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Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked

Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked

USA Today02-06-2025

Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked
Looking for the best public-access golf courses in your home state, or planning your next getaway? Golfweek's Best has you covered with our annually updated ranking of the Best Courses You Can Play list for each state, as judged by our nationwide network of raters for 2025.
The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek's Best course rankings.
The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there's a will, there's a tee time – no membership required. (There are a handful of courses on this list that some players might consider to be traditionally private, but they do allow non-hosted, non-member guest play in some limited form, normally through a local hotel or similar arrangement.)
KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek's Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.
* indicates new or returning to the rankings
Alabama's best public-access golf courses
1. Pursell Farms (FarmLinks)
Sylacauga (m) - Book your tee time at Pursell Farms now
2. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Capitol Hill (Judge)
Prattville (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Capitol Hill Judge now
3. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Grand National (Lake)
Opelika (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Grand National Lake now
4. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Capitol Hill (Legislator)
Prattville (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Capitol Hill Legislator now
5. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (Ross Bridge)
Hoover (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Ross Bridge now
6. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Cambrian Ridge (Sherling/Canyon)
Greenville (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Cambrian Ridge now
7. Kiva Dunes
Gulf Shores (m) - Book your tee time at Kiva Dunes now
8. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Magnolia Grove (Falls)
Mobile (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Magnolia Grove now
9. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Grand National (Links)
Opelika (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Grand National Links now
10. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Magnolia Grove (The Crossings)*
Mobile (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Magnolia Grove now
Alaska's best public-access golf courses
1. Anchorage Golf Course
Anchorage (m)
2. Settlers Bay*
Wasilla (m)
3. Chena Bend
Fairbanks (m)
4. Moose Run (Creek)
Fort Richardson (m)
5. Palmer Golf Course
Palmer (m) - Book your tee time at Palmer Golf Course now
Arizona's best public-access golf courses
1. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro)
Fort McDowell (m) - Book your tee time at We-Ko-Pa now
2. Quintero
Peoria (m) - Book your tee time at Quintero now
3. Wickenburg Ranch (Big Wick)
Wickenburg (m) - Book your tee time at Wickenburg Ranch now
4. TPC Scottsdale (Stadium)
Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Scottsdale now
T5. Golf Club at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita)
Marana (m) - Book your tee time at Golf Club at Dove Mountain now
T5. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes
Maricopa (m) - Book your tee time at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes now
7. Troon North (Monument)
Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Troon North now
T8. Grayhawk (Raptor)
Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Grayhawk Raptor now
T8. Ventana Canyon (Mountain)
Tucson (m)
10. Grayhawk (Talon)
Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Grayhawk Talon now
11. We-Ko-Pa (Cholla)
Fort McDowell (m) - Book your tee time at We-Ko-Pa now
12. Laughlin Ranch
Bullhead City (m) - Book your tee time at Laughlin Ranch now
13. Troon North (Pinnacle)
Scottsdale (m)
14. Whirlwind (Devil's Claw)
Chandler (m)
T15. Boulders Resort (North)
Carefree (m) - Book your tee time at Boulders Resort now
T15. Wildfire at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge (Faldo Championship)
Phoenix (m) - Book your tee time at Wildfire at JW Marriott now
T17. Gold Canyon Golf Resort (Dinosaur Mountain)
Gold Canyon (m) - Book your tee time at Gold Canyon now
T17. Whirlwind (Cattail)
Chandler (m) - Book your tee time at Whirlwind now
19. Boulders Resort (South)
Carefree (m) - Book your tee time at Boulders Resort now
20. Los Caballeros
Wickenburg (m)
21. Las Sendas
Mesa (m) - Book your tee time at Las Sendas now
22. Raven*
Phoenix (m) - Book your tee time at Raven now
T23. TPC Scottsdale (Champions)
Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Scottsdale now
T23. Legacy
Phoenix (m) - Book your tee time at Legacy now
25. Arizona National
Tucson (m) - Book your tee time at Arizona National now
26. Verrado (Founders)
Buckeye (m) - Book your tee time at Verrado now
27. Longbow
Mesa (m) - Book your tee time at Longbow now
T28. La Paloma (Ridge/Canyon)*
Tucson (m)
T28. Camelback (Ambiente)
Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Camelback now
30. Wigwam (Gold)
Litchfield Park (m) - Book your tee time at Wigwam now
Arkansas' best public-access golf courses
1. Mystic Creek
El Dorado (m) - Book your tee time at Mystic Creek now
2. The Ridges at Village Creek
Wynne (m) - Book your tee time at The Ridges at Village Creek now
3. Hot Springs Country Club (Arlington)
Hot Springs (c)
4. Mountain Ranch*
Fairfield Bay (m) - Book your tee time at Mountain Ranch now
5. Big Creek
Mountain Home (m) - Book your tee time at Big Creek now
California's best public-access golf courses
1. Pebble Beach Resorts (Pebble Beach Golf Links)
Pebble Beach (10c)
2. Pasatiempo
Santa Cruz (39c) - Book your tee time at Pasatiempo now
3. Pebble Beach Resorts (Spyglass Hill)
Pebble Beach (T27m)
4. Torrey Pines (South)
San Diego (124c)
T5. Rustic Canyon
Moorpark (T149m) - Book your tee time at Rustic Canyon
T5. Yocha Dehe at Cache Creek Casino
Brooks (m) - Book your tee time at Yoche Dehe now
7. Pebble Beach Resorts (Links at Spanish Bay)
Pebble Beach (T185m)
T8. Rams Hill
Borrego Springs (m) - Book your tee time at Rams Hill now
T8. CordeValle
San Martin (m)
10. Torrey Pines (North)
San Diego (m)
11. PGA West (Stadium)
La Quinta (m) - Book your tee time at PGA West now
12. Poppy Hills
Pebble Beach (m) - Book your tee time at Poppy Hills now
T13. Pelican Hill (Ocean South)
Newport Coast (m) - Book your tee time at Pelcan Hill now
T13. Pelican Hill (Ocean North)
Newport Coast (m) - Book your tee time at Pelcan Hill now
15. Bayonet
Seaside (c) - Book your tee time at Bayonet now
16. Trump National Los Angeles
Rancho Palos Verdes (m) - Book your tee time at Trump National LA now
T17. Quail Lodge and Golf Club
Carmel (m) - Book your tee time at Quail Lodge and Golf Club
T17. PGA West (Nicklaus)
La Quinta (m) - Book your tee time at PGA West
19. Fairmont Grand Del Mar (The Grand)
San Diego (m)
20. Maderas
Poway (m) - Book your tee time at Maderas now
T21. TPC Harding Park
San Francisco (c) - Book your tee time at TPC Harding Park
T21. Desert Willow (Firecliff)
Palm Desert (m) - Book your tee time at Desert Willow
T23. Soule Park
Ojai (m) - Book your tee time at Soule Park now
T23. Park Hyatt Aviara GC
Carlsbad (m) - Book your tee time at Park Hyatt Aviara now
25. Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood)*
Truckee (m) - Book your Tahoe Mountain Club
T26. Oak Quarry
Riverside (m)
T26. Whitehawk Ranch*
Clio (m) - Book your tee time at Whitehawk Ranch now
28. La Purisma
Lompoc (m) - Book your tee time at La Purisma now
29. Fantasy Springs (Eagle Falls)
Indio (m)
30. Classic Club*
Palm Desert (m) - Book your tee time at Classic Club now
Colorado's best public-access golf courses
1. The Broadmoor (East)
Colorado Springs (T185c)
2. Redlands Mesa
Grand Junction (m) - Book your tee time at Redlands Mesa now
3. Red Sky (Fazio)
Wolcott (m)
4. Red Sky (Norman)
Wolcott (m)
5. Bear Dance
Larkspur (m) - Book your tee time at Bear Dance now
6. RainDance National
Windsor (m) - Book your tee time at RainDance National now
7. CommonGround
Aurora (m) - Book your tee time at CommonGround now
8. TPC Colorado
Berthoud (m)
9. The Broadmoor (West)
Colorado Springs (c)
10. River Valley Ranch*
Carbondale (m) - Book your tee time at River Valley Ranch now
Connecticut's best public-access golf courses
1. Keney Park
Hartford (c) - Book your tee time at Keney Park now
2. Wintonbury Hills
Bloomfield (m) - Book your tee time at Wintonbury Hills now
3. Great River
Milford (m)
4. Shennecossett
Groton (c) - Book your tee time at Shennecossett now
5. Lake of Isles (North)
North Stonington (m) - Book your tee time at Lake of Isles now
6. Hotchkiss
Lakeville (c)
7. Richter Park
Danbury (m) - Book your tee time at Richter Park now
8. Gillette Ridge
Bloomfield (m)
9. Oxford Greens
Oxford (m) - Book your tee time at Oxford Greens now
10. Mohegan Sun*
Baltic (m) - Book your tee time at Mohegan Sun now
Delaware's best public-access golf courses
1. Plantation Lakes
Millsboro (m) - Book your tee time at Plantation Lakes now
2. Bayside Resort
Selbyville (m) - Book your tee time at Bayside Resort now
3. Baywood Greens
Long Neck (m) - Book your tee time at Baywood Greens now
4. White Clay Creek
Wilmington (m) - Book your tee time at White Clay Creek now
5. Rock Manor*
Wilmington (m) - Book your tee time at Rock Manor now
Florida's best public-access golf courses
1. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium)
Ponte Vedra Beach (30m) - Book your tee time at TPC Sawgrass now
2. Streamsong (Red)
Bowling Green (44m)
3. Streamsong (Blue)
Bowling Green (T62m)
4. Streamsong (Black)
Bowling Green (T81m)
5. The Park West Palm
West Palm Beach (T100m) - Book your tee time at The Park West Palm now
6. Cabot Citrus Farms (Karoo)*
Brooksville (T166m) - Book your tee time at Cabot Citrus Farms now
7. Bay Hill Club and Lodge
Orlando (m)
8. PGA National Resort (Champion)
Palm Beach Gardens (m)
9. Innisbrook (Copperhead)
Palm Harbor (m)
10. Trump National Doral Miami (Blue Monster)
Miami (m) - Book your tee time at Trump National Doral Miami now
11. Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean)
Palm Coast (m)
