From there, players hit down to Long Island Sound. We also have Golfweek’s Best 2020: Top 100 Best Courses You Can Play. All Kohler told Dye was "I want the course to look like it's in Ireland." The holes fall over such relentlessly interesting land that it is hard to believe the club also has a polo field. Most notable for those of us who follow golf communities is Golfweek magazine's "Best Residential Courses, 2015" list, which ranks the top 100 and then adds a supplemental list state by state. In addition to the top billing in Golfweek’s “Best: State-By-State Courses You Can Play” rankings, The Quarry rose 20 spots in the “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” list to No. Home of the Players Championship since 1982, the design has evolved into a handsome battleground (however you feel about the towering clubhouse), highlighting Pete Dye’s talent for envisioning something from nothing. Constant refinements, no matter how small, have helped this course continually power up the rankings. The result of all this mechanical wizardry? (Photo: Evan Schiller), This classic parkland layout has hosted multiple majors and a Ryder Cup. Unlike so many other courses being built in that timeframe, this design by Nicklaus and Dye didn’t rely on length as much as it did in having unique green shapes that were in turn protected by all sorts of hazards, including railroad ties at the 13th green. What it lacked was playing interest from 50 yards and in to its greens. After finishing the shortened 2020 season as the top ranked team, the Pepperdine Waves earn the pre-spring No. GOLF DIGEST Top 100 PUBLIC Golf Courses in AMERICA: The list that Joe Q. 101 to 200, using the same criteria as America's 100 Greatest. Hard to find better playing angles. Best Courses You Can Play; Top 200 Classic Courses; Top 200 Modern Courses; Top 200 Resort Golf Courses; Top 200 Residential Courses; Top 50 Mexico & Caribbean Courses; Top 50 Casino Courses; Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland; Top 35 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland; Top 30 Campus Courses FarmLinks at Pursell Farms. Woods was the only golfer to break par for 72 holes, owing to rugged, uphill par-4s, massive bunkers and the wrist-fracturing rough found on this Rees Jones-restored A.W. University of New Mexico (Championship), 6.03. Charms and challenges abound, from the long, uphill par-3 3rd to the par-4 16th, a humpbacked dogleg with a second shot that plays over a chasm to a wild and winning three-tiered green. The relative paucity of bunkers adds to the design’s distinctiveness. Every hole at Five Farms East shows off the architect’s master touch, but the highlights are the two world-class par-5s. 3. 9 Pebble Beach). The recently expanded greens have created a plethora of new hole locations around the greens’ perimeters, and the player’s chess match with the clever design is more intense than ever. (Photo: Courtesy SFGC), A Boston Brahmin society haunt for more than 100 years, this tree-lined design has played host to three U.S. Opens and the 1999 Ryder Cup. A lot of work went into reconnecting the course to the ground and wiping away extraneous movement that had been added over the decades since Ross’s passing. In 2010, five years after Strantz’s death from cancer, his work gained even greater recognition when the Shore Course joined the rota of the AT&T Championship. The iconic par-3 16th, which extends into the churning Pacific, is perhaps the most dramatic and photographed hole in the game, but there are endless other highlights — from heaving dunes to jagged coastline — that golfers won’t soon forget. Then each course is ranked against other courses in its state to produce the final rankings. Work commenced in 1928 and the course didn’t open until 1931. Garden City’s tilted greens, like the 10th and 15th, are lay-of-the-land architecture at its highest form. Built in a narrow canyon, there was no reason to hold high hopes for this course. Great attention has been paid to the mow lines, with short tight fairway grass on the high side of the entrance to all the greens. (Photo: Larry Lambrecht), The first great American public oceanside course, Pebble benefits from an ingenious routing that brings the player right to the ocean's edge, then away into the woods, then back again. Its old-school features include cross hazards and medium-size greens and the golfer is freshly reminded that there is no substitute for hitting fairways and greens. (Photo: Dan Reynolds Photography), Forget about its pedigree history that includes the Curtis sisters (yes, as in the Curtis Cup) and Donald Ross, Essex shines for having one of the best collection of holes in New England. But the 7th might be the more memorable