Guru's Top 100 Golf Courses in the United States

Below is the Gurus list of the top 100 golf courses we've played. What makes a course great is one of the great debates in this fantastic game. The criteria that the Gurus value most include conditioning, fun/wow factor, setting/visuals, architectural merits, and variety. Also taken into consideration, but with less weight, include test of skill, replay power, playability, and routing. Ultimately, playing golf should be fun! Great conditioning, attractive scenary, and exciting shots all contribute to the overall enjoyment of golf. Conversely, little value is given to history, exclusiveness, and tradition. A major consideration is how reproducible the course is. As such, courses that enjoy spectacular/unique settings and terrain tend to rank higher. Courses marked with an * indicate public access courses (including private clubs with limited public access).

Top 10 Courses

1. Pine Valley Golf Club (George Crump and H.S. Colt 1918; Clementon, New Jersey)
2. Cypress Point Golf Club (Dr. Alister MacKenzie 1928; Pebble Beach, California)
3. National Golf Links of America (C.B. Macdonald 1908; Southampton, New York)
4. Oakmont Country Club (Henry Fownes 1904; Oakmont, Pennsylvania)
5. Merion Golf Club (East) (Hugh Wilson 1912; Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
6. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club (William Flynn 1937 (Willie Davis 1891, C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor 1901); Southampton, New York)
7. Fishers Island Club (Seth Raynor 1926; Southold, New York)
8. Pebble Beach Golf Links (Jack Neville and Douglas Grant 1919; Pebble Beach, California)*
9. Pacific Dunes (Tom Doak 2001; Bandon, Oregon)*
10. Chambers Bay Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2007; University Place, Washington)*

Courses 11–20

11. Sleepy Hollow Country Club (C.B. Macdonald 1914; Scarsborough, New York)
12. Eastward Ho! (Herbert Fowler 1921; Chatham, Massachusetts)
13. California Golf Club of San Francisco, The (Vernon Macan 1926; Alister Mackenzie 1927 bunkers, Kyle Phillips renovation 2007; South San Francisco, California)
14. Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore) (Bob Baldock 1961/Mike Strantz 2004; Pebble Beach, California)
15. Bandon Dunes (David McLay Kidd 1999; Bandon, Oregon)*
16. Myopia Hunt Club (Herbert C. Leeds 1896 (back nine added 1901); South Hamilton, Massachusetts)
17. Yale Golf Course (C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor 1926; New Haven, Connecticut)
18. Riviera Country Club (George Thomas 1927; Pacific Palisades, California)
19. Los Angeles Country Club (George Thomas 1921; Los Angeles, California)
20. Country Club (Brookline), The (Willie Campbell 1895 (Rees Jones 1988); Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts)

Courses 21–30

21. Muirfield Village Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1974; Dublin, Ohio)
22. Prairie Club (Dunes), The (Tom Lehman and Chris Brands 2010; Valentine, Nebraska)*
23. Ballyneal Golf Club (Tom Doak 2005; Holyoke, Colorado)
24. Sand Hills Golf Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 1995; Mullen, Nebraska)
25. Rock Creek Cattle Company (Tom Doak 2008; Deer Lodge, Montana)
26. Landmand Golf Club (Rob Collins and Tad King 2022; Homer, Nebraska)*
27. Kingsley Club (Mike DeVries 2001; Kingsley, Michigan)
28. Crystal Downs Country Club (Alister Mackenzie 1931; Frankfort, Michigan)
29. Bethpage State Park (Black Course) (A.W. Tillinghast 1936; Farmingdale, New York)*
30. Sebonack Golf Club (Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus 2006; Southampton, New York)

