⛳Best Golf Courses in America
America's greatest golf courses blend historic design, strategic challenge, and unforgettable scenery that separate legends from weekend rounds. From private sanctuaries to public gems, these tracks define the sport's highest standards. Vote to rank them by what matters most to you.
What counts: Best means elite design, conditioning, history and shot variety; figures are approximate round numbers from public records.
Augusta National Golf Club▲ Rising
Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie carved a masterpiece that hosts the Masters each spring. Its lightning-fast greens and dramatic elevation changes have decided dozens of green jackets. No other American course carries the same weight in modern golf lore.
Location: Augusta, GAEstablished: 1933Par: 72Yardage: 7,475 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.8/10
added by IJRAugusta National Golf Club
51Cypress Point Club▲ Rising
Alister MacKenzie's 16th and 17th holes over the Pacific remain the most photographed par-3 sequence in golf. The course's blend of forest, dunes, and ocean creates constant variety. Private status only adds to its mythic reputation.
Location: Pebble Beach, CAEstablished: 1928Par: 72Yardage: 6,524 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.7/10
added by IJRCypress Point Club
40Pebble Beach Golf Links▲ Rising
Jack Neville and Douglas Grant routed seven holes along the Pacific cliffs, creating one of the world's most photogenic tests. Multiple U.S. Opens have confirmed its ability to crown champions under pressure. The ocean views and wind make every round memorable.
Location: Pebble Beach, CAEstablished: 1919Par: 72Yardage: 6,828 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 9.6/10
added by IJRPebble Beach Golf Links
37Bethpage Black Course▲ Rising
A.W. Tillinghast's public giant became the first municipal course to host a U.S. Open in 2002 and again in 2009. Its long par-4s and massive bunkers test the world's best while remaining open to all. The warning sign at the first tee adds to its legend.
Location: Farmingdale, NYEstablished: 1936Par: 71Yardage: 7,386 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 9.1/10
added by IJRBethpage Black Course
26Shinnecock Hills Golf Club▲ Rising
Willie Dunn's 1891 layout was completely rebuilt by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw into a wind-swept links test that hosted two recent U.S. Opens. Its fescue-framed fairways and firm greens demand precise ball-striking. Few American courses feel more like classic British links.
Location: Southampton, NYEstablished: 1891Par: 70Yardage: 7,450 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.4/10
added by IJRShinnecock Hills Golf Club
23Oakmont Country Club▲ Rising
Henry Fownes built the toughest course in America with 300+ bunkers and lightning greens that hosted nine U.S. Opens. Its church-pew bunker and long par-4s punish even the best players. Oakmont remains the gold standard for penal architecture.
Location: Oakmont, PAEstablished: 1903Par: 70Yardage: 7,255 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.3/10
added by IJROakmont Country Club
19TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Course)
Pete Dye's island-green 17th created the signature hole of the PGA Tour and the annual Players Championship. The course's railroad ties and water hazards define modern risk-reward golf. It remains the most televised course in America.
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FLEstablished: 1980Par: 72Yardage: 7,189 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 8.9/10
added by IJR
15Pinehurst Resort No. 2▼ Falling
Donald Ross's sandy masterpiece was restored to its original wiregrass edges and crowned-greens by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. It has hosted multiple U.S. Opens and the 2024 Ryder Cup. The strategic options on every hole reward thought over power.
Location: Pinehurst, NCEstablished: 1907Par: 70Yardage: 7,600 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 9.5/10
added by IJR
14Merion Golf Club (East)▲ Rising
Hugh Wilson's compact East Course hosted five U.S. Opens with its famous white-silo 18th and tight, strategic holes. Every inch of the 6,500-yard layout is used brilliantly. Merion proves great golf doesn't need massive length.
Location: Ardmore, PAEstablished: 1912Par: 70Yardage: 6,880 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.2/10
added by IJR
12Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course)▲ Rising
Pete Dye's Ocean Course hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup and 2012 PGA Championship with its relentless ocean winds and massive dunes. Every hole feels exposed to the Atlantic. It remains one of the sternest tests on the East Coast.
Location: Kiawah Island, SCEstablished: 1991Par: 72Yardage: 7,550 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 8.8/10
added by IJR
11Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus created a low-profile masterpiece on Hilton Head that rewards accuracy over distance. The lighthouse 18th and moss-draped oaks define its Lowcountry character. It has crowned champions at the RBC Heritage for decades.
Location: Hilton Head, SCEstablished: 1969Par: 71Yardage: 7,100 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 9/10
added by IJRHarbour Town Golf Links
6Whistling Straits (Straits Course)▲ Rising
Pete Dye built a faux-links masterpiece along Lake Michigan that hosted three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup. Its 1,000+ bunkers and towering dunes create a dramatic walk. Few inland American courses feel this wild.
