Best public golf courses in the West: GOLF’s 2021-22 ranking

By: Jessica Marksbury

May 3, 2021

California's Pebble Beach is GOLF's top-rated public course.

Channing Benjamin

With 29 top-rated public courses spread across 10 states, the Western region of the United States is one of the best areas in the country for proximity to great golf.

California tops our latest list with nine courses, including GOLF’s top-ranked course you can play overall, Pebble Beach. Oregon had a strong showing with seven courses, while Hawaii and Washington have three each. How many courses are near where you live? Check out our full list below.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE 2021-22 TOP 100 COURSES YOU CAN PLAY RANKING

GOLF’s 2021-22 ranking of the best public golf courses in the West

(With overall rank, course name, city, state, architect and year opened)

California (9)

1. Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach, CA
Jack Neville/Douglas Grant, 1919

13. Pasatiempo
Santa Cruz, CA
Alistair MacKenzie, 1929

30. Spyglass Hill
Pebble Beach, CA
Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1966

47. Rustic Canyon
Moorpark, CA
Gil Hanse/Geoff Shackelford/Jim Wagner, 2002

67. PGA West (TPC Stadium)
La Quinta, CA
Pete Dye, 1986

72. Torrey Pines (South)
La Jolla, CA
William Bell, 1957/Rees Jones, 2001

76. Barona Creek
Lakeside, CA
Todd Eckenrode, 2001

89. Oak Quarry
Riverside, CA
Gil Morgan/Schmidt-Curley Design, 2000

91. La Quinta Resort (Mountain)
La Quinta, CA
Pete Dye, 1986

The par-3 11th at Pacific Dunes. — Bandon’s Pacific Dunes is GOLF’s top-rated public course in Oregon. Getty Images

Oregon (7)

3. Pacific Dunes
Bandon, OR
Tom Doak, 2001

8. Bandon Trails
Bandon, OR
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2005

9. Bandon Dunes
Bandon, OR
David McLay-Kidd, 1999

15. Old Macdonald
Bandon, OR
Tom Doak/Jim Urbina, 2010

20. Sheep Ranch
Bandon, OR
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2020

60. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock/Hankins)
Seneca, OR
Dan Hixson, 2017

93. Pronghorn (Nicklaus)
Bend, OR
Jack Nicklaus, 2003

Hawaii (3)

40. Kapalua Resort (Plantation)
Kapalua, HI
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 1991

55. Mauna Kea
Waimea, HI
Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1965

63. Manele Golf Course
Lanai City, HI
Jack Nicklaus, 1993

Washington (3)

14. Gamble Sands
Brewster, WA
David McLay-Kidd, 2014

37. Chambers Bay
University Place, WA
Robert Trent Jones Jr., 2007

61. Wine Valley
Walla Walla, WA
Dan Hixson, 2009

Arizona (2)

52. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro)
Fort McDowell, AZ
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 1914

82. Talking Stick (O’odham North)
Scottsdale, AZ
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 1999

Colorado (1)

58. The Broadmoor (East)
Colorado Springs, CO
Donald Ross, 1919/Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1952

Montana (1)

36. Wilderness Club
Eureka, MT
Nick Faldo/Brian Curley, 2008

Nevada (1)

21. Shadow Creek
Las Vegas, NV
Tom Fazio, 1990

New Mexico (1)

99. Black Mesa
Espanola, NM
Baxter Spann, 2003

Utah (1)

33. Sand Hollow (Championship)
Hurricane, UT
John Fought/Andrew Staples, 2008

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Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her original interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.