Golf Digest: America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (2025)

[Argonne69]

I didn't realize GD released their new list. A handful of new ones, but no real surprises. How many have you played? Thoughts on the rankings?

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/americas-100-greatest-public-golf-courses-ranking

 

 

Here's a text version of the list:

 

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
3. Shadow Creek
4. Whistling Straits: Straits Course
5. Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
6. Pinehurst #2
7. Bethpage State Park: Black
8. TPC Sawgrass: Stadium
9. Bandon Dunes
10. Erin Hills Golf Course

 

11. Bandon Trails
12. Sand Valley: The Lido
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
14. Old Macdonald
15. Pasatiempo Golf Club
16. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (Bluffs)
17. Blackwolf Run: River
18. French Lick Resort: Pete Dye Course
19. Chambers Bay
20. Streamsong Resort: Red

 

21. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Sand Valley
22. Manele Golf Course
23. Kapalua: Plantation
24. Landmand
25. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Mammoth Dunes
26. Streamsong Resort: Blue
27. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Sheep Ranch
28. Harbour Town Golf Links
29. The Highland Course At Primland
30. Pinehurst #10

 

31. Gamble Sands
32. Pinehurst #4
33. Streamsong Resort: Black
34. PGA Frisco: Fields Ranch East
35. Black Desert Resort
36. The Prairie Club (Dunes Course)
37. Forest Dunes Golf Club
38. Yale Golf Course
39. The Greenbrier: Old White
40. Torrey Pines Golf Course: South

 

41. Pronghorn Club at Juniper Preserve
42. The Omni Homestead Resort: Cascades Course
43. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Golf Course
44. Tobacco Road Golf Club
45. Sea Island: Seaside
46. Big Cedar Lodge: Ozarks National
47. The Broadmoor Golf Club: East
48. Fallen Oak
49. SentryWorld Golf Club
50. Cabot Citrus Farms: Karoo

 

51. Sedge Valley at Sand Valley
52. CordeValle Golf Club
53. Arcadia Bluffs South Course
54. The Links At Spanish Bay
55. Greywalls at Marquette Golf Club
56. Paako Ridge Golf Club
57. Wilderness Club
58. The Quarry at Giants Ridge
59. Wolf Creek Golf Club
60. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

 

61. Tetherow Golf Club
62. PGA West: Stadium Course
63. The Loop: Black
64. Nemacolin: Mystic Rock
65. Whistling Straits: Irish Course
66. The Golf Courses of Lawsonia: Links
67. Wynn Golf Club
68. The Loop (Red)
69. Crosswater Golf Course
70. Tullymore Golf Resort

 

71. Red Sky Ranch & Golf Club Fazio Course
72. The Wilderness At Fortune Bay
73. Makai Golf Club
74. Cascata
75. Golden Horseshoe Golf Club: Gold Course
76. Cog Hill Golf & Country Club: Dubsdread (Course #4)
77. Fields Ranch PGA of America Frisco: West Course
78. Taconic Golf Club
79. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
80. Madden's on Gull Lake: The Classic at Madden's

 

81. Big Cedar Lodge: Payne's Valley
82. Mossy Oak Golf Club
83. Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course
84. Wild Horse Golf Club
85. Black Mesa Golf Club
86. Trump National Doral: Blue Monster
87. Red Sky Ranch & Golf Club Norman Course
88. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
89. The Park at West Palm Beach
90. The Prairie Club: Pines Course

 

91. Firestone Country Club: South
92. Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys
93. Quintero Golf Club
94. Big Cedar Lodge: Buffalo Ridge
95. TPC San Antonio (Oaks)
96. Wine Valley Golf Club
97. The Pfau Course At Indiana University
98. Southern Pines Golf Club
99. Reynolds Lake Oconee: Great Waters
100. Bay Harbor Golf Club: Links/Quarry

 

[Chanceman]

I have only played 25 of these but if Quintero is rated Top 100 then a few that possibly should be in there:

 

Wekopa Saguaro ilo Quintero

Pilgrim’s Run MI

Troon North MonumentA AZ

Ak Chin Southern Dunes AZ

Rams hill CA

Rustic canyon CA

Thunderhawk IL

Salish Cliffs WA

Gold mountain WA

 

 

 

[goaliedad30]

My list ... 5 of the top 10, and 8 of the top 20.

23 in total.

 

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
4. Whistling Straits: Straits Course
6. Pinehurst #2
9. Bandon Dunes
11. Bandon Trails
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
15. Pasatiempo Golf Club
23. Kapalua: Plantation
30. Pinehurst #10

32. Pinehurst #4
40. Torrey Pines Golf Course: South

41. Pronghorn Club at Juniper Preserve
54. The Links At Spanish Bay
56. Paako Ridge Golf Club
61. Tetherow Golf Club
62. PGA West: Stadium Course
65. Whistling Straits: Irish Course
69. Crosswater Golf Course
80. Madden's on Gull Lake: The Classic at Madden's

81. Big Cedar Lodge: Payne's Valley
94. Big Cedar Lodge: Buffalo Ridge
95. TPC San Antonio (Oaks)

[tjblue]

24...also 5 of the top 10.

 

Tullymore at 70 is a headscratcher.

 

Agree....missing we-ko-pa.

