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. Fishers Island Club (Seth Raynor 1926; Fishers Island, New York)
5. Pebble Beach Golf Links (Jack Neville and Douglas Grant 1919; Pebble Beach, California)*
6. Oakmont Country Club (Henry Fownes 1904; Oakmont, Pennsylvania)
7. Merion Golf Club (East) (Hugh Wilson 1912; Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
8. Pacific Dunes (Tom Doak 2001; Bandon, Oregon)*
9. California Golf Club of San Francisco, The (Vernon Macan 1926; Alister Mackenzie 1927 bunkers, Kyle Phillips renovation 2007; South San Francisco, California)
10. Eastward Ho! (Herbert Fowler 1921; Chatham, Massachusetts)

Courses 11–20

11. Chambers Bay Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2007; University Place, Washington)*
12. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club (William Flynn 1937 (Willie Davis 1891, C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor 1901); Southampton, New York)
13. Riviera Country Club (George Thomas 1927; Pacific Palisades, California)
14. Los Angeles Country Club (George Thomas 1921; Los Angeles, California)
15. Sleepy Hollow Country Club (C.B. Macdonald 1914; Scarsborough, New York)
16. Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore) (Bob Baldock 1961/Mike Strantz 2004; Pebble Beach, California)
17. Myopia Hunt Club (Herbert C. Leeds 1896 (back nine added 1901); South Hamilton, Massachusetts)
18. Seminole Golf Club (Donald Ross 1929; Juno Beach, Florida)
19. Muirfield Village Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1974; Dublin, Ohio)
20. Country Club (Brookline), The (Willie Campbell 1895 (Rees Jones 1988); Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts)

Courses 21–30

21. Crystal Downs Country Club (Alister Mackenzie 1931; Frankfort, Michigan)
22. Bandon Dunes (David McLay Kidd 1999; Bandon, Oregon)*
23. Rock Creek Cattle Company (Tom Doak 2008; Deer Lodge, Montana)
24. Prairie Club (Dunes), The (Tom Lehman and Chris Brands 2010; Valentine, Nebraska)*
25. Ballyneal Golf Club (Tom Doak 2005; Holyoke, Colorado)
26. Landmand Golf Club (Rob Collins and Tad King 2022; Homer, Nebraska)*
27. Yale Golf Course (C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor 1926; New Haven, Connecticut)
28. Kingsley Club (Mike DeVries 2001; Kingsley, Michigan)
29. Kiawah Island Resort (Ocean) (Pete Dye 1991; Johns Island, South Carolina)*
30. Manele Golf Course (Jack Nicklaus 1993; Lanai, Hawaii)*

Courses 31–40

31. Kapalua Plantation (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 1991; Lahaina, Hawaii)*
32. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs) (Warren Henderson and Rick Smith 2000; Arcadia, Michigan)*
33. Chicago Golf Club (C.B. Macdonald 1894; Wheaton, Illinois)
34. Sand Hills Golf Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 1995; Mullen, Nebraska)
35. Sheep Ranch (Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw 2020; Bandon, Oregon)*
36. Tobacco Road Golf Club (Mike Strantz 1998; Sanford, North Carolina)*
37. Gozzer Ranch Golf and Lake Club (Tom Fazio 2007; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
38. Whistling Straits (Straits) (Pete Dye 1998; Sheboygan, Wisconsin)*
39. Kinloch Golf Club (Lester George and Vinny Giles 2001; Manakin-Sabot, Virginia)
40. Bethpage State Park (Black) (A.W. Tillinghast 1936; Farmingdale, New York)*

Courses 41–50

41. Whispering Pines Golf Club (Chet Williams of Nicklaus Designs 2000.; Trinity, Texas)
42. Peachtree Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Bobby Jones 1948; Atlanta, Georgia)
43. Omaha Country Club (Langford and Moreau 1927, Perry Maxwell redesign 1951 and Keith Foster restoration 2007; Omaha, Nebraska)
44. Kirtland Country Club (H. S. Colt and C. H. Allison 1921; Willoughby, Ohio)
45. Prairie Dunes Country Club (Perry Maxwell 1937; Hutchinson, Kansas)
46. The Golf Club (Pete Dye 1967; New Albany, Ohio)
47. Honors Course (Pete Dye 1983; Ooltewah, Tennessee)
48. Sebonack Golf Club (Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus 2006; Southampton, New York)
49. Black Rock, The Club at (Jim Engh 2003; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
50. Monterey Peninsula CC (Dunes) (Seth Raynor 1926; Alister Mackenzie and Robert Hunter 1927, Rees Jones 1999, Tom Fazio 2016; Pebble Beach, California)

