The 25 best golf courses in America in 2019, ranked
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Top Ten Golf Courses in the US
The Top 20 Golf Courses in the United States in 2019
– Top 10 Ultimate Golf Course Guide
Nos. 1-25Pebble Beach Golf Links. Pebble Beach, Calif. ( ... Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Pacific Dunes) Bandon, Ore. ( ... Pinehurst (No. Pinehurst, N.C. (c) ... Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Old Macdonald) ... Whistling Straits (Straits) ... Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes) ... Shadow Creek. ... Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Sheep Ranch)*More items...•
Augusta National Golf Club The home of the Masters, Augusta National was voted the PGA Tour's best course in a “Golf Digest” poll of tour players in 2012. After legendary amateur golfer Bobby Jones retired from the sport in 1930, his first golf-related project was to build a course in Augusta.
Twenty-three of the 100 Greatest courses outside the United States for 2020-'21 were founded in the 19th century, including Northern Ireland's Royal County Down, No. 1 in our world ranking for the third consecutive time.
In the 2020/2021 iteration of our rankings, Augusta National moved to No. 6, down three spots from our last ranking. As for the course itself, here's what our raters had to say: “Augusta National is the vision of Bobby Jones and his chosen architect, Alister MacKenzie.
National Golf Links of America — Southampton, New York Andrews. The invitation-only club comes with an initiation of $150,000, plus $10,000 in yearly dues, according to Forbes.
Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaMyrtle Beach, South Carolina has earned the nickname “Golf Capital of the World,” and is home to over 80 award-winning golf courses set along more than 60 miles of Carolina coastline.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is the oldest and most prestigious golf club in the world. It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide "Home of Golf" founded in 1754.
World's 10 toughest golf coursesCarnoustie Golf Links, Dundee, Scotland. ... Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin, United States. ... Palm Course, Saujana Golf Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ... Bethpage Black, New York, United States. ... Cape Kidnappers, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. ... Le Touessrok Golf Course, Ile aux Cerfs, Mauritius.More items...•
It is considered by many to be the most beautiful golf course in the world. 9. Pine Valley, Clementon, New Jersey. Image credit: golfcoursegurus.com. Established in 1918, Pine Valley has won the number one spot on many lists that showcase the top golf courses on the planet.
Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pennsylvania. There are two courses here (East and West), and East ranks highest. GolfDigest describes this course’s twisting fairways, hodge-podge rough and canted greens with relish. The Merion opened in 1896, and was where famous golfer Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in 1930.
Part of a private golf, tennis and beach club, the Fishers Island Golf Club’s course opened in 1926. From coast to coast, the United States has thousands of private and public golf courses. Some have spectacular scenery; others are in need of some repair.
Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach, California. Image credit: mclip.tv. Exclusive and private, Cypress Point is just outside of Monterey in Northern California. There are only 200 to 250 members, and celebrities like Bob Hope and Clint Eastwood have played here.
Golf is a club-and-ball sport. Image credit: Bedrck from Pixabay
Situated in Pine Valley, New Jersey, the Pine Valley Golf Course was developed in 1918 by hotelier and golf lover George Arthur Crump. When it first launched, it had the reputation of being the most challenging golf course ever, and it is still viewed as the most difficult by many. On account of its refined greens and punishing hazards, it’s a definitive test for any expert of the game. For many years, Pine Valley has been at the top of Golf Digest’s list of the 100 most outstanding golf courses.
With a view of the stunning, rough water line of Pebble Beach, California, Cypress Point Club is one of the most picturesque golf courses in the US. It was developed by the World Golf Hall of Famer, Alister MacKenzie in 1928. Besides being one of the most beautiful walks of any course, it includes a unique course structure with consecutive par 5s on the front and consecutive par 3s on the back for an additional challenge.
History runs deep at Shinnecock Hills, the oldest incorporated golf club and one of the five founding member clubs of the United States Golf Association. Created in 1891, the club has been expanded and renovated many times, but the present course has remained since it was designed by William Flynn before the 1931 season. Reminiscent of courses on the British Isles, Shinnecock rolls over natural hills and provides picturesque views of the windblown grasses of Southampton. The property also features a comfortable clubhouse with exclusive amenities provided to members. Still, there are five other gorgeous greens in The Hamptons, so check out our fill list.
It’s time to grab your golf clubs and head to Florida’s oldest golf course, the Ocean Course at The Breakers. Nurtured by The Breakers for more than a century, this stunning course has it all. From tropical landscapes, continuous cart paths and even occasional ocean views, the Ocean Course is a sight of wonder while remaining a challenge for experienced golfers. Since its 2018 renovation, the course has continued to provide a positive golf experience and maintained its picturesque seaside aesthetic. Don't let your caddy go home just yet, because there are seven other amazing golf courses on our full list.