Courses 31–40

31. Kiawah Island Resort (Ocean) (Pete Dye 1991; Johns Island, South Carolina)*
32. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs) (Warren Henderson and Rick Smith 2000; Arcadia, Michigan)*
33. Sheep Ranch (Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw 2020; Bandon, Oregon)*
34. Manele Golf Course (Jack Nicklaus 1993; Lanai, Hawaii)*
35. Whistling Straits (Straits) (Pete Dye 1998; Sheboygan, Wisconsin)*
36. Kapalua Plantation (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 1991; Lahaina, Hawaii)*
37. Gozzer Ranch Golf and Lake Club (Tom Fazio 2007; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
38. Whispering Pines Golf Club (Chet Williams of Nicklaus Designs 2000.; Trinity, Texas)
39. Honors Course (Pete Dye 1983; Ooltewah, Tennessee)
40. Kinloch Golf Club (Lester George and Vinny Giles 2001; Manakin-Sabot, Virginia)

Courses 41–50

41. Prairie Dunes Country Club (Perry Maxwell 1937; Hutchinson, Kansas)
42. The Golf Club (Pete Dye 1967; New Albany, Ohio)
43. Tobacco Road Golf Club (Mike Strantz 1998; Sanford, North Carolina)*
44. Kirtland Country Club (H. S. Colt and C. H. Allison 1921; Willoughby, Ohio)
45. Omaha Country Club (Langford and Moreau 1927, Perry Maxwell redesign 1951 and Keith Foster restoration 2007; Omaha, Nebraska)
46. Black Rock, The Club at (Jim Engh 2003; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
47. Monterey Peninsula CC (Dunes) (Seth Raynor 1926; Alister Mackenzie and Robert Hunter 1927, Rees Jones 1999, Tom Fazio 2016; Pebble Beach, California)
48. Chicago Golf Club (C.B. Macdonald 1894; Wheaton, Illinois)
49. Erin Hills Golf Course (Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten 2006; Hartford, Wisconsin)*
50. Old Macdonald (Tom Doak and Jim Urbina 2010; Bandon, Oregon)*

Courses 51–60

51. Maidstone Club (Willie Park Jr. 1891; East Hampton, New York)
52. Old Sandwich Golf Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2004; Plymouth, Massachusetts)
53. Blessings Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2004; Fayetteville, Arkansas)
54. Harvester Club, The (Keith Foster 2000; Rhodes, Iowa)
55. Mauna Kea Resort (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1965; Kohala Coast, Hawaii)*
56. Bandon Trails (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2005; Bandon, Oregon)*
57. Nanea Golf Club (David McLay Kidd 2003; Kailua-Kona, Hawaii)
58. Lawsonia, The Golf Courses of (Links) (William Langford and Theodore Moreau 1930 (Ron Forse restoration 2014); Green Lake, Wisconsin)*
59. Boston Golf Club (Gil Hanse 2005; Hingham, Massachusetts)
60. Mammoth Dunes (David McLay Kidd 2018; Nekoosa, Wisconsin)*

Courses 61–70

61. Streamsong Resort (Black) (Gil Hanse 2017; Bowling Green, Florida)*
62. Streamsong Resort (Red) (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2012; Streamsong, Florida)*
63. Sand Valley (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2017; Nekoosa, Wisconsin)*
64. Victoria National (Tom Fazio 1998; Newburgh, Indiana)
65. Peachtree Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Bobby Jones 1948; Atlanta, Georgia)
66. NCR Country Club (South) (Dick Wilson 1954; Kettering, Ohio)
67. Baltimore Country Club (East) (A.W. Tillinghast 1924 (Keith Foster restoration 2015); Lutherville, Maryland)
68. Bluejack National (Tiger Woods 2016; Montgomery, Texas)
69. Castle Pines Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1981; Castle Rock, Colorado)
70. Atlanta Country Club (Willard Byrd 1965 (Modifications by Bob Cupp, Jack Nicklaus, and Mick Riley); Marietta, Georgia)

Courses 71–80

71. Spring Hill Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1999; Wayzata, Minnesota)
72. Milwaukee Country Club (H.S. Colt and C.H. Alison 1929; River Hills, Wisconsin)
73. Fox Chapel Golf Club (Seth Raynor and Charles Banks 1925; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
74. St. Louis Country Club (C.B. Macdonald 1914; St. Louis, Missouri)
75. Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside) (H.S. Colt and Charles Alison 1928/Tom Fazio 1999; St. Simons Island, Georgia)*
76. Bayonne Golf Club (Eric Bergstol 2006; Bayonne, New Jersey)
77. Shadow Creek Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1989; North Las Vegas, Nevada)*
78. TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Players) (Pete Dye 1980; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida)*
79. Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club (Ken Dye 2000 (Holes 19-27 2005); Sandia Park, New Mexico)*
80. Moonlight Basin, The Reserve at (Jack Nicklaus 2016; Big Sky, Montana)