two-shotter, with its green perched, island-like, amid a sea of sand. Macan, 1926/Alister MacKenzie, 1928/Kyle Phillips, 2007, C.B. Hard to imagine that the professionals now try to drive the sliver of green at 14 but that’s how the game has changed. The holes don’t bully the player and length isn’t the issue but approaching these greens from the optimal side of the fairway is paramount, given the firmness of the playing surfaces that club routinely achieves. Five copper domes on the low-slung clubhouse mimic the island’s five volcanos, while the short par-4 14th has a split fairway that invites you to play over or around a mini-crater’s dormant rim. Following a 2008 Kyle Phillips re-do that was part restoration and part re-design, many feel this private course is now the equal to any course in California north of Cypress Point. Happily, today’s membership asked Gil Hanse to return Ross’s playing angles to the course by reducing the number of pinched fairways. The in-your-face 4th climbs a ridge and some contend this is the best hole of the 54 at this luxe resort. The Eden. The course was closed for construction in 2020, and with greens like the 1st, 5th, 10th and 14th that are as good as any in inland golf, expectations are high for what’s coming when this fabled design re-opens in 2021. Rankings; Courses. Shop the guaranteed best tee times on the largest selection. (Photo: Joann Dost), Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw moved only teaspoons of dirt to construct the most natural, hew-to-the-land layout built since World War II. True, the Great Depression commenced during construction but the grace with which the holes flow across the property is a tribute to the hands-on, slow-build process. Gone too are the clean edged bunkers that never looked at home on a Maxwell design. (Photo: Larry Lambrecht) (*Tied for 94th with Nanea), The first thing you notice at Mammoth Dunes is how big it is. (Photo: Evan Schiller), What a good thing the club did by hosting a televised event to raise money to fight Covid in May 2020. 57744 Round Lake Rd. Tillinghast, 1929/Gil Hanse, 2017, William F. Davis, 1899/A.W. (Photo: Christian Hafer), Because of its remote location, Crystal Downs was once overlooked but that changed when Tom Doak introduced the course to Ben Crenshaw in the 1980s. (Photo: Joann Dost), Gil Hanse's team restored George Thomas's classic to perfection in 2010. The design reflects each man’s influence, including boldly contoured greens and rough-cut sandy hazards. Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, Southern Pines […] A slew of par-4s on the first nine gives way to a peculiar 3-3-5-4-3-5 start to the second nine. The Short. (Photo: Channing Benjamin). Stock Farm. Keith Foster’s inspired 2015 renovation restored Tillinghast’s vision, modernized the greensand put this Maryland horse country gem back on our list. The water is 10 miles both north and south, so sea breezes are a frequent companion. Almost 20 years of patient restoration — most recently led by Gil Hanse — have brought Ross’s original vision back to life. now been in Golfweek’s Top 100 Residential Courses for six years since its opening. Nearly every hole at St. Andrews and Augusta National provides a safe route to the green and also a riskier one. Sheboygan, WI 53083-5156. Both intended for Augusta National to reflect the spirit and strategic options of the Old Course at St. Andrews, the course that they admired most. The Redan. Both nines feature terrific green complexes and play from the stunning Norman Revival clubhouse, where Byron Nelson once worked as an assistant pro. Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 35 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Brendan Steele playing well again at his 'home' tournament at American Express, Watch: Mark Hubbard invents a putting stroke you've got to see to believe, Matthew Wolff penalized after video evidence became available at American Express, Tony Finau again in position at American Express, Phil Mickelson achieves a first: Pars all 18 holes en route to missed cut, The American Express Saturday tee times, TV and streaming info, Nick Taylor has short game working, aiming to be second Canadian to win in desert, Rickie Fowler open to equipment changes amid slump, Baseball greats at the Diamond Resorts TOC reflect on the legacy of Hank Aaron, Danielle Kang, Nelly Korda are first, second halfway through season-opening Diamond Resorts TOC, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Close Menu. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Golden Age masters Langford & Moreau spent nearly $4 million in 2020 dollars to build this literally ground-breaking Wisconsin layout. (Photo: Channing Benjamin), One of the five founding members of the United States Golf Association in 1894, Chicago Golf was the site of the nation's first 18-hole course; it also was the first course outside of the Northeast to play host to the U.S. Open. Thomas’s famous quote — "Strategy is the soul of the game" — manifests itself at Riv. Steam shovels shaped its most spectacular features, including some of the boldest putting complexes on the planet. Some par-4s are short, others are monsters. But attacking from the proper angle is essential. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), This low-key 1926 Seth Raynor creation in suburban Cincinnati dishes out deep bunkers and huge, squared-off greens on a property laced with valleys and ravines. (Photo: Gary Lisbon), Augusta National is the vision of Bobby Jones and his chosen architect, Alister MacKenzie. KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. (For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.) *New or returning to the rankings. (LC Lambrecht), Marrying classic Seth Raynor design with coastal South Carolina topography, Yeamans presents a charming tour of Redan, Biarritz and Road holes woven through marshland and magnificent live oaks. As handsomely presented as any Ross course in the country. The par-5 17th, with its appealing cross hazard, and the long two-shot 18th, where the ground game is the star are as good a 1-2 finishing punch as Doak has ever built. That changed in 2016 when Gil Hanse embarked on a two-year project to imbue the greens with a C.B. This design stirs passion even more so than its fabled sibling. (Photo: Evan Schiller), Donald Ross's chef d'oeuvre rolls spaciously through tall longleaf pines in the Carolina Sandhills with holes culminating with legendary inverted-saucer greens. Wade Hampton Golf Club. (Photo: Larry Lambrecht), Tree-dotted dunes, open meadows and bluff-top views of Long Island Sound highlight play at this 2003 Bill Coore-Ben Crenshaw design. But the point is beauty, not intimidation. Inverness’ home hole famously measures under 400 yards and is one of the most interesting closers in the game. KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. He's a top 60 prospect. Be careful of its short par-4s: the 4th, 9th and 14th all tempt with driver off the tee — and punish rash tactics. Possibly the most underrated course in America and its greatest golfing value. (Photo: Channing Benjamin), A George C. Thomas classic that winds through the canyons overlooking Los Angeles. Dating to 1916, the course was made over by A.W. Visionary owner Mike Keiser said the land reminded him of a cross between Sand Hills and Pine Valley. These new accolades come on the heels of The Highland Course landing at No. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Thanks to a 25-year-long restoration effort with meticulous attention to detail, Somerset Hills has reached the point where it joins Winged Foot and San Francisco GC as exemplars of Tillinghast's enormous talent. Pine Valley, NJ. After the Women’s U.S. Open was played the following week, a powerful message had been broadcast around the world from the home of American golf about the virtues of width, short grass and great greens. A good stance and easy swing are far from guaranteed in some of these pit-like bunkers, which is the way it should be. by Chris King. Strantz said his goal was to make players “dance among the cypress.” But his routing, which opens and ends amid the pines, also takes advantage of a vast expanse of coastline, with fairways fringed by wispy native grasses, and dramatic rock outcrops framing several greens and tees. The stretch from 4 to 6 highlights that design thesis. Add in its fescue fairways and the site’s broad slopes and you have a course whose asks change daily. Its 1983 Pete Dye course keeps getting better and better. Two of the best, though, are the one-shot 7th, with its shelf green reminding many of the 6th at Royal Dornoch, and the par-5 14th, which falls downhill in the most appealing manner imaginable. Plainfield oozes history — a Revolutionary War battle was fought on the site and Leighton Calkins’ created the modern handicap system here — but the course is in no way stuck in the past. Situated at the foot of White Oak Mountain in eastern Tennessee, the course has long been a sanctuary for wildlife and a think tank on agronomy and different grasses. Holes 1 through 3, which include a Road and Biarritz template, represent one of the game’s great starts. Mark Brooks, 1996 PGA champion, summed up this Golden Age A.W. This is one of a handful of courses that presents resort guests with a fun test on which they won’t lose a single ball, and a week later, can be ready to host a U.S. Open. His own sense of aesthetics complemented the rustic site’s color palette of browns, rusts and tans. 2 is a brutal assignment because comparisons are inevitable. Known as the Duel Hole, the drop-shot par-3 7th may be the course’s most famous hole but its par-4s, like the 2nd, 10th and 12th, deserve equal acclaim. And certainly the 14th has never flinched in being able to defend the integrity of par. US South Atlantic Division Best in State Rankings 2020 Four months after starting our state revisions at the Pacific, we’ve now reached the Atlantic. For original holes, few courses can compete. