Joel Goldstrand, a member of the Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame and noted designer of Minnesota and Upper Midwest golf courses, died last Sunday in Medina. He was 83.
Joel Goldstrand, Minnesota Golf Hall of Famer and noted course designer, dies at 83
He played on the PGA Tour, was head pro at Minneapolis Golf Club and designed or contributed to the design of close to 100 Upper Midwest courses.
November 19, 2022 at 7:31PM
![Joel Goldstrand, 79, noted golf course architect and former golf pro and PGA player, designed about 100 golf courses in the upper Midwest and was the first golfer to use Ping golf clubs on the PGA tour and was seen Thursday, June 20, 2019, at the family's home in Plymouth, MN.]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/5HD4LDUODP7Z433CW6TTWBCXKA.jpg?&w=712)
Goldstrand grew up in Worthington, Minn., and played golf and basketball at Worthington High School. He played on two NCAA championship golf teams at the University of Houston and spent eight years on the PGA Tour, with a 12th-place finish in the 1970 U.S. Open at Hazeltine National in Chaska and an appearance in the 1971 Masters.
He was the head professional at Minneapolis Golf Club for 16 years and became a full-time course designer in 1989. He is credited with having designed or contributed to the design of close to 100 courses, mostly in Minnesota but also in Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas.
Among Goldstrand's best-known designs are Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids, Eagle Valley in Woodbury, the Links at Northfork in Ramsey, Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan and Grand View Lodge courses in Nisswa, Minn.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie with visitation starting one hour prior.
Interest in golf surged during the pandemic but hasn’t retreated from the gains like other outdoor sports have, which is good for the golf industry, including Toro and local courses.