Nestled within serene forests and sloping hills, Bluejack National is home to the first and only golf course designed by Tiger Woods himself. Built with all skill levels in mind, the 18-hole course has no rough, allowing for a variety of shot-making opportunities that all may enjoy. Praised for its one-of-a-kind family-friendly disposition, Bluejack also features a shorter, 10-hole course called The Playgrounds which is the perfect place to create lifelong family memories with lights equipped for day or night play. Don't stop there, because Houston has a few other must-try courses on our full list.
Designed by renowned architect, A. W. Tillinghast, the Winged Foot Golf Club is home to two 18-hole golf courses: East and West. At 7,477 yards, the course you play depends on your experience level, and how much of a challenge you’re willing to take—just ask Tiger Woods. Its grassy hills, steep slopes, unique contours and vintage feel are all a part of the course’s original and incredible design. The 2020 U.S. Open was held at Winged Foot, so if you know a member of the club, then you’re in luck. Not ready to go home? Try one of NYC's four other incredible golf courses on the full list.
Three mountain ranges surround the site: the Whitefish, Purcell and Rockies Mountains. Pine trees are prevalent but not imposing. In an age of destination golf, Wilderness is still undiscovered by most American tourist golfers. Perhaps its appearance on America’s 100 Greatest Public will change that.
College golf courses can be the most challenging of assignments for architects because of the need to accommodate the broad range of abilities that play the course day to day. On one hand the design needs to be enjoyable for students, faculty and local play, and on the other it has to have the mettle to test the skills of the best amateurs in the country. At Indiana, Smyers, a nationally competitive amateur player himself, has thought deeply about the topic. He challenges talented players, including the Hoosiers’ golf teams, with length, subtly angled drives, compressed landing areas bordered by light rough and contouring slopes around the edges of greens. But the course is also broad where handicap players drive the ball, the greens are open in front and the bunkers are shallow. Native grass roughs and groves of hardwoods add an idyllic touch.
Golf design is about transforming land. Sometimes it’s a native piece of soil, and in other cases the subject is an existing course. In the late 1950s, Robert Trent Jones was hired to take a somewhat benign and toothless layout built in the 1920s for employees of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and toughen it up for the 1960 PGA Championship, much like what he did in turning Oakland Hills South into a “monster” prior to the 1951 U.S. Open. At Firestone he added dozens of bunkers, closed off green fronts, lengthened it to over 7,000 yards and installed several new water hazards. If complaints from the pros about its difficulty was an indication, the remodel was a profound success. Over the decades the tree-lined South Course, still a demanding tournament venue, has gained the respect of the best players who appreciate its unambiguous demands and ability to identify the best ball-strikers. Now it’s accessible to the public, who can reserve rooms and rounds through new stay and play packages.
As a sign on the first tee states, Bethpage Black is an extremely difficult course recommended only for highly skilled players. The Black will host its first PGA Championship in 2019. 100 Greatest Public History: Ranked since 2003. Highest ranking: No. 3, 2003-04.
When it first opened, Pronghorn was strictly private and its Nicklaus Course was ranked second by Golf Digest among America's Best New Private Courses of 2004. Four years ago, the club (which also has a Fazio-designed 18) began allowing public play on its Nicklaus track.
2. Baltusrol Golf Club (New Jersey) Baltusrol Golf Club, in northern New Jersey, was founded in 1895. Its 36 hole, two championship courses, the Lower and Upper, were created by architect A.W. Tillinghast in 1922. In 1912, it had the first clubhouse in America to host a U.S. President (Taft).
18th hole at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida.
Augusta National Golf Club (Georgia) With only 300 members, including Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, Augusta National is home to the Master's tournament. There are unique member amenities, including ten cabins located on the grounds that provide lodging for members, including one built for President Eisenhower.
Oakmont Country Club (Pennsylvania) Oakmont is one of the oldest golf clubs in the country since its inception in 1903. The club is located in Allegheny River Valley and has no water and few trees. With over two hundred bunkers, it is known as one of the most difficult in the United States.
Pine Valley Golf Club was founded in 1913 by a group of amateur golfers. The location is stunning with its rolling hillsides and pinelands. With under 1,000 members, the board of directors reaches out to potential members for the private club, and membership is not open to application.
Women are still not allowed as members in many clubs worldwide, but that is slowly changing in the U.S. This month Pine Valley Golf Club, the exclusive men's only golf club in New Jersey, just voted to allow female members for the first time in its 108 years. Augusta started allowing a few female members in 2012 and has since then chosen limited mostly powerful females as members. Traditionally only employed as caddies to the rich and famous, African-American golfers are still finding it hard to become members in many of the top private Country Clubs in the world.
There are some things that money can't buy. Membership to one of the world's most exclusive golf and country clubs is the most sought-after privilege for the rich and famous, and yet it is nearly impossible for the wealthy to become members. And if you are a mere mortal, don't even think about playing at the top private clubs; you may certainly never get invited to join or afford the extravagant initiation fees and dues.