12. Camp Creek
Watersound (m)
13. Hammock Beach Resort (Conservatory)
Palm Coast (m)
14. TPC Sawgrass (Dye's Valley)
Ponte Vedra Beach (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Sawgrass now
15. PGA Golf Club (Dye)
Port St. Lucie (m)
16. Juliette Falls
Dunnellon (m) - Book your tee time at Juliette Falls now
17. Southern Dunes
Haines City (m) - Book your tee time at Southern Dunes now
18. Sandestin (Burnt Pine)
Miramar Beach (m)
19. PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker)
Port St. Lucie (m)
20. JW Marriott Marco Island (Hammock Bay)
Naples (m) - Book your tee time at JW Marriott Marco Island now
21. JW Marriott Miami Turnberry (Soffer)
Aventura (m)
22. Orange County National (Panther Lake)
Winter Garden (m) - Book your tee time at Orange County National now
23. Gasparilla Inn & Club
Boca Grande (c)
24. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club (Ocean)
Ponte Vedra Beach (c)
25. Crandon Park
Key Biscayne (m) - Book your tee time at Crandon Park now
26. Trump National Doral Miami (Golden Palm)
Miami (m) - Book your tee time at Trump National Doral Miami now
27. Deer Creek*
Deerfield Beach (m)
28. Mission Inn Resort (El Campeon)*
Howey-in-the-Hills (c) - Book your tee time at Mission Inn Resort now
T29. Kelly Plantation*
Destin (m)
T29. World Golf Village (King & Bear)
St. Augustine (m) - Book your tee time at World Golf Village now
T29. Orange County National (Crooked Cat)
Winter Garden (m) - Book your tee time at Crooked Cat now
Georgia's best public-access golf courses
1. Sea Island (Seaside)
St. Simons Island (T76m)
2. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Great Waters)
Greensboro (m)
3. Kinderlou Forest
Valdosta (m)
4. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Oconee)
Greensboro (m)
5. McLemore (Highlands)
Rising Fawn (m) - Book your tee time at McLemore now
6. Sea Island (Plantation)
St. Simons Island (c)
7. Reynolds Lake Oconee (The Preserve)
Greensboro (m)
8. Bear's Best Atlanta
Suwanee (m) - Book your tee time at Bear's Best Atlanta now
T9. University of Georgia Golf Course
Athens (m) - Book your tee time at UGA Golf Course
T9. Harbor Club
Greensboro (m) - Book your tee time at Harbor Club now
T9. Reynolds Lake Oconee (National)
Greensboro (m)
T12. Achasta
Dahlonega (m)
T12. Cobblestone
Acworth (m) - Book your tee time at Cobblestone now
14. Woodmont G&CC*
Canton (m) - Book your tee time at Woodmont G&CC now
15. King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
St. Simons Island (m) - Book your tee time at King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort now
Hawaii's best public-access golf courses
1. Four Seasons Resort Lanai (Manele)
Lanai (34m)
2. Kapalua (Plantation)
Maui (49m) - Book your tee time at Kapaula now
3. Princeville (Makai)
Princeville (m) - Book your tee time at Princeville now
4. Mauna Kea Resort
Kohala Coast (T179m) - Book your tee time at Mauna Kea Resort now
5. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Kailua-Kona (m)
6. Mauna Lani (North)
Waimea (m) - Book your tee time at Mauna Lani now
7. Wailea (Gold)
Maui (m)
T8. Ocean Course at Hokuala
Lihue (m) - Book your tee time at the Ocean Course at Hokuala now
T8. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (Poipu Bay)
Koloa (m) - Book your tee time at Poipu Bay now
10. Wailea (Emerald)
Maui (m)
11. Kapolei Golf Club
Kapolei (m) - Book your tee time at Kapolei now
12. Turtle Bay Resort (Arnold Palmer)
Kahuku (m) - Book your tee time at Turtle Bay Resort now
13. Mauna Lani (South)
Waimea (m) - Book your tee time at Mauna Lani now
14. Wailua Municipal
Kauai (m)
15. Ko Olina
Kapolei (m) - Book your tee time at Ko Olina now
Idaho's best public-access golf courses
1. Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort (Circling Raven)
Worley (m) - Book your tee time at Coeur d'Alene now
2. Coeur d'Alene Resort
Coeur d'Alene (m) - Book your tee time at Coeur d'Alene now
3. Ridgecrest
Nampa (m)
4. Sun Valley (Trail Creek)
Sun Valley (c) - Book your tee time at Sun Valley now
5. Pinecrest*
Idaho Falls (c) - Book your tee time at Pinecrest now
Illinois' best public-access golf courses
1. Cog Hill GC (No. 4 - Dubsdread)
Lemont (m) - Book your tee time at Cog Hill now
2. TPC Deere Run
Silvis (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Deere Run now
3. The Glen Club
Glenview (m) - Book your tee time at The Glen Club now
4. Mistwood
Romeoville (m) - Book your tee time at Mistwood now
5. Stonewall Orchard
Grayslake (m) - Book your tee time at Stonewall Orchard now
6. Highlands of Elgin
Elgin (m)
7. Eagle Ridge (The General)
Galena (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Ridge now
8. Preserve at Oak Meadows
Addison (m) - Book your tee time at Preserve at Oak Meadows now
T9. Thunderhawk
Beach Park (m)
T9. Harborside International (Starboard)
Chicago (m) - Book your tee time at Harborside International now
11. Ravisloe
Homewood (c) - Book your tee time at Ravisloe now
12. Cantigny
Wheaton (m) - Book your tee time at Cantigny now
13. Annbriar
Waterloo (m) - Book your tee time at Annbriar now
14. Shepherd's Crook
Zion (m) - Book your tee time at Shepherd's Crook now
15. Eagle Ridge (North)*
Galena (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Ridge now
Indiana's best public-access golf courses
1. French Lick Resort (Pete Dye)
French Lick (T176m)
2. French Lick Resort (Donald Ross)
French Lick (c)
3. The PFAU Course at Indiana University
Bloomington (m) - Book your tee time at PFAU Course at IU now
4. Warren GC at Notre Dame
South Bend (m) - Book your tee time at Warren GC now
5. Coyote Crossing*
West Lafayette (m) - Book your tee time at Coyote Crossing now
T6. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (Kampen)
West Lafayette (m)
T6. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (Ackerman-Allen)
West Lafayette (c) - Book your tee time at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex now
8. Rock Hollow*
Peru (m) - Book your tee time at Rock Hollow now
9. Chariot Run
Laconia (m) - Book your tee time at Chariot Run now
10. Brickyard Crossing
Indianapolis (m) - Book your tee time at Brickyard Crossing now
Iowa's best public-access golf courses
1. Spirit Hollow
Burlington (m) - Book your tee time at Spirit Hollow now
2. Blue Top Ridge
Riverside (m) - Book your tee time at Blue Top Ridge now
3. Bent Tree
Council Bluffs (m) - Book your tee time at Bent Tree now
4. Tournament Club of Iowa
Polk City (m) - Book your tee time at the Tounament Club of Iowa now
5. Finkbine
Iowa City (c) - Book your tee time at Finkbine now
Kansas's best public-access golf courses
1. Firekeeper
Mayetta (m) - Book your tee time at Firekeeper now
2. Buffalo Dunes
Garden City (m) - Book your tee time at Buffalo Dunes now
3. Sand Creek Station
Newton (m) - Book your tee time at Sand Creek Station now
4. Iron Horse
Leawood (m) - Book your tee time at Iron Horse now
5. Colbert Hills
Manhattan (m) - Book your tee time at Colbert Hills now
Kentucky's best public-access golf courses
1. Park Mammoth
Park City (m) - Book your tee time at Park Mammoth now
2. Lassing Pointe
Union (m)
3. Nevel Meade Golf Course
Prospect (m)
4. Kearney Hill*
Lexington (m)
T5. Heritage Hill
Shepherdsville (m)
T5. Bardstown Country Club (Maywood)
Bardstown (m) - Book your tee time at Bardstown now
Louisiana's best public-access golf courses
1. The Country Club at the Golden Nugget
Lake Charles (m) - Book your tee time at The Country Club at the Golden Nugget now
2. TPC Louisiana
Avondale (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Louisiana now
3. English Turn Golf & Country Club
New Orleans (m) - Book your tee time at English Turn Golf & Country Club now
4. Carter Plantation
Springfield (m) - Book your tee time at Carter Plantation now
5. L'Auberge Casino Resort (Contraband Bayou)
Lake Charles (m)
Maine's best public-access golf courses
1. Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay (c)
2. Cape Arundel
Kennebunkport (c)
3. Belgrade Lakes Golf Club
Belgrade Lakes (m)
4. Kebo Valley
Bar Harbor (c) - Book your tee time at Kebo Valley today
5. Sugarloaf
Carrabassett Valley (m)
Maryland's best public-access golf courses
1. Musket Ridge
Myersville (m) - Book your tee time at Musket Ridge now
2. Bulle Rock
Havre de Grace (m) - Book your tee time at Bulle Rock now
3. Queenstown Harbor (River)
Queenstown (m) - Book your tee time at Queenstown Harbor now
4. Links at Perry Cabin
St. Michaels (m)
5. Whiskey Creek
Ijamsville (m) - Book your tee time at Whiskey Creek now
6. Worthington Manor
Urbana (m) - Book your tee time at Worthington Manor now
7. P.B. Dye Golf Club
Ijamsville (m) - Book your tee time at P.B. Dye Golf Club now
8. Rum Pointe (Seaside Golf Links)
Berlin (m) - Book your tee time at Rum Pointe now
9. University of Maryland GC
College Park (c) - Book your tee time at UMD GC now
10. Links at Lighthouse Sound
Ocean City (m) - Book your tee time at Links at Lighthouse Sound now
Massachusetts' best public-access golf courses
1. Cape Cod National
Brewster (m)
2. Miacomet
Nantucket (m) - Book your tee time at Miacomet now
3. Red Tail
Devens (m) - Book your tee time at Red Tail now
4. Farm Neck
Oak Bluffs (m)
T5. The Ranch
Southwick (m) - Book your tee time at The Ranch now
T5. George Wright Municipal
Boston (c)
T5. William J. Devine Golf Course*
Dorchester (c) - Book your tee time at William J. Devine now
8. Crumpin-Fox
Bernardston (m) - Book your tee time at Crumpin-Fox now
9. Granite Links
Quincy (m)
10. Pinehills (Nicklaus)
Plymouth (m) - Book your tee time at Pinehills now
Michigan's best public-access golf courses
1. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs)
Arcadia (91m)
2. Marquette GC (Greywalls)
Marquette (T130m) - Book your tee time at Marquette GC now
3. Forest Dunes (The Loop Red & Black)
Roscommon (T143m) - Book your tee time at Forest Dunes now
4. Forest Dunes (Weiskopf)
Roscommon (m) - Book your tee time at Forest Dunes now
5. Arcadia Bluffs (South)
Arcadia (m)
6. Belvedere
Charlevoix (T185c) - Book your tee time at Belvedere now
7. Boyne's Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry)
Bay Harbor (m)
8. Eagle Eye
Bath (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Eye now
T9. Island Resort and Casino (Sweetgrass)
Harris (m)
T9. Gull Lake View Resort (Stoatin Brae)
Augusta (m) - Book your tee time at Gull Lake View Resort now
11. American Dunes
Grand Haven (m) - Book your tee time at American Dunes now
