The Classic at Madden's Moves Up to #80 on Golf Digest's 2025-2026 List of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses By Brian Weis

The Classic at Madden's Moves Up to #80 on Golf Digest's 2025-2026 List of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses

By Brian Weis

BRAINERD, MN (June 2, 2025) - The Classic at Madden's has once again been recognized among the nation's best golf courses by Golf Digest. In their newly released 2025-2026 list of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses, The Classic secured the #80 spot-an impressive move up from its previous position despite nine new courses joining the prestigious list, reinforcing The Classic's enduring reputation and commitment to excellence.

Since 2003, The Classic has consistently been ranked among America's top public golf courses, a testament to its timeless design and exceptional playing experience. In addition to its national recognition, The Classic has also been named #10 in Golf Digest's ranking of the Best Golf Courses in Minnesota.

"We are incredibly honored to see The Classic continue to be recognized at both the state and national levels," said Ben Thuringer, Chief Operating Officer and one of the family owners of Madden's on Gull Lake. "This achievement speaks to the unwavering dedication of our team, the quality of our course, and the Classic golf experience we offer every golfer."

Designed by then-course architect Scott Hoffmann and opened in 1997, The Classic at Madden's has earned its reputation through meticulous course conditions, stunning natural beauty, and a commitment to delivering an unparalleled golf experience in the heart of Minnesota. The Classic is one of only a few public courses in Minnesota that offers Caddie services.

This July 21-23, The Classic at Madden's will host the 2025 MGA State Amateur Championship, the first Brainerd Lakes Area course to host the tournament. Course renovations, including tee box reconstruction and new Ohio's Best white bunker sand are underway to prepare for the tournament and to enhance the experience for all golfers.

For more information about The Classic at Madden's and to book a tee time, please visit
www.maddens.com/golf/the-classic.

Madden's on Gull Lake
Brainerd, MN Maddens.com
For press inquiries, please contact: cking@maddens.com

Revised: 06/16/2025 - Article Viewed 198 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.