if you've never played a true links-style course, try Coldwater in Ames, IA... its less than 5 minutes off I-35 and a GREAT course. no trees within the links but great fescue/wetland areas. hit a provisional... hehe...
the fairways and greens are in usually immaculate shape and for a couple of bucks you can get a course booklet that gives all the distances within the hole for driving/tee-off hazadards and locations of sprinklerhead yardages (great for walkers)
i love this course. love it, love it, love it... if you go (GO GO GO) get the booklet... i've never played with a caddy, but it gave me the idea of what its like...
you mentioned MN and ILL... you drive this trip?
iowa has some nice courses. if you golf/travel in the midwest and havent tried Iowa, your missing something... some of the best soil on earth...
the Iowa City/Coralville area has a couple of gems (Pleasant Valley, Brown Deer); Cedar Rapids has a few nice Muni courses, and a recent Masters champion; Byrnes and Gates are fun muni's in Waterloo; Des Moines has several fine courses.... Iowa is not as flat as some people think...
but... Coldwater! the renown Veenker Memorial is also in Ames.
heres a link to the course website:
Coldwater Golf Links
PM me for more info/opinions