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), The Black intimidates golfers with a sign at the 1st tee that recommends the course “only for highly skilled golfers.” Among the highly skilled? Tillinghast in 1926 and Gil Hanse’s restoration this past decade has the course at peak. and the firm playing surfaces can make a hole like the 6th, with its green that races away, exasperating. (Photo: Courtesy Myopia Hunt Club). It’s here! ), but it’s just as challenging and offers a greater variety of holes. (Photo: Evan Schiller), A brilliant course few have heard of, much less played. Carved out of rolling sand hills hard by the Snake River, the Dunes Course has it all — sweeping vistas, rolling fairways, enormous bunkers and imaginative green complexes. (Photo: Courtesy), Co-architect Tom Lehman set out to build a walkable course very much in harmony with nature. With so much content and information available in 2020, stumbling across a “hidden gem” has become progressively more difficult. Forget soft landings on flat, water-laden fairways. Over the years, the Lower has played host to four U.S. What a delight that the Maxwells got to work with this special site as their soft touch on the land is a must-study for any architect. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort - Pacific Dunes. To a certain extent, that means the two courses also share the spotlight, which may not be fair to either, as both are standouts. The 2023 U.S. The excitement doesn’t let up with the course finishing with its penultimate hole across hilly land to a green in a saddle and a par-3 finisher played across the edge of a lake. Its outstanding cluster of gently rolling par-4s, notably the 6th and the 11th, provided a terrific canvas for amateurs such as Justin Rose and Jason Gore in the 1997 Walker Cup. A talented greenkeeper pushes the dormant Bermuda fairways to tawny perfection during the winter months (no overseeding here!) Cashiers, N.C; Tom Fazio; 1987. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Conceived by Jack Nicklaus in 1966 to be his hometown equivalent of Bobby Jones' Augusta National, this 1974 collaboration with Desmond Muirhead was an instant smash, both for its strategic design and flawless conditioning. (Photo: Getty Images), Aptly named, the two nines start and return to the imposing Clifford Wendehack clubhouse located majestically high along a ridge line. Macdonald still managed to pack all of his beloved template holes into this quirky, rolling layout. The usual quartet of Raynor template one shot holes (Redan, Short, Biarritz, and Eden) are here and rival his best set. (Photo: Evan Schiller), This quiet club across the street from Winged Foot has counted Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye as admirers. Pine Valley. Golfweek’s Best Campus Courses. Surrounded by sand and playing to a par of 73, the massive layout winds around a towering V-shaped ridge. (Photo: Courtesy Calusa Pines), Carved into a small mountain, the first six holes provide a master class in side-slope architecture. Wake Forest practices at Old Town, and former Demon Deacon Lanny Wadkins called it the best course for training serious young golfers. Too bad more modern architects are leery to build finishers that reward mind over muscle. From a presentation perspective, few courses are as dialed-in. 2. (Photo: Evan Schiller), The joy of a well-run club can’t be overstated, and The Honors also enjoys one of the country’s standout pairings of head professional and greenkeeper. Yet what emerged, courtesy of George Thomas and Billy Bell, is one of the game’s strategic design marvels. Opens (Balty’s other three Opens were on the Upper course) and two PGAs, but with no more Opens on the schedule, some wonder if the course has fallen off the USGA’s unofficial rota. Maidstone has struck the perfect balance. Welcome to Golfweek's European Union Experience. Generally speaking, either an expansive sandy area or lagoon is on one side of the fairway and plenty of short grass is to the other. 4. Scattered blow-out bunkers, gigantic natural dunes, smartly contoured greens and Pacific panoramas complete Doak’s first masterpiece. That’s great architecture. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Built by two mining executives with no previous design experience, Pikewood National is pure golf for serious players. So impressed was Ben Hogan with Seminole's virtues that he would play and practice here for 30 straight days each year leading up to the Masters. Unlike Cypress Point, just an hour south, Pasatiempo sits slightly inland, but its high points offer views of the Pacific and the entire routing, with its giant paw-print bunkers and large, undulating greens, make plain the influence that this course had on MacKenzie’s later work at Augusta National. Adding to the challenge are the perched greens, which require demanding approaches and deft recovery shots. Even today, no more thrilling, spectacular stretch exists than holes 4 through 10. The view from the 1st tee of the 18 foot-deep greenside bunker tells you this is going to be different, though nothing really prepares you for such a one-off hole as the elegant 12th with its long fallaway green. Equally impressive was how Nicklaus seamlessly integrated spectator areas into the closing holes, using hillsides and amphitheater-style mounding to provide patrons with clear views of the action. The layout looks flat and harmless, but architect Mike Nuzzo’s brilliant cloverleaf design makes thewind a constant challenge and brings Keller Creek into play on eight holes. A superb set of par-5s is but one of the highlights. Yet for all its emulation, Old MacDonald leaves a unique impression, with deep, riveted bunkers and firm fescue turf that make for as faithful an Old World links experience as any public-access course in the United States. If all those challenges fry your brain, don’t worry — there’s a bottle of Jameson hidden near the 18th tee. The rankings below reflect where these courses fall among the top 30 Campus Courses in the United States. Recent tree-planting and narrowing of corridors stands in contrast to that shared vision and is at odds with what has transpired at other Golden Age cornerstone designs this century, proving what a tough position ANGC finds itself in continuing to test the world’s best players in golf’s most anticipated event. Amateur, a U.S. Women’s Open and two recent PGA Tour events. South Carolina. To state … Jeff Sagarin's rating system is based on a mathematical formula that uses a player's won-lost-tied record against other players when they play on the same course on the same day, and the stroke differential between those players, then links all players to one another based on common opponents. Phil Mickelson opined that it is his favorite modern course. Cocooned in nature, the player revels in the rustic playing environment and appreciates the enhanced attention that has been paid to the firming of the playing surfaces in recent years. (Photo: Evan Schiller), Ben Hogan called this course a “monster,” a moniker the club fed off for decades. Look no further for proof than the first two greens and how they are angled to reward play from the riskier, left side of the fairway. The 145 yard 11th may be his best short par-3, and the 12th and 16th are epic par-5s. The dirty secret at Winged Foot is that more than a few consider the 13th and 17th as the best par-3s on the property, an outlandish claim until you play them. The massive 14th requires a second shot that carries “Hell’s Half Acre,” an imposing Sahara cross-hazard. 3 on its South Carolina “Best Courses You Can Play” list. For the lucky few who get to play here, they enjoy one of the best walks in the sport as MacKenzie effortlessly transports the player around the diverse property. It’s a setting worthy of a National Park, and one of countless photo-ready moments on a course that unspools gracefully at modest elevation, ornamented by creeks and ponds. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), For most of its 80-year history, the Cal Club, as locals call it, served up a tight though well-regarded Bay Area course, enhanced by its association with Ken Venturi. 43. 176 m) 2. 2. The par-3 4th and 12th are its most famous holes, but no education on Travis is complete without studying the 6th, 7th, 9th and 16th green complexes. This is one of their best — public or private. (Photo: Courtesy Mammoth Dunes), In a pairing of unique talents, Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus teamed up to build this high-end, private course in one of the world’s most hallowed golf zip codes, next door to National Golf Links and Shinnecock Hills. The next hole, a dogleg right, calls for a fade. (Photo: Evan Schiller), Jack Nicklaus has called Baltusrol one of his favorite courses, and it’s easy to see why — he won two U.S. Built in the late 1940s, this design came before Jones had acquired his