Courses 81–90

81. Shoreacres (Seth Raynor 1921; Lake Bluff, Illinois)
82. San Francisco Golf Club (A.W. Tillinghast 1915; San Francisco, California)
83. Cedar Rapids Country Club, The (Donald Ross 1915 and Restoration by Ron Prichard 2015; Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
84. Davenport Country Club (H.S. Colt and C.H. Alison 1924 / Ron Forse 2014 renovation; Pleasant Valley, Iowa)
85. Essex County Club (Donald Ross 1917 (original nine 1893); Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts)
86. Pasatiempo Golf Club (Alister MacKenzie 1929; Santa Cruz, California)*
87. Pinehurst Resort No.2 (Donald Ross 1907 and Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore 2011; Pinehurst, North Carolina)*
88. Moraine Country Club (Alex Nipper Campbell 1930; Keith Foster renovation 2016; Dayton, Ohio)
89. Garden City Golf Club (Devereux Emmet 1899; Garden City, New York)
90. Kittansett Club, The (William Flynn and Fredric Hood 1922; Marion, Massachusetts)

Courses 91–100

91. Camargo Club (Seth Raynor 1927 (bunker work by Robert von Hagge 1983 and restoration by Tom Doak 2000); Indian Hill, Ohio)
92. Rich Harvest Golf Links (Jerry Rich and Greg Mart1998; Sugar Grove, Illinois)
93. Hawks Ridge Golf Club (Bob Cupp 1999; Ball Ground, Georgia)
94. Makai Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1971, remodeled 2010; Princeville, Hawaii)*
95. Somerset Hills Country Club (A.W. Tillinghast 1917; Bernardsville, New Jersey)
96. Sand Hollow Resort (John Fought 2008; Hurricane, Utah)*
97. Robert Trent Jones Club (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1991; Gainesville, Virginia)
98. Mossy Oak Golf Club (Gil Hanse 2016; West Point, Mississippi)*
99. Piping Rock Country Club (C.B. Macdonald 1912; Locust Valley, New York)
100. Boot Ranch (Hal Sutton 2006; Fredericksburg, Texas)

Courses 101–110

101. Oak Tree National (Pete Dye 1976; Edmond, Oklahoma)
102. Forest Highlands Golf Club (Canyon) (Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish 1986; Flagstaff, Arizona)
103. Hokuli'a, The Club at (Jack Nicklaus 2002; Kealakekua, Hawaii)
104. Hudson National Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1996; Croton-on-Hudson, New York)
105. Estancia Club (Tom Fazio 1995; Scottsdale, Arizona)
106. Oak Hill Country Club (East) (Donald Ross 1925; Rochester, New York)
107. Dallas National Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2002; Dallas, Texas)
108. Olde Farm, The (Bobby Weed 2000; Bristol, Virginia)
109. Primland Resort, The Highland Course at (Donald Steel 2006; Meadows of Dan, Virginia)*
110. Virtues Golf Club, The (Arthur Hills 1999; Nashport, Ohio)*

Courses 111–120

111. Calusa Pines Golf Club (Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry 2001; Naples, Florida)
112. Congressional Country Club (Blue) (Devereux Emmet 1924/Robert Trent Jones 1957/Rees Jones 1989-2010; Bethesda, Maryland)
113. Southern Hills Country Club (Perry Maxwell 1936; Tulsa, Oklahoma)
114. Dormie Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2010; West End, North Carolina)
115. Quarry at La Quinta, The (Tom Fazio 1994; La Quinta, California)
116. Victory Ranch Golf Club (Rees Jones 2009; Kamas, Utah)
117. Edgewood Tahoe (George Fazio 1968; Lake Tahoe, Nevada)*
118. Streamsong Resort (Blue) (Tom Doak 2012; Streamsong, Florida)*
119. SouthShore Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1996; Henderson, Nevada)
120. Stone Canyon Club (Jay Morrish 2000; Oro Valley, Arizona)

