Minneapolis’ golf scene, attractions tailor-made for women

Ashlee Ciora was playing golf with a group of women in 2020, trying to decide her next career move after two decades in golf tourism and hospitality, when a member of her group asked for her help in arranging a women’s golf trip to Pebble Beach.

Almost instantly, Ciora, who lives in the Minneapolis suburbs, sensed an opportunity. Ciora operates Women’s Golf & Travel, a company that takes women’s groups on golf trips around the world. So if you want pointers on how one would arrange a women’s golf trip to Minneapolis, Ciora is a good first call.

Ciora said she saw a business opportunity because women are looking for “experiential” trips, whereas men want to “check off the bucket-list golf courses.”

“The majority of women who come on trips with me are social golfers,” she said. “They love the game and want to be out there playing because it’s such an enjoyable activity for them. But they want to have a day off, where they’re doing something that’s unique to the destination.”

In downtown Minneapolis, that might mean treating your body and mind at Hotel Ivy’s Anda fitness center and spa, or exploring the North Loop’s boutiques and brewpubs, and perhaps stopping at the very old-school Monte Carlo for a martini. “It’s a fun place to go and it’s always packed,” Ciora said.

Start planning your Minneapolis trip by picking an amenity-rich downtown hotel. It’s a great walking city, with clusters of restaurants, shops and other entertainment, and you still have easy access to golf courses around the metro area.

“I look at places to stay that are going to have all of the amenities a female would want,” Ciora said. “Does it have a spa, a fitness center, what are the restaurants and dining options? So I arrange for my groups to stay at a four- to five-star-level hotel.”

Minneapolis has you covered on that front, depending on your group’s preferences.

If you want a modern hotel in the heart of the city, Four Seasons Minneapolis checks all the boxes. It’s located on Nicollet Mall, a mile-long pedestrian plaza stretching from near the Walker Art Center east toward the banks of the Mississippi River, with a procession of local eateries, bars and boutiques.

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