The post Best golf courses in Wyoming for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Wyoming for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Wyoming. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Wyoming (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Shooting Star GC (Teton Village)

2. Snake River Sporting Club (Jackson) 

3. 3 Creek Ranch (Jackson)

4. Teton Pines (Wilson)

5. GC at Devils Tower (Hulett)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Wyoming for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Wisconsin for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Wisconsin for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Wisconsin. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Wisconsin (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Lido (Rome) [#, Y, P]

The Lido, on Long Island’s South Shore, opened for play in 1917, the work of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor. The course met an unkind fate in the 1940s, but not until luminaries like Bernard Darwin had lavished praise on it; Darwin said he thought Lido was the best course in the world “as a battlefield for giants.” Well! Some eight decades later Michael and Chris Keiser decided to recreate the course adjacent to their Sand Valley Resort. Key to the equation was Peter Flory, who open-sourced hundreds of vintage photos of the original Lido and fed them into a software program that modeled the new Lido as accurately as possible. The Keisers then hired Tom Doak and Brian Schneider (who spent more than 230 days on-site) to build the course. This process included the use of GPS bulldozers, though discretion by Doak and Schneider was certainly required in getting the green contours just right. The scale of the course, the depth of its hazards and the size of the greens, which average over 12,000 square feet, is dazzling. Almost all of the great template holes are represented, from the Alps 10th to the Redan 16th, making this course a strategic marvel. Panelist Clyde Johnson calls Lido the “ultimate IQ test for golf-course architecture.” One of America’s great designs is back! 

2. Whistling Straits (Sheboygan) [#, Y, P]

Home of the 2004, ’10 and ’15 PGA Championships, this 1998 Pete Dye design on Lake Michigan was once a poker-table-flat military training base in World War II. Eventually it became a site for illegal dumping of toxic waste. Dye and owner Herb Kohler engineered a mind-boggling cleanup, moving 3 million cubic yards of dirt, trucking in 7,000 loads of sand to create the hills and bunkers and relocating the bluffs back off the shore. Kohler told Dye “I want the course to look like it’s in Ireland.” Mission accomplished. The 2021 Ryder Cup played here highlighted what a great match-play course it is, too, with its plethora of ½-par holes. Its set of par-3s is virtually unmatched and is complemented by a slew of other standout holes that come in all shapes and sizes, including the long par-4 4th, the short par-4 10th with its central hazard, and the par-5 11th, which rivals any par-5 that Dye built over his six-decade career.

3. Milwaukee (River Hills) [#]

Designed by C.H. Alison, Milwaukee Country Club is a charming old-school layout that challenges the modern player with fast greens and deep bunkers. You walk out the men’s locker door and — boom — you’re standing on the first tee. A series of stout two-shotters gets the round underway while the middle section of the course (especially holes 8-12) enjoys a spectacular component courtesy of the Milwaukee River and its valley. The course gallops home at 17, a brute of an uphill one-shotter, and 18, with its green featuring a wicked false front.

4. Lawsonia – Links (Green Lake) [#, Y, V, P]

After years of course improvements helped bring it out of the shadows, Lawsonia no longer counts as a sleeper. But it still qualifies as one of the country’s greatest steals. Golden Age maestros Langford and Moreau spent some $5 million in 2024 dollars to produce this literally groundbreaking Wisconsin design. With the help of steam shovels, they built fairways with bedeviling browns and greens with remarkably bold contours. Of the many superb holes, the par-3 7th rightly gets the most attention, in part because of the story behind it. Rumor is that a boxcar is buried beneath it. Given its bulging surface and the 20-foot drop-off along its front-right side, that’s easy to believe.

5. Sand Valley – Sand Valley (Nekoosa) [Y, P]

A Midwestern production from the same Keiser family that gave us Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley lacks an ocean but still has much in common with its coastal counterpart. On the prehistoric sand dunes of central Wisconsin, Bill Coore worked his trademark magic, routing a fun, firm and fair course around a heaving canvas. After an opening tee shot from a massive dune dubbed the Volcano, Sand Valley bucks and rolls along a scenic property, showcasing majestic bunkers, delightful contours and, on the par-3 17th, one of the game’s great punchbowl greens.

6. Erin Hills (Hartford) [Y, P]

Erin Hills is a modern course whose foundations were laid eons ago, when glaciers sloughed their way across central Wisconsin, roiling the landscape in their wake. Far more recently, Michael Hurdzan, Dan Fry and Ron Whitten took their turn, shaping a burly but graceful layout where Brooks Koepka won the 2017 U.S. Open, the first of his five majors. Stout as it is, the course also poses subtle questions, as on the 2nd hole, a short par 4 with a tiny, tiered green. And the back nine is pure elegance, with exquisite undulations that are perhaps most striking on the tumbling fairway of the 12th hole.