12. Pilgrim's Run
Pierson (m) - Book your tee time at Pilgrim's Run now
13. Sage Run
Bark River (m)
T14. University of Michigan Golf Course
Ann Arbor (c) - Book your tee time at UM Golf Course now
T14. Harbor Shores
Benton Harbor (m) - Book your tee time at Harbor Shores now
16. Boyne Highlands (Arthur Hills)
Harbor Springs (m)
17. Treetops (Jones Masterpiece)*
Gaylord (m) - Book your tee time at Treetops now
18. Tullymore Golf Resort (Tullymore)
Stanwood (m) - Book your tee time at Tullymore now
19. Hidden River Golf & Casting Club
Brutus (m) - Book your tee time at Hidden River Golf & Casting Club now
20. Pine Mountain Resort (Timber Stone)
Iron Mountain (m) - Book your tee time at Pine Mountain Resort now
Minnesota's best public-access golf courses
1. Giants Ridge (Quarry)
Biwabik (T132m)
2. Breezy Point Resort (Deacon's Lodge)
Brainerd (m) - Book your tee time at Breezy Point Resort now
3. Madden's on Gull Lake (Classic)
Brainerd (m) - Book your tee time at Madden's on Gull Lake now
4. Wilderness at Fortune Bay
Tower (m)
5. Dacotah Ridge*
Morton (m)
6. Giants Ridge (Legend)
Biwabik (m)
7. Meadows at Mystic Lake
Prior Lake (m) - Book your tee time at Meadows at Mystic Lake now
8. Chaska Town Course
Chaska (m)
9. StoneRidge
Stillwater (m) - Book your tee time at StoneRidge now
10. The Wilds
Prior Lake (m) - Book your tee time at The Wilds now
Mississippi's best public-access golf courses
1. Fallen Oak
Saucier (T97m)
2. Mossy Oak
West Point (T132m)
3. Old Waverly
West Point (m)
4. The Preserve
Vancleave (m)
5. Dancing Rabbit (Oaks)
Philadelphia (m)
6. Dancing Rabbit (Azaleas)
Philadelphia (m)
T7. Shell Landing
Gautier (m) - Book your tee time at Shell Landing now
T7. Grand Bear
Saucier (m) - Book your tee time at Grand Bear now
9. The Oaks
Pass Christian (m)- Book your tee time at The Oaks now
10. Windance
Gulfport (m)- Book your tee time at Windance now
Missouri's best public-access golf courses
1. Big Cedar Lodge (Ozarks National)
Hollister (T170m) - Book your tee time at Big Cedar Lodge now
2. Big Cedar Lodge (Buffalo Ridge)
Hollister (196m) - Book your tee time at Big Cedar Lodge now
3. Big Cedar Lodge (Payne's Valley)
Hollister (m) - Book your tee time at Big Cedar Lodge now
4. Branson Hills
Branson (m) - Book your tee time at Branson Hills now
5. Creekmoor*
Raymore (m) - Book your tee time at Creekmoor now
6. Old Kinderhook
Camdenton (m) - Book your tee time at Old Kinderhook now
7. Swope Memorial
Kansas City (c) - Book your tee time at Swope Memorial now
8. Ledgestone
Branson (m) - Book your tee time at Ledgestone now
9. Stone Canyon
Blue Springs (m) - Book your tee time at Stone Canyon now
10. Missouri Bluffs
St. Charles (m) - Book your tee time at Missouri Bluffs now
Montana's best public-access golf courses
1. Wilderness Club Montana
Eureka (m) - Book your tee time at Wilderness Club Montana now
2. Old Works GC
Anaconda (m)
3. Canyon River
Missoula (m)
4. Whitefish Lake (South)*
Whitefish (m) - Book your tee time at Whitefish Lake now
5. Whitefish Lake (North)
Whitefish (m) - Book your tee time at Whitefish Lake now
Nebraska's best public-access golf courses
1. Landmand
Homer (42m)
2. Prairie Club (Dunes)
Valentine (T112m)
3. Wild Horse
Gothenburg (T122m) - Book your tee time at Wild Horse now
4. Prairie Club (Pines)
Valentine (m)
5. Quarry Oaks*
Ashland (m)
Nevada's best public-access golf courses
1. Shadow Creek
North Las Vegas (T13m)
2. Cascata
Boulder City (m) - Book your tee time at Cascata now
3. Wolf Creek
Mesquite (m) - Book your tee time at Wolf Creek now
T4. Edgewood Tahoe
Tahoe (m) - Book your tee time at Edgewood Tahoe now
T4. Incline Village (Championship)
Incline Village (m) - Book your tee time at Incline Village now
6. Wynn Golf Club
Las Vegas (m)
7. Conestoga
Mesquite (m) - Book your tee time at Conestoga now
8. Paiute (The Wolf)
Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Paiute now
9. Coyote Springs GC
Moapa (m) - Book your tee time at Coyote Springs GC now
10. Paiute (Sun Mountain)
Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Paiute now
11. Paiute (Snow Mountain)
Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Paiute now
12. Rio Secco
Henderson (m) - Book your tee time at Rio Secco now
13. TPC Las Vegas
Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Las Vegas now
14. Bear's Best*
Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Bear's Best now
15. Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas Resort
Henderson (m) - Book your tee time at Reflection Bay now
New Hampshire's best public-access golf courses
1. Omni Mount Washington Resort (Mount Washington)
Bretton Woods (c) - Book your tee time at Mount Washington now
2. Country Club of New Hampshire
Sutton (c) - Book your tee time at Sutton now
3. Owl's Nest
Thornton (m) - Book your tee time at Owl's Nest now
4. Breakfast Hill
Greenland (m) - Book your tee time at Breakfast Hill now
5. The Oaks Golf Links*
Somersworth (m) - Book your tee time at The Oaks Golf Links now
New Jersey's best public-access golf courses
1. Crystal Springs Resort (Ballyowen)
Hamburg (m) - Book your tee time at Ballyowen now
2. Seaview (Bay)
Galloway (c) - Book your tee time at Seaview now
3. Neshanic Valley
Neshanic Station (m) - Book your tee time at Neshanic Valley now
4. Rock Spring
West Orange (c) - Book your tee time at Rock Spring now
5. Twisted Dune
Egg Harbor Township (m) - Book your tee time at Twisted Dune now
6. Seaview (Pines)
Absecon (c) - Book your tee time at Seaview now
T7. Architects
Lopatcong (m)
T7. Knoll (West)
Boonton (c)
9. Crystal Springs Resort (Crystal Springs)
Hamburg (m) - Book your tee time at Crystal Springs now
T10. Shore Gate
Ocean View (m) - Book your tee time at Shore Gate now
T10. Scotland Run
Williamstown (m) - Book your tee time at Scotland Run now
12. Crystal Springs Resort (Wild Turkey)
Hamburg (m) - Book your tee time at Wild Turkey now
13. Heron Glen
Ringoes (m) - Book your tee time at Heron Glen now
14. RiverWinds
West Deptford (m) - Book your tee time at RiverWinds now
15. Ballamor
Egg Harbor Township (m) - Book your tee time at Ballamor now
New Mexico's best public-access golf courses
1. PaaKo Ridge
Sandia Park (T146m)
2. University of New Mexico (Championship)
Albuquerque (m) - Book your tee time at UNM now
3. Black Mesa
Espanola (m) - Book your tee time at Black Mesa now
4. Red Hawk
Las Cruces (m) - Book your tee time at Red Hawk now
5. Rockwind Community Links
Hobbs (m) - Book your tee time at Rockwind Community Links now
6. Pueblo de Cochiti
Cochiti Lake (m) - Book your tee time at Pueblo de Cochiti now
7. Sandia
Albuquerque (m) - Book your tee time at Sandia now
8. Piñon Hills
Farmington (m) - Book your tee time at Piñon Hills now
9. Taos Country Club
Taos (m) - Book your tee time at Taos Country Club now
10. Twin Warriors
Santa Ana Pueblo (m) - Book your tee time at Twin Warriors now
New York's best public-access golf courses
1. Bethpage State Park (Black)
Farmingdale (26c) - Book your tee time at Bethpage Black now
2. Leatherstocking
Cooperstown (T175c)- Book your tee time at Leatherstocking now
3. Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point
New York (m)- Book your tee time at Baily's Golf Links at Ferry Point now
4. Turning Stone Resort Casino (Atunyote)
Verona (m) - Book your tee time at Atunyote now
5. Sagamore
Bolton Landing (c)
T6. Bethpage State Park (Red)
Farmingdale (c) - Book your tee time at Bethpage Red now
T6. Montauk Downs State Park
Montauk Point (m) - Book your tee time at Montauk Downs State Park now
8. Links at Union Vale*
Lagrangeville (m) - Book your tee time at Links at Union Vale now
9. Links at Greystone*
Walworth (m) - Book your tee time at Links at Greystone now
10. Turning Stone Resort Casino (Shenendoah)
Verona (m) - Book your tee time at Shenendoah now
11. Pound Ridge Golf Club
Pound Ridge (m) - Book your tee time at Pound Ridge Golf Club now
12. Ravenwood
Victor (m) - Book your tee time at Ravenwood now
13. Mansion Ridge
Monroe (m) - Book your tee time at Mansion Ridge now
14. Saratoga National
Saratoga Springs (m) - Book your tee time at Saratoga National now
15. Turning Stone Resort Casino (Kaluhyat)
Verona (m) - Book your tee time at Kaluhyat now
North Carolina's best public-access golf courses
1. Pinehurst Resort (No. 2)
Pinehurst (20c)
2. Pinehurst Resort (No. 10)*
Aberdeen (52m)
3. Pinehurst Resort (No. 4)
Pinehurst (T97m)
4. Mid Pines
Southern Pines (T137c)
5. Pine Needles
Southern Pines (T146c)
6. Tobacco Road
Sanford (m)
7. Pinehurst Resort (No. 8)
Pinehurst (m)
8. Southern Pines Golf Club
Southern Pines (c)
9. Bald Head Island Club
Bald Head Island (m)
10. Woodlake*
Vass (m)
11. Thistle Golf Club
Sunset Beach (m) - Book your tee time at Thistle Golf Club now
12. Tot Hill Farm
Asheboro (m) - Book your tee time at Tot Hill Farm now
13. Duke University Golf Course
Durham (c)
14. Waynesville Inn & Golf Club
Waynesville (m)
15. Pinehurst Resort (No. 7)
Pinehurst (m)
16. UNC Finley Golf Course
Chapel Hill (m) - Book your tee time at UNC Finley Golf Course now
17. Talamore (Mid South)
Southern Pines (m)
18. Pinehurst Resort (No. 9)
Pinehurst (m)
T19. Currituck Club
Corolla (m) - Book your tee time at Currituck Club now
T19. Rock Barn CC (Jones Jr.)*
Conover (m)
North Dakota's best public-access golf courses
T1. Minot Country Club
Minot (m)
T1. Links of North Dakota
Ray (m) - Book your tee time at Links of North Dakota now
3. Hawktree
Bismarck (m) - Book your tee time at Hawktree now
4. Bully Pulpit
Medora (m)
5. Vardon
Minot (c)
Ohio's best public-access golf courses
1. Firestone (South)
Akron (T156c)
2. Firestone (North)
Akron (m)
3. Manakiki
Willoughby (c) - Book your tee time at Manakiki now
4. Fowler's Mill (Lake & River)
Chesterland (m) - Book your tee time at Fowler's Mill now
T5. Firestone (Fazio)
Akron (m)
T5. The Virtues
Nashport (m)
7. Sleepy Hollow
Brecksville (c) - Book your tee time at Sleepy Hollow now
8. The Quarry
Canton (m) - Book your tee time at The Quarry now
9. Stonelick Hills
Batavia (m) - Book your tee time at Stonelick Hills now
10. Pine Hills*
Hinckley (c) - Book your tee time at Pine Hills now
Oklahoma's best public-access golf courses
1. Karsten Creek
Stillwater (T92m)
2. Jimmie Austin GC at the University of Oklahoma
Norman (T193c)
3. Shangri-La Resort
Monkey Island (m)
4. Cherokee Hills
Catoosa (c) - Book your tee time at Cherokee Hills now
5. Chickasaw Pointe
