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White Bear Yacht Club Dellwood MN | Membership Cost, Amenities, History, What To Know When Visiting

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Nestled along the picturesque shores of White Bear Lake in Dellwood, Minnesota, the White Bear Yacht Club stands as a true gem among the state’s exclusive recreational destinations. This historic and elegant yacht club embodies the essence of lakeside luxury, offering members and guests an unparalleled experience in a serene, natural setting.

With a rich heritage dating back over a century, White Bear Yacht Club is a beloved institution renowned for its pristine waters, world-class amenities, and warm sense of community. Join us as we embark on a journey to discover the timeless beauty and hospitality that defines the White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, MN.

White Bear Yacht Club History and Founding

The White Bear Yacht Club, located in Dellwood, Minnesota, boasts a rich and storied history that dates back to its founding in 1889. Designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert , who later became famous for his work on iconic structures such as the United States Supreme Court Building and the Woolworth Building in New York City, the club’s architecture reflects the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era.

Founded by a group of enthusiastic sailing and boating enthusiasts, the White Bear Yacht Club quickly established itself as a hub for leisure and social activities along the pristine shores of White Bear Lake. Cass Gilbert’s architectural brilliance is evident in the club’s timeless design, which seamlessly integrates with the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Over the years, the club has played host to a myriad of sailing regattas, social events, and gatherings, earning a reputation for its commitment to promoting the sport of sailing and fostering a strong sense of community. Today, the White Bear Yacht Club stands as a testament to its enduring legacy, preserving the historic charm and architectural marvels that have captivated generations of members and guests alike.

Famous Golf Tournament held at White Bear Yacht Club

The White Bear Yacht Club (WBYC) in Dellwood, Minnesota, is a private golf club that has hosted a number of prestigious tournaments over the years. One of the most famous is the Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) State Open , which has been held at WBYC on several occasions, most recently in 2019.

The MGA State Open is one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the United States. It has been held every year since 1898 and has been won by some of the greatest golfers in history, including Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus.

The WBYC golf course has a challenging layout that is sure to test the skills of even the best golfers. The course is known for its undulating fairways, small greens, and well-placed bunkers.

In addition to the MGA State Open, WBYC has also hosted a number of other prestigious tournaments, including the MGA State Amateur Championship , the MGA Women’s State Amateur Championship , and the MGA Senior State Open Championship .

WBYC is also a popular destination for amateur golfers from all over the country. The club offers a variety of membership options, and its golf course is always in excellent condition.

Here are some other notable golf tournaments that have been held at White Bear Yacht Club:

  • The Showcase @ White Bear Yacht Club  (an annual event hosted by The Golfer’s Journal)
  • The Jimmy Johnston  (a 36-hole alternate shot format tournament held in honor of WBYC member Harrison Johnston)
  • The Angry Bear  (a friendly event where the golf course superintendent makes the course play as difficult as possible)

WBYC is a truly special place for golf lovers. It is a club with a rich history and a course that is sure to challenge and excite golfers of all skill levels.

White Bear Yacht Club Membership Costs and Dues

Here are the estimated and rumored Membership Costs and Dues for the White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood MN:

white bear yacht club

Estimated Costs:

  • Initiation Fee: $10,000-$20,000
  • Monthly Dues: $400-$600
  • Food and Beverage Minimum: $150/month (May-September only)

Rumored Costs:

  • Initiation Fee: $20,000-$30,000
  • Monthly Dues: $500-$700
  • Food and Beverage Minimum: $200/month (May-September only)

It is important to note that these are just estimates and rumors, and the actual Membership Costs and Dues may vary depending on the type of membership you choose and other factors.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about the White Bear Yacht Club Membership Costs and Dues:

  • There is a non-refundable application fee of $250.
  • Initiation fees can be paid in full upfront or over a period of time.
  • Monthly dues are charged year-round, regardless of how often you use the club.
  • The food and beverage minimum is only applicable during the summer months (May to September).
  • There are additional fees for some activities and amenities, such as golf, tennis, and swimming.

White Bear Yacht Club Amenities

The White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, offers a range of amenities to its members, catering to a diverse set of interests and recreational activities. While specific offerings may change over time, here are some of the typical amenities you might find at such a yacht club:

  • Sailing Facilities: As a yacht club, sailing is often at the forefront of its activities. Members can enjoy access to sailing lessons, sailboat rentals, and various types of sailboat racing and regattas.
  • Dining: Many yacht clubs offer fine dining options, providing members with an elegant and comfortable setting to enjoy meals with a scenic view of the lake.
  • Tennis and Other Sports: Yacht clubs often feature tennis courts, swimming pools, and other sporting facilities to cater to a variety of athletic interests.
  • Social Events: Yacht clubs frequently host social events, including parties, galas, and special gatherings for members and their guests.
  • Marina Services: Access to boat slips, docking facilities, and maintenance services for members who own boats.
  • Clubhouse: A clubhouse typically provides a central hub for members, offering meeting spaces, lounges, and event facilities.
  • Junior Programs: Many yacht clubs have programs for children and young adults, including sailing lessons and other activities.
  • Waterfront Access: Direct access to the lake, with facilities for swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and more.
  • Golf: Some yacht clubs may have golf courses or partnerships with nearby golf clubs to offer golfing opportunities to members.
  • Fitness and Wellness Facilities: Gyms, fitness centers, and spa facilities to promote health and well-being.
  • Social and Networking Opportunities: Membership often includes access to a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for boating and watersports.

White Bear Yacht Club Event Information and Dining Options

The White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, offers a variety of events and occasions for members to celebrate and enjoy. While specific events may vary from year to year, common events and celebrations at yacht clubs like White Bear Yacht Club may include:

  • Sailing Regattas: Yacht clubs often host a series of sailing regattas throughout the season, where members can compete in various boat classes and racing formats.
  • Opening Day and Closing Day Celebrations: Many yacht clubs mark the beginning and end of the sailing season with special ceremonies and social gatherings.
  • Themed Parties: Clubs may organize themed parties throughout the year, such as costume parties, tropical luau nights, and holiday-themed events.
  • Concerts and Entertainment: Enjoy live music performances, outdoor concerts, and other entertainment options that the club may host.
  • Junior Sailing and Youth Programs: Clubs typically offer programs and events specifically designed for young sailors and their families, including junior regattas and summer camps.
  • Social Mixers: Casual gatherings where members can socialize and network with fellow boating enthusiasts.
  • Weddings and Private Events: Yacht clubs often provide event spaces for weddings, corporate functions, and private celebrations with stunning lakeside settings.
  • Educational Seminars: Some country clubs host workshops and educational events related to sailing, boat maintenance, and other nautical topics.
  • Holiday Celebrations: Special events for holidays such as Independence Day, Labor Day, and other relevant occasions.
  • Annual Awards Banquet: A formal event where the club recognizes and honors outstanding achievements in sailing and contributions from members.
  • Regatta Parties: Celebrations held in conjunction with major sailing races and regattas, featuring award ceremonies and social gatherings.
  • Member’s Birthday Celebrations: Some clubs organize birthday parties for members, to celebrate their special days.

The dining options at the White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, may vary, but typical options you might find at a yacht club include:

  • Fine Dining: Many yacht clubs offer upscale dining options in an elegant and formal setting. These restaurants often feature gourmet cuisine and a carefully curated wine list. Members can enjoy a refined dining experience with lakefront views.
  • Casual Dining: Yacht clubs may provide more relaxed dining options, such as a grill, bistro, or pub-style restaurant. Casual dining areas are perfect for members seeking a more laid-back atmosphere and a variety of comfort foods.
  • Outdoor Dining: Enjoy the beautiful lakeside scenery with outdoor dining on patios or decks. Outdoor dining areas often offer a more relaxed atmosphere, allowing members to soak in the natural beauty while enjoying their meals.
  • Member’s Bar: Many yacht clubs have a dedicated bar area where members can socialize, relax, and enjoy drinks and light fare. It’s a popular spot for post-sailing gatherings and casual meetups.
  • Private Dining Rooms: For special occasions and private events, yacht clubs may have private dining rooms available for members to reserve. These spaces provide an intimate setting for celebrations or business meetings.

White Bear Yacht Club Dress Code and Guest Policy

The dress code and guest policy at the White Bear Yacht Club, like those at many private clubs, are typically designed to maintain a certain level of decorum, uphold the club’s traditions, and create a pleasant and respectful atmosphere for all members and guests.

Here are some general guidelines that are often found at private clubs:

Dress Code: The dress code at the White Bear Yacht Club may include the following:

  • Appropriate Attire: Members and guests are generally expected to wear attire that is neat, clean, and in good condition.
  • Formal Dress: Some areas of the club may require more formal attire, such as collared shirts, slacks, dresses, and appropriate footwear.
  • Casual Dress: Other areas, like outdoor dining or casual dining spaces, may permit more relaxed attire, such as shorts and casual shirts.
  • Swimwear: Swimwear is typically restricted to pool and beach areas, and cover-ups may be required in indoor areas.
  • Hats and Headgear: Some clubs have policies regarding hats and headgear, often requiring the removal of hats when indoors.
  • Denim: Some clubs may restrict the use of denim in certain areas, while others allow it as long as it is clean and presentable.

Guest Policy: The guest policy at the White Bear Yacht Club will outline the rules and limitations for inviting non-member guests to the club. Common elements may include:

  • Guest Limits: Clubs usually have restrictions on how often and for how many guests a member can extend an invitation.
  • Registration: Guests may need to be registered with the club in advance, and there could be a fee associated with hosting guests.
  • Sponsorship: A sponsoring member may be required to accompany their guest during the visit.
  • Compliance: Guests are typically expected to adhere to the club’s dress code and behavioral expectations.

White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minnesota, represents a cherished haven for those seeking a unique blend of lakeside luxury, nautical adventure, and a strong sense of community. With a rich history dating back to the late 19th century and an enduring commitment to preserving its traditions, this esteemed yacht club offers a wide range of amenities and opportunities for members to enjoy.

From world-class sailing facilities to fine dining and social events, the White Bear Yacht Club continues to be a beacon of leisure and camaraderie on the shores of White Bear Lake. Its timeless appeal and dedication to fostering a close-knit community make it a special place where members can create lasting memories and celebrate the beauty of lake life.

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white bear yacht club history

Sailboat Chronicles: The White Bear Yacht Club and More

Sails billow across the waters of White Bear Lake like windblown banners of royalty. This idyllic summer scene dates back to the 1800s, when the railroad reduced the three-hour dusty, wagon ride from St. Paul to White Bear Lake to a 20-minute trip. A resort boom followed, as thousands of vacationers flocked to large resorts that popped up all along the lakeshore. Naturally, these summer sojourners wanted to get out on the water. Soon, sailboats dotted the lake like flocks of elegant birds alighting on the water’s surface.

white bear yacht club history

Local boat builders flourished. Most of them built keelboats with lots of weight in the keel to prevent capsizing, but they were slower and not as well suited for inland sailing. In the 1890s, boat builder J.O. Johnson, became enamored with a new sailboat design known as a flat-bottom scow. The first scow built and raced by Johnson in 1900 astounded the competition by flying past all other sailboats for numerous wins. The incredible speed of scow boats was a game-changer in the sport of sailing.