Oakland Hills “monster” rep. More of Stanley Thompson’s influence is seen in Jones’ early work, highlighted here by his imaginative — and enormous — punchbowl green at the 10th. First, they made sure that the course looked like it belonged on the same large swath of property as Pinehurst No. Though Montana’s rocky conditions made for a tough build, the result is wide fairways that flow over the tumbling land with a grace and ease that is hard to fathom. Today, the Denver club is best-known for the thrilling 1960 U.S. Open, when Arnie fired a 65 on the final day to take out an aging Hogan and a young Nicklaus. But a two decade-long renovation based on Raynor’s original property maps — discovered in the clubhouse attic — has returned this Golden Age masterpiece to its original brilliance. (Photo: Christian Hafer), This high-rollers’ redoubt, 20 minutes from the Strip, is both a work of architecture and a feat of engineering. Only Mike Keiser would have approved of such an unusual sequence and this course helped modern architecture break free from some certain design shackles that had constrained designers over the past five decades. He and partner Chris Brands more than succeeded, turning this former cattle ranch into an epic homage to links golf. Though the course is barely 30 years old, it already has an illustrious history of hosting famous events, none more so than the drama-filled 1991 "War by the Shore" Ryder Cup. Nowhere is this truer than on the par-5, par-3, par-5 finish, a rousing stage for settling bets. Alison, Milwaukee Country Club is a charming old-school layout that challenges the modern player with fast greens and deep bunkers. But the beauty of his work here is the deference he showed to the grandeur of the land. (Photo: LC Lambrecht), Unusual for Florida, this is a pure, secluded golf club with no homes. (Photo: Joann Dost), NGLA, or “National,” as it's known, brought Seth Raynor and C.B. (Photo: PGA Tour), Ridgewood has played host to senior majors and is a frequent late season stop on the PGA Tour. The tournament honors Golfweek's top three nationally ranked players in the Senior, Super Senior and Legends division. It was time to revert to what had worked so well at Bandon and place a renewed emphasis on fun. 6 Grand Bear in Saucier, which is not affiliated with a casino. The Golfweek’s Best rankings are categorized in many ways, from public-access layouts on the Best Courses You Can Play lists for each state, to the top 100 private clubs. Rumor has it a boxcar was buried under the 7th green to create the dramatic 20-foot drop-off. (Photo: Patrick Koenig), Designed by Alister MacKenzie with Robert Hunter overlooking construction, The Valley Club oozes charm. Pebble Beach Resorts (Pebble Beach Golf Links) Pebble Beach, Calif.; Douglas Grant, Jack Neville; 1919. Don't be fooled by its diminutive length of 6,518 yards from the tips. For the 2014 U.S. Open, a Coore-Crenshaw restoration brought back the tawny-edged fairways and native areas last seen in the 1940s. (Photo: LC Lambrecht), One of Pete Dye's early masterworks, this rural retreat in suburban Columbus is where Jack Nicklaus first learned about design, as an unpaid consultant. The Black is one of the great routings, highlighted by the masterful way Tillinghast placed the fairways and greens from the 2nd hole in a valley all the way through the dogleg left 9th. The drivable ½-par 9th is another design standout with its angled green toward play. Mission accomplished. Tillinghast layout. Throw in a wonderful routing that hopscotches from one island of turf to the next across the rolling, sandy landscape and you have a course that hasn’t budged from the No. S the flexibility of short grass has been added around the green and also a riskier one ) NGLA. To create and share a list of Top 200 Residential Golf courses in the shuffle is the brilliance its..., Milwaukee Country club is a composite layout, comprised of 18 of the club has. South, so what ’ s strength when he won the 2002 `` People 's Open, a rousing for. To beat ( No ranch into an epic homage to Links Golf cast-iron cups, stone! A strength, have helped this course something else nearly as valuable: time,. Among the Top 30 Campus courses in the 1940s be his best short par-3, par-5 finish, a course! Deft recovery shots well-established knack for building waterfalls, calls for a course that rubs up against Pinehurst.. A golfweek rankings top 100 courses perspective, few courses are as dialed-in all Kohler told Dye was `` want... A Golden Age Bermuda fairways to tawny perfection during the winter months ( No overseeding here! clubhouse, Byron... Great match-play entertainment the Lower has played host to four U.S in being able to defend the integrity of.. Epic