Courses 121–130

121. Dismal River Golf Club (Red) (Tom Doak 2013; Mullen, Nebraska)
122. Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1966; Pebble Beach, California)*
123. Giants Ridge (The Quarry) (Jeffrey Bauer 2003; Biwabik, Minnesota)*
124. Tot Hill Farm Golf (Mike Strantz 2000; Asheboro, North Carolina)*
125. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill (Judge) (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 2000; Prattville, Alabama)*
126. Ocean Forest Golf Club (Rees Jones 1995; Sea Island, Georgia)
127. Pronghorn Golf Club (Nicklaus) (Jack Nicklaus 2004; Bend, Oregon)*
128. Dismal River Golf Club (White) (Jack Nicklaus 2006; Mullen, Nebraska)
129. Lahontan Golf Club (Tom Weiskopf 1998; Truckee, California)
130. Wilderness Club (Nick Faldo 2009; Eureka, Montana)*

Courses 131–140

131. Plainfield Country Club (Donald Ross 1921; Edison, New Jersey)
132. Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands) (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1964; Rees Jones renovations 1995 and 2005; Johns Creek, Georgia)
133. Quaker Ridge Golf Club (A.W. Tillinghast 1918; Scarsdale, New York)
134. Winged Foot Golf Club (West) (A.W. Tillinghast 1923; Mamaroneck, New York)
135. Forest Creek Golf Club (North) (Tom Fazio 2002; Pinehurst, North Carolina)
136. Standard Club, The (Arthur Hills 1987 (Redesigned by Mike Riley 2005); Johns Creek, Georgia)
137. Desert Highlands Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1983; Scottsdale, Arizona)
138. Aldarra Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2001; Fall City, Washington)
139. Pete Dye Golf Club (Pete Dye 1994; Bridgeport, West Virginia)
140. Olympia Fields Country Club (North) (Willie Park Jr. 1922; Olympia Fields, Illinois)

Courses 141–150

141. Interlachen Country Club (William Watson 1911/Donald Ross 1921; Edina, Minnesota)
142. Sutton Bay (Graham Marsh 2003; renovation 2013; Agar, South Dakota)
143. Snake River Sporting Club (Tom Weiskopf 2006; Jackson, Wyoming)
144. CDA National Reserve (Tom Weiskopf 2012; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
145. Mayacama Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 2001; Santa Rosa, California)
146. Preserve Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2000; Carmel, California)
147. Country Club of Birmingham (West) (Donald Ross 1929; Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1959, Pete Dye 1986; Birmingham, Alabama)
148. Scioto Country Club (Donald Ross 1916; Columbus, Ohio)
149. Spanish Oaks Golf Club (Bobby Weed 2006; Bee Cave, Texas)
150. Wolf Creek Golf Club (Dennis Ryder 2000; Mesquite, Nevada)*

Courses 151–160

151. Sanctuary Golf Course (Jim Engh 1997; Sedalia, Colorado)
152. Kohanaiki Golf and Ocean Club (Rees Jones 2013; Kailua-Kona, Hawaii)
153. Sherwood Country Club (Jack Nicklaus 1989; Thousand Oaks, California)
154. Paynes Valley Golf Course (Tiger Woods 2020; Hollister, Missouri)*
155. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (Mike Strantz 1994; Pawleys Island, South Carolina)*
156. Kukui'ula Golf Club (Tom Weiskopf 2011; Koloa, Hawaii)
157. Hokuala, The Ocean Course at (Jack Nicklaus 1998 with renovations 2011 and 2016; Lihue, Hawaii)*
158. Tidewater Golf Club (Ken Tomlinson 1990; North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)*
159. True Blue Golf Club (Mike Strantz 1998; Pawleys Island, South Carolina)*
160. Poipu Bay Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1991; Kauai, Hawaii)*

