New Designs for Historic Lake Hiawatha Golf Course

After decades of battling flooding issues, the Lake Hiawatha Golf Course in Minneapolis is getting a makeover.

The historic golf course was built on a marsh over a century ago. Since the 1950s, it has suffered several major floods from the neighboring Lake Hiawatha. To help mitigate flooding, the Minneapolis Park Board built a berm and installed water pumps. The Board estimates that approximately 200 million gallons of water are moved from the golf course annually.

In 2022, the Board voted to reduce the number of holes on the course in favor of expanding wetland and woodland areas for flooding mitigation. Each hole will contain multiple tees that allow golfers to place two pins, offering an “18-hole experience” within a much smaller area. Similar golf courses exist in Georgia and Tennessee.

Notably, the course was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023 for its significance to Black history in the City. Solomon Hughes Sr. was the first professional Black golfer in Minnesota. He successfully challenged racial segregation at the Hiawatha clubhouse, which was named in his honor in 2021. The Minneapolis Park Board will respect the historic character of the course and the clubhouse in accordance with the course’s recognition on the National Register of Historic Places.

The City is currently seeking public comments about the proposed park plans. It is estimated that he Park Board will need to raise more than $40 million before renovation begins.