Courses 51–60

51. Maidstone Club (Willie Park Jr. 1922, William Tucker 1891 original nine, Coore & Crenshaw 2012-14 renovation; East Hampton, New York)
52. Blessings Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2004; Fayetteville, Arkansas)
53. Erin Hills Golf Course (Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten 2006; Hartford, Wisconsin)*
54. Old Macdonald (Tom Doak and Jim Urbina 2010; Bandon, Oregon)*
55. Bandon Trails (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2005; Bandon, Oregon)*
56. Moonlight Basin, The Reserve at (Jack Nicklaus 2016; Big Sky, Montana)
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. Mauna Kea Resort (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1965; Kohala Coast, Hawaii)*

Courses 61–70

61. Bayonne Golf Club (Eric Bergstol 2006; Bayonne, New Jersey)
62. Harvester Club, The (Keith Foster 2000; Rhodes, Iowa)
63. San Francisco Golf Club (A.W. Tillinghast 1915; San Francisco, California)
64. Shoreacres (Seth Raynor 1921; Lake Bluff, Illinois)
65. Victoria National (Tom Fazio 1998; Newburgh, Indiana)
66. Atlanta Country Club (Willard Byrd 1965 (Modifications by Bob Cupp, Jack Nicklaus, and Mick Riley); Marietta, Georgia)
67. NCR Country Club (South) (Dick Wilson 1954; Kettering, Ohio)
68. Mammoth Dunes (David McLay Kidd 2018; Nekoosa, Wisconsin)*
69. Streamsong Resort (Black) (Gil Hanse 2017; Bowling Green, Florida)*
70. Streamsong Resort (Red) (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2012; Streamsong, Florida)*

Courses 71–80

71. Old Sandwich Golf Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2004; Plymouth, Massachusetts)
72. Sand Valley (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2017; Nekoosa, Wisconsin)*
73. Spring Hill Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1999; Wayzata, Minnesota)
74. Baltimore Country Club (East) (A.W. Tillinghast 1924 (Keith Foster restoration 2015); Lutherville, Maryland)
75. Milwaukee Country Club (H.S. Colt and C.H. Alison 1929; River Hills, Wisconsin)
76. Bluejack National (Tiger Woods 2016; Montgomery, Texas)
77. Fox Chapel Golf Club (Seth Raynor and Charles Banks 1925; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
78. St. Louis Country Club (C.B. Macdonald 1914; St. Louis, Missouri)
79. Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club (Ken Dye 2000 (Holes 19-27 2005); Sandia Park, New Mexico)*
80. Shadow Creek Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1989; North Las Vegas, Nevada)*

Courses 81–90

81. TPC Sawgrass (Stadium Players) (Pete Dye 1980; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida)*
82. Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside) (H.S. Colt and Charles Alison 1928/Tom Fazio 1999; St. Simons Island, Georgia)*
83. Castle Pines Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1981; Castle Rock, Colorado)
84. Hawks Ridge Golf Club (Bob Cupp 1999; Ball Ground, Georgia)
85. Cedar Rapids Country Club, The (Donald Ross 1915 and Restoration by Ron Prichard 2015; Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
86. Davenport Country Club (H.S. Colt and C.H. Alison 1924 / Ron Forse 2014 renovation; Pleasant Valley, Iowa)
87. Essex County Club (Donald Ross 1917 (original nine 1893); Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts)
88. Pasatiempo Golf Club (Alister MacKenzie 1929; Santa Cruz, California)*
89. Pinehurst Resort No.2 (Donald Ross 1907 and Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore 2011; Pinehurst, North Carolina)*
90. Makai Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1971, remodeled 2010; Princeville, Hawaii)*

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. Moraine Country Club (Alex Nipper Campbell 1930; Keith Foster renovation 2016; Dayton, Ohio)
93. Kittansett Club, The (William Flynn and Fredric Hood 1922; Marion, Massachusetts)
94. Garden City Golf Club (Devereux Emmet 1899; Garden City, New York)
95. Dismal River Golf Club (Red) (Tom Doak 2013; Mullen, Nebraska)
96. Piping Rock Country Club (C.B. Macdonald 1912; Locust Valley, New York)
97. Somerset Hills Country Club (A.W. Tillinghast 1917; Bernardsville, New Jersey)
98. Mossy Oak Golf Club (Gil Hanse 2016; West Point, Mississippi)*
99. Estancia Club (Tom Fazio 1995; Scottsdale, Arizona)
100. Hudson National Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1996; Croton-on-Hudson, New York)

