendly’ Golf Facilities
Minnesota Monthly Magazine (February 1997) Readers “Best’ Poll. Madden’s is #1 favorite place to play golf in Minnesota
