It’s time to celebrate the best municipal golf courses in America. Finally, right?
In the past year, GOLF released its new and improved rankings for its Top 100 Courses in the U.S. and Top 100 Courses You Can Play lists. On top of that, we also unveiled our inaugural 100 best short courses in the world ranking. Naturally, standout municipal courses seemed like a logical next step.
So in GOLF Magazine’s June 2021 issue, we trotted out GOLF’s 30 best munis in America, which was put together by GOLF Architecture Editor Ran Morrissett and GOLF’s Top 100 Course Panelists. This list has everything — East Coast, West Coast and Midwest must-plays, bucket-list gems and uber-affordable sleepers. You can check out the entire list, with breakdowns of all 30 courses, right here.
Wondering where these 30 land on the map? That’s where this article comes in. Scroll down to see a state-by-state breakdown. And if you want to put a course on our radar, for this list or to feature in upcoming Monday Muni spotlights, click here and send us a note.
GOLF’s 30 best munis in America (rank in parenthesis)
CALIFORNIA
Torrey Pines (South), LA JOLLA, CA (5)
South Course at Corica Park, ALAMEDA, CA (12)
Torrey Pines (North), LA JOLLA, CA (18)
Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players), INDIAN WELLS, CA (23)
TPC Harding Park, SAN FRANCISCO, CA (24)
NEW YORK
Bethpage Black, FARMINGDALE, NY (1)
Bethpage Red, FARMINGDALE, NY (4)
Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, BRONX, NY (6)
Montauk Downs, MONTAUK, NY (17)
TEXAS
Memorial Park, HOUSTON, TX (7)
Butterfield Trail, EL PASO, TX (10)
Brackenridge Park, SAN ANTONIO, TX (16)
WASHINGTON
Chambers Bay, UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA (2)
Gold Mountain (Olympic), BREMERTON, WA (11)
OHIO
Sleepy Hollow, BRECKSVILLE, OH (13)
Manakiki, WILLOUGHBY, OH (27)
CONNECTICUT
Keney Park, WINDSOR, CT (14)
Wintonbury Hills, BLOOMFIELD, CT (25)
FLORIDA
North Palm Beach Country Club, NORTH PALM BEACH, FL (20)
Palatka, PALATKA, FL (29)
MASSACHUSETTS
George Wright, HYDE PARK, MA (3)
KANSAS
Buffalo Dunes, GARDEN CITY, KS (8)
NEW MEXICO
Piñon Hills, FARMINGTON, NM (9)
ARIZONA
Papago, PHOENIX, AZ (15)
SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston, CHARLESTON, SC (19)
NORTH CAROLINA
Wilmington, WILMINGTON, NC (21)
RHODE ISLAND
Triggs Memorial, PROVIDENCE, RI (22)
HAWAII
Wailua, LIHUE, HI (26)
ILLINOIS
Harborside International (Port), CHICAGO, IL (28)
ALABAMA
Highland Park, BIRMINGHAM, AL (30)
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