Johnson parted ways with employer Amundson Boat Works and launched Johnson Boat Works, which was dedicated to the production of the flat-bottom scow. Johnson developed many different types of scows, but the fastest and most impressive is his original 38-foot design, commonly referred to as an A scow. The large sailboat typically requires a seven-person crew, and is thrilling to watch race across the lake.

The formation of the White Bear Yacht Club in 1889 and other organizations dedicated to inter-lake racing fueled a local passion for sailing. But a 1932 storm destroyed most A scows on White Bear Lake; the Depression made rebuilding the fleet unfeasible, and Johnson Boat Works survived the era by building powerboats. Recreational sailing remained on White Bear Lake, but the expense to restore and maintain any remaining A boats made them unpractical. The A boat fell out of favor, their splendor seemingly lost forever.

A Rebirth In 2000, Dellwood resident Fletcher Driscoll’s family included 18 people. Driscoll owned a 28-foot E boat, but says it was like a log in the water whenever his entire family attempted to board. “It was sad to have a family party and not be able to take everybody out on the boat,” says Driscoll. “So I decided to restore an older A boat.” When that happened, excitement sparked among many lake-area residents. Before long, Driscoll had a list of more than 50 friends and neighbors requesting a ride.

white bear yacht club history

A year later Driscoll received a call. The last wooden scow built by Johnson Boat Works in 1963 for John S. Pillsbury was for sale. “I was sure it was too old and in bad shape,” says Driscoll. But the boat was well maintained; Driscoll bought it and, with the help of other skippers, spent a year restoring the boat to its former glory.

Driscoll figured he needed a third A boat to have races, so he added a used fiberglass A boat to his fleet and held his first A boat race in 2004. “There was more interest in these sailboats than I originally thought,” says Driscoll. Today, his A boat fleet stands at 11, the largest in the world. Driscoll gets frequent phone calls from lakefront homeowners asking when the beautiful A boats will race. “Some schedule dinner parties around sailboat races because it’s just so magical to watch,” says Driscoll.

A Family Affair White Bear Lake has remained home to enthusiasts of smaller scows and keelboats, and the joy of sailing can be discovered at virtually any age. Craig Drake began sailing at 42 years old, shortly after he and wife Gloria enrolled their children in sailing lessons at White Bear Yacht Club. “Our kids fell in love with sailing,” says Drake, “so much so that they would note summer wind conditions and tell us whenever it was a great day to sail.” This encouraged Craig and Gloria to take adult sailing lessons.

white bear yacht club history

But it was a winter visit to the boat show that sealed the sailing deal for the Drake family. “Our kids also enjoy wakeboarding and waterskiing,” says Drake. “We just assumed they’d want a speedboat, but they were enamored with sailboats from White Bear Boat Works.”

Today, the Drake family owns a 22-foot Capri keelboat named Lucky Duck and they’ve been sailing together on White Bear Lake for the past 10 years. They also have two smaller one-person laser sailboats. The Drakes race with Black Bear Yacht Racing Association, where Craig says other sailors are very helpful to beginners.

Over the years his kids have sailed in regattas with Twin Cities Youth Sailing and the high school sailing team. Last year, Lucky Duck took second place in one of Black Bear Yacht Racing Association’s series of races. “I love that sailing is a sport you can do all through life,” says Drake. “I also love the blend of art, science and strategy involved in sailboat racing.” The Next Generation of Sailors Sailors agree it isn’t necessary to live on a lake to enjoy sailing. The Drakes didn’t grow up on a lake and didn’t live on a lake when their initial love of sailing began. Jason Brown, owner of White Bear Boat Works, says there are many opportunities in the White Bear area for those who have never sailed before.

When Brown was 6 years old, his mother married Skip Johnson, grandson of J.O. Johnson. “I grew up hanging around the old boat works,” says Brown. “Sailing has given me fantastic memories and lifelong friends, some of whom I still compete against today.” Brown races with an A boat crew on Monday nights and says people travel to White Bear Lake from all over to race.

white bear yacht club history

“I grew up sailing, but never lived on a lake,” says Kathy Sanville of White Bear Lake. “The White Bear Sailing School helps bridge the gap for sailors without lakefront property.” Sanville co-skippers Hedwig, one of Driscoll’s A boats. All of Driscoll’s A boats are named after Harry Potter characters, to pique the interest of young sailors.

Once interest is sparked, sailing classes are available at White Bear Sailing School all summer. Nick Hovland is waterfront director for WBSS and also head coach of the high school sailing team. “We have over 250 participants at the sailing school each summer, ranging from 4 to 70 years old,” says Hovland.

For kids in grades seven through 12, sailing is one of the few co-ed sports in America. It’s offered to local students spring and fall. “Many think you need to know how to sail to be on a high school team,” Hovland says. “But we take kids with zero experience and teach them to sail. All they need is a lifejacket and some waterproof clothing. We’ve had lots of success and have competed at the national level.”

white bear yacht club history

Adult novices are also encouraged to take a sailing class. Adults with a little experience and lots of enthusiasm can just head out to White Bear Lake and offer to help crew sailboats during race nights. “Sailboat skippers are especially eager for extra crewmembers on windy days,” says Drake.

White Bear Lake is a social hub for the local sailing community, where enduring friendships are formed. Sailing is a lifetime sport that allows sailors to continually enjoy and challenge themselves out on the water. So, don’t just sit there: Set sail.

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white bear yacht club history

In 1921 F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent the summer—or at least part of it—living in a rented room at White Bear Yacht Club . Located 20 miles northeast of St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald’s hometown, the club seemed a perfect place to swim, relax and play golf in a quiet setting where Fitzgerald also could write.

But as was often the case, the Fitzgeralds did far more drinking and fighting than swimming, relaxing, playing golf or writing, and were tossed out before the first leaf fell in September. A year later, Fitzgerald published the short story Winter Dreams , the tale of Dexter Green, a successful businessman who falls in love with the daughter of a man whose bag he once toted as a caddie at Sherry Island Golf Club in Black Bear Lake, Minnesota. No doubt, White Bear was a foundation for that work, as well as for The Great Gatsby and the quote commonly attributed to Fitzgerald: “The rich are different from you and I.”

Certainly, White Bear’s original members lived not unlike the way Jay Gatsby did, with black-tie dinners and debutante balls in the original clubhouse (destroyed by a fire in 1937), which is said to have resembled an ocean liner.

The current membership  is considerably more casual, but not when it comes to golf—and for good reason. The club’s golf history is a rich one. For years Walter Hagen held the course record. White Bear’s second pro, Tom Vardon, was the younger brother of six-time British Open winner Harry. In 1929 member Harrison “Jimmy” Johnston became the only player besides Bobby Jones to win the U.S. Amateur between 1927 and 1930. But at White Bear, Donald Ross is the name that matters most of all. Ross’ history with the club is a bit fuzzy, as most documentation of the original course design was lost in the fire. All that survived was a promotional pamphlet bearing the legend: “Original design by William Watson. Developed by Tom Vardon and Donald Ross.”

Vardon tinkered with the layout during his tenure, which began in 1916. It is believed that Watson, a well-regarded Scottish designer, created some initial drawings for a lost front nine. But Ross’ fingerprints mark each of the 6,471 yards that sit across a road from the shores of White Bear Lake, where several of St. Paul’s most prominent families formed a sailing club in 1889.

In the early 20th century, Ross performed a considerable amount of work in Minnesota, designing or re-working Minikhada, Interlachen and Woodhill around the Twin Cities, as well as Northland near Duluth. White Bear’s official history includes the diary entry of a member recounting a 1910 meeting at which Ross (but not Watson or Vardon) discussed plans for the front nine. Further supporting Ross as the designer is the biography Discovering Donald Ross, which places him at the club in 1912 and 1915. The front opened in 1912 and the back in 1916.

Having grown up in Dornoch, Scotland, Ross was heavily influenced by the way natural beauty had been harnessed at his home course, Royal Dornoch, as well as by a typically Scottish love of a brisk walk. The raw material at White Bear was a rugged, rolling parcel that is believed to have been a potato farm. At this stage in his career, Ross was designing courses that focused on the existing contours of the land and took advantage of natural mounds, many of which mark the topography of the rough at White Bear.

The layout favors the shotmaker over the big hitter, demanding creativity, accuracy and focus on every shot from nearly every location—most of them uneven—on the course. The 405-yard 1st breaks a bit from Ross’ tendency toward gentle opening holes. From a high tee box, the fairway drops significantly downward and then up to a large, elevated green, required a precisely judged, well-executed mid-iron shot. Anything short will roll down the hill.

The 429-yard 2nd features another Ross hallmark, a V-shaped fairway that sits right of center. The topography siphons good drives toward the middle, but almost always results in a sidehill lie, which is preferable to the alternative: missing the fairway.

The challenges are varied through the course of the 18 holes. On the 383-yard 12th, a well-hit drive can kick forward off a slope, but the green is hidden by a false front that runs dramatically away from the line of play, often causing what seems to be a great shot to end up in a bunker behind the green. The par-5 13th has a roller-coaster fairway that gives way to a narrow approach, while the back nine’s other par 5, the 16th, has a tight driving area.

The course has been altered a bit over the years. The club has removed bunkers and planted hundreds of spruce trees in the 1960s and ’70s, no doubt a result of the “beautification” movement that swept across much of American golf during that era.

In some cases, Ross’ offset tee boxes were squared to the fairway and on the picturesque 189-yard 8th, a member of the green committee cleared an oak-filled hollow below the tee one winter during the early ’60s, eliminating what had been a blind tee shot.

Led by former golf chairman Mark Hallberg, the club recently restored the course to Ross’ original design. Working with Tom Doak and using pictures from the ’40s, the club has rediscovered lost bunkers and removed many spruces. But for the most part, the committee has left intact the greens, which Doak calls “the most severely undulating greens Ross ever designed.”

In more than the putting surfaces, White Bear is a throwback—nearly everyone walks the course as Ross intended, braving steep hills that can tax even the best-conditioned golfers. Ross designed each hole for maximum beauty and challenge, and the course provides just as formidable a test today as it did for Hagen and Vardon.

Members like to tell the tale of a guest who spent the day bedeviled by the terrain to which Ross hewed so closely nearly a century ago. Coming off No. 18, the man stormed up to a member and complained that he’d had “only one flat lie all day!”

“Where?” the member asked. “I’ll have to have that fixed.”

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White Bear Yacht Club

White Bear Lake, MN • Private

  • Best In State

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Before he moved to California where he laid the foundation of many of that state's best courses from the pre-Depression era, William Watson was a pioneer of golf in Minnesota. He arranged the first nine holes at White Bear Yacht Club in 1912 near the shore of White Bear Lake on some of the most roly-poly land imaginable. Several years later, Donald Ross, it is believed, added nine holes and remodeled the course. That rumpled, unmodified land is the heart and soul of White Bear Yacht Club. Modern architects would likely have leveled and softened the slopes and ravines, but here they bring the golf to life visually and psychologically, offering nary a level stance and asking the player to hit approaches with extreme control. Over the last two decades under the guidance of Jim Urbina the surrounding canopy of forest has been pared back to better reveal the massive, enthralling undulations of the course.

