[5] Almost one year to the day after Watson's arrival, a nine-hole course was formally opened on September 4, 1921, with a putting and driving contest as well as a medal play tournament.

[note 2] Joe Dahlman was appointed as Ridgeview's first golf professional[8] and a clubhouse was constructed off of West Winona Street behind what is now the 10th and 15th greens.

[9] The original nine-hole layout was par 37 and included holes that are found on both the front and back nines of the current course.

[10] A few weeks later, World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Walter Hagen shot a 69 in an exhibition match against Martin.

[14] The course nines were reversed from their present numbering with the first hole starting from the West Winona Street clubhouse following what is now the driving range.

The Ridgeview golf course is a par 70 (34–36) layout featuring numerous elevation changes, sloping fairways and not so subtly contoured greens.

In recent years, storms and landscape management have removed many of the trees that once lined the interior fairways of the course.

For example, the par three 3rd hole previously required a 220-yard tee shot, all of it uphill carry to a sloping green perched on a rise that falls off on the front and left sides.

Although this set-up is rarely used these days, it is a reminder of why the best golfers in the Midwest managed just two rounds under par at the 1939 Minnesota State Open.

[16] Ridgeview has been significantly altered over the years with only ten holes generally following William Watson's original layout.

The hole then turned west, the right rough bordering a utility road, and re-crossed the creek towards a green located in an area currently occupied by the 14th tee.