7. Sand Valley – Sedge Valley (Nekoosa) [Y, P]

In his long and heralded design career, Tom Doak has pretty much done it all. What remained on his wish list was to build a course inspired by the great heathland layouts of England. At Sand Valley, he finally got his chance to channel his inner-Harry Colt. A clever, compact complement to the resort’s three other 18-hole courses (Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes and semi-private Lido), Sedge Valley tips out at a shade under 6,000 yards. But length is not the best tell of its tape. Forgiving-looking fairways are wonderfully deceptive, with slopes and brows that place a premium on finding the right angle. Greens, too, have ample movement, and approaches to them are often complicated by rises in the land that shroud the target from view. Sedge Valley is a reminder that size does indeed matter, and that bigger isn’t always best.

8. Pine Hills (Sheboygan)

9. Sand Valley – Mammoth Dunes (Nekoosa) [Y, P]

True to its name, this broad-shouldered design takes advantage of some of the largest dunes in the vast sand barrens of central Wisconsin, with a routing that winds around a towering V-shaped wedge. But if the scale is imposing, the course is not. Once known as a staunch defender of par, McLay Kidd intentionally softened his approach here, with fairways so wide they are difficult to miss, and myriad ground game options that allow for friendly access to generous greens. The point here is beauty, not intimidation, and the end result is terrific fun.

10. Blackwolf Run – River (Kohler) [Y, P]

Whistling Straits claims the greatest wow-factor, with two miles of frontage along Lake Michigan, but this inland Dye layout might have just as many ardent fans. Built a decade before Whistling, the River course occupies one of the best wooded parcels that Dye was ever given, studded with hills and stitched through by a creek. The famed architect also benefited from an owner who offered him carte blanche, allowing Dye to create one of his most challenging tests. The demands come in many shapes and sizes, from angled greens set on plateaus to risk-reward par-5s with water lurking. Among the toughest shots is on the par-3 13th, which plays over a bend in the river with a large tree looming on the left. Though its branches have been cut back in recent years, it remains a nightmare for righthanders who favor a fade.

11. Blue Mound (Wauwatosa)

12. West Bend (West Bend)

13. SentryWorld (Stevens Point) [Y, P]

In 2013, Wisconsin native Jay Blasi, working in collaboration with Robert Trent Jones Jr., rerouted the SentryWorld design by implementing unused land throughout the property. The new par-3 3rd was once just a stand of trees, and the new par-3 12th once a lone peninsula in the middle of the swamp. Now these holes smartly connect the layout. One of Blasi’s favorites additions is the par-4 15th, the preferred angle for the approach protected by a strategically placed, right-side fairway bunker. Superintendent Matt Smith has catapulted SentryWorld into one of the best maintained courses in the country, helping it land the 2023 U.S. Senior Open.

14. Blackwolf Run – Meadow (Kohler)

15. Club at Lac La Belle (Oconomowoc)

16. Steven’s Point CC (Stevens Point)

17. Whistling Straits – Irish (Sheboygan)

18. Kenosha (Kenosha)

19. Bull at Pinehurst Farms (Sheboygan Falls) [V, P]

20. Washington County (Hartford)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking. Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Wisconsin for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in West Virginia for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in West Virginia for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in West Virginia. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in West Virginia (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Pikewood National (Morgantown) [#]

Built by two mining executives with no previous design experience, Pikewood National is pure golf for avid players. This walking-only course covers seven-plus miles with major elevation changes, and the hike is more than worth the effort to experience one of the game’s most scenic and best conditioned layouts. Located on top of a mesa, 30-mile views are routinely afforded across three different states. Pikewood’s collection of one-shot holes is second to none, including the 5th, which is backed by a natural waterfall, and the 12th, with its expertly contoured modified Redan green. The three-shot holes are notable, too, led by the horseshoe 8th, which plays around a gaping, rocky depression. The relative paucity of bunkers adds to the design’s distinctiveness. How these first-time architects built so many world-class greens is worthy of conversation. Best of the bunch might be the bunkerless 11th green complex with a wicked surface that slopes from front to back.

2. Pete Dye (Bridgeport) 

3. Greenbrier – Old White (White Sulphur Springs) [Y, P]

A Golden Age classic that’s always in pristine condition, The Old White is one of the few C.B. Macdonald designs the public can play. The Greenbrier’s signature course offers a great set of template holes, including Biarritz, Alps, Eden and Redan. The quirks here — only 2 par-5s (both on the back), the par-3 closer — only add the charm. It’s also a surprisingly great walk given that it’s one of the country’s best mountain courses. The Old White has hosted PGA Tour and LIV events, and the service is unparalleled. It can more than hold up to your next golf adventure.