Kingston (m) - Book your tee time at Chickasaw Pointe now
Oregon's best public-access golf courses
1. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Pacific Dunes)
Bandon (3m)
2. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Trails)
Bandon (9m)
3. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Old Macdonald)
Bandon (10m)
4. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes)
Bandon (12m)
5. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Sheep Ranch)
Bandon (31m)
6. Silvies Valley Ranch (Hankins)
Seneca (184m)
7. Sunriver Resort (Crosswater)
Sunriver (m)
8. Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek)
North Plains (m) - Book your tee time at Pumpkin Ridge now
9. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock)
Seneca (m)
T10. Juniper Preserve Pronghorn (Nicklaus)
Bend (m)
T10. Eagle Point
Medford (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Point now
12. Brasada Ranch (Brasada Canyons)
Powell Butte (m)
13. Gearhart Golf Links
Gearhart (c) - Book your tee time at Gearheart Golf Links now
14. Langdon Farms
Aurora (m)
15. Tetherow
Bend (m)
Pennsylvania's best public-access golf courses
1. Omni Bedford Springs (Old)
Bedford (182c) - Book your tee time at Omni Bedford Springs now
2. Nemacolin (Mystic Rock)
Farmington (m)
3. Olde Stonewall
Ellwood City (m)
T4. Golf Course at Glen Mills
Glen Mills (m) - Book your tee time at the Golf Course at Glen Mills now
T4. Hershey Country Club (West)
Hershey (c)
6. Nemacolin (Shepherd's Rock)
Farmington (m)
7. Jeffersonville Golf Course
Jeffersonville (c) - Book your tee time at Jeffersonville now
T8. Wyncote
Oxford (m) - Book your tee time at Wyncote now
T8. Penn National (Founders)*
Fayetteville (m) - Book your tee time at Penn National now
10. Links at Gettysburg
Gettysburg (m) - Book your tee time at the Linka at Gettysburg now
Rhode Island's best public-access golf courses
1. Newport National
Newport (m) - Book your tee time at Newport National now
2. Triggs Memorial
Providence (c) - Book your tee time at Triggs Memorial now
3. Meadow Brook
Richmond (m)
4. North Kingstown Golf Course
North Kingstown (c)
5. Montaup
Portsmouth (c)
South Carolina's best public-access golf courses
1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean)
Kiawah Island (15m)
2. Sea Pines Resort (Harbour Town Golf Links)
Hilton Head Island (T73m)
3. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Myrtle Beach (155c) - Book your tee time at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club now
4. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Pawleys Island (T197m)
5. True Blue
Pawleys Island (m)
6. Sea Pines Resort (Atlantic Dunes)
Hilton Head Island (m)
7. Sea Pines Resort (Heron Point)
Hilton Head Island (m)
8. TPC Myrtle Beach
Murrells Inlet (m)
9. Tidewater
North Myrtle Beach (m)
10. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Osprey Point)
Kiawah Island (m)
11. Prestwick
Myrtle Beach (m)
12. Legends Golf Resort (Moorland)
Myrtle Beach (m)
13. Legends Golf Resort (Heathlands)
Myrtle Beach (m)
14. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Cougar Point)
Kiawah Island (m)
15. Barefoot Resort & Golf (Dye)
North Myrtle Beach (m) - Book your tee time at Barefoot Resort & Golf now
16. Heritage Club
Pawleys Island (m)
17. Palmetto Dunes (Robert Trent Jones)
Hilton Head Island (m)
18. Myrtle Beach National (King's North)
Myrtle Beach (m)
19. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Turtle Point)*
Kiawah Island (m) - Book your tee time at Turtle Point now
20. Aiken Golf Club*
Aiken (c)
South Dakota's best public-access golf courses
1. Hart Ranch
Rapid City (m) - Book your tee time at Hart Ranch now
2. Golf Club at Red Rock
Rapid City (m) - Book your tee time at Golf Club at Red Rock now
3. Prairie Green GC
Sioux Falls (m) - Book your tee time at Prarie Green GC now
4. Willow Run
Sioux Falls (m)
5. Meadowbrook - Book your tee time at Meadowbrook now
Rapid City (m)
Tennessee's best public-access golf courses
1. Sweetens Cove
South Pittsburg (T100m)
2. Course at Sewanee
Sewanee (m) - Book your tee time at Sewanee
3. Stonehenge
Fairfield Glade (m)
4. Gaylord Springs Golf Links*
Nashville (m) - Book your tee time at Gaylord Springs Golf Links
5. Fairfield Glade (Heatherhurst Brae)
Fairfield Glade (m)
Texas' best public-access golf courses
1. Lajitas Golf Resort (Black Jack's Crossing)
Lajitas (T139m)
2. Omni PGA Frisco Resort (Fields Ranch East)
Frisco (T189m)
3. Omni Barton Creek (Fazio Canyons)
Austin (m)
4. The Rawls Course at Texas Tech
Lubbock (m) - Book your tee time at The Rawls Course at Texas Tech now
5. Omni PGA Frisco Resort (Fields Ranch West)
Frisco (m)
6. TPC San Antonio (Oaks)
San Antonio (m)
7. Pine Dunes Resort & Golf Club
Frankston (m) - Book your tee time at Pine Dunes Resort & Golf Club now
8. Memorial Park
Houston (c) - Book your tee time at Memorial Park now
9. TPC San Antonio (Canyons)
San Antonio (m)
10. Omni Barton Creek (Fazio Foothills)
Austin (m)
11. Golf Club of Houston (Tournament)
Humble (m) - Book your tee time at Golf Club of Houston
12. La Cantera Resort & Spa
San Antonio (m) - Book you tee time at La Cantera Resort & Spa
13. Cowboys
Grapevine (m) - Book your tee time at Cowboys now
14. The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas (TPC Las Colinas)
Irving (m)
15. Old American
The Colony (m)
16. Omni Barton Creek (Crenshaw Coore Cliffside)
Austin (m)
17. The Tribute
The Colony (m)
T18. Texas Rangers Golf Club
Arlington (m)
T18. Horseshoe Bay Country Club (Slick Rock)
Horseshoe Bay (m)
20. Texas Star*
Euless (m)
Utah's best public-access golf courses
1. Black Desert Resort
Ivins (96m) - Book your tee time at Black Desert now
2. Sand Hollow (Championship)
Hurricane (T170m) - Book your tee time at Sand Hollow now
3. Hideout
Monticello (m) - Book your tee time at Hideout now
4. Soldier Hollow (Gold)
Midway (m) - Book your tee time at Soldier Hollow Gold now
5. Copper Rock
Hurricane (m) - Book your tee time at Copper Rock now
6. Soldier Hollow (Silver)
Midway (m) - Book your tee time at Soldier Hollow Silver now
7. Sunbrook (Pointe Woodbridge)
St. George (m) - Book your tee time at Sunbrook now
8. Thanksgiving Point
Lehi (m) - Book your tee time at Thanksgiving Point now
9. Green Spring
Washington (m)
10. The Ledges of St. George
St. George (m) - Book your tee time at The Ledges of St. George Desert now
Vermont's best public-access golf courses
1. Stowe Country Club
Stowe (m)
2. Fox Run (formerly Okemo Valley)
Ludlow (m)
3. Golf Club at Equinox
Manchester Village (c) - Book your tee time at Golf Club at Equinox now
4. Green Mountain National
Killington (m) - Book your tee time at Green Mountain National now
5. Woodstock Inn & Resort*
Woodstock (c) - Book your tee time at Woodstock Inn & Resort now
Virginia's best public-access golf courses
1. Omni Homestead Resort (Cascades)
Hot Springs (T102c)
2. Primland (Highland)
Meadows of Dan (107m)
3. Golden Horseshoe (Gold)
Williamsburg (T197m) - Book your tee time at Golden Horseshoe Gold now
4. Keswick Hall (Full Cry)
Keswick (m)
5. Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech
Radford (m)
6. Boar's Head Resort (Birdwood)
Charlottesville (m)
7. Kingsmill Resort (River)
Williamsburg (m)
8. Royal New Kent
Providence Forge (m) - Book your tee time at Royal New Kent now
T9. The Club at Viniterra
New Kent (m) - Book your tee time at The Club at Viniterra now
T9. Omni Homestead Resort (Old)
Hot Springs (c)
11. Potomac Shores Golf Club
Potomac Shores (m)
12. Laurel Hill
Lorton (m) - Book your tee time at Laurel Hill now
13. Golden Horseshoe (Green)
Williamsburg (m) - Book your tee time at Golden Horseshoe Green now
14. Stonehouse
Toano (m) - Book your tee time at Stonehouse now
15. Landsdowne Resort (Robert Trent Jones Jr.)*
Leesburg (m)
Washington's best public-access golf courses
1. Chambers Bay
University Place (T40m) - Book your tee time at Chambers Bay now
2. Gamble Sands
Brewster (T53m) - Book your tee time at Gamble Sands now
3. Wine Valley
Walla Walla (T157m) - Book your tee time at Wine Valley now
4. Gold Mountain (Olympic)
Bremerton (m) - Book your tee time at Gold Mountain now
5. Palouse Ridge
Pullman (m)
6. Indian Canyon
Spokane (c)
7. Salish Cliffs
Shelton (m) - Book your tee time at Salish Cliffs now
8. Kalispel
Spokane (c)
9. White Horse
Kingston (m) - Book your tee time at White Horse now
10. Suncadia (Roper Rider)
Cle Elum (m) - Book your tee time at Suncadia now
West Virginia's best public-access golf courses
1. The Greenbrier (Old White)
White Sulphur Springs (149c)
2. Snowshoe Mountain (Raven)
Snowshoe (m) - Book your tee time at Snowshoe Mountain now
3. Stonewall Resort
Roanoke (m) - Book your tee time at Stonewall Resort now
4. The Resort at Glade Springs (Stonehaven)
Daniels (m) - Book your tee time at The Resort at Glade Springs now
5. The Resort at Glade Springs (Cobb)
Daniels (m)
Wisconsin's best public-access golf courses
1. Kohler Whistling Straits (Straits)
Mosel (6m)
2. Sand Valley (Lido)
Nekoosa (26m)
T3. Sand Valley (Sand Valley)
Nekoosa (T45m) - Book your tee time at Sand Valley now
T3. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes)
Nekoosa (T45m) - Book your tee time at Mammoth Dunes now
5. Sand Valley (Sedge Valley)*
Nekoosa (57m) - Book your tee time at Sedge Valley now
6. Erin Hills
Erin (T65m)
7. Lawsonia (Links)
Green Lake (T74c) - Book your tee time at Lawsonia now
8. Kohler Blackwolf Run (River)
Kohler (T149m)
9. Kohler Whistling Straits (Irish)
Mosel (m)
10. SentryWorld
Stevens Point (m) - Book your tee time at SentryWorld now
11. University Ridge
Madison (m) - Book your tee time at University Ridge now
12. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
Sheboygan Falls (m) - Book your tee time at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms now
13. Kohler Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys)
Kohler (m)
14. Wilderness Resort (Wild Rock)
Wisconsin Dells (m) - Book your tee time at Wilderness Resort now
T15. The Club at Lac La Belle
Oconomowoc (m) - Book your tee time at The Club at Lac La Belle now
T15. Geneva National GC (Arnold Palmer)*
Lake Geneva (m) - Book your tee time at Geneva National GC now
Wyoming's best public-access golf courses
1. Teton Pines
Wilson (m)
2. Bell Nob*
Gillette (m)
3. Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club
Jackson (m)
4. Buffalo Golf Club
Buffalo (m)
5. Cheyenne Country Club
Cheyenne (m)