Location: Kohler, WIEstablished: 1998Par: 72Yardage: 7,450 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 9/10
added by IJR
6Chambers Bay▲ Rising
Robert Trent Jones II built a links-style public course on an old gravel pit that hosted the 2015 U.S. Open. Its fescue fairways and massive greens created one of the most controversial Opens in history. The dramatic setting overlooking Puget Sound remains unique.
Location: University Place, WAEstablished: 2007Par: 71Yardage: 7,450 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 8.6/10
added by IJRChambers Bay
5Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes Course)
David McLay Kidd's first American links course launched the modern golf resort boom on the Oregon coast. Its natural dunes and ocean views reward creative shot-making. It set the template for destination golf in the U.S.
Location: Bandon, OREstablished: 1999Par: 72Yardage: 6,770 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 9.1/10
added by IJR
3Muirfield Village Golf Club
Jack Nicklaus designed his home club to host the Memorial Tournament and showcase strategic, tree-lined golf. Its conditioning and variety have made it a perennial PGA Tour stop. The course reflects Nicklaus's philosophy of risk and reward.
Location: Dublin, OHEstablished: 1974Par: 72Yardage: 7,400 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 8.7/10
added by IJR
2Streamsong Resort (Red Course)
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw built the Red Course across reclaimed phosphate mines in Florida, creating a minimalist masterpiece with vast waste areas. Its strategic options and natural beauty made it an instant classic. The resort has become a destination for serious golfers.
Location: Bowling Green, FLEstablished: 2012Par: 72Yardage: 7,100 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 8.9/10
added by IJR
2Blackwolf Run (River Course)
Pete Dye's River Course at Blackwolf Run hosted two U.S. Women's Opens with its water hazards and strategic bunkering. The Kohler resort setting and walkable design make it a destination course. It remains one of Dye's most balanced tests.
Location: Kohler, WIEstablished: 1988Par: 72Yardage: 7,100 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 8.7/10
added by IJR
-1Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore discovered perfect sand hills in Nebraska and built one of the purest inland links courses ever made. Its 18 unique holes flow naturally across the dunes with minimal earth-moving. The remote setting adds to its cult status among serious golfers.
Location: Mullen, NEEstablished: 1994Par: 71Yardage: 7,050 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.3/10
added by IJRSand Hills Golf Club
-4Los Angeles Country Club (North)
George Thomas's North Course hosted the 2023 U.S. Open with its classic bunkering and strategic green complexes. The course's Hollywood Hills setting and firm conditions created a memorable championship. It ranks among the best classic designs in California.
Location: Los Angeles, CAEstablished: 1921Par: 70Yardage: 7,300 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9/10
added by IJR
-6Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower)
A.W. Tillinghast's Lower Course has hosted seven U.S. Opens with its long par-4s and classic bunkering. The tree-lined layout in New Jersey has crowned legends from Hogan to Mickelson. It remains one of the most respected championship venues in the Northeast.
Location: Springfield, NJEstablished: 1922Par: 70Yardage: 7,400 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 8.9/10
added by IJR
-7The Golf Club▼ Falling
Pete Dye's early masterpiece in Ohio is a pure strategic test with no houses or distractions. Its small greens and varied par-4s influenced a generation of architects. The club remains one of the most respected private courses in the Midwest.
Location: New Albany, OHEstablished: 1967Par: 72Yardage: 7,150 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 8.8/10
added by IJRThe Golf Club
-8Winged Foot Golf Club (West)
A.W. Tillinghast's West Course has hosted five U.S. Opens with its massive bunkers and long par-4s. The course's penal nature has produced some of the most dramatic Opens in history. It remains the benchmark for Northeast championship golf.
Location: Mamaroneck, NYEstablished: 1923Par: 70Yardage: 7,450 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.1/10
added by IJR
-12Friar's Head▼ Falling
Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore routed 18 holes across Long Island's sand hills with dramatic elevation changes and ocean views. The course's variety and natural beauty make it one of the best modern designs in the Northeast. Private status protects its pristine condition.
Location: Baiting Hollow, NYEstablished: 2003Par: 71Yardage: 6,950 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 9.2/10
added by IJR
-17Erin Hills▼ Falling
The public course in Wisconsin hosted the 2017 U.S. Open with its rolling hills and natural fescue. Its walkable design and affordable access made it a fan favorite. Erin Hills proved a modern public course can host major championships successfully.
Location: Erin, WIEstablished: 2006Par: 72Yardage: 7,800 ydPublic Access: ✓Quality: 8.5/10
added by IJRErin Hills
-20The Country Club (Clyde)▼ Falling
Willie and Alex Campbell's Clyde Course at The Country Club hosted the first U.S. Open in 1895 and the 2022 U.S. Open. Its tree-lined fairways and small greens represent classic New England golf. The course's history and variety keep it among the elite.
Location: Brookline, MAEstablished: 1895Par: 70Yardage: 6,850 ydPublic Access: —Quality: 8.8/10
added by IJR
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