4. Greenbrier Sporting Club – Snead (White Sulphur Springs) [P]

5. Glade Springs (Daniels) [P]

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in West Virginia for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Washington for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Washington for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Washington. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Washington (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Gamble Sands (Brewster) [#,Y,P]

After stamping his name on some penal, polarizing courses, Bandon Dunes designer McLay Kidd had what he describes as a come-to-the-mountain moment. It was time to return to his Scottish roots and the fundamentals that had worked so well at Bandon. In other words, time to put a renewed emphasis on fun. In apple-orchard country in Eastern Washington, Kidd shaped fairways as wide as landing strips while adding contours that steer borderline shots away from trouble. Greens are sizable but tame, with tightly mown runoffs where putter is often the wiser play. While the course has hosted top-flight amateur events, it is the poster-child of design for everyone. Fun, it turns out, isn’t losing your ball. It’s finding it with ease, and then sorting through the options for how to play it next.

2. Chambers Bay (University Place) [Y,P]

“Linksy” might be the most overused word in golf, but Chambers Bay is the real deal. Carved out of a former gravel mine hard by Puget Sound, the Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout offers magnificent water views from almost every hole. Train tracks and a design that welcomes bump-and-run shots add to the British Open vibe, but the sweeping Olympic Mountain vistas are pure Americana. At the 2015 U.S. Open, the dry, bumpy greens confounded the pros — Henrik Stenson griped that it was “like putting on broccoli.” But those fine fescue surfaces have since transitioned to native poa annua, so players now enjoy a much smoother putting experience…when they’re not distracted by those stunning water views.

3. Aldarra (Sammamish)

4. Sahalee – S/N (Sammamish) 

5. Seattle GC (Seattle)

6. Wine Valley CC (Walla Walla) [Y,P]

Golfers are accustomed to seeing fescue blowing in the breeze by the ocean, but what about 200 miles inland between alfalfa fields and Syrah vines? Dan Hixson, the brains behind Silvies Valley Ranch and Bandon Crossings, approached his work at Wine Valley as if he were shaping linksland rather than the field of wild grass that was his canvas. Monstrous bunkers and rifts of waste areas require thoughtful play, but the fairways are wide enough and greens expansive enough to offer much variance setup from round to round. The par-5s, including the punchbowl 7th, also will make you think: hit the hard shot now … or later.

7. Tumble Creek (Cle Elum)

8. Gold Mountain – Olympic (Bremerton) [V,P]

Not much has changed since 2011 when then-17-year-old Jordan Spieth won the U.S. Junior Amateur here — because why mess with a good thing? Elevation changes produce challenging lies on wide fairways lined by 100-foot fir and cedar trees. The greens have plenty of subtle breaks, and adjacent collection areas will test your short game. The course drains well (a handy trait in the Pacific Northwest), but there is permanent water on six holes. Only one hole — the signature par-3 16th — is all carry over the hazard. The reachable par-4 closer offers a huge risk/reward opportunity, with water up the right side to the green. The Seattle ferry docks only 15 minutes from the course. Fees: vary with on-demand tee-time pricing.

9. Fircrest (Fircrest)

10. Canterwood (Gig Harbor)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Washington for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Virginia for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Virginia for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Virginia. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Virginia (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Omni Homestead – Cascades (Hot Springs) [Y, P]

A William Flynn masterpiece in the heart of Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains, the Cascades features rolling terrain and strategic bunkering. Legend has it both A.W. Tillinghast and Seth Raynor passed on the challenging site before then little-known Flynn accepted the design job. He had to dynamite through limestone to find some of the fairways, but in 12 months he carved out one of America’s finest mountain tracks. Young Sam Snead honed his game here and once said that if he could only play one course, Cascades would be it. The remote location makes it a tough track to get to, but for fans of Slammin’ Sammy and Golden Age architecture, it’s a must-visit.

2. Robert Trent Jones GC (Gainesville)

3. Kinloch (Manakin Sabot)

4. Farmington CC (Charlottesville)

5. Olde Farm (Bristol)

6. CC of Virginia – James River (Richmond)

7. The Foundry (Powhatan)

8. Primland (Meadows of Dan) [Y,P]

When oil billionaire Didier Primat bought 12,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, he could have never envisioned the course that would be built here. British architect Donald Steele and associate Martin Ebert laid out 18 excellent holes with the help of ingenuity and dynamite, shaping the hilly terrain to their creative will. Among the most memorable holes is the par-5 opener, where the Pinnacles of Dan serve as the backdrop. Deep gullies line the property’s edge, and rock outcroppings bring intrigue to the design. The open-faced greens welcome more than just an aerial game.