Courses 161–170

161. Spanish Peaks, The Club at (Tom Weiskopf 2007; Big Sky, Montana)
162. Wine Valley Golf Club (Dan Hixson 2009; Walla Walla, Washington)*
163. Lookout Mountain Club (Seth Raynor 1925; Lookout Mountain, Georgia)
164. World Woods (Pine Barrens) (Tom Fazio 1993; Brooksville, Florida)*
165. Gamble Sands (David McLay Kidd 2014; Brewster, Washington)*
166. Creek Club (C.B. Macdonald 1925; Locust Valley, New York)
167. Olympic Club (Lake) (Sam Whiting 1927 (Willie Watson 1924/Robert Trent Jones 1953); San Francisco, California)
168. Shoal Creek Club (Jack Nicklaus 1977; Shoal Creek, Alabama)
169. Patriot Golf Club, The (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2010; Owasso, Oklahoma)
170. Minikahda Club (Willie Watson 1899/Donald Ross 1917; Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Courses 171–180

171. TPC Deere Run (D.A. Weibring 2000; Silvis, Illinois)*
172. Butler National Golf Club (George Fazio 1972 (subsequent renovations by Tom Fazio); Oak Brook, Illinois)
173. Oakland Hills Country Club (South) (Donald Ross 1918; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)
174. Skokie Country Club (Donald Ross 1914 (Original layout by Tom Bendelow 1904; remodel by William Langford 1938); Glencoe, Illinois)
175. Eagle Point Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2000; Wilmington, North Carolina)
176. Winged Foot Golf Club (East) (A.W. Tillinghast 1923; Mamaroneck, New York)
177. Valhalla Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1986; Louisville, Kentucky)
178. Eugene Country Club (H. Chandler Egan 1925 then routing reversed and redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1967; Eugene, Oregon)
179. Glenwild Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2001; Park City, Utah)
180. Hualalai Golf Club (Nicklaus) (Jack Nicklaus 1996; Kailua-Kona, Hawaii)*

Courses 181–190

181. Blackwolf Run (River) (Pete Dye 1998; Kohler, Wisconsin)*
182. Pronghorn Golf Club (Fazio) (Tom Fazio 2006; Bend, Oregon)
183. Tradition Golf Club (Arnold Palmer 1997; La Quinta, California)
184. Whippoorwill Club (Charles Banks 1928 (Donald Ross original layout 1920s); Armonk, New York)
185. Cascades Golf Course at Omni Homestead Resort (William Flynn 1923; Hot Springs, Virginia)*
186. Lochinvar Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1980.; Houston, Texas)
187. Aronimink Golf Club (Donald Ross 1928; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania)
188. Medinah Country Club (No. 3) (Tom Bendelow 1928 followed by a redesign the early 1930s and a renovation by Rees Jones 2002 and 2011; Medinah, Illinois)
189. Inverness Club (Donald Ross 1919; Toledo, Ohio)
190. Holston Hills Country Club (Donald Ross 1927; Knoxville, Tennessee)

Courses 191–200

191. Norwood Hills Country Club (West) (Wayne Stiles 1921; St. Louis, Missouri)
192. Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower) (A.W. Tillinghast 1922; Springfield, New Jersey)
193. Salem Country Club (Donald Ross 1925; Peabody, Massachusetts)
194. Cog Hill Golf and Country Club (Dubsdread) (Dick Wilson 1964 and Rees Jones renovation 2008; Lemont, Illinois)*
195. Laurel Valley Golf Club (Dick Wilson 1959; Ligonier, Pennsylvania)
196. Blue Mound Golf and Country Club (Seth Raynor 1926; Wauwatosa, Wisconsin)
197. Philadelphia CC (Gladwyne, Pennsylvania)
198. Clear Creek Golf Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2009; Carson City, Nevada)
199. Black Sheep Golf Club (David Esler 2002; Sugar Grove, Illinois)
200. Whiskey Creek Golf Club (J. Michael Poellot and Ernie Els 2011; Ijamsville, Maryland)*