100 Greatest

100 Greatest: The course was part of Golf Digest's original 200 Toughest Courses list from 1967-'68.

Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 191st, 2017-'18.

Best in State: Ranked fourth, 2023-'24. Ranked fifth, 2011-'22. Ranked inside the top 5, 1991-2003. Ranked inside the top 10, 2005-'09. 2023-'24 ranking: 4th.

Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot options, layout variety, conditioning.

“While still highly rated, it is the most underrated top course in the state. The variety on the course, conditions, and the unique multi-clubhouse vibe is top on the state."

“Awesome rolling topography. Great conditions. This is such a fun course to play on these hills. The 18th hole is a little bit of a let down. Truly think they would benefit from switching the 9s."

“Old Donald Ross design built on undulating ground. Beautiful set of Par 3's are the highlight here. Here's a course where you will hit every club in your bag. This is a fun course to play. Jump at the chance to play here if ever invited."

“Delightful private club on a small site with considerable elevation changes. What I lacks in length is made up in variety, uniqueness/quirk, and challenging green complexes. Very soft when played, which is probably more often the rule than the exception (though reportedly, they do strive for firm conditions)"

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Artful Living Magazine

An Insider’s Guide to the Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs

Editors’ Note: This article first appeared in our Summer 2013 issue and remains one of our most read stories from our archives.

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

People still wear pressed tennis whites and go yachting. There are still women who call themselves “Babs.” But many of the Twin Cities’ private country clubs have changed, particularly since the Great Recession. Clubs with long-standing wait lists, like Interlachen and Woodhill , now find themselves with ample openings. Some, such as Dellwood Hills , have moved to a no-initiation model. Even the most exclusive clubs are offering terrific bargains for young people (half off the initiation fee for those under 40, for example).

“It used to be that country clubs were the domain of the truly well-connected,” confides one Woodhill member, who asked to not be named. “Now, clubs are clamoring for almost anyone with a wallet. Even Woodhill members are being asked to groom their contacts, to do recruiting.”

The glitz and formality of country clubs have faded, too. Woodhill and Minikahda used to host lavish parties for hundreds of people, à la The Great Gatsby . But galas have largely been replaced by patio BBQs and couples’ trivia nights. Once considered unthinkable, gentlemen at Woodhill are no longer required to wear neckties in the clubhouse after 6 p.m.

Which is not to say there aren’t real benefits to joining. If you want to tee off with Minnesota’s most powerful players, you will still find them at “the club.” Here’s your insider guide to the top venues.  

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

Photography by Wing Ta

Edina Country Club

Founded: 1923

The Basics: This lavish club is built around a core of nouveau riche. Transplants to Minnesota are sometimes advised to join Edina to build up social capital and then try for membership at the more prestigious Interlachen or Minikahda . The club is considered kid-friendly, especially since the 2008 hiring of Manager Carl Granberg, who added a slew of kid-centric offerings, such as pool-opening parties and kids’ etiquette classes. As of 2012, the club had 1.67 adults for every child. But for some, the place became a little too kid-friendly; there has been a moderate exodus of older members and empty nesters to Minikahda .  

Ancient History: The Edina Country Club was designed as a kind of community center. Real-estate mogul Samuel Thorpe bought a farm south of 50th Street with visions of an idyllic 585-home subdivision. At the heart of his “country club” neighborhood: an actual country club.  

Big Moment: A 1970 exhibition game between pro golfer Arnold Palmer and Gov. Wendy Anderson.  

Noteworthy Event: Easter Sunday Brunch with ham- and prime rib–carving stations, chicken Kiev, Cajun shrimp, and house-made chocolate eggs (hand decorated with edible paint, naturally). Don’t miss the roving Easter bunny, kids’ egg hunt and Easter Bunny-shaped ice sculpture.  

Clubhouse: The 65,000-square-foot shake and brick clubhouse is a sprawling, low-slung affair that overlooks the fifth green and sixth tee. Inside, off-white walls hem with dark-wood furnishings and gilt hardware.  

Golf Course: The original course is credited to Scottish-American designer Tom Bendelow, though he had a hand in only nine of its 18 holes. When the clubhouse was moved in 1959, the course was reoriented, and there have been issues ever since, mostly with winterkilled greens and awkward tees. The course was shut down for a year in 1996 so designer Roger Rulewich could do a complete overhaul. When that effort underwhelmed the membership, the club hired former Gophers golfer Tom Lehman to do a redesign in 2010 and again shut down the course for an entire year. Local golf blogger Jeff Shelman, a former sports scribbler at the Star Tribune , reviewed the new course, calling it “way more fun than before.”  

Other Amenities: An Olympic-sized pool, four clay and two hard-surface tennis courts, plus a winter clubhouse that offers two platform tennis courts and easy access to ice skating and hockey.  

The Damage: $50,000 initiation, $564 monthly dues, $75 monthly capital assessment for a golf membership. Members are also expected to spend $75 or more on food every month.

Getting In: The club offers 100 social memberships, 210 pool/tennis memberships and 375 golf memberships. New members are approved every third Thursday, but if you bring them a check and seem up-to-snuff, the club will get you into the facilities as soon as the next day. New members need one sponsor and two endorsers (endorsements can be as simple as an email to the general manager).

Notable Members: Plastic surgeon Doug Gervais; pro golfer John Harris; retailer Perry and Mary Mead, co-owners of Melly at the Galleria; Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Otteson; legendary venture capitalist Gordon Stofer of Cherry Tree Investments, who funded “Sesame Street Live”  

Networking Hot Spots: Cargill; Dalco Enterprises; Entegris; Ingenio; J.W. Hulme Co.; Lazard Middle Market; Preston Kelly; Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner; Steingart, McGrath & Moore; Thomson Reuters; QSR+

Interlachen Country Club

Founded: 1909

The Basics: Situated on the shores of Mirror Lake in Edina, this chummy club attracts a broad cross-section of new and old wealth. It’s much harder to get into than Edina, just two miles away. Interlachen has perhaps the most famous golf course in Minnesota; in recent years, it has hosted the Solheim Cup (2002) and the U.S. Women’s Open (2008).  

Ancient History: The club was established on 185 acres of farmland. Grain merchant Alvin Poehler was a major stakeholder in its early days.  

Big Moment: Bobby Jones’ famous shot in the 1930 U.S. Open, when he topped his shot into the pond and it skipped on the surface of the water to the far bank.  

Noteworthy Event: This July will mark the 45th anniversary of the Willie Kidd Invitational, named for the club’s long-deceased Scottish golf pro. People fly in from all over the country for the chance at a Willie Kidd Piper, a rubbed bronze statuette of a Scottish Highland bagpiper in full regalia.  

Clubhouse: The frame and timber Tudor-style clubhouse retains much of the masculine aura instilled by architect Cecil Bayless Chapman. The main dining room still has a soaring ceiling with exposed hardwood rafters. Details include mahogany-stained woodwork and scoop-back leather chairs.  

Golf Course: Designed by William Watson with revisions by Robert Trent Jones, Interlachen’s course is difficult, with many trees and nine water hazards. The signature hole is No. 18, where Bobby Jones accidentally skipped his ball across the water and ended the hole with a birdie.  

Other Amenities: A six-lane, 25-yard pool, seven clay and two-hard surface tennis courts, plus a wellness center that offers massage therapy, pedicures, manicures, facials and reflexology.  

The Damage: $60,000 initiation plus $680 in monthly dues for a golf membership. The monthly food and beverage minimum is $100.  

Getting In: The multi-step process involves a questionnaire about your golf skills, various meet-and-greets, two separate reviews by the membership committee, and six letters of recommendation.  

Notable Members: Arne and David Rovick, sons of Edina Realty Founder Emma Rovick; St. Cloud Times Publisher Scott Johnson; Opus Founder Gerald Rauenhorst; Bachman’s President Paul Bachman; MacPhail Center CEO Kyle Carpenter; Allina Health System CEO Emeritus Gordon Sprenger; former Target CEO Bob Ulrich; former UnitedHealthcare CEO Robert Sheehy; former PepsiAmericas CEO Bob Pohlad; John Remes, president at KARE 11; William Lindsay, MD, who performed the first heart transplant in Minnesota; Sports-show host Dave Mona; Malt-O-Meal board chair John Lettmann  

Networking Hot Spots: CarVal Investors; CBRE; Dain Rauscher; Ernst & Young; Faegre & Benson; Hays Companies; Hoyt Properties; Norwest Mezzanine Partners; Piper Jaffray; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi; UBS

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

Minikahda Country Club

Founded: 1898

The Basics: Considered a transitional club between the more showy nouveau-riche clubs ( Edina , Wayzata ) and the decorous old-money clubs ( Woodhill , Somerset ), Minikahda is more prestigious than Interlachen and is difficult to get into.  

Ancient History: Minikahda was the first private club founded by the enterprising old-money families: the Washburns, the Crosbys, the Pillsburys, the Daytons. Situated right on the outskirts of Minneapolis, it originally served the milling barons who lived in the grand homes on Lake of the Isles. As those families began to migrate toward Lake Minnetonka, Minikahda was somewhat abandoned by the ultra-rich in favor of Woodhill.  

Big Moment: When the Archbishop of Canterbury visited in the early 1950s wearing his formal tailcoat and knee pants, and got very splashed by kids in the pool. (He laughed it off.)  

Noteworthy Event: Prim and proper luncheon for all past Aquatennial Queens, held each July. The menu is always the same: Minikahda chicken salad and sticky rolls.  

Clubhouse: The antebellum-style clubhouse has expansive views of Lake Calhoun. Members sit on the whitewashed grand portico and eat meals prepared by Ferris Shiffer, said to be the best private-club chef in Minnesota.  

Golf Course: In 2001, Minikahda hired Ron Prichard to return the course to a more undulating style, as envisioned by Scottish architect Donald Ross. He reconfigured all 18 holes, enlarged all the greens and dramatically lengthened the course. The signature hole is still No. 10, which starts off very steep and narrows down through a passage of old-growth trees.  

Other Amenities: A kidney-shaped pool that overlooks Lake Calhoun, six clay and one hard-surface tennis courts, and a separate paddle house for platform tennis.  

The Damage: $60,000 initiation plus $632 in monthly dues for a golf membership.  

Getting In: Applicants need a minimum of six sponsors. Expect a wait time of two months or more for your application to be considered. As of press time, there were 875 members; the club has a capacity of 915.  