9. Ballyhack (Roanoke)

10. Keswick Hall – Full Cry (Keswick) [Y,P]

The course’s architectural identity has changed three times since its inception in 1949, with an original design by Fred Findlay and an Arnold Palmer redesign in the early 1990s. Come 2014, another firm with a heralded pedigree would put its thumbprint on the property: Pete and Alice Dye. The course features classic Dye staples, including railroad ties and penal bunkering, but you wouldn’t characterize it as “Dye-abolical.” Generous greens with short-grass openings encourage all manner of shot-making, and the fairways are also welcoming. Full Cry is a fascinating and inviting change from the Dyes’ usual m.o., a course that makes high-handicappers feel comfortable while keeping the interest of better players.

11. Golden Horseshoe – Gold (Williamsburg) [P]

12. The Club at Creighton Farms (Aldie)

13. Birdwood (Charlottesville) [P]

14. Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech (Radford) [P]

15. Hermitage – Sabot (Manakin Sabot)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Virginia for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Vermont for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Vermont for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Vermont. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Utah (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Ekwanok (Manchester)

2. Burlington (Burlington)

3. Dorset Field (Dorset)

4. Rutland (Rutland)

5. Country Club of Barre (Orange) [P]

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Vermont for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Utah for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Utah for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Utah. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Utah (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Sand Hollow (Hurricane) [Y, P, V]

Built on the same colorful sedimentary stone as nearby Zion National Park, Sand Hollow is as close as you’ll get to playing golf on Mars. The more traditional desert front nine winds through red sand bunkers and native sage brush. The wild backside takes golfers across a rising ridgeline to an astonishing five-hole stretch that makes picking a favorite hole impossible. The short par-4 13th with mind-blowing cliffside views? The long par-3 15th some compare to the iconic 16th at Cypress Point? The epic 525-yard par-4 14th (yes, we said par-4)? You’ll still be trying to decide as you ask the pro shop if you can play another 18.

2. Glenwild (Park City)

3. Victory Ranch (Karmas)

4. Black Desert (Ivins)

5. The Country Club (Salt Lake City)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Utah for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Texas for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Texas for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Texas. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Texas (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Trinity Forest (Dallas) [#]

2. Colonial (Fort Worth)

3. Whispering Pines (Trinity)

4. Brook Hollow (Dallas)

5. Austin Golf Club (Spicewood)

6. Big Easy Ranch, The Covey (Columbus)

7. TX0 (Formerly Wolf Point) (Port Lavaca)

8. Dallas National (Dallas)

9. Omni PGA Frisco (Fields Ranch East) (Frisco) [Y, P]

The PGA of America’s 2022 move out of Florida was also a move up to extravagant new headquarters in Frisco, Tex. that cost more than half a billion dollars to build. Part of a sprawling complex that boasts two-18-holers, a lavish putting course and a lighted par-3 layout, the East Course is the big-boy of the bunch, a stout, walking-only design that rewards good shots but punishes misses to smallish greens ringed by firm, fast runoffs and tight lies. Slated to host a slew of PGA of America events in the coming years, including the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the 2027 PGA Championship, the course can be stretched to more than 7,800 yards but makes a compelling test from any distance in a nearly ever-present Texas wind.

10. Shady Oaks (Westworth Village)

11. Austin Country Club (Austin)

12. Champions – Cypress Creek (Houston)

13. Bluejack National (Montgomery)

14. Preston Trail (Dallas)

15. Vaquero (Westlake)

16. Memorial Park [Y, V, P]

Tom Doak, along with consultant Brooks Koepka, was chosen to take one of the most popular public golf courses in the Houston metropolitan area and turn it into a venue suitable to testing the best players in the world while housing upward of 60,000 fans. A successful combination of more short grass, fewer bunkers and better green-to-tee transitions led not only to a successful tournament setting but also a design in which the people of Houston can take great pride.

