Unseasonable Warmth Brings an Early Start to the 2026 Golf Season in Coon Rapids

Coon Rapids, MN

In a state where February usually belongs to snowbanks and subzero wind chills, the sound of drivers striking golf balls is a rare and welcome disruption.

On February 13, the City of Coon Rapids announced that the driving range at Bunker Hills Golf Club is officially open, operating “as long as the weather permits.” The brief municipal notice, posted to the city’s website, carried an unmistakable tone of relief: Who’s ready for some golf?

For Twin Cities golfers, the answer is almost always yes.

A Premier Public Course, Managed by the City

Located at 12800 Bunker Prairie Road NW within Bunker Hills Regional Park, Bunker Hills is more than a neighborhood course. Managed by the City of Coon Rapids, the facility features 27 holes of championship golf divided into the North, East, and West nines, along with an 11 hole Executive Course designed for shorter play and developing golfers.

Over the years, the course has hosted the Minnesota State Open and previously welcomed the PGA Tour Champions 3M Championship, cementing its reputation as one of Minnesota’s premier public golf destinations. National golf publications have repeatedly ranked it among top public layouts in the region.

The driving range, now open for 2026, serves as the first operational signal that the season has begun, even if winter has not fully conceded.

Why February Golf Is Rare

Opening a range in mid February in Minnesota is not symbolic. It is technical.

Ground frost, snowpack, and turf vulnerability dictate when facilities can safely operate. During what course managers call the “shoulder season,” operations are evaluated daily. If overnight temperatures plunge or fresh snow blankets the range, temporary closures can follow just as quickly as an opening announcement.

Early season practice typically utilizes all weather hitting mats rather than grass tees. This approach protects dormant turf during thawing cycles while still allowing golfers to track real ball flight outdoors, a stark contrast to indoor simulators that dominate Minnesota winters.

For many players, that difference matters.

The chance to see trajectory, curvature, and carry distance under open sky represents a psychological shift as much as a physical one. It signals transition.

What Golfers Should Expect

The City of Coon Rapids has made clear that operations are strictly weather permitting. Hours tend to follow daylight patterns rather than peak summer schedules, meaning earlier evening closures while daylight remains limited.

Range pricing follows standard posted rates, with multiple basket sizes available for purchase. Golfers are encouraged to check the city’s website or the club’s official communication channels before arriving, as Minnesota weather can reverse course within hours.

On site, Kendall’s Tavern & Chophouse, the clubhouse restaurant, traditionally remains open year round, offering a place for players to warm up after a cold bucket of balls.

The Broader Context: A Mild Winter Window

Meteorologists have noted periods of unseasonably mild temperatures across parts of Minnesota in early 2026, creating brief windows where frost recedes from the upper soil layer. Historically, such warm spells, sometimes described as January thaws or early spring transitions, have enabled occasional February openings across the Twin Cities metro area.

Still, these moments are fleeting.

Golf course superintendents must balance public enthusiasm with turf protection, equipment safety, and long term course health. A premature push can compromise playing conditions later in the season.

Bunker Hills’ decision to open suggests confidence in short term conditions while maintaining flexibility to close if winter reasserts itself.

For the Early Swingers

Veteran cold weather golfers offer familiar advice:

Layer clothing generously. Wind across an open range can feel significantly colder than neighborhood streets.

Temper expectations. Early season mats are firmer than midsummer turf. Focus on rhythm and timing rather than maximum distance.

And most importantly, check before you drive.

Because in Minnesota, February golf is both a celebration and experiment.

For now, though, in Coon Rapids, drivers are out of storage. The range is open. And the long arc of another golf season has quietly begun.

MinneapoliMedia