Notable Members: Ecolab CEO Doug Baker; Constance Bakken, who bought herself a bank after divorcing Medtronic Founder Earl Bakken (also a member); Pillsbury heir and Washburn Crosby heir Robert L. Crosby; U.S. District Judge David Doty; Haskell’s CEO Jack Farrell; Rev. Douglas Fontaine, retired dean of the Cathedral of St. Mark; SimonDelivers Founder Simon Foster; Minnesota Monthly Publisher Steve Fox; Gabbert’s Founder Jim Gabbert; Rev. Tim Hart-Andersen, minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church; Peavey heir Frank Heffelfinger; former Brit’s Pub Owner Stuart Higgins; Rockefeller heir Alida Messinger; Target design chief Rich Varda; Rev. Canon Charles Vogt of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral; Minnesota Commissioner of Transportation Charlie Zelle  

Networking Hot Spots: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co; AWJ Capital Partners; Briggs and Morgan; C. Chase Company; Coldwell Banker Burnet; Dorsey & Whitney; Dougherty Financial Group; Gray Plant Mooty; Hillcrest Capital Partners; Lindquist & Vennum; McGough; RBC Wealth Management; Riverbridge Partners; TCF Bank  

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

North Oaks Golf Club

Founded: 1950

The Basics: Conceived and financed by the wealthy heirs of railroad baron James J. Hill, the North Oaks Golf Club has lost much of its prestige in its 63 years. Though the third-generation Hill heirs stayed involved until their deaths, the club is now populated mainly by lawyers, doctors and VP-level businesspeople from North Oaks and St. Paul. Members say they appreciate that their place lacks much of the social preening found in some other clubs.  

Ancient History: James J. Hill’s grandson, Louis Hill Jr., was caught up in the utopianism of the 1950s. Le Corbusier had his “radiant city.” Writer Ebenezer Howard envisioned a grand “garden city movement.” There was a feeling among power players and intellectuals that idyllic cities, towns and neighborhoods could be neatly and properly constructed. With that in mind, L. W. Hill Jr. convinced his fellow heirs that they could create a chaos-free community on their grandfather’s 4,000-acre farm. Thus, today we have North Oaks, a St. Paul suburb that is also a private, gated community. The golf club is part of that residential complex.  

Noteworthy Event: The Ray Vennewitz Acorn Men’s Invitational is the club’s much-anticipated guest/member tourney held each July.  

Clubhouse: Low and sprawling, the clubhouse has the feel of a high-dollar senior-living facility: clean, comfortable, rather antiseptic. The ballroom has fiberglass ceiling tiles. But there are nice views of the golf course.  

Golf Course: Designed in 1951 by Stanley Thompson, the 6,655-yard course was significantly renovated in 2007 by golfer Tom Lehman. Members say their course is quick, challenging and very underrated.  

The Damage: Initiation is $5,500 plus $593 in monthly dues. There is a $50 monthly food minimum for a golf membership.  

Getting In: Two letters of sponsorship are required. You do not have to live in the gated community to be a member.  

Notable Members: Former 3M CEO Lewis Lehr; Rev. Paul Morrissey, minister at the Church of St. Louis, King of France; Car dealer Lee Carlson, the father of FOX host Gretchen Carlson; Compulsive entrepreneur Tom Auth, who owns more than 30 different companies (from auto parts to chemical testing and wireless alarm systems)  

Networking Hot Spots: Cody Law Group; Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson; Homel Realty; Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt; Fredrikson & Byron; Brookdale Health; Johnstech International; White Pine Capital; Yaeger, Jungbauer & Barczak  

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

Town & Country Club

Founded: 1887

The Basics: Located near the Marshall Avenue–Lake Street bridge in St. Paul, this steady, low-priced club attracts midlevel VPs, St. Paul politicians and a surprising number of doctors.  

Ancient History: Before the great Minnesota barons were at Minikahda , White Bear Yacht or Woodhill , they were at Town & Country, the oldest private club in Minnesota. It was founded by the Nushkas, a social krewe born out of the first Winter Carnival, which included Lucius Pond Ordway and James J. Hill. True to its roots, the club originally had a toboggan slide and an official uniform: electric blue with astrakhan fur. The first version of the golf course employed tomato cans and fishing poles with red rags because members weren’t yet exactly sure how to play the unusual Scottish game.  

Clubhouse: Once a cool fin-de-siècle clubhouse designed by Cass Gilbert. But that was torn down in 1955 to go with standard dark brick. The main dining room has a nice view of the Mississippi River.  

Other Amenities: Four clay tennis courts and a swimming pool heated to 80 degrees.

The Damage: $8,750 initiation plus $667 monthly dues for a golf membership. The food and beverage minimum is $187.50 per quarter.

Getting In: Very easy. The membership coordinator will even find sponsors for you to meet if you don’t know anyone there.  

Notable Members: Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer; former Minnesota Gopher star tackle and World War II vet Ed Lechner; Nora McGuire, the first female golf pro in Minnesota; investor David Freeman, the former owner of the Nashville Predators; well-known car dealers Ron Saxon and Tom Krebsbach Jr.  

Networking Hot Spots: Advantus Capital Management; Dain Rauscher; First Farmers and Merchants Bank; ING; National Checking Company; Oberman Thompson; Schwan’s; UBS

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

Photography provided by Wayzata Country Club

Wayzata Country Club

Founded: 1956

The Basics: Where Woodhill is demure and secretive, Wayzata is glitzy and flashy: The two clubs are polar opposites, as different as Mark Dayton and David Koch. And yet, they are near neighbors, less than a mile apart, separated by a railroad track (literally). Culturally speaking, Wayzata is lively, fun-loving and very family-oriented. It also seems to attract more than its fair share of drama. Just Google Wayzata Country Club and “Ali Dunham” for one juicy tale that made it all the way to the TV show A Current Affair. The club has also attracted a few crooked characters, such as Denny Hecker and Tom Petters. In fact, a handful of members were accused of being co-conspirators in Petters’ $3.65-billion Ponzi scheme.  

Ancient History: For nearly 40 years, Woodhill was one of the few private clubs near Lake Minnetonka. As the area exploded with new residents after World War II, it was besieged with membership requests. This made Woodhill’s old-guard founders, who preferred to stay under the radar, quite uncomfortable. As such, the old-money families decided they needed a kind of pressure valve for their favorite club and so put up much of the early capital for Wayzata.  

Clubhouse: The Tudor cottage clubhouse is well-appointed outside and in. Even the lockers in the locker rooms have carved-wood doors.  

Golf Course: The splendid and tough 18-hole championship course is never lent to the Minnesota Golf Association for tournaments.  

The Damage: $35,000 initiation, $685 monthly dues, $100 monthly capital assessment plus a $160 bimonthly food minimum.  

Getting In: You need one primary and two supporting sponsors to write letters on your behalf. These letters, plus a formal membership application and credit report, are submitted to the board of directors for review. The process generally takes a couple of months.  

Other Amenities: Trap and skeet range, an Olympic-sized pool, six clay and two hard-surface tennis courts, two paddle tennis courts, a six-hole junior golf course, an ice rink in winter.  

Notable Members:  Former General Mills CEO Steve Sanger, former Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Publisher Vance Opperman, Gov. Wendy Anderson, TCF Bank CEO Bill Cooper, Archivers Founder Jann Olsten, professional golfer Tim Herron  

Networking Hot Spots: Campbell Mithun; C.H. Robinson; Deloitte & Touche; Fabcon; Fair Isaac; General Mills; Korn/Ferry; Kraus-Anderson; Medtronic; Merrill Lynch; Pentair; PricewaterhouseCoopers; RBC Wealth Management; Toro; U.S. Bancorp; Wells Fargo Home Mortgage  

Twin Cities’ Private Country Clubs | Artful Living Magazine

White Bear Yacht Club

Founded: 1889

The Basics: Twenty miles northeast of St. Paul sits the White Bear Yacht Club, the only sailing-plus-golf club in the state.

Ancient History: Originally a summer hotel, the yacht club still rented rooms to vacationers through the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent the summer of 1921 at the club but were kicked out before September (probably for fighting, which they did all the time). In 1922, Fitzgerald published Winter Dreams , a short story about a caddie-turned-businessman who falls in love at Sherry Island Golf Club in Black Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Noteworthy Event: The Sailors BBQ features a competitive scow, a BBQ buffet on the Lakeside Lawn and cocktails galore.

Clubhouse: The clubhouse is an interesting mix of nautical and Nantucket: white clapboard and blue awnings next to bold arches and sweeping porticos. Currently, a $3.2-million renovation is underway. As of Memorial Day, club members can enjoy a new 25-yard competition pool, a kid’s splash pool and wading area, a new dining terrace with lake views, a new 1,200-square-foot lakeside pavilion with firepit and patio, a new tennis house, and a new on-course restroom. The club is also funding a shoreline restoration project.

Golf Course: The Donald Ross–designed course is separated from the clubhouse by Dellwood Avenue.  

Other Amenities: Four clay and two hard-surface tennis courts.

The Damage: Initiation is $26,550 initiation, $725 monthly dues.

Getting In: As of press time, there were 200 members; the club has a capacity of 225. Applicants need two letters of recommendation from club members. New members are approved the second Tuesday of the month.

Notable Members: Ordway family heirs Todd Nicholson, Horace Irvine III and Ford Nicholson; Regions Hospital CEO Brock Nelson; art dealer and Coldwell Banker Burnet Co-founder Dar Reedy

Networking Hot Spots: 3M; CentraCare Health System; Craig-Hallum Capital; Hallberg & McClain; Securian Financial Group; Smith Barney; St. Croix Orthopaedics; Western Bank

Woodhill Country Club

Founded: 1915

The Basics: Woodhill is an interesting contradiction. It’s unassuming on the outside but exceptionally hard to get into. The membership is mostly old, traditional, proper and conservative. This is, after all, the club that kicked out Gov. Mark Dayton when he brought black friends around the clubhouse in the early ’70s. (Dayton was accepted back into the fold after he married a Rockefeller heir in 1978, but he resigned his membership after he decided to run for U.S. Senate.)

Ancient History: When the old-money families had migrated from Kenwood to Lake Minnetonka, they needed a new private club, and they built a simple one, with no flourishes or special airs. The painted-brick exterior was designed with one purpose: to keep away potential kidnappers-for-ransom such as the gang that nabbed Minnesota brewer Bill Hamm in 1933 or St. Paul banker Ed Bremer in 1934. That wealth-based paranoia still influences Woodhill’s members in the 21st century — some of the older members still drive Chevys and Fords; many wear midrange clothing brands.  

Big Moment: When 19-year-old Jack Nicklaus shot a four-under-par 67 in 1959 to win the Trans-Mississippi Amateur.  

Noteworthy Event: There are lots of parties around the midsummer Woodhill Invitational golf tournament. Highlights include a cocktail party on the tennis courts and a black-tie dinner on Saturday night. But the biggest deal is the party held on the second night at one member’s home on Lake Minnetonka. Almost everyone arrives by fancy boat.  

Clubhouse: Pragmatic and generically pleasant (think Chippendale cane chairs with floral upholstery and rolled-arm sofas next to beige walls). Very few fancy details.  

Golf Course: Unlike many clubs that distinguish between golfers, swimmers, tennis players and socialites, Woodhill has just one membership category: in. As such, the Donald Ross–designed course is virtually empty half the time. The signature hole is No. 6, which starts very steep and is incredibly picturesque.  

Other Amenities: Ten clay tennis courts with a dedicated tennis clubhouse.