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Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked
Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked

USA Today

time02-06-2025

  • USA Today

Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked

Golfweek's Best 2025: Top public-access golf courses in every state, ranked Looking for the best public-access golf courses in your home state, or planning your next getaway? Golfweek's Best has you covered with our annually updated ranking of the Best Courses You Can Play list for each state, as judged by our nationwide network of raters for 2025. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek's Best course rankings. The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there's a will, there's a tee time – no membership required. (There are a handful of courses on this list that some players might consider to be traditionally private, but they do allow non-hosted, non-member guest play in some limited form, normally through a local hotel or similar arrangement.) KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek's Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S. * indicates new or returning to the rankings Alabama's best public-access golf courses 1. Pursell Farms (FarmLinks) Sylacauga (m) - Book your tee time at Pursell Farms now 2. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Capitol Hill (Judge) Prattville (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Capitol Hill Judge now 3. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Grand National (Lake) Opelika (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Grand National Lake now 4. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Capitol Hill (Legislator) Prattville (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Capitol Hill Legislator now 5. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (Ross Bridge) Hoover (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Ross Bridge now 6. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Cambrian Ridge (Sherling/Canyon) Greenville (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Cambrian Ridge now 7. Kiva Dunes Gulf Shores (m) - Book your tee time at Kiva Dunes now 8. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Magnolia Grove (Falls) Mobile (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Magnolia Grove now 9. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Grand National (Links) Opelika (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Grand National Links now 10. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Magnolia Grove (The Crossings)* Mobile (m) - Book your tee time at RTJ Magnolia Grove now Alaska's best public-access golf courses 1. Anchorage Golf Course Anchorage (m) 2. Settlers Bay* Wasilla (m) 3. Chena Bend Fairbanks (m) 4. Moose Run (Creek) Fort Richardson (m) 5. Palmer Golf Course Palmer (m) - Book your tee time at Palmer Golf Course now Arizona's best public-access golf courses 1. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro) Fort McDowell (m) - Book your tee time at We-Ko-Pa now 2. Quintero Peoria (m) - Book your tee time at Quintero now 3. Wickenburg Ranch (Big Wick) Wickenburg (m) - Book your tee time at Wickenburg Ranch now 4. TPC Scottsdale (Stadium) Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Scottsdale now T5. Golf Club at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita) Marana (m) - Book your tee time at Golf Club at Dove Mountain now T5. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Maricopa (m) - Book your tee time at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes now 7. Troon North (Monument) Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Troon North now T8. Grayhawk (Raptor) Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Grayhawk Raptor now T8. Ventana Canyon (Mountain) Tucson (m) 10. Grayhawk (Talon) Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Grayhawk Talon now 11. We-Ko-Pa (Cholla) Fort McDowell (m) - Book your tee time at We-Ko-Pa now 12. Laughlin Ranch Bullhead City (m) - Book your tee time at Laughlin Ranch now 13. Troon North (Pinnacle) Scottsdale (m) 14. Whirlwind (Devil's Claw) Chandler (m) T15. Boulders Resort (North) Carefree (m) - Book your tee time at Boulders Resort now T15. Wildfire at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge (Faldo Championship) Phoenix (m) - Book your tee time at Wildfire at JW Marriott now T17. Gold Canyon Golf Resort (Dinosaur Mountain) Gold Canyon (m) - Book your tee time at Gold Canyon now T17. Whirlwind (Cattail) Chandler (m) - Book your tee time at Whirlwind now 19. Boulders Resort (South) Carefree (m) - Book your tee time at Boulders Resort now 20. Los Caballeros Wickenburg (m) 21. Las Sendas Mesa (m) - Book your tee time at Las Sendas now 22. Raven* Phoenix (m) - Book your tee time at Raven now T23. TPC Scottsdale (Champions) Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Scottsdale now T23. Legacy Phoenix (m) - Book your tee time at Legacy now 25. Arizona National Tucson (m) - Book your tee time at Arizona National now 26. Verrado (Founders) Buckeye (m) - Book your tee time at Verrado now 27. Longbow Mesa (m) - Book your tee time at Longbow now T28. La Paloma (Ridge/Canyon)* Tucson (m) T28. Camelback (Ambiente) Scottsdale (m) - Book your tee time at Camelback now 30. Wigwam (Gold) Litchfield Park (m) - Book your tee time at Wigwam now Arkansas' best public-access golf courses 1. Mystic Creek El Dorado (m) - Book your tee time at Mystic Creek now 2. The Ridges at Village Creek Wynne (m) - Book your tee time at The Ridges at Village Creek now 3. Hot Springs Country Club (Arlington) Hot Springs (c) 4. Mountain Ranch* Fairfield Bay (m) - Book your tee time at Mountain Ranch now 5. Big Creek Mountain Home (m) - Book your tee time at Big Creek now California's best public-access golf courses 1. Pebble Beach Resorts (Pebble Beach Golf Links) Pebble Beach (10c) 2. Pasatiempo Santa Cruz (39c) - Book your tee time at Pasatiempo now 3. Pebble Beach Resorts (Spyglass Hill) Pebble Beach (T27m) 4. Torrey Pines (South) San Diego (124c) T5. Rustic Canyon Moorpark (T149m) - Book your tee time at Rustic Canyon T5. Yocha Dehe at Cache Creek Casino Brooks (m) - Book your tee time at Yoche Dehe now 7. Pebble Beach Resorts (Links at Spanish Bay) Pebble Beach (T185m) T8. Rams Hill Borrego Springs (m) - Book your tee time at Rams Hill now T8. CordeValle San Martin (m) 10. Torrey Pines (North) San Diego (m) 11. PGA West (Stadium) La Quinta (m) - Book your tee time at PGA West now 12. Poppy Hills Pebble Beach (m) - Book your tee time at Poppy Hills now T13. Pelican Hill (Ocean South) Newport Coast (m) - Book your tee time at Pelcan Hill now T13. Pelican Hill (Ocean North) Newport Coast (m) - Book your tee time at Pelcan Hill now 15. Bayonet Seaside (c) - Book your tee time at Bayonet now 16. Trump National Los Angeles Rancho Palos Verdes (m) - Book your tee time at Trump National LA now T17. Quail Lodge and Golf Club Carmel (m) - Book your tee time at Quail Lodge and Golf Club T17. PGA West (Nicklaus) La Quinta (m) - Book your tee time at PGA West 19. Fairmont Grand Del Mar (The Grand) San Diego (m) 20. Maderas Poway (m) - Book your tee time at Maderas now T21. TPC Harding Park San Francisco (c) - Book your tee time at TPC Harding Park T21. Desert Willow (Firecliff) Palm Desert (m) - Book your tee time at Desert Willow T23. Soule Park Ojai (m) - Book your tee time at Soule Park now T23. Park Hyatt Aviara GC Carlsbad (m) - Book your tee time at Park Hyatt Aviara now 25. Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood)* Truckee (m) - Book your Tahoe Mountain Club T26. Oak Quarry Riverside (m) T26. Whitehawk Ranch* Clio (m) - Book your tee time at Whitehawk Ranch now 28. La Purisma Lompoc (m) - Book your tee time at La Purisma now 29. Fantasy Springs (Eagle Falls) Indio (m) 30. Classic Club* Palm Desert (m) - Book your tee time at Classic Club now Colorado's best public-access golf courses 1. The Broadmoor (East) Colorado Springs (T185c) 2. Redlands Mesa Grand Junction (m) - Book your tee time at Redlands Mesa now 3. Red Sky (Fazio) Wolcott (m) 4. Red Sky (Norman) Wolcott (m) 5. Bear Dance Larkspur (m) - Book your tee time at Bear Dance now 6. RainDance National Windsor (m) - Book your tee time at RainDance National now 7. CommonGround Aurora (m) - Book your tee time at CommonGround now 8. TPC Colorado Berthoud (m) 9. The Broadmoor (West) Colorado Springs (c) 10. River Valley Ranch* Carbondale (m) - Book your tee time at River Valley Ranch now Connecticut's best public-access golf courses 1. Keney Park Hartford (c) - Book your tee time at Keney Park now 2. Wintonbury Hills Bloomfield (m) - Book your tee time at Wintonbury Hills now 3. Great River Milford (m) 4. Shennecossett Groton (c) - Book your tee time at Shennecossett now 5. Lake of Isles (North) North Stonington (m) - Book your tee time at Lake of Isles now 6. Hotchkiss Lakeville (c) 7. Richter Park Danbury (m) - Book your tee time at Richter Park now 8. Gillette Ridge Bloomfield (m) 9. Oxford Greens Oxford (m) - Book your tee time at Oxford Greens now 10. Mohegan Sun* Baltic (m) - Book your tee time at Mohegan Sun now Delaware's best public-access golf courses 1. Plantation Lakes Millsboro (m) - Book your tee time at Plantation Lakes now 2. Bayside Resort Selbyville (m) - Book your tee time at Bayside Resort now 3. Baywood Greens Long Neck (m) - Book your tee time at Baywood Greens now 4. White Clay Creek Wilmington (m) - Book your tee time at White Clay Creek now 5. Rock Manor* Wilmington (m) - Book your tee time at Rock Manor now Florida's best public-access golf courses 1. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium) Ponte Vedra Beach (30m) - Book your tee time at TPC Sawgrass now 2. Streamsong (Red) Bowling Green (44m) 3. Streamsong (Blue) Bowling Green (T62m) 4. Streamsong (Black) Bowling Green (T81m) 5. The Park West Palm West Palm Beach (T100m) - Book your tee time at The Park West Palm now 6. Cabot Citrus Farms (Karoo)* Brooksville (T166m) - Book your tee time at Cabot Citrus Farms now 7. Bay Hill Club and Lodge Orlando (m) 8. PGA National Resort (Champion) Palm Beach Gardens (m) 9. Innisbrook (Copperhead) Palm Harbor (m) 10. Trump National Doral Miami (Blue Monster) Miami (m) - Book your tee time at Trump National Doral Miami now 11. Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean) Palm Coast (m) 12. Camp Creek Watersound (m) 13. Hammock Beach Resort (Conservatory) Palm Coast (m) 14. TPC Sawgrass (Dye's Valley) Ponte Vedra Beach (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Sawgrass now 15. PGA Golf Club (Dye) Port St. Lucie (m) 16. Juliette Falls Dunnellon (m) - Book your tee time at Juliette Falls now 17. Southern Dunes Haines City (m) - Book your tee time at Southern Dunes now 18. Sandestin (Burnt Pine) Miramar Beach (m) 19. PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker) Port St. Lucie (m) 20. JW Marriott Marco Island (Hammock Bay) Naples (m) - Book your tee time at JW Marriott Marco Island now 21. JW Marriott Miami Turnberry (Soffer) Aventura (m) 22. Orange County National (Panther Lake) Winter Garden (m) - Book your tee time at Orange County National now 23. Gasparilla Inn & Club Boca Grande (c) 24. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club (Ocean) Ponte Vedra Beach (c) 25. Crandon Park Key Biscayne (m) - Book your tee time at Crandon Park now 26. Trump National Doral Miami (Golden Palm) Miami (m) - Book your tee time at Trump National Doral Miami now 27. Deer Creek* Deerfield Beach (m) 28. Mission Inn Resort (El Campeon)* Howey-in-the-Hills (c) - Book your tee time at Mission Inn Resort now T29. Kelly Plantation* Destin (m) T29. World Golf Village (King & Bear) St. Augustine (m) - Book your tee time at World Golf Village now T29. Orange County National (Crooked Cat) Winter Garden (m) - Book your tee time at Crooked Cat now Georgia's best public-access golf courses 1. Sea Island (Seaside) St. Simons Island (T76m) 2. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Great Waters) Greensboro (m) 3. Kinderlou Forest Valdosta (m) 4. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Oconee) Greensboro (m) 5. McLemore (Highlands) Rising Fawn (m) - Book your tee time at McLemore now 6. Sea Island (Plantation) St. Simons Island (c) 7. Reynolds Lake Oconee (The Preserve) Greensboro (m) 8. Bear's Best Atlanta Suwanee (m) - Book your tee time at Bear's Best Atlanta now T9. University of Georgia Golf Course Athens (m) - Book your tee time at UGA Golf Course T9. Harbor Club Greensboro (m) - Book your tee time at Harbor Club now T9. Reynolds Lake Oconee (National) Greensboro (m) T12. Achasta Dahlonega (m) T12. Cobblestone Acworth (m) - Book your tee time at Cobblestone now 14. Woodmont G&CC* Canton (m) - Book your tee time at Woodmont G&CC now 15. King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort St. Simons Island (m) - Book your tee time at King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort now Hawaii's best public-access golf courses 1. Four Seasons Resort Lanai (Manele) Lanai (34m) 2. Kapalua (Plantation) Maui (49m) - Book your tee time at Kapaula now 3. Princeville (Makai) Princeville (m) - Book your tee time at Princeville now 4. Mauna Kea Resort Kohala Coast (T179m) - Book your tee time at Mauna Kea Resort now 5. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Kailua-Kona (m) 6. Mauna Lani (North) Waimea (m) - Book your tee time at Mauna Lani now 7. Wailea (Gold) Maui (m) T8. Ocean Course at Hokuala Lihue (m) - Book your tee time at the Ocean Course at Hokuala now T8. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (Poipu Bay) Koloa (m) - Book your tee time at Poipu Bay now 10. Wailea (Emerald) Maui (m) 11. Kapolei Golf Club Kapolei (m) - Book your tee time at Kapolei now 12. Turtle Bay Resort (Arnold Palmer) Kahuku (m) - Book your tee time at Turtle Bay Resort now 13. Mauna Lani (South) Waimea (m) - Book your tee time at Mauna Lani now 14. Wailua Municipal Kauai (m) 15. Ko Olina Kapolei (m) - Book your tee time at Ko Olina now Idaho's best public-access golf courses 1. Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort (Circling Raven) Worley (m) - Book your tee time at Coeur d'Alene now 2. Coeur d'Alene Resort Coeur d'Alene (m) - Book your tee time at Coeur d'Alene now 3. Ridgecrest Nampa (m) 4. Sun Valley (Trail Creek) Sun Valley (c) - Book your tee time at Sun Valley now 5. Pinecrest* Idaho Falls (c) - Book your tee time at Pinecrest now Illinois' best public-access golf courses 1. Cog Hill GC (No. 4 - Dubsdread) Lemont (m) - Book your tee time at Cog Hill now 2. TPC Deere Run Silvis (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Deere Run now 3. The Glen Club Glenview (m) - Book your tee time at The Glen Club now 4. Mistwood Romeoville (m) - Book your tee time at Mistwood now 5. Stonewall Orchard Grayslake (m) - Book your tee time at Stonewall Orchard now 6. Highlands of Elgin Elgin (m) 7. Eagle Ridge (The General) Galena (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Ridge now 8. Preserve at Oak Meadows Addison (m) - Book your tee time at Preserve at Oak Meadows now T9. Thunderhawk Beach Park (m) T9. Harborside International (Starboard) Chicago (m) - Book your tee time at Harborside International now 11. Ravisloe Homewood (c) - Book your tee time at Ravisloe now 12. Cantigny Wheaton (m) - Book your tee time at Cantigny now 13. Annbriar Waterloo (m) - Book your tee time at Annbriar now 14. Shepherd's Crook Zion (m) - Book your tee time at Shepherd's Crook now 15. Eagle Ridge (North)* Galena (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Ridge now Indiana's best public-access golf courses 1. French Lick Resort (Pete Dye) French Lick (T176m) 2. French Lick Resort (Donald Ross) French Lick (c) 3. The PFAU Course at Indiana University Bloomington (m) - Book your tee time at PFAU Course at IU now 4. Warren GC at Notre Dame South Bend (m) - Book your tee time at Warren GC now 5. Coyote Crossing* West Lafayette (m) - Book your tee time at Coyote Crossing now T6. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (Kampen) West Lafayette (m) T6. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (Ackerman-Allen) West Lafayette (c) - Book your tee time at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex now 8. Rock Hollow* Peru (m) - Book your tee time at Rock Hollow now 9. Chariot Run Laconia (m) - Book your tee time at Chariot Run now 10. Brickyard Crossing Indianapolis (m) - Book your tee time at Brickyard Crossing now Iowa's best public-access golf courses 1. Spirit Hollow Burlington (m) - Book your tee time at Spirit Hollow now 2. Blue Top Ridge Riverside (m) - Book your tee time at Blue Top Ridge now 3. Bent Tree Council Bluffs (m) - Book your tee time at Bent Tree now 4. Tournament Club of Iowa Polk City (m) - Book your tee time at the Tounament Club of Iowa now 5. Finkbine Iowa City (c) - Book your tee time at Finkbine now Kansas's best public-access golf courses 1. Firekeeper Mayetta (m) - Book your tee time at Firekeeper now 2. Buffalo Dunes Garden City (m) - Book your tee time at Buffalo Dunes now 3. Sand Creek Station Newton (m) - Book your tee time at Sand Creek Station now 4. Iron Horse Leawood (m) - Book your tee time at Iron Horse now 5. Colbert Hills Manhattan (m) - Book your tee time at Colbert Hills now Kentucky's best public-access golf courses 1. Park Mammoth Park City (m) - Book your tee time at Park Mammoth now 2. Lassing Pointe Union (m) 3. Nevel Meade Golf Course Prospect (m) 4. Kearney Hill* Lexington (m) T5. Heritage Hill Shepherdsville (m) T5. Bardstown Country Club (Maywood) Bardstown (m) - Book your tee time at Bardstown now Louisiana's best public-access golf courses 1. The Country Club at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles (m) - Book your tee time at The Country Club at the Golden Nugget now 2. TPC Louisiana Avondale (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Louisiana now 3. English Turn Golf & Country Club New Orleans (m) - Book your tee time at English Turn Golf & Country Club now 4. Carter Plantation Springfield (m) - Book your tee time at Carter Plantation now 5. L'Auberge Casino Resort (Contraband Bayou) Lake Charles (m) Maine's best public-access golf courses 1. Boothbay Harbor Boothbay (c) 2. Cape Arundel Kennebunkport (c) 3. Belgrade Lakes Golf Club Belgrade Lakes (m) 4. Kebo Valley Bar Harbor (c) - Book your tee time at Kebo Valley today 5. Sugarloaf Carrabassett Valley (m) Maryland's best public-access golf courses 1. Musket Ridge Myersville (m) - Book your tee time at Musket Ridge now 2. Bulle Rock Havre de Grace (m) - Book your tee time at Bulle Rock now 3. Queenstown Harbor (River) Queenstown (m) - Book your tee time at Queenstown Harbor now 4. Links at Perry Cabin St. Michaels (m) 5. Whiskey Creek Ijamsville (m) - Book your tee time at Whiskey Creek now 6. Worthington Manor Urbana (m) - Book your tee time at Worthington Manor now 7. P.B. Dye Golf Club Ijamsville (m) - Book your tee time at P.B. Dye Golf Club now 8. Rum Pointe (Seaside Golf Links) Berlin (m) - Book your tee time at Rum Pointe now 9. University of Maryland GC College Park (c) - Book your tee time at UMD GC now 10. Links at Lighthouse Sound Ocean City (m) - Book your tee time at Links at Lighthouse Sound now Massachusetts' best public-access golf courses 1. Cape Cod National Brewster (m) 2. Miacomet Nantucket (m) - Book your tee time at Miacomet now 3. Red Tail Devens (m) - Book your tee time at Red Tail now 4. Farm Neck Oak Bluffs (m) T5. The Ranch Southwick (m) - Book your tee time at The Ranch now T5. George Wright Municipal Boston (c) T5. William J. Devine Golf Course* Dorchester (c) - Book your tee time at William J. Devine now 8. Crumpin-Fox Bernardston (m) - Book your tee time at Crumpin-Fox now 9. Granite Links Quincy (m) 10. Pinehills (Nicklaus) Plymouth (m) - Book your tee time at Pinehills now Michigan's best public-access golf courses 1. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs) Arcadia (91m) 2. Marquette GC (Greywalls) Marquette (T130m) - Book your tee time at Marquette GC now 3. Forest Dunes (The Loop Red & Black) Roscommon (T143m) - Book your tee time at Forest Dunes now 4. Forest Dunes (Weiskopf) Roscommon (m) - Book your tee time at Forest Dunes now 5. Arcadia Bluffs (South) Arcadia (m) 6. Belvedere Charlevoix (T185c) - Book your tee time at Belvedere now 7. Boyne's Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry) Bay Harbor (m) 8. Eagle Eye Bath (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Eye now T9. Island Resort and Casino (Sweetgrass) Harris (m) T9. Gull Lake View Resort (Stoatin Brae) Augusta (m) - Book your tee time at Gull Lake View Resort now 11. American Dunes Grand Haven (m) - Book your tee time at American Dunes now 12. Pilgrim's Run Pierson (m) - Book your tee time at Pilgrim's Run now 13. Sage Run Bark River (m) T14. University of Michigan Golf Course Ann Arbor (c) - Book your tee time at UM Golf Course now T14. Harbor Shores Benton Harbor (m) - Book your tee time at Harbor Shores now 16. Boyne Highlands (Arthur Hills) Harbor Springs (m) 17. Treetops (Jones Masterpiece)* Gaylord (m) - Book your tee time at Treetops now 18. Tullymore Golf Resort (Tullymore) Stanwood (m) - Book your tee time at Tullymore now 19. Hidden River Golf & Casting Club Brutus (m) - Book your tee time at Hidden River Golf & Casting Club now 20. Pine Mountain Resort (Timber Stone) Iron Mountain (m) - Book your tee time at Pine Mountain Resort now Minnesota's best public-access golf courses 1. Giants Ridge (Quarry) Biwabik (T132m) 2. Breezy Point Resort (Deacon's Lodge) Brainerd (m) - Book your tee time at Breezy Point Resort now 3. Madden's on Gull Lake (Classic) Brainerd (m) - Book your tee time at Madden's on Gull Lake now 4. Wilderness at Fortune Bay Tower (m) 5. Dacotah Ridge* Morton (m) 6. Giants Ridge (Legend) Biwabik (m) 7. Meadows at Mystic Lake Prior Lake (m) - Book your tee time at Meadows at Mystic Lake now 8. Chaska Town Course Chaska (m) 9. StoneRidge Stillwater (m) - Book your tee time at StoneRidge now 10. The Wilds Prior Lake (m) - Book your tee time at The Wilds now Mississippi's best public-access golf courses 1. Fallen Oak Saucier (T97m) 2. Mossy Oak West Point (T132m) 3. Old Waverly West Point (m) 4. The Preserve Vancleave (m) 5. Dancing Rabbit (Oaks) Philadelphia (m) 6. Dancing Rabbit (Azaleas) Philadelphia (m) T7. Shell Landing Gautier (m) - Book your tee time at Shell Landing now T7. Grand Bear Saucier (m) - Book your tee time at Grand Bear now 9. The Oaks Pass Christian (m)- Book your tee time at The Oaks now 10. Windance Gulfport (m)- Book your tee time at Windance now Missouri's best public-access golf courses 1. Big Cedar Lodge (Ozarks National) Hollister (T170m) - Book your tee time at Big Cedar Lodge now 2. Big Cedar Lodge (Buffalo Ridge) Hollister (196m) - Book your tee time at Big Cedar Lodge now 3. Big Cedar Lodge (Payne's Valley) Hollister (m) - Book your tee time at Big Cedar Lodge now 4. Branson Hills Branson (m) - Book your tee time at Branson Hills now 5. Creekmoor* Raymore (m) - Book your tee time at Creekmoor now 6. Old Kinderhook Camdenton (m) - Book your tee time at Old Kinderhook now 7. Swope Memorial Kansas City (c) - Book your tee time at Swope Memorial now 8. Ledgestone Branson (m) - Book your tee time at Ledgestone now 9. Stone Canyon Blue Springs (m) - Book your tee time at Stone Canyon now 10. Missouri Bluffs St. Charles (m) - Book your tee time at Missouri Bluffs now Montana's best public-access golf courses 1. Wilderness Club Montana Eureka (m) - Book your tee time at Wilderness Club Montana now 2. Old Works GC Anaconda (m) 3. Canyon River Missoula (m) 4. Whitefish Lake (South)* Whitefish (m) - Book your tee time at Whitefish Lake now 5. Whitefish Lake (North) Whitefish (m) - Book your tee time at Whitefish Lake now Nebraska's best public-access golf courses 1. Landmand Homer (42m) 2. Prairie Club (Dunes) Valentine (T112m) 3. Wild Horse Gothenburg (T122m) - Book your tee time at Wild Horse now 4. Prairie Club (Pines) Valentine (m) 5. Quarry Oaks* Ashland (m) Nevada's best public-access golf courses 1. Shadow Creek North Las Vegas (T13m) 2. Cascata Boulder City (m) - Book your tee time at Cascata now 3. Wolf Creek Mesquite (m) - Book your tee time at Wolf Creek now T4. Edgewood Tahoe Tahoe (m) - Book your tee time at Edgewood Tahoe now T4. Incline Village (Championship) Incline Village (m) - Book your tee time at Incline Village now 6. Wynn Golf Club Las Vegas (m) 7. Conestoga Mesquite (m) - Book your tee time at Conestoga now 8. Paiute (The Wolf) Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Paiute now 9. Coyote Springs GC Moapa (m) - Book your tee time at Coyote Springs GC now 10. Paiute (Sun Mountain) Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Paiute now 11. Paiute (Snow Mountain) Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Paiute now 12. Rio Secco Henderson (m) - Book your tee time at Rio Secco now 13. TPC Las Vegas Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at TPC Las Vegas now 14. Bear's Best* Las Vegas (m) - Book your tee time at Bear's Best now 15. Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas Resort Henderson (m) - Book your tee time at Reflection Bay now New Hampshire's best public-access golf courses 1. Omni Mount Washington Resort (Mount Washington) Bretton Woods (c) - Book your tee time at Mount Washington now 2. Country Club of New Hampshire Sutton (c) - Book your tee time at Sutton now 3. Owl's Nest Thornton (m) - Book your tee time at Owl's Nest now 4. Breakfast Hill Greenland (m) - Book your tee time at Breakfast Hill now 5. The Oaks Golf Links* Somersworth (m) - Book your tee time at The Oaks Golf Links now New Jersey's best public-access golf courses 1. Crystal Springs Resort (Ballyowen) Hamburg (m) - Book your tee time at Ballyowen now 2. Seaview (Bay) Galloway (c) - Book your tee time at Seaview now 3. Neshanic Valley Neshanic Station (m) - Book your tee time at Neshanic Valley now 4. Rock Spring West Orange (c) - Book your tee time at Rock Spring now 5. Twisted Dune Egg Harbor Township (m) - Book your tee time at Twisted Dune now 6. Seaview (Pines) Absecon (c) - Book your tee time at Seaview now T7. Architects Lopatcong (m) T7. Knoll (West) Boonton (c) 9. Crystal Springs Resort (Crystal Springs) Hamburg (m) - Book your tee time at Crystal Springs now T10. Shore Gate Ocean View (m) - Book your tee time at Shore Gate now T10. Scotland Run Williamstown (m) - Book your tee time at Scotland Run now 12. Crystal Springs Resort (Wild Turkey) Hamburg (m) - Book your tee time at Wild Turkey now 13. Heron Glen Ringoes (m) - Book your tee time at Heron Glen now 14. RiverWinds West Deptford (m) - Book your tee time at RiverWinds now 15. Ballamor Egg Harbor Township (m) - Book your tee time at Ballamor now New Mexico's best public-access golf courses 1. PaaKo Ridge Sandia Park (T146m) 2. University of New Mexico (Championship) Albuquerque (m) - Book your tee time at UNM now 3. Black Mesa Espanola (m) - Book your tee time at Black Mesa now 4. Red Hawk Las Cruces (m) - Book your tee time at Red Hawk now 5. Rockwind Community Links Hobbs (m) - Book your tee time at Rockwind Community Links now 6. Pueblo de Cochiti Cochiti Lake (m) - Book your tee time at Pueblo de Cochiti now 7. Sandia Albuquerque (m) - Book your tee time at Sandia now 8. Piñon Hills Farmington (m) - Book your tee time at Piñon Hills now 9. Taos Country Club Taos (m) - Book your tee time at Taos Country Club now 10. Twin Warriors Santa Ana Pueblo (m) - Book your tee time at Twin Warriors now New York's best public-access golf courses 1. Bethpage State Park (Black) Farmingdale (26c) - Book your tee time at Bethpage Black now 2. Leatherstocking Cooperstown (T175c)- Book your tee time at Leatherstocking now 3. Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point New York (m)- Book your tee time at Baily's Golf Links at Ferry Point now 4. Turning Stone Resort Casino (Atunyote) Verona (m) - Book your tee time at Atunyote now 5. Sagamore Bolton Landing (c) T6. Bethpage State Park (Red) Farmingdale (c) - Book your tee time at Bethpage Red now T6. Montauk Downs State Park Montauk Point (m) - Book your tee time at Montauk Downs State Park now 8. Links at Union Vale* Lagrangeville (m) - Book your tee time at Links at Union Vale now 9. Links at Greystone* Walworth (m) - Book your tee time at Links at Greystone now 10. Turning Stone Resort Casino (Shenendoah) Verona (m) - Book your tee time at Shenendoah now 11. Pound Ridge Golf Club Pound Ridge (m) - Book your tee time at Pound Ridge Golf Club now 12. Ravenwood Victor (m) - Book your tee time at Ravenwood now 13. Mansion Ridge Monroe (m) - Book your tee time at Mansion Ridge now 14. Saratoga National Saratoga Springs (m) - Book your tee time at Saratoga National now 15. Turning Stone Resort Casino (Kaluhyat) Verona (m) - Book your tee time at Kaluhyat now North Carolina's best public-access golf courses 1. Pinehurst Resort (No. 2) Pinehurst (20c) 2. Pinehurst Resort (No. 10)* Aberdeen (52m) 3. Pinehurst Resort (No. 4) Pinehurst (T97m) 4. Mid Pines Southern Pines (T137c) 5. Pine Needles Southern Pines (T146c) 6. Tobacco Road Sanford (m) 7. Pinehurst Resort (No. 8) Pinehurst (m) 8. Southern Pines Golf Club Southern Pines (c) 9. Bald Head Island Club Bald Head Island (m) 10. Woodlake* Vass (m) 11. Thistle Golf Club Sunset Beach (m) - Book your tee time at Thistle Golf Club now 12. Tot Hill Farm Asheboro (m) - Book your tee time at Tot Hill Farm now 13. Duke University Golf Course Durham (c) 14. Waynesville Inn & Golf Club Waynesville (m) 15. Pinehurst Resort (No. 7) Pinehurst (m) 16. UNC Finley Golf Course Chapel Hill (m) - Book your tee time at UNC Finley Golf Course now 17. Talamore (Mid South) Southern Pines (m) 18. Pinehurst Resort (No. 9) Pinehurst (m) T19. Currituck Club Corolla (m) - Book your tee time at Currituck Club now T19. Rock Barn CC (Jones Jr.)* Conover (m) North Dakota's best public-access golf courses T1. Minot Country Club Minot (m) T1. Links of North Dakota Ray (m) - Book your tee time at Links of North Dakota now 3. Hawktree Bismarck (m) - Book your tee time at Hawktree now 4. Bully Pulpit Medora (m) 5. Vardon Minot (c) Ohio's best public-access golf courses 1. Firestone (South) Akron (T156c) 2. Firestone (North) Akron (m) 3. Manakiki Willoughby (c) - Book your tee time at Manakiki now 4. Fowler's Mill (Lake & River) Chesterland (m) - Book your tee time at Fowler's Mill now T5. Firestone (Fazio) Akron (m) T5. The Virtues Nashport (m) 7. Sleepy Hollow Brecksville (c) - Book your tee time at Sleepy Hollow now 8. The Quarry Canton (m) - Book your tee time at The Quarry now 9. Stonelick Hills Batavia (m) - Book your tee time at Stonelick Hills now 10. Pine Hills* Hinckley (c) - Book your tee time at Pine Hills now Oklahoma's best public-access golf courses 1. Karsten Creek Stillwater (T92m) 2. Jimmie Austin GC at the University of Oklahoma Norman (T193c) 3. Shangri-La Resort Monkey Island (m) 4. Cherokee Hills Catoosa (c) - Book your tee time at Cherokee Hills now 5. Chickasaw Pointe Kingston (m) - Book your tee time at Chickasaw Pointe now Oregon's best public-access golf courses 1. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Pacific Dunes) Bandon (3m) 2. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Trails) Bandon (9m) 3. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Old Macdonald) Bandon (10m) 4. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes) Bandon (12m) 5. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Sheep Ranch) Bandon (31m) 6. Silvies Valley Ranch (Hankins) Seneca (184m) 7. Sunriver Resort (Crosswater) Sunriver (m) 8. Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek) North Plains (m) - Book your tee time at Pumpkin Ridge now 9. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock) Seneca (m) T10. Juniper Preserve Pronghorn (Nicklaus) Bend (m) T10. Eagle Point Medford (m) - Book your tee time at Eagle Point now 12. Brasada Ranch (Brasada Canyons) Powell Butte (m) 13. Gearhart Golf Links Gearhart (c) - Book your tee time at Gearheart Golf Links now 14. Langdon Farms Aurora (m) 15. Tetherow Bend (m) Pennsylvania's best public-access golf courses 1. Omni Bedford Springs (Old) Bedford (182c) - Book your tee time at Omni Bedford Springs now 2. Nemacolin (Mystic Rock) Farmington (m) 3. Olde Stonewall Ellwood City (m) T4. Golf Course at Glen Mills Glen Mills (m) - Book your tee time at the Golf Course at Glen Mills now T4. Hershey Country Club (West) Hershey (c) 6. Nemacolin (Shepherd's Rock) Farmington (m) 7. Jeffersonville Golf Course Jeffersonville (c) - Book your tee time at Jeffersonville now T8. Wyncote Oxford (m) - Book your tee time at Wyncote now T8. Penn National (Founders)* Fayetteville (m) - Book your tee time at Penn National now 10. Links at Gettysburg Gettysburg (m) - Book your tee time at the Linka at Gettysburg now Rhode Island's best public-access golf courses 1. Newport National Newport (m) - Book your tee time at Newport National now 2. Triggs Memorial Providence (c) - Book your tee time at Triggs Memorial now 3. Meadow Brook Richmond (m) 4. North Kingstown Golf Course North Kingstown (c) 5. Montaup Portsmouth (c) South Carolina's best public-access golf courses 1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean) Kiawah Island (15m) 2. Sea Pines Resort (Harbour Town Golf Links) Hilton Head Island (T73m) 3. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club Myrtle Beach (155c) - Book your tee time at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club now 4. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club Pawleys Island (T197m) 5. True Blue Pawleys Island (m) 6. Sea Pines Resort (Atlantic Dunes) Hilton Head Island (m) 7. Sea Pines Resort (Heron Point) Hilton Head Island (m) 8. TPC Myrtle Beach Murrells Inlet (m) 9. Tidewater North Myrtle Beach (m) 10. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Osprey Point) Kiawah Island (m) 11. Prestwick Myrtle Beach (m) 12. Legends Golf Resort (Moorland) Myrtle Beach (m) 13. Legends Golf Resort (Heathlands) Myrtle Beach (m) 14. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Cougar Point) Kiawah Island (m) 15. Barefoot Resort & Golf (Dye) North Myrtle Beach (m) - Book your tee time at Barefoot Resort & Golf now 16. Heritage Club Pawleys Island (m) 17. Palmetto Dunes (Robert Trent Jones) Hilton Head Island (m) 18. Myrtle Beach National (King's North) Myrtle Beach (m) 19. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Turtle Point)* Kiawah Island (m) - Book your tee time at Turtle Point now 20. Aiken Golf Club* Aiken (c) South Dakota's best public-access golf courses 1. Hart Ranch Rapid City (m) - Book your tee time at Hart Ranch now 2. Golf Club at Red Rock Rapid City (m) - Book your tee time at Golf Club at Red Rock now 3. Prairie Green GC Sioux Falls (m) - Book your tee time at Prarie Green GC now 4. Willow Run Sioux Falls (m) 5. Meadowbrook - Book your tee time at Meadowbrook now Rapid City (m) Tennessee's best public-access golf courses 1. Sweetens Cove South Pittsburg (T100m) 2. Course at Sewanee Sewanee (m) - Book your tee time at Sewanee 3. Stonehenge Fairfield Glade (m) 4. Gaylord Springs Golf Links* Nashville (m) - Book your tee time at Gaylord Springs Golf Links 5. Fairfield Glade (Heatherhurst Brae) Fairfield Glade (m) Texas' best public-access golf courses 1. Lajitas Golf Resort (Black Jack's Crossing) Lajitas (T139m) 2. Omni PGA Frisco Resort (Fields Ranch East) Frisco (T189m) 3. Omni Barton Creek (Fazio Canyons) Austin (m) 4. The Rawls Course at Texas Tech Lubbock (m) - Book your tee time at The Rawls Course at Texas Tech now 5. Omni PGA Frisco Resort (Fields Ranch West) Frisco (m) 6. TPC San Antonio (Oaks) San Antonio (m) 7. Pine Dunes Resort & Golf Club Frankston (m) - Book your tee time at Pine Dunes Resort & Golf Club now 8. Memorial Park Houston (c) - Book your tee time at Memorial Park now 9. TPC San Antonio (Canyons) San Antonio (m) 10. Omni Barton Creek (Fazio Foothills) Austin (m) 11. Golf Club of Houston (Tournament) Humble (m) - Book your tee time at Golf Club of Houston 12. La Cantera Resort & Spa San Antonio (m) - Book you tee time at La Cantera Resort & Spa 13. Cowboys Grapevine (m) - Book your tee time at Cowboys now 14. The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas (TPC Las Colinas) Irving (m) 15. Old American The Colony (m) 16. Omni Barton Creek (Crenshaw Coore Cliffside) Austin (m) 17. The Tribute The Colony (m) T18. Texas Rangers Golf Club Arlington (m) T18. Horseshoe Bay Country Club (Slick Rock) Horseshoe Bay (m) 20. Texas Star* Euless (m) Utah's best public-access golf courses 1. Black Desert Resort Ivins (96m) - Book your tee time at Black Desert now 2. Sand Hollow (Championship) Hurricane (T170m) - Book your tee time at Sand Hollow now 3. Hideout Monticello (m) - Book your tee time at Hideout now 4. Soldier Hollow (Gold) Midway (m) - Book your tee time at Soldier Hollow Gold now 5. Copper Rock Hurricane (m) - Book your tee time at Copper Rock now 6. Soldier Hollow (Silver) Midway (m) - Book your tee time at Soldier Hollow Silver now 7. Sunbrook (Pointe Woodbridge) St. George (m) - Book your tee time at Sunbrook now 8. Thanksgiving Point Lehi (m) - Book your tee time at Thanksgiving Point now 9. Green Spring Washington (m) 10. The Ledges of St. George St. George (m) - Book your tee time at The Ledges of St. George Desert now Vermont's best public-access golf courses 1. Stowe Country Club Stowe (m) 2. Fox Run (formerly Okemo Valley) Ludlow (m) 3. Golf Club at Equinox Manchester Village (c) - Book your tee time at Golf Club at Equinox now 4. Green Mountain National Killington (m) - Book your tee time at Green Mountain National now 5. Woodstock Inn & Resort* Woodstock (c) - Book your tee time at Woodstock Inn & Resort now Virginia's best public-access golf courses 1. Omni Homestead Resort (Cascades) Hot Springs (T102c) 2. Primland (Highland) Meadows of Dan (107m) 3. Golden Horseshoe (Gold) Williamsburg (T197m) - Book your tee time at Golden Horseshoe Gold now 4. Keswick Hall (Full Cry) Keswick (m) 5. Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech Radford (m) 6. Boar's Head Resort (Birdwood) Charlottesville (m) 7. Kingsmill Resort (River) Williamsburg (m) 8. Royal New Kent Providence Forge (m) - Book your tee time at Royal New Kent now T9. The Club at Viniterra New Kent (m) - Book your tee time at The Club at Viniterra now T9. Omni Homestead Resort (Old) Hot Springs (c) 11. Potomac Shores Golf Club Potomac Shores (m) 12. Laurel Hill Lorton (m) - Book your tee time at Laurel Hill now 13. Golden Horseshoe (Green) Williamsburg (m) - Book your tee time at Golden Horseshoe Green now 14. Stonehouse Toano (m) - Book your tee time at Stonehouse now 15. Landsdowne Resort (Robert Trent Jones Jr.)* Leesburg (m) Washington's best public-access golf courses 1. Chambers Bay University Place (T40m) - Book your tee time at Chambers Bay now 2. Gamble Sands Brewster (T53m) - Book your tee time at Gamble Sands now 3. Wine Valley Walla Walla (T157m) - Book your tee time at Wine Valley now 4. Gold Mountain (Olympic) Bremerton (m) - Book your tee time at Gold Mountain now 5. Palouse Ridge Pullman (m) 6. Indian Canyon Spokane (c) 7. Salish Cliffs Shelton (m) - Book your tee time at Salish Cliffs now 8. Kalispel Spokane (c) 9. White Horse Kingston (m) - Book your tee time at White Horse now 10. Suncadia (Roper Rider) Cle Elum (m) - Book your tee time at Suncadia now West Virginia's best public-access golf courses 1. The Greenbrier (Old White) White Sulphur Springs (149c) 2. Snowshoe Mountain (Raven) Snowshoe (m) - Book your tee time at Snowshoe Mountain now 3. Stonewall Resort Roanoke (m) - Book your tee time at Stonewall Resort now 4. The Resort at Glade Springs (Stonehaven) Daniels (m) - Book your tee time at The Resort at Glade Springs now 5. The Resort at Glade Springs (Cobb) Daniels (m) Wisconsin's best public-access golf courses 1. Kohler Whistling Straits (Straits) Mosel (6m) 2. Sand Valley (Lido) Nekoosa (26m) T3. Sand Valley (Sand Valley) Nekoosa (T45m) - Book your tee time at Sand Valley now T3. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes) Nekoosa (T45m) - Book your tee time at Mammoth Dunes now 5. Sand Valley (Sedge Valley)* Nekoosa (57m) - Book your tee time at Sedge Valley now 6. Erin Hills Erin (T65m) 7. Lawsonia (Links) Green Lake (T74c) - Book your tee time at Lawsonia now 8. Kohler Blackwolf Run (River) Kohler (T149m) 9. Kohler Whistling Straits (Irish) Mosel (m) 10. SentryWorld Stevens Point (m) - Book your tee time at SentryWorld now 11. University Ridge Madison (m) - Book your tee time at University Ridge now 12. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms Sheboygan Falls (m) - Book your tee time at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms now 13. Kohler Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys) Kohler (m) 14. Wilderness Resort (Wild Rock) Wisconsin Dells (m) - Book your tee time at Wilderness Resort now T15. The Club at Lac La Belle Oconomowoc (m) - Book your tee time at The Club at Lac La Belle now T15. Geneva National GC (Arnold Palmer)* Lake Geneva (m) - Book your tee time at Geneva National GC now Wyoming's best public-access golf courses 1. Teton Pines Wilson (m) 2. Bell Nob* Gillette (m) 3. Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club Jackson (m) 4. Buffalo Golf Club Buffalo (m) 5. Cheyenne Country Club Cheyenne (m)

