There are nearly 17,000 golf courses to choose from in the United States, but only a few of them are good enough to have hosted the PGA Tour in the past. Then, out of these few, only a couple are open to the public, so how do you know which courses you should play? Here’s a list of the best PGA courses in the US to make your decision a little easier.
1. Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia
This Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts course was designed by Jones and Alister MacKenzie. The course is home to one of the professional golf world’s biggest and most iconic major men’s golf tournaments, known as the Masters Tournament. The course also co-hosts the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and one of its biggest accolades is being named the #1 course in Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 greatest courses back in 2009.
2. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Florida
The entire concept behind this Florida course was developed to provide a permanent hole to THE PLAYERS Championship, with the bonus of the perfect on-site spectator experience. At least, that’s what former PGA TOUR Commissioner, Deane R. Beman, had in mind when she called Pete Dye in 1980 to help make her dreams a reality. This course, which is home to one of golf’s most recognized holes (the legendary 17th), has a completely balanced layout for all styles of play.
3. The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Pete Dye’s PGA-standard Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is both the #4 Public Golf Course in the U.S. and 25th place when it comes to the 100 Greatest U.S. Golf Courses, at least according to Golf Digest. This could be because this course boasts the most seaside holes in the Northern Hemisphere, or it could be because of the big role that the wind plays here.
The wind decides how you play and you can experience up to an 8-club difference depending on its direction and speed. So, don’t forget to bring your best set, which should be protected during your travels. Remember, a hard-shell golf travel bag is better for long trips.
4. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona
While this course doesn’t offer any golf packages like other popular golf courses in Arizona, it’s still a must for your bucket list. This course is home to the PGA Tour stop that attracts the biggest crowd year after year, to such an extent that it creates the largest crowds of any golf event. Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish are behind this design that is now home to the WM Phoenix Open and the famed 16th hole is known for its transformation into The Coliseum during tournaments.
5. TPC Deere Run, Illinois
This course, designed by D.A. Weibring, is home to the iconic John Deere Classic. The course features traditional PGA Tour features with the bonus of a Mississippi River Valley backdrop. The natural features of the original Arabian horse farm remain completely untouched while the hardwood trees and elevation changes contribute to a playable yet challenging experience.
6. Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
If you’ve ever played this course, you can proudly check ‘Play the No. 1 Public Golf Course in America’ off your bucket list. Not only has the course hosted more US Opens than any other course over the last 50 years, but it’s also set to host a further eight major championships and tournaments in the future. What’s more, the course features a total of 9 holes situated directly above the Pacific surf.
7. The Donald Ross Course at French Lick, Indiana
The Donald Ross Course, named after the course’s legendary architect, arose from the ashes back in 1917. Today the course is home to 80 deep-faced bunkers that are classic elements of Donald Ross’ design style. These bunkers provide the level of challenge that this course offers, while the greens are described as “some of the most radically shaped and contoured in golf.” Since 2011, this course has been named the No. 2 public course in Indiana by Golfweek every year.
8. The Torrey Pines South Course, California
The South Course, Torrey Pines’ longer challenging option, was designed by William Bell Sr. in 1957. Since then, the course has seen two upgrades and renovations by Rees Jones, once in 2001 and once in 2019. These renovations brought along a longer and tougher layout, which is perfect for the yearly Farmers Insurance Open PGA Golf Tournament, which has been hosted here since 1952.
9. Harbour Town Golf Links, South Carolina
With not one, but two legends at the steer of this course’s design, it’s no surprise that Harbour Town at The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island is one of the PGA Tour’s most celebrated courses. Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus designed this course to force you to play with your imagination rather than your strength, which is why it has hosted the RBC Heritage since 1969.
10. The Champion Course at PGA National Resort, Florida
The PGA National Resort is home to 6 championship courses but the real champion is the accurately named Champion Course. Known as one of the most challenging stops on the entire tour, the course is home to The Bear Trap, often referred to as “one of the toughest stretches in golf.” Tom and George Fazio are behind the original design, while Jack Nicklaus made some changes to create the course that’s now home to the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.