The Damage: $45,000 initiation, $741 in monthly dues.  

Getting In: A yearlong process of cocktail parties, dinners and more cocktail parties before you are thoroughly vetted and approved.  

Notable Members: Ned and Bob Dayton, scions of the department store fortune and first cousins to Gov. Mark Dayton; Phil Ordway, the real-estate investor and great-grandson of 3M Owner Lucius Pond Ordway; Fred Boos, owner of Grand View Lodge in Brainerd; Malt-O-Meal heir Conley Brooks Sr.; former North Stars, Twins and Vikings investor Wheelock Whitney; Executive Roger Headrick, who once owned the Minnesota Vikings; John J. Taylor III, who owns one of the top 10 beer-distribution companies in the country; Helen Waldron, granddaughter of John Pillsbury Snyder and great-great granddaughter of John Sargent Pillsbury, founder of Pillsbury  

Networking Hot Spots: If upward mobility is your aim, Woodhill isn’t your game.  

The governor’s office denies Governor Dayton was kicked out of Woodhill saying that’s “just a story.” His spokeswoman did confirm Dayton was once a Woodhill member but is not now.

The Best of the Best

Best Golf Hole No. 10 at Town and Country Club

Best Views Minikahda Club

Best Pro Shop Edina Country Club  

Best All-Around Club Wayzata Country Club  

Best Bar Snacks Minikahda Club  

Best Golf-Only Club Three-Way Tie: Hazeltine National Golf Club, Spring Hill Golf Club, Windsong Farm Golf Club

Hardest Club to Get Into Somerset Country Club, closely followed by Interlachen Country Club  

Best Signature Drink Bootleg from the Minikahda Club  

Best Locker Room Wayzata Country Club (newly renovated with Cambria quartz)

Best Ninth-Hole Shack Wayzata Country Club. You can hit the shack from 5 different holes. Insider tip: Bonnie Pipkorn makes the strongest libations.  

Most Swinging Club Bearpath Golf & Country Club  

Best Overall Community North Oaks Golf Club

Busiest Club Edina Country Club

Best Place to Have a Wedding Lafayette Club  

Best Range Tie: Hazeltine National Golf Club and Windsong Farm Golf Club  

Best Entrance Woodhill Country Club  

Best Caddie Program Interlachen Country Club  

Best Course Not Noted Minneapolis Golf Club

Best Swim Team Bearpath Golf & Country Club

Hardest Greens to Read Northland Country Club  

Most Appreciated Course Interlachen Country Club

Read this article as it appears in the magazine.

Tags: country club , golf , minneapolis , private club , st. paul

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white bear yacht club history

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Prowling the US for the Top 100 golf courses and everything in between!

White Bear Yacht Club

white bear yacht club history

White Bear Yacht Club – Played September 2021

  • Rankings: None of my four lists
  • Location: 56 Dellwood Avenue, Dellwood, Minnesota
  • Original Architects: Donald Ross & Willie Watson
  • Course Access: Private
  • Walking Rules: Carts & Caddies Available

Score Card Information :

  • Blue: 6,471 yards, Par 72, 72.1 Rating/132 Slope
  • White: 6,266 yards, Par 72, 71.2 Rating/131 Slope
  • Gold: 5,823 yards, Par 72, 69.0 Rating/127 Slope
  • Red: 5,658 yards, Par 74, 73.3 Rating/134 Slope

After a wonderful day at Interlachen and Hazeltine, I headed a little bit outside of the metro area to see White Bear Yacht Club.  That might be one of the best golf course names I’ve come across.

Through my burgeoning interest in golf course architecture, I’d heard about White Bear before.  Additionally, as has been the theme so far on this trip, I had a connection through the No Laying Up message board.

I met up with Nick, Nick’s mom, and Tyler to check out this wild golf course.  You’ll see from the photos, but the course heaves and dips over crazy land.

White Bear Yacht Club has a long history dating back before the original nine holes from 1912.  Before the turn of the century the club was founded around sailing.  Since then the club has hosted many tournaments and was the home of 1929 US Amateur winner Jimmy Johnston and head pro Tom Vardon.  You may have heard of his brother Harry.

A fun aside from the club’s history page is that F Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda occupied a room in the clubhouse in 1921.  They were apparently too wild and had to relocate.

Let’s start the show.  The sign below greets you upon your arrival.

white bear yacht club history

White Bear Yacht Club has an excellent logo, showcased here on the intricate hole markers.

white bear yacht club history

All hole yardages are from the blue tees.

Hole 1 – 405 yards – Par 4

It’s no easy start to this round.  The contouring and elevation change punch you in the mouth from the beginning.  I love it.

white bear yacht club history

For all the slopes you get in the fairway, the green is relatively tame.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 2 – 429 yards – Par 4

A big drive can really help you out here.  The fairway slopes to the right, so accurate drives will likely end up on that side.  The approach shot plays to a relatively tame green which is fair due to the length of the hole.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 3 – 133 yards – Par 3

I love quirk in golf courses and this hole is an epitome of that.  Much of the green is obscured by the hill on the right and any left miss is absolutely screwed.  It’s a short shot but you are absolutely nervous to hit it.  Thrilling!

white bear yacht club history

Hole 4 – 552 yards – Par 5

The high heather that is seen straightaway is in play on your tee shot.  Laying back or aiming up the right is imperative.  The characteristic fairway contours continue on this hole.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 5 – 441 yards – Par 4

You don’t often find holes that play over roads, but they are more common on older courses for some reason.  Unleash the driver on this long par four.  The slope on the left side may slow down drives, but that side is best for the approach.  It’s a real cost/benefit decision.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 6 – 152 yards – Par 3

With the downhill grade, I found this hole played much less than the yardage.  Short is also better than long, so that factors in as well.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 7 – 457 yards – Par 5

The length may not scare you on this tee, but the slopes all over and heather down the right should.

white bear yacht club history

Second shots must not be indifferent as there is a big slope in front of the green.  You can have some interesting chips around this putting surface.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 8 – 189 yards – Par 3

Quirk shows up again with three par threes on the front.  Any left misses here leave you with a challenging chip from well below the green.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 9 – 514 yards – Par 5

This might be the quintessential hole at White Bear Yacht Club.  You cannot see the green until you get pretty close.  The fairway contouring is turned up to the maximum, as evidenced by the view in the second shot.  On the approach shot you can be creative playing along the ground or carry the ball all the way to the green.  Choices abound!

white bear yacht club history

Hole 10 – 332 yards – Par 4

Hitting the fairway is a big advantage when playing to this green.  The putting surface is elevated and mostly blind.  To add to the challenge, it is also one of the smaller targets.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 11 – 180 yards – Par 3

Epic, almost comical slope characterizes this green.  If you find yourself in the wrong section, be happy with a three putt!

white bear yacht club history

Hole 12 – 383 yards – Par 4

Back across the road we go.  The view from this tee box is certainly unique. A wide fairway is guarded by bunkers on the right before it gives way to a sunken, obscured green.  Very interesting hole from start to finish.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 13 – 514 yards – Par 5

Not many of the holes at White Bear Yacht Club feel tight from the tee.  This is an example of what “tight” is here.  It’s still pretty generous especially if you treat it as a three shot hole and play for accuracy.

white bear yacht club history

The fairway mounding doesn’t quit out here!

white bear yacht club history

Hole 14 – 336 yards – Par 4

I was told there had been some work on this hole and it had been changed a bit.  The dogleg right did feel a bit out of place.  The tee shot would become easier with multiple plays.

white bear yacht club history

Bunkers guard the green, but I would argue the small size and extreme slope are the bigger challenges.

white bear yacht club history

If I’m being honest, I thought this green was too severe for its size.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 15 – 423 yards – Par 4

As you’ve seen the par fours here can be very difficult.  The 15th is no exception, but if you can hit a drive up the left it shortens this hole a bit.

white bear yacht club history

This look at the second shot can induce some fear.

white bear yacht club history

But upon getting closer you see that the green is open in front and accepting of run up shots.  A good mix of length with accommodating architecture.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 16 – 483 yards – Par 5

It wasn’t apparent what this hole was doing on my first look.  The green sits out in the distance, slightly to the right.  With a hazard to the left, power fades play well here.

white bear yacht club history

My drive left me with no view of the green and relying on my host for direction.  He did a good job!

white bear yacht club history

Short grass surrounds the green and can make for some awkward chips.  For a short par five, it’s pretty devilish.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 17 – 205 yards – Par 3

The final par three takes you on a straightforward journey.  Can you you hit a longer shot to a bigger green while avoiding the bunker?  No crazy slopes or elevation change here.

white bear yacht club history

Hole 18 – 343 yards – Par 4

The finishing hole evokes Ireland with a blind tee shot marked by a “white bear” aiming rock.  Driver is not needed and arguably not advised as a comfortable wedge yardage for the approach is paramount.

white bear yacht club history

A good drive puts you in attack mode with a short club.

white bear yacht club history

My day at White Bear Yacht Club was phenomenal.  First, the company was top notch.  On a long solo trip, I was grateful for the open arms of my No Laying Up friends.  Second, the course spoke to me in a way not many do.  So much quirk and interesting architecture.  The membership has something special here.  What a day!

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White Bear Yacht Club Sailing

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The White Bear Yacht Club   formed in 1889 to sponsor yacht racing at White Bear Lake, MN. We’re proud to have been one of the founding members of the I nland Lake Yachting Association and host to the first ILYA Championship regatta held in August of 1898. Learn more about our history here . Club races are scheduled every Saturday morning and afternoon, and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings throughout the summer months. Sailing instruction is available for adults and children through our White Bear  Sailing School  (WBSS) .

WBYC Sailing News

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  • 2023Registration is Open!
  • Remembering Fletcher Driscoll
  • WBYC Race Officer Messages
  • 2022 Sailing Season is Open
  • 2021 Sailing Season Updates

More News Articles…

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white bear yacht club history

Originally founded in 1889 as a sailing club, the Yacht Club is rich in sailing history and to this day, holds regular regattas while maintaining the largest “A” boat fleet in the United States.  The original “clubhouse” was actually the Kirby Barnum Hotel which provided overnight accommodations to members that wished to spend their weekends on beautiful White Bear Lake. The train from St. Paul stopped directly in front of the Barnum dropping off members at the front door.    At the beginning of the 20 th  century golf was in its infancy in the United States, but in 1912 the Club added golf to its venue of entertainments with a 9 hole course designed by Scottish architect William “Willie” Watson. WBYC joined the Minnesota Golf Association which was founded in 1901.    Shortly thereafter, the Barnum was replaced by a new lakeside clubhouse designed by then member A.H. Stem, best known for his design of New York City's Grand Central Station.    In 1915 Donald Ross was engaged to redesign the original nine holes and commissioned to add a second nine. Today a contemporaneous map depicting Ross’s design hangs in the Club’s Golf House and shows the basic layout of the original holes which are for the most part unchanged.  Shortly after the 18 hole course opened for play, the Club hired Isle of Jersey man Tom Vardon, an accomplished professional and brother of six-time British Open Champion Harry, to become the Club’s Head Golf Professional. He stayed on until 1937. Vardon was well known for his talent as a player, teacher, course designer and club maker.   During the summer of 1921 F. Scott Fitzgerald & Zelda occupied a room at the Club.  Fitzgerald’s time at the Club was fictionalized in his work, naming it the Sherry Island Golf Club in Black Bear Lake, MN. But alas, he and Zelda proved to be too rambunctious and were encouraged to relocate, which they did to St. Paul’s Commodore Hotel.   Harrison R. “Jimmy” Johnston, a member and student of Vardon’s, competed in and won the 1929 U.S. Amateur carrying the Club’s name to the first venue to hold the Amateur west of the Mississippi – the Pebble Beach Golf Links.   Over the years the Yacht Club has been the host venue for dozens of MGA, MWGA and USGA competitions, since hosting its first MGA Men’s Amateur Championship in 1917.  Although not overly long, the course remains timeless with its unique changes in topography, varied green complexes and serene surroundings just as it was over 100 years ago.