Courses 101–110

101. Rich Harvest Golf Links (Jerry Rich and Greg Mart1998; Sugar Grove, Illinois)
102. Robert Trent Jones Club (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1991; Gainesville, Virginia)
103. Boot Ranch (Hal Sutton 2006; Fredericksburg, Texas)
104. Hokuli'a, The Club at (Jack Nicklaus 2002; Kealakekua, Hawaii)
105. Oak Tree National (Pete Dye 1976; Edmond, Oklahoma)
106. Congressional Country Club (Blue) (Devereux Emmet 1924/Robert Trent Jones 1957/Rees Jones 1989-2010; Bethesda, Maryland)
107. Cherry Hills Country Club (William Flynn 1922; Englewood, Colorado)
108. Oak Hill Country Club (East) (Donald Ross 1925; Rochester, New York)
109. Forest Highlands Golf Club (Canyon) (Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish 1986; Flagstaff, Arizona)
110. CDA National Reserve (Tom Weiskopf 2012; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)

Courses 111–120

111. Black Desert Resort (Tom Weiskopf 2023; Ivins, Utah)*
112. CapRock Ranch (Gil Hanse 2021; Valentine, Nebraska)
113. Colorado Golf Club (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2007; Parker, Colorado)
114. Victory Ranch Golf Club (Rees Jones 2009; Kamas, Utah)
115. Dallas National Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2002; Dallas, Texas)
116. Sutton Bay (Graham Marsh 2003; renovation 2013; Agar, South Dakota)
117. Calusa Pines Golf Club (Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry 2001; Naples, Florida)
118. Streamsong Resort (Blue) (Tom Doak 2012; Streamsong, Florida)*
119. Dismal River Golf Club (White) (Jack Nicklaus 2006; Mullen, Nebraska)
120. Quarry at La Quinta, The (Tom Fazio 1994; La Quinta, California)

Courses 121–130

121. Sand Hollow Resort (John Fought 2008; Hurricane, Utah)*
122. Stone Canyon Club (Jay Morrish 2000; Oro Valley, Arizona)
123. Olde Farm, The (Bobby Weed 2000; Bristol, Virginia)
124. Edgewood Tahoe (George Fazio 1968; Lake Tahoe, Nevada)*
125. Dormie Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2010; West End, North Carolina)
126. Snake River Sporting Club (Tom Weiskopf 2006; Jackson, Wyoming)
127. Bay Harbor Golf Club (Links/Quarry) (Arthur Hills 1998; Bay Harbor, Michigan)*
128. Virtues Golf Club, The (Arthur Hills 1999; Nashport, Ohio)*
129. Giants Ridge (The Quarry) (Jeffrey Bauer 2003; Biwabik, Minnesota)*
130. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill (Judge) (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 2000; Prattville, Alabama)*

Courses 131–140

131. Primland Resort, The Highland Course at (Donald Steel 2006; Meadows of Dan, Virginia)*
132. Southern Hills Country Club (Perry Maxwell 1936; Tulsa, Oklahoma)
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. Wine Valley Golf Club (Dan Hixson 2009; Walla Walla, Washington)*
136. Plainfield Country Club (Donald Ross 1921; Edison, New Jersey)
137. Olympia Fields Country Club (North) (Willie Park Jr. 1922; Olympia Fields, Illinois)
138. Lookout Mountain Club (Seth Raynor 1925; Lookout Mountain, Georgia)
139. Paynes Valley Golf Course (Tiger Woods 2020; Hollister, Missouri)*
140. Ocean Forest Golf Club (Rees Jones 1995; Sea Island, Georgia)

Courses 141–150

141. Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1966; Pebble Beach, California)*
142. Pete Dye Golf Club (Pete Dye 1994; Bridgeport, West Virginia)
143. Forest Creek Golf Club (North) (Tom Fazio 2002; Pinehurst, North Carolina)
144. Mayacama Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 2001; Santa Rosa, California)
145. Preserve Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2000; Carmel, California)
146. Country Club of Birmingham (West) (Donald Ross 1929; Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1959, Pete Dye 1986; Birmingham, Alabama)
147. Wolf Creek Golf Club (Dennis and John Rider 2000; Mesquite, Nevada)*
148. Sanctuary Golf Course (Jim Engh 1997; Sedalia, Colorado)
149. SouthShore Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1996; Henderson, Nevada)
150. Tot Hill Farm Golf (Mike Strantz 2000; Asheboro, North Carolina)*