17. Boot Ranch (Fredericksburg)

18. Rawls Course at Texas Tech (Lubbock) [V, P]

Tom Doak’s general preference is to follow nature’s lead, but when given a flat site like the one here, Plan B was required. Instead, the job became a massive dirt-moving exercise in two regards: First, mounds were constructed around the perimeter so that the golfer’s attention is turned inward, opening up long, handsome views across the course. Second, Doak made sure that the holes themselves were blessed with many random, micro-contours. Pair the firm playing conditions that are fostered in this part of Texas with the area’s ubiquitous wind and the course plays — shockingly — like a links. Downwind, golfers might well need to pick a spot about 45 yards short of the reachable par-5 2nd green to land their second shots and then watch in delight as their balls bound on to the opening of the putting surface. No golf trail is near Lubbock so the Rawls Course is a bit of an outpost, but make sure it stays on your radar.

19. Spanish Oaks (Austin)

20. Barton Creek — Canyons (Austin) [P]

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Texas for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Tennessee for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in Tennessee for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Tennessee. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in Tennessee (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Honors Course (Ooltewah) [#]

Since our last U.S. Top 100, the club had Gil Hanse tweak this 1983 Pete Dye design by replacing the 10th and 11th greens in a manner similar to their original configuration. Additionally, Hanse exposed two creek tributaries in front of the 18th green, and this Home hole now ranks with Dye’s best closers, which is saying something. Situated at the foot of White Oak Mountain in eastern Tennessee, the course has long been a sanctuary for wildlife and a think tank on agronomy and different grasses. Cocooned in nature, the player revels in the rustic playing environment and 2021 saw the fairways re-grassed with the new Zeon Zoysia hybrid. Its finer blades provide more release than the old Myer Zoysia and the playing surfaces have once again achieved optimal firmness. A bastion for amateur golf, we can’t wait for the 2026 Women’s Amateur and the 2031 U.S. Amateur (which marks the 40th anniversary of its first U.S. Amateur).

2. Holston Hills (Knoxville)

3. Golf Club of Tennessee (Kingston Springs)

4. Memphis Country Club (Memphis)

5. Spring Creek Ranch (Collierville)

6. TPC Southwind (Memphis)

7. Troubadour Golf and Field Club (College Grove)

8. Chattanooga Golf & CC (Chattanooga)

9. Hillwood Country Club (Nashville)

10. Black Creek (Chattanooga)

This ranking is reserved only for 18-hole courses, but nine-hole Sweeten’s Cove also should be on your shortlist.

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in Tennessee for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in South Dakota for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

The post Best golf courses in South Dakota for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.

You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in South Dakota. And if you’re looking to create your own trip in the future, you’d be wise to let GOLF’s new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists — Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more — or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.

GOLF’s other course rankings: Top 100 Courses in the World | Top 100 Courses in the U.S. | Top 100 Courses You Can Play | Top 100 Value Courses in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | The 100 Best Short Courses in the World

Check out our all-new travel podcast Destination GOLF. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: APPLE | SPOTIFY | IHEART | AMAZON

Explore our all-new Course Finder

Golf courses near you? Search here!

Begin Browsing

The best golf courses in South Dakota (2024/2025)

SYMBOL GUIDE
# = Top 100 Course in the U.S.
Y = Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.
V = Top 100 Value Course in the U.S.
P = Public/Resort

Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.

1. Sutton Bay – New (Agar)

2. Minnehaha (Sioux Falls)

3. The Golf Club at Red Rock (Rapid City) [P]

4. Elkhorn Ridge (Spearfish) [P]

5. Dakota Dunes (Dakota Dunes)

How we rank our courses

For our newly released Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 You Can Play lists — a process that helped us create 50 best-in-state rankings — each panelist was provided a ballot that consisted of 609 courses. Beside the list of courses were 11 “buckets,” or groupings. If our panelists considered a course to be among the top three in the U.S., they ticked that first column. If they believed the course to be among Nos. 4-10, they checked that column, followed by 11-25, 26-50, and so on out to 250+ and even a column for “remove.” Panelists were also free to write in courses that they felt should have been included on the ballot.

Points were assigned to each bucket; to arrive at an average score for each course, we divide its aggregate score by the number of votes. From those point tallies, the courses are then ranked accordingly. It is an intentionally simple and straightforward process. Why? Because it historically has produced results that are widely lauded. Like the game itself, there’s no need to unnecessarily complicate things or try to fix something that already works so well.

The key to the process is the experience and expertise of our panel. Hailing from 15 nations and all the worldwide golf meccas, each of our 127 handpicked panelists has a keen eye for architecture, both regionally and globally. Many of our panelists have played more than 1,000 courses in 20-plus countries, some over 2,000. Their handicaps range from +5 to 15.

Because the nature of course rating is so intensely subjective, no one opinion carries the day. The only way, then, to build meaningful consensus is to incorporate this diversity of panelists and experiences into one ranking.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

The post Best golf courses in South Dakota for 2024-25 appeared first on Golf.