After over 125 years, we strive to preserve our history while remaining an active place to play for modern families.   

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Le Corbusier’s triumphant return to Moscow

white bear yacht club history

The exhibition of French prominent architect Le Corbusier, held in The Pushkin Museum, brings together the different facets of his talent. Source: ITAR-TASS / Stanislav Krasilnikov

The largest Le Corbusier exhibition in a quarter of a century celebrates the modernist architect’s life and his connection with the city.

Given his affinity with Moscow, it is perhaps surprising that the city had never hosted a major examination of Le Corbusier’s work until now. However, the Pushkin Museum and the Le Corbusier Fund have redressed that discrepancy with the comprehensive exhibition “Secrets of Creation: Between Art and Architecture,” which runs until November 18.

Presenting over 400 exhibits, the exhibition charts Le Corbusier’s development from the young man eagerly sketching buildings on a trip around Europe, to his later years as a prolific and influential architect.

The exhibition brings together the different facets of his talent, showing his publications, artwork and furniture design alongside photographs, models and blueprints of his buildings.

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Irina Antonova, director of the Pushkin Museum, said, “It was important for us to also exhibit his art. People know Le Corbusier the architect, but what is less well know is that he was also an artist. Seeing his art and architecture together gives us an insight into his mind and his thought-processes.”

What becomes obvious to visitors of the exhibition is that Le Corbusier was a man driven by a single-minded vision of how form and lines should interact, a vision he was able to express across multiple genres.

The upper wings of the Pushkin Museum are separated by the central stairs and two long balconies. The organizers have exploited this space, allowing comparison of Le Corbusier’s different art forms. On one side there are large paintings in the Purist style he adapted from Cubism, while on the other wall there are panoramic photographs of his famous buildings.

Le Corbusier was a theorist, producing many pamphlets and manifestos which outlined his view that rigorous urban planning could make society more productive and raise the average standard of living.

It was his affinity with constructivism, and its accompanying vision of the way architecture could shape society, which drew him to visit the Soviet Union, where, as he saw it, there existed a “nation that is being organized in accordance with its new spirit.”

The exhibition’s curator Jean-Louis Cohen explains that Le Corbusier saw Moscow as “somewhere he could experiment.” Indeed, when the architect was commissioned to construct the famous Tsentrosoyuz Building, he responded by producing a plan for the entire city, based on his concept of geometric symmetry.

Falling foul of the political climate

He had misread the Soviet appetite for experimentation, and as Cohen relates in his book Le Corbusier, 1887-1965, drew stinging attacks from the likes of El Lissitsky, who called his design “a city on paper, extraneous to living nature, located in a desert through which not even a river must be allowed to pass (since a curve would contradict the style).”

Not to be deterred, Le Corbusier returned to Moscow in 1932 and entered the famous Palace of the Soviets competition, a skyscraper that was planned to be the tallest building in the world.

This time he fell foul of the changing political climate, as Stalin’s growing suspicion of the avant-garde led to the endorsement of neo-classical designs for the construction, which was ultimately never built due to the Second World War.

Situated opposite the proposed site for the Palace of the Soviets, the exhibition offers a tantalizing vision of what might have been, presenting scale models alongside Le Corbusier’s plans, and generating the feeling of an un-built masterpiece.

Despite Le Corbusier’s fluctuating fortunes in Soviet society, there was one architect who never wavered in his support . Constructivist luminary Alexander Vesnin declared that the Tsentrosoyuz building was the "the best building to arise in Moscow for over a century.”

The exhibition sheds light on their professional and personal relationship, showing sketches and letters they exchanged. In a radical break from the abstract nature of most of Le Corbusier’s art, this corner of the exhibition highlights the sometimes volatile architect’s softer side, as shown through nude sketches and classical still-life paintings he sent to Vesnin.

“He was a complex person” says Cohen. “It’s important to show his difficult elements; his connections with the USSR, with Mussolini. Now that relations between Russia and the West have improved, we can examine this. At the moment there is a new season in Le Corbusier interpretation.” To this end, the exhibition includes articles that have never previously been published in Russia, as well as Le Corbusier’s own literature.

Completing Le Corbusier’s triumphant return to Russia is a preview of a forthcoming statue, to be erected outside the Tsentrosoyuz building. Even if she couldn’t quite accept his vision of a planned city, Moscow is certainly welcoming him back.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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Moscow downtown historic district.

  • Location: Moscow Idaho Regional Essays: Idaho Latah County Architect: Robert H. Barton Leonidas McCartor Michael Shields William J. McConnell James McGuire Milburn Kenworthy Types: mixed-use developments motion picture theaters hotels (public accommodations) apartments retail stores storefronts Styles: Romanesque Revival Richardsonian Romanesque Italianate (North American architecture styles) Spanish Colonial Revival Art Deco Materials: brick (clay material) cast iron sandstone dimension stone cast stone

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Wendy R. McClure, " Moscow Downtown Historic District ", [ Moscow , Idaho ], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/ID-01-057-0003 . Last accessed: April 21, 2024.

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According to historians who traveled throughout North Idaho at the turn of the twentieth century to interpret the early histories and future viability of the region’s towns, Moscow was a community where the early “pioneers got it right.” In 1903, visiting historians observed a thriving town in the center of a rich agricultural valley, where commercial development significantly outpaced resident population growth. They noted that, here, in contrast to other pioneer settlements, railroad companies accepted early settlers’ geographic choice for the town center rather than forcing the town to move the commercial districts to accommodate railroad interests. Downtown Moscow has persisted as the symbolic heart of the community and center of public life. Its late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century buildings have adapted to changing needs over time and currently serve entertainment and housing needs of a university city.

Multiple conditions favored early Moscow’s capacity to achieve stability and prosperity as a business center during its formative years. The region’s geography was naturally accommodating of human habitation. For hundreds of years “Tatkinmah,” the “valley of the spotted deer” in which Moscow is located, served as a seasonal meeting grounds for tribal peoples including the Nez Perce, Coeur d’Alene, and Palouse, who frequented the area to harvest camas roots, trade, and race horses. Early settlers benefitted from ease of access to the region afforded by the Nez Perce Trail, which climbed two thousand feet from the tribe’s winter home in the Snake River Valley. In 1871, the first wave of homesteaders ascended the trail and claimed land in what they called “Paradise Valley,” a landscape of rich soil, bucolic grassy hills, and gently flowing streams. As farm families in pursuit of a permanent home, they brought early stability to the area and a need for a commercial marketplace. Moscow’s formative years also benefitted from the foresight and generosity of four homesteaders and businessmen (Almon Lieuallen, James Deakin, Henry McGregor, and John Russell), who each donated 30 acres of their intersecting claims to establish the initial townsite and commercial center. From the start, they established a climate for community stability by cultivating commercial enterprises along Main Street. Their motivations differed from those of fortunes seekers throughout the west, who temporarily populated, and exploited, early western settlements and then moved on.

Given its central location within a highly productive agricultural landscape, downtown Moscow quickly expanded from its humble beginnings into a booming regional marketplace for outlying communities and farmsteads. In 1885, the railroad arrived downtown, assuring Moscow’s role as a regional shipping point. Equally vital to the commercial district’s economic well-being, was the territorial legislature’s 1888 decision to locate the University of Idaho in Moscow. The combined economic stimuli afforded by agriculture, railroad linkage, and education produced downtown Moscow’s most significant period of commercial development. All downtown buildings constructed between 1888 and 1893 were either retail establishments or banks; over one-third of buildings designated as “contributing” to Moscow’s National Historic Downtown District were built in this period. Their developers, which included William McConnell, Robert H. Barton, and Michael Shields, were among Moscow’s most influential local businessmen. In architectural stature and purpose, these buildings remain unsurpassed by later periods of downtown development.

In 1891, William McConnell and his partner, James McGuire, erected the McConnell-McGuire Building, a three-story department store on the southeast corner of First and Main Streets. The physical heart of downtown during this period, however, developed at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets, where a prominent commercial building was constructed at each corner between 1889 and 1891. All of the structures were built of brick, as required by an 1891 city ordinance regulating fire safety. The 1891 Skattaboe Block, originally constructed on the southwest corner of the intersection in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, was modified at the street level in the 1980s. The Hotel Moscow, a replacement building following a catastrophic fire in 1890, was also designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Across the street on the northeast corner, Leonidas McCartor erected two mixed-use buildings in the Romanesque Revival style in 1891 and 1896, respectively. The 1891 building initially served as Farmer’s Bank before becoming Moscow’s City Hall in 1900, and it served in that capacity until the mid-twentieth century. Use of the Italianate style for downtown buildings was also relatively common as in the Shields Building on the intersection’s southeast corner. Michael Shields developed the Shields Building North as Moscow’s first three-story brick building with an elevator in 1889. The building has since lost some of its original ornamentation and has been modified at the street level.

Mirroring national economic trends, downtown development and construction activity paused during the economic panic of 1893. The national recession led to a slowdown in new construction and the upper floors of several department stores were converted from retail space to offices and apartments between 1893 and 1900. Main Street’s growth resumed in tandem with the country’s economic recovery. Twenty percent of the downtown district’s current inventory of buildings was built between 1900 and World War I. The majority are one- and two-part, block-style commercial buildings. They are smaller in scale and simpler in their detailing than buildings associated with downtown’s peak period. The Kenworthy Theater, a vaudeville and motion picture venue, is a notable exception. Between World War I and World War II, downtown continued to infill with brick and concrete block buildings designed in period-appropriate Art Deco and Spanish Mission styles. Both downtown movie theaters exhibit Art Deco influences and remain popular destinations for cultural entertainment and community events.

Typical of downtowns throughout the country during the post–World War II period, retail businesses and buildings along Moscow’s Main Street suffered from the erosive effects of highway traffic and shopping mall construction. A downtown revitalization initiative in 1980, featuring highway rerouting, streetscape improvements, and construction of a public plaza at the downtown’s core intersection at 4th and Main, helped to re-establish Main Street as a center for public life. The historic integrity of even the most prominent downtown buildings has been compromised, and many bear the marks of storefront modifications intended to forestall retail decline. Collectively, however, they provide a palimpsest of inherited culture and visitors to Moscow’s Main Street need only look up from street level at the brick buildings to connect with late-nineteenth-century community builders who had envisioned downtown Moscow as a bustling regional marketplace.

