Best public golf courses by state: Top 100 Courses You Can Play, 2021-22 edition

When it comes to the number of top courses you can play, which part of North America reigns supreme? If you guessed California, you’re golden. With nine courses honored on our latest list — including numero uno, Pebble Beach, California edged out the runners-up, Oregon and Canada, by two courses.

Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin had a strong showings with six courses each, followed by the Caribbean and Bermuda and North and South Carolina, which each have five.

In total, 37 states and regions are represented on our list. How many are in your area? Check out the full breakdown below.

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

Our Top 100 Courses You Can Play 2021-22, sorted by state and region

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

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

Canada (7)

4. Cabot Cliffs
Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2016

12. Cabot Links (Links)
Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada
Rod Whitman, 2012

17. Banff Springs
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Stanley Thompson, 1928

24. Jasper Park Lodge
Jasper, Alberta, Canada
Stanley Thompson, 1925

28. Cape Breton (Highlands Links)
Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia, Canada
Stanley Thompson, 1941

74. Muskoka Bay
Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Doug Carrick, 2007

94. Blackhawk
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada
Rod Whitman, 2003

Florida (6)

10. TPC Sawgrass (Stadium)
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Pete Dye, 1981

19. Streamsong (Red)
Streamsong, FL
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2012

27. Streamsong (Blue)
Streamsong, FL
Tom Doak, 2012

39. Streamsong (Black)
Streamsong, FL
Gil Hanse, 2017

75. Trump National Doral (Blue)
Miami, FL
Dick Wilson, 1961/Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner, 2013

79. Bay Hill
Orlando, FL
Dick Wilson, 1961

Michigan (6)

34. Forest Dunes (Loop: Red/Black)
Roscommon, MI
Tom Doak, 2016

46. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs)
Arcadia, MI
Warren Henderson/Rick Smith, 1999

56. Arcadia Bluffs (South)
Arcadia, MI
Dana Fry, 2018

65. Marquette (Greywalls)
Marquette, MI
Mike Devries, 2005

73. Forest Dunes (Weiskopf)
Roscommon, MI
Tom Weiskopf, 2002

96. Stoatin Brae
Augusta, MI
Renaissance Golf Design, 2016

Wisconsin (6)

11. Whistling Straits (Straits)
Haven, WI
Pete Dye, 1998

23. Lawsonia (Links)
Green Lake, WI
Bill Langford/Ted Moreau, 1930

25. Sand Valley (Sand Valley)
Nekoosa, WI
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2017

29. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes)
Nekoosa, WI
David McLay-Kidd, 2018

31. Erin Hills
Hartford, WI
Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry, 2006

38. Blackwolf Run (River)
Kohler, WI
Pete Dye, 1988

Caribbean and Bermuda (5)

7. Casa de Campo (Teeth of the Dog)
La Romana, Dominican Republic
Pete Dye, 1971

18. Cap Cana (Punta Espada)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Jack Nicklaus, 2006

32. Mid Ocean Club
Tucker’s Town, Bermuda
C.B. Macdonald, 1921/Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1953

81. Royal Blue at Baha Mar
Nassau, Bahamas
Jack Nicklaus, 2017

90. Puntacana (Corales)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Tom Fazio, 2010

North Carolina (5)

2. Pinehurst (No. 2)
Pinehurst, NC
Donald Ross, 1907

26. Pinehurst (No. 4)
Pinehurst, NC
Donald Ross, 1919/Gil Hanse, 2017

35. Tobacco Road
Sanford, NC
Mike Strantz, 1998

41. Mid Pines
Southern pines, NC
Donald Ross, 1921

44. Pine Needles
Southern pines, NC
Donald Ross, 1927

South Carolina (5)

6. Kiawah Island (Ocean Course)
Kiawah Island, SC
Pete Dye, 1991

16. Harbour Town
Hilton Head, SC
Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus, 1969

45. May River (Palmetto Bluff)
Bluffton, SC
Jack Nicklaus, 2004

53. The Dunes
Myrtle Beach, SC
Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1948

84. Caledonia
Pawleys Island, SC
Mike Strantz, 1994

Mexico (4)

69. Cove Club at Cabo del Sol
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Jack Nicklaus, 1994

71. Twin Dolphin
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Fred Couples/Todd Eckenrode, 2018 

77. Four Seasons, Punta Mita (Pacifico)
Nayarit, Mexico
Jack Nicklaus, 1999

86. Chileno Bay
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Tom Fazio, 2014

Hawaii (3)

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

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

63. Challenge at Manele Bay
Lanai City, HI
Jack Nicklaus, 1993

Indiana (3)

57. French Lick (Ross Course)
French Lick, IN
Donald Ross, 1917

70. Warren Course at Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2000

85. Pfau Course at Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Steve Smyers, 2020

New York (3)

5. Bethpage (Black)
Farmingdale, NY
A.W. Tillinghast, 1935

66. Bethpage (Red)
Farmingdale, NY
A.W. Tillinghast, 1936

95. Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point
Bronx, NY
Jack Nicklaus, 2015

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

Georgia (2)

50. Sea Island (Seaside)
Sea Island, GA
Harry S. Colt/Charles Alison, 1929/Tom Fazio, 1999

88. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Great Waters)
Greensboro, GA
Jack Nicklaus, 1992

Massachusetts (2)

59. George Wright
Boston, MA
Donald Ross, 1936

62. Taconic
Williamstown, MA
Stiles and Van Kleek, 1928/Gil Hanse, 2009

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Mississippi (2)

43. Mossy Oak
West Point, MS
Gil Hanse, 2016 

97. Old Waverly
West Point, MS
Bob Cupp, 1988

Nebraska (2)

22. Prairie Club (Dunes)
Valentine, NE
Tom Lehman/Chris Brands, 2010

49. Wild Horse
Gothenburg, NE
Dave Axland/Dan Proctor, 1999

Alabama (1)

78. RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National (Links)
Opelika, AL
Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1992

Colorado (1)

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

Illinois (1)

92. Cog Hill (No. 4)
Lemont, IL
Dick Wilson/Joe Lee, 1965

Maine (1)

64. Cape Arundel
Kennebunkport, ME
Walter Travis, 1920

Minnesota (1)

68. Giant’s Ridge (Quarry)
Biwabik, MN
Jeff Brauer, 2003

Missouri (1)

54. Ozarks National at Big Cedar Lodge
Holister, MO
Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw, 2019

Montana (1)

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

Nevada (1)

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

New Jersey (1)

87. Atlantic City CC
Atlantic City, NJ
Willie Park, 1915/William Flynn, 1925/Tom Doak, 2001

New Mexico (1)

99. Black Mesa
Espanola, NM
Baxter Spann, 2003

North Dakota (1)

100. Hawktree
Bismarck, ND
Jim Engh, 2000

Ohio (1)

83. Firestone (South)
Akron, OH
Robert Trent Jones Sr., 1969

Oklahoma (1)

48. Karsten Creek
Stillwater, OK
Tom Fazio, 1994

Pennsylvania (1)

80. Omni Bedford Springs Resort (Old Course)
Bedford, PA
Spencer Oldham, 1895/A.W. Tillinghast, 1912/Donald Ross, 1923/Ron Forse, 2007

Texas (1)

98. Memorial Park
Houston, TX
John Bredemus, 1936/Tom Doak/Brooks Koepka, 2019

Utah (1)

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

Virginia (1)

42. Omni Homestead (Cascades)
Hot Springs, VA
William S. Flynn, 1923

West Virginia (1)

51. The Greenbrier (Old White)
White Sulphur Springs, WV
C.B. Macdonald, 1913