Top 100 public golf courses in the US: Ranking by state

We recently released GOLF’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play ranking for 2024-25, celebrating the best publicly accessible golf course designs in the United States.

Our panel’s high-quality community studies span the entire country, covering 29 counties in all. California, which finished with the second-largest courses in our latest 100 US-ranked courses, moves into the top spot, with 11 public access courses from the Golden State making the list, including number 1-ranked course, Pebble Beach.

Florida, North Carolina and Wisconsin all tied for second, just behind California with the top nine public courses.

How many excellent public outreach courses does your country have? Find below our complete state-by-state description of our ranking of the Top 100 Courses to Play.

To browse and search our listings in map form, check out our new Course Finder a tool.

Top 100 Courses to Play 2024-25 organized by region

(Overall, course name, city, state, builder and year opened)

California (11)

1. Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach, CA
Jack Neville, Douglas Grant, 1919

11. Pasatiempo
Santa Cruz, CA
Alister Mackenzie, 1929

23. Spyglass Hill
Pebble Beach, CA
Robert Trent Jones, Sr., 1966

43. Torrey Pines (South)
San Diego, CA
William Bell, 1957 / Rees Jones, 2001

45. Rustic Canyon
Moorpark, CA
Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner/Geoff Shackelford, 2002

56. PGA West (TPC Stadium)
La Quinta, CA
Pete Dye, 1987

66. TPC Harding Park
San Francisco, CA
Willie Watson and Sam Whiting, 1925

78. La Quinta Hotel (Mountain)
La Quinta, CA
Pete Dye, 1980

83. Cordevalle
San Martin, CA
Robert Trent Jones, Jr., 1999

89. Omni La Costa Resort and Spa (North)
Carlsbad, CA
Dick Wilson, 1965 / Gil Hanse, 2024

93. Rams Hills
Borrego Springs, CA
Ted Robinson (1983)/Tom Fazio, Dennis Wise (2007)

Florida (9)

8. TPC Sawgrass (The Players Course)
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Pete Dye, 1981

17. Streaming Song (Red)
Bowling Green, FL
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2012

19. Streaming song (Blue)
Bowling Green, FL
Tom Doak, 2012

32. Cabot Citrus Farms (Karoo)
Brooksville, FL
Kyle Franz, 2024

36. Park (West Palm)
West Palm Beach, FL
Gil Hanse, 2023

37. Streaming Song (Black)
Broadcasting, FL
Gil Hanse, 2017

69. Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)
Palm Harbor, FL
Larry Packard, 1970

71. Bay Hill
Orlando, FL
Arnold Palmer, 1961

77. Trump National Doral (Blue Monster)
Doral, FL
Pete Wilson, 1962 / Gil Hanse, 2014

North Carolina (9)

2. Pinehurst No. 2
Pinehurst, NC
Donald Ross, 1907-1935

15. Pinehurst No. 10
Pinehurst, NC
Tom Doak, 2024

25. Pinehurst No. 4
Pinehurst, NC
Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner, 2018

27. Tobacco Road
Sanford, NC
Mike Strantz, 1999

34. Mid Pines
Pinehurst, NC
Donald Ross, 1921

38. Southern Pines
Southern Pines, NC
Donald Ross, 1906 / Kyle Franz, 2021

39. Pine needles
Pinehurst, NC
Donald Ross, 1927/Kyle Franz, 2017

48. Tot Hill Farm
Asheboro, NC
Michael Stranz, 2000

82. Pinehurst No. 8
Pinehurst, NC
Tom Fazio, 1996

Wisconsin (9)

4. The Lido
Sand Valley, WI
Tom Doak, Brian Shcneider, 2023
(Reincarnation of CB Macdonald)

10. Whistling Straits
Haven, WI
Pete Dye, 1998

16. Lawsonia Links
Green Lake, WI
William Langford/Ted Moreau, 1930

20. Sand Valley
Nekoosa, WI
Bill Coore/Ben Crenhsaw, 2017

21. Erin Hills
Hartford, WI
Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry/Ron Whitten, 2006

22. Sand Valley (Sedge Valley)
Nekoosa, WI
Tom Doak, 2024

26. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes)
Nekoosa, WI
David McLay Kidd, 2018

29. Blackwolf Run (River)
Kohler, WI
Pete Dye/Herb Kohler, 1988

81. SentryWorld
Stevens Point, WI
Robert Trent Jones, Jr., 1982; Jay Blasi, 2013

Michigan (8)

30. Forest Dunes (Loop)
Roscommon, MI
Tom Doak, 2016

40. Belvedere
Charlevoix, MI
William Watson, 1923

50. Arcadia Bluffs (South)
Bear Lake, MI
Dana Fry, 2018

51. Dunes of America
Grand Haven, MI
Jack Nicklaus, 2021

57. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs)
Arcadia, MI
Warren Henderson/Rick Smith, 1999

62. Greywalls in Marquette
Marquette, MI
Mike DeVries, 2005

64. Forest Dunes (Weiskopf)
Roscommon, MI
Tom Weiskopf, 2002

92. Stoatin Brae
Augusta, MI
Rennaisance Golf Design, 2017

Oregon (8)