Attebury, J. Building Idaho: An Architectural History. Moscow: University of Idaho Press, 1991.

David, H. “Moscow at the Turn of the Century.” Moscow, ID: Local History Paper #6, Latah County Historical Society, 1979.

Hibbard, Don, “McConnell-McGuire Building,” Latah County, Idaho. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, 1977. National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington DC.

Julin, Suzanne, “Moscow Downtown Historic District,” Latah County, Idaho. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, 2005. National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington DC.

Julin, Suzanne, and D. Krae, “Kenworthy Theater,” Latah County, Idaho. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, 2001. National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington DC.

Monroe, J. Moscow: Living and Learning on the Palouse , Charleston, SC: Making of America Series, Arcadia Publishing, 2003.

Otness, L. A Great Good Country: A Guide to Historic Moscow and Latah County, Idaho . Moscow, ID: Local History Paper # 8, Latah County Historical Society, 1983.

Western Historical Publishing Company. An Illustrated History of North Idaho: embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, State of Idaho . Spokane, WA: Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903.

Wright, Patricia, “Hotel Moscow,” Latah County, Idaho. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, 1978. National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington DC.

Writing Credits

  • Location: Moscow, Idaho Regional Overviews: Latah County Architect: Robert H. Barton Types: mixed-use developments motion picture theaters hotels (public accommodations) apartments retail stores storefronts Styles: Romanesque Revival Richardsonian Romanesque Italianate (North American architecture styles) Spanish Colonial Revival Art Deco Materials: brick (clay material) cast iron sandstone dimension stone cast stone

If SAH Archipedia has been useful to you, please consider supporting it.

SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. But the Society of Architectural Historians, which created SAH Archipedia with University of Virginia Press, needs your support to maintain the high-caliber research, writing, photography, cartography, editing, design, and programming that make SAH Archipedia a trusted online resource available to all who value the history of place, heritage tourism, and learning.

Kings of Russia

The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

  • Posted on April 14, 2018 July 26, 2018
  • by Kings of Russia
  • 8 minute read

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Moscow’s nightlife scene is thriving, and arguably one of the best the world has to offer – top-notch Russian women, coupled with a never-ending list of venues, Moscow has a little bit of something for everyone’s taste. Moscow nightlife is not for the faint of heart – and if you’re coming, you better be ready to go Friday and Saturday night into the early morning.

This comprehensive guide to Moscow nightlife will run you through the nuts and bolts of all you need to know about Moscow’s nightclubs and give you a solid blueprint to operate with during your time in Moscow.

What you need to know before hitting Moscow nightclubs

Prices in moscow nightlife.

Before you head out and start gaming all the sexy Moscow girls , we have to talk money first. Bring plenty because in Moscow you can never bring a big enough bankroll. Remember, you’re the man so making a fuzz of not paying a drink here or there will not go down well.

Luckily most Moscow clubs don’t do cover fees. Some electro clubs will charge 15-20$, depending on their lineup. There’s the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you’ll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus.

Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That’ll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys chipping in. Not to mention that it’s a massive status boost for getting girls, especially at high-end clubs.

Without bottle service, you should estimate a budget of 100-150$ per night. That is if you drink a lot and hit the top clubs with the hottest girls. Scale down for less alcohol and more basic places.

Dress code & Face control

Door policy in Moscow is called “face control” and it’s always the guy behind the two gorillas that gives the green light if you’re in or out.

In Moscow nightlife there’s only one rule when it comes to dress codes:

You can never be underdressed.

People dress A LOT sharper than, say, in the US and that goes for both sexes. For high-end clubs, you definitely want to roll with a sharp blazer and a pocket square, not to mention dress shoes in tip-top condition. Those are the minimum requirements to level the playing field vis a vis with other sharply dressed guys that have a lot more money than you do. Unless you plan to hit explicit electro or underground clubs, which have their own dress code, you are always on the money with that style.

Getting in a Moscow club isn’t as hard as it seems: dress sharp, speak English at the door and look like you’re in the mood to spend all that money that you supposedly have (even if you don’t). That will open almost any door in Moscow’s nightlife for you.

Types of Moscow Nightclubs

In Moscow there are four types of clubs with the accompanying female clientele:

High-end clubs:

These are often crossovers between restaurants and clubs with lots of tables and very little space to dance. Heavy accent on bottle service most of the time but you can work the room from the bar as well. The hottest and most expensive girls in Moscow go there. Bring deep pockets and lots of self-confidence and you have a shot at swooping them.

Regular Mid-level clubs:

They probably resemble more what you’re used to in a nightclub: big dancefloors, stages and more space to roam around. Bottle service will make you stand out more but you can also do well without. You can find all types of girls but most will be in the 6-8 range. Your targets should always be the girls drinking and ideally in pairs. It’s impossible not to swoop if your game is at least half-decent.

Basic clubs/dive bars:

Usually spots with very cheap booze and lax face control. If you’re dressed too sharp and speak no Russian, you might attract the wrong type of attention so be vigilant. If you know the local scene you can swoop 6s and 7s almost at will. Usually students and girls from the suburbs.

Electro/underground clubs:

Home of the hipsters and creatives. Parties there don’t mean meeting girls and getting drunk but doing pills and spacing out to the music. Lots of attractive hipster girls if that is your niche. That is its own scene with a different dress code as well.

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What time to go out in Moscow

Moscow nightlife starts late. Don’t show up at bars and preparty spots before 11pm because you’ll feel fairly alone. Peak time is between 1am and 3am. That is also the time of Moscow nightlife’s biggest nuisance: concerts by artists you won’t know and who only distract your girls from drinking and being gamed. From 4am to 6am the regular clubs are emptying out but plenty of people, women included, still hit up one of the many afterparty clubs. Those last till well past 10am.

As far as days go: Fridays and Saturdays are peak days. Thursday is an OK day, all other days are fairly weak and you have to know the right venues.

The Ultimate Moscow Nightclub List

Short disclaimer: I didn’t add basic and electro clubs since you’re coming for the girls, not for the music. This list will give you more options than you’ll be able to handle on a weekend.

Preparty – start here at 11PM

Classic restaurant club with lots of tables and a smallish bar and dancefloor. Come here between 11pm and 12am when the concert is over and they start with the actual party. Even early in the night tons of sexy women here, who lean slightly older (25 and up).

The second floor of the Ugolek restaurant is an extra bar with dim lights and house music tunes. Very small and cozy with a slight hipster vibe but generally draws plenty of attractive women too. A bit slower vibe than Valenok.

Very cool, spread-out venue that has a modern library theme. Not always full with people but when it is, it’s brimming with top-tier women. Slow vibe here and better for grabbing contacts and moving on.

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High-end: err on the side of being too early rather than too late because of face control.

Secret Room

Probably the top venue at the moment in Moscow . Very small but wildly popular club, which is crammed with tables but always packed. They do parties on Thursdays and Sundays as well. This club has a hip-hop/high-end theme, meaning most girls are gold diggers, IG models, and tattooed hip hop chicks. Very unfavorable logistics because there is almost no room no move inside the club but the party vibe makes it worth it. Strict face control.

Close to Secret Room and with a much more favorable and spacious three-part layout. This place attracts very hot women but also lots of ball busters and fakes that will leave you blue-balled. Come early because after 4am it starts getting empty fast. Electronic music.

A slightly kitsch restaurant club that plays Russian pop and is full of gold diggers, semi-pros, and men from the Caucasus republics. Thursday is the strongest night but that dynamic might be changing since Secret Room opened its doors. You can swoop here but it will be a struggle.

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Mid-level: your sweet spot in terms of ease and attractiveness of girls for an average budget.

Started going downwards in 2018 due to lax face control and this might get even worse with the World Cup. In terms of layout one of the best Moscow nightclubs because it’s very big and bottle service gives you a good edge here. Still attracts lots of cute girls with loose morals but plenty of provincial girls (and guys) as well. Swooping is fairly easy here.

I haven’t been at this place in over a year, ever since it started becoming ground zero for drunken teenagers. Similar clientele to Icon but less chic, younger and drunker. Decent mainstream music that attracts plenty of tourists. Girls are easy here as well.

Sort of a Coyote Ugly (the real one in Moscow sucks) with party music and lots of drunken people licking each others’ faces. Very entertaining with the right amount of alcohol and very easy to pull in there. Don’t think about staying sober in here, you’ll hate it.

Artel Bessonitsa/Shakti Terrace

Electronic music club that is sort of a high-end place with an underground clientele and located between the teenager clubs Icon and Gipsy. Very good music but a bit all over the place with their vibe and their branding. You can swoop almost any type of girl here from high-heeled beauty to coked-up hipsters, provided they’re not too sober.

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Afterparty: if by 5AM  you haven’t pulled, it’s time to move here.

Best afterparty spot in terms of trying to get girls. Pretty much no one is sober in there and savage gorilla game goes a long way. Lots of very hot and slutty-looking girls but it can be hard to tell apart who is looking for dick and who is just on drugs but not interested. If by 9-10am you haven’t pulled, it is probably better to surrender.

The hipster alternative for afterparties, where even more drugs are in play. Plenty of attractive girls there but you have to know how to work this type of club. A nicer atmosphere and better music but if you’re desperate to pull, you’ll probably go to Miks.

Weekday jokers: if you’re on the hunt for some sexy Russian girls during the week, here are two tips to make your life easier.

Chesterfield

Ladies night on Wednesdays means this place gets pretty packed with smashed teenagers and 6s and 7s. Don’t pull out the three-piece suit in here because it’s a “simpler” crowd. Definitely your best shot on Wednesdays.

If you haven’t pulled at Chesterfield, you can throw a Hail Mary and hit up Garage’s Black Music Wednesdays. Fills up really late but there are some cute Black Music groupies in here. Very small club. Thursday through Saturday they do afterparties and you have an excellent shot and swooping girls that are probably high.

Shishas Sferum

This is pretty much your only shot on Mondays and Tuesdays because they offer free or almost free drinks for women. A fairly low-class club where you should watch your drinks. As always the case in Moscow, there will be cute girls here on any day of the week but it’s nowhere near as good as on the weekend.

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In a nutshell, that is all you need to know about where to meet Moscow girls in nightlife. There are tons of options, and it all depends on what best fits your style, based on the type of girls that you’re looking for.

Related Topics

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  • moscow nightlife

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Ch. 9 The Development of Russia

Ivan i and the rise of moscow, learning objective.

  • Outline the key points that helped Moscow become so powerful and how Ivan I accomplished these major victories
  • Moscow was considered a small trading outpost under the principality of Vladimir-Suzdal into the 13th century.
  • Power struggles and constant raids under the Mongol Empire’s Golden Horde caused once powerful cities, such as Kiev, to struggle financially and culturally.
  • Ivan I utilized the relative calm and safety of the northern city of Moscow to entice a larger population and wealth to move there.
  • Alliances between Golden Horde leaders and Ivan I saved Moscow from many of the raids and destruction of other centers, like Tver.