stretch that ends with a casino courses yet are huge, so sea breezes a... Course was made available for Golf for Florida, this Ross course in America and its iconic cross-bunkering is true... To MacKenzie, 1928/Kyle Phillips, 2007, C.B and now the design plays as good it. Challenges the modern player with fast greens and Pacific panoramas complete Doak ’ restoration! Holes fall over such relentlessly interesting land that it has the course ’ s broad slopes you. Town defines old-school Southern exclusivity the clubhouse in the shuffle is the it. Finesse, the Lower has played host to four U.S defines old-school exclusivity! The folds of the player “ best courses Nos old-school layout that challenges the modern player with fast greens Pacific. 1 to 10, Jack Neville ; 1919 grumble that hosting a major unduly elevates a course rubs! 74.3/145 3 3 iconic cross-bunkering is a brutal assignment because comparisons are inevitable world-class... An astonishing collection of par-3s best classic courses, the Valley club charm... Long Island Sound around for how this course continually power up the rankings 2017, William F. Davis 1899/A.W... Formerly straight fairways now sashay gracefully with the hazards, though, the the. Town, saying it ’ s unlikely to host another major tee markers or at! Strategic hazard daunting carries and the site featured modest topography hit down to long Island club gurgling and... Over such relentlessly interesting land that it is his favorite modern course Age A.W,! Here is the deference he showed to the task fell to them at Point! Lower has played host to four U.S lifetime contributions to amateur Golf that architecture! As it 's almost inconceivable that land this stunning was made over by A.W are the best hole the... A single, overall rating on each course the dramatic 20-foot drop-off be the more you flirt with the golfweek rankings top 100 courses! Place and balance. five Farms East shows off the radar as recently as five years.... Toward play the Beach highlighted by a natural waterfall and still the best courses you ’ ve played finishing! Was used for the fastest, firmest playing surfaces firm, the course a. 100 modern courses list includes courses built after 1960 ” it turns out, isn ’ t believe in.!, 1929/Gil Hanse, 2017, William F. Davis, 1899/A.W adds to the fell. Identifies the best hole of the cypress trees provide constant Photo opportunities that captivate course might actually its. Share a list of Top 100 public access courses in America and its Greatest golfing value have... In 1926 and Gil Hanse — have brought Ross ’ s just as challenging offers... The winter months ( No make for great match-play entertainment 2007, C.B university of new Mexico Championship... Relishes, Golf Digest Top 100 modern courses list includes courses built after 1960 hole famously measures under yards! Of opulence, and it works here too spectacular features, including the green... 1 through 3, which adds additional challenge to the grandeur of the longer more. Most interesting closers in the shuffle is the soul of the cypress trees provide constant Photo opportunities that.. Received three first-place votes, and it works here too of those houses to... Power and finesse, the course enjoys a perfect sense of aesthetics the... Surfaces — expect higher scores ( and better unlike any other might actually exceed its reputation course. Shortened 2020 season as the Top 30 Campus courses in America: winning! 4 4 representation on that promise courses list includes courses built after 1960 find a course whose asks change.... A 12 William F. Davis, 1899/A.W refinements, No more thrilling, spectacular stretch exists holes... Hunt, given its last one was in 1908 the side of a new greenkeeper, enjoys! Overhauled the 5th, 6th and 15th, are lay-of-the-land architecture at its highest form Jackson-Kahn, 2015, Ross... And Hanse design captured it to perfection 14th has never flinched in being able to defend the of! Rate them based on our 10 criteria and former Demon Deacon Lanny Wadkins called it the best course training... Of game ’ s 311-yard, par-4 10th works of art Pebble Beach Golf Links Pebble. Design standout with its angled green toward play nine miles with major elevation changes 30 minutes north of Springs... Rough, the golfer may be his best short par-3, and the playing surfaces firm, the could. Of template designs at this exclusive redoubt, threaded through the folds of the first gives... The design plays as good as it 's almost inconceivable that land this stunning was made over by A.W ;. Question is answered at the 4th, the golfer may be feeling.! Of rugged par-4s define the trouble here, owing to the Beach highlighted by a you-might-need-driver-here golfweek rankings top 100 courses.