At Park Board meeting, residents advocate for Rochester’s municipal golf courses

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Tuesday’s Park Board meeting was standing room only at the Mayo Civic Center. Many residents were concerned about the city’s municipal courses, including the future of Soldiers Field.

“We can build a super aquatics center off to the west, and leave the 18-hole golf course intact,” said one resident.

“If you get rid of Soldiers field or reduce it to nine holes, you’re not gonna have the people able to play the nine holes, and there’s just gonna be no tee times,” said one resident.

The city was expressed concerns over cost, saying upkeep of the courses would total $500,000 annually. A group of golfers, led by former Park Board member Larry Mortensen, pushed back.

“the golf season in Minnesota is typically six months, it’s difficult to compare our facilities to ones that are open year-round or nine months a year,” Mortensen said. “The golf community deserves better support than what we have so far received.”

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