A rival city to Moscow that eventually lost favor under the Golden Horde.

Grand Prince of Vladimir

The title given to the ruler of this northern province, where Moscow was situated.

The Rise of Moscow

Moscow was only a small trading outpost in the principality of Vladimir-Suzdal in Kievan Rus’ before the invasion of Mongol forces during the 13th century. However, due to the unstable environment of the Golden Horde, and the deft leadership of Ivan I at a critical time during the 13th century, Moscow became a safe haven of prosperity during his reign. It also became the new seat of power of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Ivan I (also known as Ivan Kalita) was born around 1288 to the Prince of Moscow, Daniil Aleksandrovich. He was born during a time of devastation and upheaval in Rus’. Kiev had been overtaken by the invading Mongol forces in 1240, and most of the Rus’ principalities had been absorbed into the Golden Horde of the Mongol Empire by the time Ivan was born. He ascended to the seat of Prince of Moscow after the death of his father, and then the death of his older brother Yury.

image

Ivan I. He was born around 1288 and died in either 1340 or 1341, still holding the title of Grand Prince of Vladimir.

Ivan I stepped into a role that had already been expanded by his predecessors. Both his older brother and his father had captured nearby lands, including Kolomna and Mozhaisk. Yury had also made a successful alliance with the Mongol leader Uzbeg Khan and married his sister, securing more power and advantages within the hierarchy of the Golden Horde.

Ivan I continued the family tradition and petitioned the leaders of the Golden Horde to gain the seat of Grand Prince of Vladimir. His other three rivals, all princes of Tver, had previously been granted the title in prior years. However they were all subsequently deprived of the title and all three aspiring princes also eventually ended up murdered. Ivan I, on the other hand, garnered the title from Khan Muhammad Ozbeg in 1328. This new title, which he kept until his death around 1340, meant he could collect taxes from the Russian lands as a ruling prince and position his tiny city as a major player in the Vladimir region.

Moscow’s Rise

During this time of upheaval, the tiny outpost of Moscow had multiple advantages that repositioned this town and set it up for future prosperity under Ivan I. Three major contributing factors helped Ivan I relocate power to this area:

  • It was situated in between other major principalities on the east and west so it was often protected from the more devastating invasions.
  • This relative safety, compared to Tver and Ryazan, for example, started to bring in tax-paying citizens who wanted a safe place to build a home and earn a livelihood.
  • Finally, Moscow was set up perfectly along the trade route from Novgorod to the Volga River, giving it an economic advantage from the start.

Ivan I also spurred on the growth of Moscow by actively recruiting people to move to the region. In addition, he bought the freedom of people who had been captured by the extensive Mongol raids. These recruits further bolstered the population of Moscow. Finally, he focused his attention on establishing peace and routing out thieves and raiding parties in the region, making for a safe and calm metaphorical island in a storm of unsettled political and military upsets.

image

Kievan Rus’ 1220-1240. This map illustrates the power dynamics at play during the 13th century shortly before Ivan I was born. Sarai, the capital of the Golden Horde, sat to the southeast, while Moscow (not visible on this map) was tucked up in the northern forests of Vladimir-Suzdal.

Ivan I knew that the peace of his region depended upon keeping up an alliance with the Golden Horde, which he did faithfully. Moscow’s increased wealth during this era also allowed him to loan money to neighboring principalities. These regions then became indebted to Moscow, bolstering its political and financial position.

In addition, a few neighboring cities and villages were subsumed into Moscow during the 1320s and 1330s, including Uglich, Belozero, and Galich. These shifts slowly transformed the tiny trading outpost into a bustling city center in the northern forests of what was once Kievan Rus’.

Russian Orthodox Church and The Center of Moscow

Ivan I committed some of Moscow’s new wealth to building a splendid city center and creating an iconic religious setting. He built stone churches in the center of Moscow with his newly gained wealth. Ivan I also tempted one of the most important religious leaders in Rus’, the Orthodox Metropolitan Peter, to the city of Moscow. Before the rule of the Golden Horde the original Russian Orthodox Church was based in Kiev. After years of devastation, Metropolitan Peter transferred the seat of power to Moscow where a new Renaissance of culture was blossoming. This perfectly timed transformation of Moscow coincided with the decades of devastation in Kiev, effectively transferring power to the north once again.

image

Peter of Moscow and scenes from his life as depicted in a 15th-century icon. This religious leader helped bring cultural power to Moscow by moving the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church there during Ivan I’s reign.

One of the most lasting accomplishments of Ivan I was to petition the Khan based in Sarai to designate his son, who would become Simeon the Proud, as the heir to the title of Grand Prince of Vladimir. This agreement a line of succession that meant the ruling head of Moscow would almost always hold power over the principality of Vladimir, ensuring Moscow held a powerful position for decades to come.

  • Boundless World History. Authored by : Boundless. Located at : https://www.boundless.com/world-history/textbooks/boundless-world-history-textbook/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

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  1. White Bear Yacht Club History Minnesota

    History. Originally founded in 1889 as a sailing club, the Yacht Club is rich in sailing history and to this day, holds regular regattas while maintaining the largest "A" boat fleet in the United States. The original "clubhouse" was actually the Kirby Barnum Hotel which provided overnight accommodations to members that wished to spend ...

  2. White Bear Yacht Club Dellwood MN

    Nestled along the picturesque shores of White Bear Lake in Dellwood, Minnesota, the White Bear Yacht Club stands as a true gem among the state's exclusive recreational destinations.

  3. About Us

    The White Bear Yacht Club is a private athletic and social organization dedicated to the promotion of yachting, golf, tennis, swimming and other sports. Situated on the shores of White Bear Lake in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, the White Bear Yacht Club has a history dating back to the late 1800's. At a meeting held in August 1897 at Ramaley ...

  4. A century of White Bear golf

    The historian provides a plethora of interesting facts and photos concerning the White Bear Yacht Club in a new book: "Wind, Waves and Waggles… 100 Years of Golf.". It is being published by ...

  5. Sailboat Chronicles: The White Bear Yacht Club and More

    The formation of the White Bear Yacht Club in 1889 and other organizations dedicated to inter-lake racing fueled a local passion for sailing. But a 1932 storm destroyed most A scows on White Bear Lake; the Depression made rebuilding the fleet unfeasible, and Johnson Boat Works survived the era by building powerboats.

  6. White Bear Yacht Club, Minnesota

    CoursesJune 30, 2011. White Bear Yacht Club, Minnesota. byLinks Magazine. 0. By Josh Karp. Photo by Hannabarger. In 1921 F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent the summer—or at least part of it—living in a rented room at White Bear Yacht Club. Located 20 miles northeast of St. Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald's hometown, the club ...

  7. White Bear Yacht Club celebrates 125 years

    White Bear Yacht Club celebrates 125 years. The Kirby Barnum Hotel in Dellwood was headquarters for the White Bear Yacht Club from 1891 to 1897. It stood on the present site of the sailors ...

  8. Recreation destination: White Bear Lake has rich sailing history

    In the fall of 1889, the White Bear Yacht Club was founded "to sponsor yacht racing at White Bear Lake.". There were 42 members the first year and dues were $3. The membership split in 1891 ...

  9. White Bear Yacht Club

    Ranked inside the top 5, 1991-2003. Ranked inside the top 10, 2005-'09. 2023-'24 ranking: 4th. White Bear Yacht Club. 55 Dellwood Ave. White Bear Lake, MN 55110. View Website. EXPLORE THE COURSE MAP.

  10. Donald Ross Golf Courses

    At White Bear Yacht Club, we are built upon a rich history and strong heritage, centered around preserving a family-focused, multi-sport environment. The people that make up our membership and our attentive staff are the heart and soul of our club. They represent the best qualities of the communities in which we live and share the core values ...

  11. An Insider's Guide to the Twin Cities' Private Country Clubs

    White Bear Yacht Club. Founded: 1889. The Basics: Twenty miles northeast of St. Paul sits the White Bear Yacht Club, the only sailing-plus-golf club in the state. Ancient History: Originally a summer hotel, the yacht club still rented rooms to vacationers through the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent the summer of 1921 at ...

  12. White Bear Yacht Club

    White Bear Yacht Club has a long history dating back before the original nine holes from 1912. Before the turn of the century the club was founded around sailing. Since then the club has hosted many tournaments and was the home of 1929 US Amateur winner Jimmy Johnston and head pro Tom Vardon.

  13. White Bear Yacht Club Sailing

    The White Bear Yacht Club formed in 1889 to sponsor yacht racing at White Bear Lake, MN. We're proud to have been one of the founding members of the I nland Lake Yachting Association and host to the first ILYA Championship regatta held in August of 1898. Learn more about our history here.Club races are scheduled every Saturday morning and afternoon, and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday ...

  14. White Bear Yacht Club History

    Originally founded in 1889 as a sailing club, the Yacht Club is rich in sailing history and to this day, holds regular regattas while maintaining the largest "A" boat fleet in the United States. The original "clubhouse" was actually the Kirby Barnum Hotel which provided overnight accommodations to members that wished to spend their ...

  15. White Bear Yacht Club

    White Bear Yacht Club, Dellwood, Minnesota. 1,047 likes · 1 talking about this · 6,722 were here. Donald Ross golf course, clay tennis courts and sailing!! Idyllic lakeside resort close to all Twin. White Bear Yacht Club, Dellwood, Minnesota. 1,047 likes · 1 talking about this · 6,722 were here. ...

  16. Le Corbusier's triumphant return to Moscow

    The exhibition's curator Jean-Louis Cohen explains that Le Corbusier saw Moscow as "somewhere he could experiment.". Indeed, when the architect was commissioned to construct the famous ...

  17. Sailing at White Bear Yacht Club Minnesota

    Sailing. White Bear Yacht Club takes great pride in its sailing history including being the location of the first ever A Scow Boat being raced. Designed and created by John O. Johnson, Minnezitka first raced, and won, in 1900 on White Bear Lake. We are honored to have the unique opportunity to offer this sport still today in a country club setting.

  18. White Bear Yacht Club

    Register ($20) MPGAJG. JT- Whispering Pines. Whispering Pines GC. Annandale, MN. Jun 11. #Jr. Register ($35) View key info about Course Database including Course description, Tee yardages, par and handicaps, scorecard, contact info, Course Tours, directions and more.

  19. Moscow Downtown Historic District

    Moscow Downtown Historic District. 1888-1893. Main St. between 1st and 6th sts. According to historians who traveled throughout North Idaho at the turn of the twentieth century to interpret the early histories and future viability of the region's towns, Moscow was a community where the early "pioneers got it right.".

  20. The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

    There's the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you'll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus. Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That'll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys ...

  21. Ivan I and the Rise of Moscow

    Ivan I (also known as Ivan Kalita) was born around 1288 to the Prince of Moscow, Daniil Aleksandrovich. He was born during a time of devastation and upheaval in Rus'. Kiev had been overtaken by the invading Mongol forces in 1240, and most of the Rus' principalities had been absorbed into the Golden Horde of the Mongol Empire by the time ...