3. Pacific dunes
Bandon, OR
Tom Doak, 2001

7. Bandon Routes
Bandon, OR
Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, 2005

9. Bandon Dunes
Bandon, OR
David McLay Kidd, 1999

13. Old Macdonald
Bandon, OR
Tom Doak/Jim Urbina, 2010

24. Sheep Ranch
Bandon, OR
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2020

59. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock/Hankins Reversible)
Seneca, OR
Dan Hixson, 2017

72. Pronghorn (Fazio)
Bend over, OR
Tom Fazio, 2004

95. Pronghorn (Nicklaus)
Bend over, OR
Jack Nicklaus, 2004

South Carolina (5)

6. Kiawah Island (Ocean)
Kiawah Island, SC
Pete Dye, 1991

12. The port city
Hilton Head, SC
Pete Dye / Jack Nicklaus, 1969

58. Palmetto Bluff (May River)
Bluffton, SC
Jack Nicklaus, 2005

60. Dunes
Myrtle Beach. SC
Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1948

76. Caledonia
Pawleys Island, SC
Michael Strantz, 1994

Indiana (4)

42. French Lick (Ross Course)
French Lick, IN
Donald Ross, 1917

84. French Lick (Dye Course)
French Lick, IN
Pete Dye, 2009

85. The Warren Course (Notre Dame)
Notre Dame, IN
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2000

90. Pfau Course at Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Steve Smyers/Fuzzy Zoeller, 2020

Georgia (3)

41. Sea Island
Sea Island, GA
Harry S. Colt, Charles Alison, 1929 / Tom Fazio, 1999

99. McLemore Club (Highlands)
Rising Fawn, GA
Rees Jones/Bill Bergin, 2020

96. Reynolds Great Waters
Eatonto, GA
Jack Nicklaus, 1992

Hawaii (3)

33. Kapalua (Plantation)
Lahaina, Maui, HI
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 1992

47. Four Seasons Lanai (Manele)
Lanai City, Lanai, HI
Jack Nicklaus, 1993

49. Mauna Kea
Waimea, Hawaii, HI
Robert Trent Jones, Sr., 1964

Nebraska (3)

28. Prairie Club (Dunes)
Valentine, NE
Tom Lehman/Chris Brands, 2010

44. A wild horse
Gothenburg, NE
Dave Axland/Dan Proctor, 1999

46. ​​Sir
Homer, NE
Tad King/Rob Collins, 2022

Virginia (3)

35. Omni Homestead (Cascades)
Hot Springs, VA
William Flynn, 1923

87. Primland
Places to stay in Dan, VA
Donald Steele, 2006

94. Keswick Hall (Full Cry)
Keswick, VA
Pete Dye, 2014

Washington (3)

18. Gamble Sands
Brewster, WA
David McLay Kidd, 2014

31. Chambers Bay
University Area, WA
Robert Trent Jones, Jr., 2007

100. Valley of wine
Walla Walla, WA
Dan Hixson, 2009

Massachusetts (2)

70. George Wright
Boston, MA
Donald Ross, 1938

73. Taconic
Williamstown, MA
Wayne Stiles, 1927 / Gil Hanse, 2009

Missouri (2)

55. Ozarks National at Big Cedar Lodge
Hollister, MO
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2019

80. Payne’s Valley
Hollister, MO
Tiger Woods, 2018

Nevada (2)

14. Shadow Creek
North Las Vegas, NV
Tom Fazio, 1990

86. Cascata
Boulder City, NV
Rees Jones, 2000

New Mexico (2)

79. Black Mesa
Espanola, NM
Baxter Spann, 2003

91. Paako Ridge
Sandia Park, NM
Ken Dye, 2000

New York (2)

5. Bethpage (Black)
Farmingdale, NY
AW Tillinghast, 1935

65. Bethpage (Red)
Farmingdale, NY
AW Tillinghast, 1935

Texas (2)

67. Omni PGA Frisco (Fields Ranch East)
Frisco, TX
Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, 2022

88. Memorial Park
Houston, TX
John Bredemus, 1935 / Tom Doak, 2019

Alabama (1)

98. RTJ Golf Club at Grand National (Links)
Opelika, AL
Robert Trent Jones, Sr., 1992

Arizona (1)

61. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro)
McDowell, AZ
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, 2006

Colorado (1)

97. Broadmoor (East)
Colorado Springs, CO
Donald Ross, 1918

Maine (1)

63. Cape Arundel
Kennebunkport, ME
Walter Travis, 1921

Mississippi (1)

75. Mossy Oak
West Point, MS
Gil Hanse, 2016

Montana (1)

68. The Wilderness Club
Eureka, MT
Nick Faldo and Brian Curley, 2009

Ohio (1)

53. Firestone (South)
Akron, OH
Bert Way, 1929 / Robert Trent Jones, Sr., 1960

Oklahoma (1)

74. Karsten Creek
Stillwater, OK
Tom Fazio, 1994

Utah (1)

54. Bare Sand
Hurricane, UT
John Fought/Andy Staples, 2008

West Virginia (1)

52. Greenbrier (Old White)
White Sulfur Springs, WV
CB Macdonald/Seth Raynor, 1914