Courses 151–160

151. Lahontan Golf Club (Tom Weiskopf 1998; Truckee, California)
152. Rim Golf Club, The (Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish 1999; Payson, Arizona)
153. Desert Highlands Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1983; Scottsdale, Arizona)
154. Aldarra Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2001; Fall City, Washington)
155. Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands) (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1964; Rees Jones renovations 1995 and 2005; Johns Creek, Georgia)
156. Standard Club, The (Arthur Hills 1987 (Redesigned by Mike Riley 2005); Johns Creek, Georgia)
157. Kohanaiki Golf and Ocean Club (Rees Jones 2013; Kailua-Kona, Hawaii)
158. Kukui'ula Golf Club (Tom Weiskopf 2011; Koloa, Hawaii)
159. Hokuala, The Ocean Course at (Jack Nicklaus 1998 with renovations 2011 and 2016; Lihue, Hawaii)*
160. Poipu Bay Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1991; Kauai, Hawaii)*

Courses 161–170

161. Stock Farm Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1999; Hamilton, Montana)
162. Spanish Peaks, The Club at (Tom Weiskopf 2007; Big Sky, Montana)
163. Pronghorn Golf Club (Nicklaus) (Jack Nicklaus 2004; Bend, Oregon)*
164. Spanish Oaks Golf Club (Bobby Weed 2006; Bee Cave, Texas)
165. Wilderness Club (Nick Faldo 2009; Eureka, Montana)*
166. Interlachen Country Club (William Watson 1911/Donald Ross 1921; Edina, Minnesota)
167. Scioto Country Club (Donald Ross 1916; Columbus, Ohio)
168. Tidewater Golf Club (Ken Tomlinson 1990; North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)*
169. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (Mike Strantz 1994; Pawleys Island, South Carolina)*
170. True Blue Golf Club (Mike Strantz 1998; Pawleys Island, South Carolina)*

Courses 171–180

171. Sherwood Country Club (Jack Nicklaus 1989; Thousand Oaks, California)
172. Creek Club (C.B. Macdonald 1925; Locust Valley, New York)
173. Olympic Club (Lake) (Sam Whiting 1927 (Willie Watson 1924/Robert Trent Jones 1953); San Francisco, California)
174. Oakland Hills Country Club (South) (Donald Ross 1918; Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)
175. Butler National Golf Club (George Fazio 1972 (subsequent renovations by Tom Fazio); Oak Brook, Illinois)
176. Inverness Club (Donald Ross 1919; Toledo, Ohio)
177. Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower) (A.W. Tillinghast 1922; Springfield, New Jersey)
178. Aronimink Golf Club (Donald Ross 1928; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania)
179. Fenway Golf Club (A. W. Tillinghast 1924 (Gil Hanse restoration); Scarsdale, New York)
180. Minikahda Club (Willie Watson 1899/Donald Ross 1917; Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Courses 181–190

181. Whippoorwill Club (Charles Banks 1928 (Donald Ross original layout 1920s); Armonk, New York)
182. Salem Country Club (Donald Ross 1925; Peabody, Massachusetts)
183. Shoal Creek Club (Jack Nicklaus 1977; Shoal Creek, Alabama)
184. Valhalla Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1986; Louisville, Kentucky)
185. Glenwild Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2001; Park City, Utah)
186. Circling Raven Golf Club (Gene Bates 2003; Worley, Idaho)*
187. Silvies Valley Ranch (Hankins) (Dan Hixson 2017; Seneca, Oregon)*
188. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock) (Dan Hixson 2017; Seneca, Oregon)*
189. Windsong Farm Golf Club (John Fought and Tom Lehman 2004; Independence, Minnesota)
190. TPC Deere Run (D.A. Weibring 2000; Silvis, Illinois)*

Courses 191–200

191. Blackwolf Run (River) (Pete Dye 1998; Kohler, Wisconsin)*
192. Patriot Golf Club, The (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2010; Owasso, Oklahoma)
193. Trump International West Palm Beach (Championship) (Jim Fazio 1999; West Palm Beach, Florida)
194. Shooting Star (Tom Fazio 2009; Teton Village, Wyoming)
195. Whiskey Creek Golf Club (J. Michael Poellot and Ernie Els 2011; Ijamsville, Maryland)*
196. Skokie Country Club (Donald Ross 1914 (Original layout by Tom Bendelow 1904; remodel by William Langford 1938); Glencoe, Illinois)
197. Black Sheep Golf Club (David Esler 2002; Sugar Grove, Illinois)
198. Holston Hills Country Club (Donald Ross 1927; Knoxville, Tennessee)
199. Eagle Point Golf Club (Tom Fazio 2000; Wilmington, North Carolina)
200. Pronghorn Golf Club (Fazio) (Tom Fazio 2006; Bend, Oregon)