Great walks: Architect of McLemore's The Keep says 'you just don't ever want to go home'
Great walks: Architect of McLemore's The Keep says 'you just don't ever want to go home'

USA Today

time12-05-2025

  • USA Today

Great walks: Architect of McLemore's The Keep says 'you just don't ever want to go home'

Great walks: Architect of McLemore's The Keep says 'you just don't ever want to go home' McLemore Resort has come a long way in a short time, its ascent as steep as the cliff above which it sits atop Lookout Mountain. Already home to the Highlands Course, ranked by Golfweek's Best as the No. 3 public-access course in Georgia, the resort property last year added Cloudland, a luxurious new addition to the Curio Collection by Hilton. With 245 guest rooms, many of which offer simply ridiculous views across the cliff's edge and of surrounding mountains – plus 20,000 square feet of event space, a spa and a wide array of dining options – Cloudland has elevated McLemore's accommodations into rare air. Up next: The Keep. Already accepting limited preview play, this new 18-hole course takes the clifftop theme to new heights. With five of its 18 holes playing directly on the cliff's edge, offering long views across the valley below, this newest addition has a planned grand opening of Sept. 8 with a clubhouse and amenities to follow at a yet-to-be-determined date. And it's not just the cliffside holes – the more inland holes play across higher ground, offering full views across the mostly open course and the cliff beyond. The Keep was built by the design partnership of Bill Bergin and Rees Jones, with Bergin as the lead architect. Bergin is a former touring golf professional who spent many years in Europe and played in more than 250 events, including three U.S. Opens and two British Opens. He launched Bergin Golf Designs in 1994 and has been involved in more than 100 course projects. Bergin's work includes a renovation to McLemore's original course, Highlands, where he and Jones introduced a new par-4 18th hole that hugs the cliff with such intimacy as to induce panic in any golfer with a fear of heights – it's often cliché to call a golf hole stunning, but in this case and for some such golfers, it's an appropriate use of the word. Following are a few of Bergin's thoughts and recollections on designing The Keep, edited for length. Golfweek: Just going back in time about four years, what were your impressions the first time you got up to the site that would become The Keep? Bill Bergin: All it had on it were some Jeep trails, and it was all covered with trees. When we were going to take somebody out there, we would take the Jeep trail that stopped basically at the end of the ground that we used for golf, which happens to be about where the 18th green is now. And there was a tiny opening there with beautiful, native fescue grasses. Nobody had planted them, they were just there. And there was a rock outcropping that allowed you to sit right on the edge of this rock, and it dropped off more than 50 feet. You looked out over the entire place, and it was sort of overwhelming. Everybody wanted to get to that spot. That was pretty exciting the first time. There were enough little trails that we were able to get around the site. We found an old still, believe it or not – I wouldn't have wanted to drink anything that was made out of that still. I could assure you that was not trustworthy alcohol. The difference between The Keep and the other course is, the other course has valleys, and it gets to the cliff edge, and it's actually more diverse terrain. It was obviously routed through that diverse terrain, but that caused some pretty good distances between greens and tees, with carts being a must on that golf course. At The Keep, our managing partner called it 'mountain flat.' Well, I know better than that, but it is really pretty. So maybe that was the proper term. What excited you about doing the routing for The Keep? Actually, I routed two golf courses. I routed for 36 holes with The Keep intact now as one set of those 18 holes. That's how good the land was. I literally could put 36 holes on it if they wanted. But being able to use the best land and the best views for the golf course, I've never worked on a project like that where that's been available, because there's always a consideration for something else. And the consideration for The Keep was 100 percent golf. It's definitely a core golf course. Then we started the routing process, and of course you're going to use that cliff's edge, and that becomes the unique part of the routing process. So these were really early days of examining the property, and Duane (Horton, CEO and president of Scenic Land Company) didn't care about returning nines but more about starting and finishing at the spot where we met on that property the first time. Every time we'd go look at the property, we'd go to that spot, and that's where the golf course starts and finishes. So that's pretty cool. No. 18 green kind of plays down toward it. There were some old fold-up lawn chairs there back when we first started looking at the property. And now there will be some Adirondack chairs in the same general area. There's really something very, very special at that spot. It's the kind of place where you want to have a nice Scotch or a bourbon or whatever your drink of choice, and you just don't ever want to go home. Would you describe it as a once-in-a-lifetime site for an architect? It certainly feels like it. No one would call this a site that was just made for golf, because it's rocky. We were building on rock, not sand. So what looks like an easy course to build was very challenging. Below the turf, we didn't have to move a bunch of dirt. We didn't have any dirt to move, honestly. We cleared about 200 acres and only moved about 300,000 cubic yards of dirt, most of it around Nos. 1, 13 and 17, right in there. Otherwise, the golf course just lays on the ground beautifully. We have five holes right on the cliff, and we go along the cliff from the tip of property to the far tip of property. You have quite a bit of width out there at The Keep. Most of the fairways are quite wide, a few with centerline bunkers or even divided fairways. Why was width important for The Keep? The scale of the property dictated that we wanted a big golf course. The big views influence that scale. And once you size up the scale in your mind, everything really needs to fit that. Big fairways, big bunkers, lots of tee options. So we have about 90 acres of basically fairway-cut grass. And then we have 90 acres of native fescue grass. The other thing about it, when you clear 200 acres on the edge of Lookout Mountain, wind becomes a factor. Not every day – some days are just spectacularly gorgeous – but often there's a breeze out there. And if we didn't have those big playing corridors, it would be way too hard. And so that width gives players the ability to be comfortable off the tee, and then you have to become more precise the closer you move to the green. Hopefully we've created enough strategic interests where positioning matters depending on the hole location. That's more for a member than it is for a resort player, just because it takes time to develop that relationship with a golf course to really understand it. Hopefully our resort players want to come back and play it again and again, and then they start to learn the nuance. But in the beginning, it needs to be playable and fun and exciting. For much of my personal design work, I usually actually prefer a little bit smaller greens with interesting and diverse areas around them. That's the way I like golf. But at The Keep, we have bigger greens because a small green would look ridiculous. On a site that big, it just wouldn't fit right. Speaking of your greens, how would you describe them? The greens are probably the biggest mix between Rees and I. His biggest contribution would be on about half the greens, although I still supervised all of them. For the greens, we look for good diversity there. These are more gradually rolling. I will say this, I think right now we're in an architectural trend where some architects overcook greens. I really believe that, and we did not do that at The Keep. Instead, we have some sneaky, subtle stuff out there. Personally, as a former tour player, I just think we as architects as a whole are trying too hard sometimes to make things look good on photographs. And if it looks like there's a lot going on in a photograph, it's usually not very good in real life. It's always walking a line. People want greens to be interesting, but you don't want them to be unfair or just silly. And so our greens, they're very subtle. Was walking an integral part of The Keep from the beginning when you laid it out, because it is generally a pretty short walk from greens to the next tee. Yes, 100 percent. In fact, before we designed the golf course, before we even did grading plans, I did elevation analysis on every hole from every green to the next tee, and down to the landing area, and then to the green. And it's amazing how nicely it all came together. The biggest challenge we have is actually 16 to 17. But that's a downhill walk. If you're a back-tee player, 12 green up to 13 tee is a bit of a hike up the hill, but that's it really. I can't quote what the owners might have in mind, but I would like 75 percent of the people to play The Keep to walk and 25 percent to take carts next year or later this year when we have carts. Has your design philosophy changed any over the years? Ever since I started out, I have three pillars that every architect always has – I mean, I'm not alone on this. We want a great course mechanically, we want it to be interesting strategically, and we want it to be beautiful. So we design mechanically first, and that has always been where we go first. We are the superintendent's friend. I give the superintendent something good to work with, so he can produce golf that people will really enjoy. I would say in my early days, I was more into strategy and mechanics. And in my later days, I'm adding way more of the artistic elements into what I do. I think that my artistic ability has increased a lot. At The Keep, I didn't like leaving the golf course. I wanted to be the last person off the property every evening because it's just a place that speaks to me, and I love that. So I think the key is, it's the epitome of very interesting, memorable, strategic golf. And the beauty is undeniable, almost to a point of distraction. What has it been like to see that entire property evolve to today with two courses plus a hotel? It is truly beyond my imagination. And I give 100 percent credit to all of the team, but especially Duane Horton. He's a visionary. Two of the words that we use up there a lot are persistence and perseverance, because that property went through a lot of problems before we got to this point. And Duane's done it. They have exceeded my expectations by a lot. And I would say that experience is kind of a cool word, because going to McLemore in general is an experience, and I think it's a can't-miss experience. Not just The Keep, it's the Highlands too – they're completely different courses. And staying at that hotel and coming out and playing golf for several days is an incredible privilege. I can't wait for more people to experience what I've seen and just be on the ground in that part of the world. It's special.

American golf design firm King Collins Dormer lands dream job at famed Scottish club
American golf design firm King Collins Dormer lands dream job at famed Scottish club

USA Today

time08-05-2025

  • USA Today

American golf design firm King Collins Dormer lands dream job at famed Scottish club

American golf design firm King Collins Dormer lands dream job at famed Scottish club The American-based firm of King Collins Dormer Golf Course Design has signed on for it describes as the 'opportunity of a lifetime' to create a masterplan for the expansion of Royal Dornoch in Scotland and build a new course at the famed facility. Royal Dornoch's Championship Course, originally laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1877, ranks No. 4 on Golfweek's Best list of top international courses – this author will swear this pure links course would be even higher if Golfweek's Best ran a pure exhilaration ranking. Royal Dornoch also has the adjacent Struie Course. The club will open a new $18.5 million (£13.9 million) clubhouse next year. The club has acquired 50 acres adjacent to the Struie Course, and King Collins Dormer have signed on to create a masterplan and build a new 18-hole course as well as several new holes for the Struie Course. Plans also include a new practice range, a par-3 course and new short-game and putting areas. This will be the first job in the United Kingdom for King Collins Dormer, which was formed last year when longtime architect and shaper Trev Dormer joined forces with Tad King and Rob Collins. King and Collins are the architects of the much-heralded Sweetens Cove, which ranks as the No. 1 public-access course in Tennessee, and Landmand, which ranks No. 1 among public-access courses in Nebraska, as well as several other projects in recent years. The firm is also building a second course at 7 Mile Beach in Tasmania. Dormer is fresh off projects with the legendary design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, including Dormer's work at the stellar Cabot Saint Lucia, which ranks as the new No. 1 course in the Caribbean and Mexico. 'Tad, Trevor and I, along with our COO, Mark Allen, are deeply honored to have received this commission,' Collins said in a media release announcing the work. 'Our team at KCD is thrilled with the prospect of spending many seasons in Dornoch, helping our shared vision with the club come to life.' In a follow-up text, Collins said, 'We are over the moon happy! It's a rare opportunity. And what a wonderful place!' Dornoch is far north on the coast in the Scottish Highlands, about an hour's drive north of Inverness. The small town of Dornoch was the birth place of legendary golf architect Donald Ross in 1872, and Ross went on to design many of the best courses in the United States, including Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Mike Keiser, the developer and owner of the wildly popular Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, has cited Royal Dornoch as an inspiration to start building golf courses. Keiser has worked for years to receive government approval to build a new course, Coul Links, near Dornoch. 'Usually, the opening of a new clubhouse, which has been mooted for 30 years or more, would mark the end of the journey for any golf club, but for Royal Dornoch it is about what the next step is going to be,' the club's general manager, Neil Hampton, said in the media release. 'The investment being made will pave the way for even greater economic and employment benefits for the wider community and, hopefully, there will be more good news to come as and when the Coul Links project gets the green light from the Scottish Government. 'Golf has long been the key economic driver in this part of the country and additional, high-quality, eco-friendly championship courses created by highly regarded designers can only enhance our reputation as a golfing destination and encourage visitors to extend their stay in the Highlands.' Hampton said the club's selection committee was unanimous in choosing King Collins Dormer to create the masterplan and build the new course. 'We were very impressed with all the golf course architects who pitched to us, and we are lucky that so many highly respected players in the industry were eager to be involved with Royal Dornoch,' he said. 'But the KCD team's imaginative concept and passion for Royal Dornoch and using the land at our disposal in a different way, captured our imagination. They will be very much hands-on from start to finish, taking the project from the drawing board to the construction phase and completion. ... 'Now we can look confidently towards leaving an even more impressive legacy that will be embraced by future generations golfing at Royal Dornoch.'

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