Golfers don't need many reasons to get out on the course. Most of us subscribe to the saying that a bad day on the course is still better than a good day at work – or just about anywhere else. But if you're looking for some extra support for spending extra time playing your favorite sport, there really are many important benefits of playing golf, such as reduced stress and anxiety, weight loss, strength, and more.

Take it from Mike Lamey, a 78-year-old North Oaks Golf Club member who played more than 150 rounds in one season at North Oaks. Mike lost 90 pounds that year and says he uses golf to meet new people, stay in shape, and enjoy the tranquility of nature. 

Joining a private golf club is a great experience. It's exciting to have a club to call your own, a course to host friends and business contacts, and a special place to spend time with your family. For many golfers, joining a private club is the dream of a lifetime. But what happens when you find the right club and your family still needs some convincing?

That’s ok. Not everyone has had experience with a golf club or understands the opportunities and programming available. Here at North Oaks Golf Club, we provide great value to families no matter what their main interests.

Here are a few examples of where to get started when sharing details about our club.

Where to Start

The benefits of a golf club membership go well beyond golf, which is easier to understand if you really take a look at the club. This could mean showing your partner a brochure, checking out the website, or even taking a tour of the property. If they see all of the activity in and around the clubhouse – and even meet some of the staff – it becomes much easier to see themselves as members and understand why you're so excited about becoming part of the membership.

Your daughter’s heartbeat is rising, but she tries to keep her breathing easy. She calms her nerves, focuses and takes aim, knowing this is the shot that could mean victory at North Oaks Golf Club.

And this time… she isn’t even on the golf course. 

It’s a common scene from our annual Nerf Night, which took place on May 5 – complete with inflatable barriers set up throughout the banquet room. It continues to be one of the most popular of the many activities that make having a golf club membership here about so much more than golf.

“This is their second home,” Membership Engagement Coordinator Jessica Bader says. “We want to make it fun.”

"This is their club, and we want them to have an amazing time here." That thought guides Jessica Bader through every day in her new role as Membership Engagement Coordinator at North Oaks Golf Club, and it's the reason General Manager Phil Anderson created the new position in the first place.

"I’m thrilled to put more resources into ensuring our members are having an amazing time every time they are on the property," he explains. "We want to continue to take our engagement to a whole new level."

Jessica has plenty of local knowledge to make that happen. Since joining our team in 2013, she worked her way up to lead server in dining and events, and also spent a summer as our social media intern. Now, she's using that combination of skills, experience, and existing relationships to promote events to the membership – both in person and via social media.

"I'm reaching out to members, trying to get everyone engaged in our events, whether that be a wine tasting or golf or tennis. Basically, I'm promoting any event at the club."

Like many young parents, Sarah and Anton Medved's lifestyle has changed considerably as their family has grown. When they moved to North Oaks back in 2011, the club was an attraction, but they didn't even join as social members for a while.

"It just wasn't the time for us," says Anton. "Our kids were so young and we had so many other things going on, we wouldn't have had enough time to be able to get on the golf course or anything like that." With a 2-and-a-half-year-old son and an 8-month-old daughter, that was understandable. But eight years later, they now have three very active children, and the Medveds are among our most active golf families. In fact, it seems that they spend most of the summer out on our golf course.

"We don't have our own cabin," says Anton, "so this is kind of our cabin. That's a big part of their summer and they really look forward to it."

It takes more than an April snowstorm to keep Minnesotans from thinking about golf once the Masters gets underway. That's the "mental" start of Minnesota golf season, no matter what the actual weather looks like. So, if the sight of azaleas, dogwoods and Amen Corner have you thinking about polishing your clubs and getting yourself ready for the golf season, we have some tips to jump-start your game.

Weddings are all about the happy couple, which is why every aspect of the big day should reflect their relationship, personalities, and style. And it starts with the wedding venue. This can be something as elegant as an intimate wedding in a historic mansion or something as casual as a quaint backyard ceremony. Your wedding venue, no matter what it is, says a lot about your wedding style.

Here's a guide to help you find the perfect wedding venue.

You're engaged! Congrats! We know you can't wait to show off your new bling, and you likely can't stop staring at your hand. (It's OK, we've all been there.) But don't forget to get your ring insured as soon as possible!

If your immediate reaction was anything like this — Get my ring insured? What do you mean? Who provides insurance for rings? How do I go about getting insurance? — you're not alone. Many of us think about the proposal and wedding day details, but not many of us are aware that the gorgeous, shiny ring on our finger needs to be insured.

Before you wear that beautiful thing everywhere, here's what you need to know about insuring your engagement ring.

No matter what time of year it is, it's never too early to start planning your next golf event. Planning any event takes thought, time, and coordination between multiple people. Golf event planning is no different. So, what are you waiting for? Whether your golf event is in three months, six months, or a year away, we can help you get the ball rolling.

1 Year Event Planning Timeline

If you have an entire year set aside to plan your golf event, that's great! You'll have more than enough time to plan the best event possible. We suggest the following timeline of tasks:

When Noah Xiong started working as a golf caddy at North Oaks Golf Club seven years ago, he never dreamed the part-time gig would land him a full-tuition and housing scholarship to the University of Minnesota — Minneapolis. But today, Noah is one of 60 Evans Scholars at the university earning a bachelor's degree debt free.

Here's his story.