[Johnny Biarritz]

16, including 6 of the top 10. Southern Pines is wild and shows how raters can be swayed by giving a course "the look." I've played that course many times and I know they just did a restoration/renovation, whatever word you want to use, but it's not in the stratosphere of top 100 public. I've played probably 20 courses that are unranked and substantially better than Southern Pines...but they don't have "the look," weren't designed by Ross, and aren't in Pinehurst. So they're left out. Tobacco Road is over-rated, which is tough for me to say because I really enjoy it. Royal New Kent is a far superior Strantz course and unranked. 

[Argonne69]

After yesterday's round at The Cascades at Omni Homestead Resort, I had crossed off 89 of the courses on the 2023 list. 'Looks like I have a little more traveling to do, as I only managed 85 on the new list. Lol. Courses not played: Shadow Creek, Lido, Manele, Pinehurst #10, Broadmoor East, Sedge Valley, CordeValle, Mystic Rock, Wynn, Makai, Fields Ranch West, Edgewood Tahoe, The Park at WPB, Firestone CC South, and Great Waters.

 

It continues to irk me that stay and plays are on the list. Yeah, one can call and get a tee time, but forking over $700 to $1000 for a hotel room in order to play $300 for a round of golf is a punch in the gut. Wanted to play Pinehurst #10 back last month, but during the summer they require a 2 night minimum stay. The cheapest package was $1400, and I believe there was an upcharge to play #10. Of the fifteen I haven't played, I believe nine require resort stays.

 

Sand Valley opened Lido and Sedge Valley since I last visited it. Looks like I'm going to have to make a trip up there.

 

Edited July 3 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Random musings.

 

Looks like Pete Dye has the most courses on the list (9?). Somewhat odd that a designer who irks a lot of players continues to get a pat on the back. I'm a big fan, and have played 40 of his courses. I've played Kiawah Ocean twice, and while it's excellent, it's fallen out of my Top 10.

 

Bandon Dunes is a fine course, but I think it's the 5th best course at the resort. No way it's a Top 10 layout.

 

Like Bethage Black, but it's not a Top 10 course.

 

Big fan of Chambers Bay. Definitely a Top 10 in my book. Ditto Wolf Creek.

 

Glad to see Landman on the list. It's a beauty.

 

Don't quite get the love for Harbour Town. Fun and challenging course, but don't think it's a Top 100, and certainly not Top 30.

 

Greenbrier Old White? Definitely not a Top 100 course.

 

Like Torrey Pines South, but it should be #99. Ditto Cascades.

 

Enjoyed Golden Horseshoe Gold, but not a Top 100 layout.

 

Definitely agree that Quintero doesn't belong on the list, and should be replaced with We Ko Pa Saguaro or Southern Dunes.

 

I played Fields Ranch East, but not the West. Looking across at the West course, it didn't look like a Top 100 layout. Guess I'll have to swing through this winter.

 

Edited July 3 by Argonne69

[act0fgod]

I've played 34.

 

The great thing about lists is the disagreement and discussion that they generate.  For example Bandon was/is my favorite course at the resort (it's been over 10 years since I've last been).  Wolf Creek is a novelty, but I would not want a regular dose and felt sick at times when playing the course (not sure if it was vertigo or heat related) and I didn't like it and won't go back.  I really like the Greenbriar but it was one of my first nice courses played and visited in the fall when the leaves were changing and the weather was perfect (same story with the Homestead/Cascades).

 

Weird to see Firestone on the list of public courses (I guess it has stay and play now).

 

Golf Digest criteria are a factor for some of the differences with other lists (Shot Options/Values, Challenge, Layout Variety, Conditioning, Esthetics and Character)

 

 

[jjthomp2]

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
5. Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
6. Pinehurst #2
7. Bethpage State Park: Black
9. Bandon Dunes

11. Bandon Trails
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
14. Old Macdonald
18. French Lick Resort: Pete Dye Course
20. Streamsong Resort: Red
23. Kapalua: Plantation
26. Streamsong Resort: Blue
27. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Sheep Ranch
32. Pinehurst #4
33. Streamsong Resort: Black
44. Tobacco Road Golf Club
54. The Links At Spanish Bay
60. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
86. Trump National Doral: Blue Monster
88. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
89. The Park at West Palm Beach
97. The Pfau Course At Indiana University

 

Thoughts on what I've played; I think Pebble is the pinnacle for public golf. Yes, the stay and play is a lot of $$$ but man the fact that anyone can access it makes it pretty special. I think Spyglass is super front loaded first 5 holes and then mehh, would not be #13 for me. Pete Dye at French Lick seems very high and i certainly do not have it above Kapalua, either the Blue or Red at Streamsong or The Park. Just me though. Lot's more places to see it seems 🙂

[Phreddy]

Played 7 of the top 10.  Life has been good to me.

[italianstallion]

32 with 9 of the top 10, 16 of the top 20, 21 of the top 30, then it falls off a cliff. So I've done well and been fortunate enough that all my plays are skewed towards the top of this list, leaves plenty of room to pick off the other ones during my travels but not necessarily any I'd make a dedicated trip for.

 

That said Southern Pines is criminally low on this list.

[Argonne69]

3 hours ago, jjthomp2 said:

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
5. Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
6. Pinehurst #2
7. Bethpage State Park: Black
9. Bandon Dunes

11. Bandon Trails
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
14. Old Macdonald
18. French Lick Resort: Pete Dye Course
20. Streamsong Resort: Red
23. Kapalua: Plantation
26. Streamsong Resort: Blue
27. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Sheep Ranch
32. Pinehurst #4
33. Streamsong Resort: Black
44. Tobacco Road Golf Club
54. The Links At Spanish Bay
60. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
86. Trump National Doral: Blue Monster
88. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
89. The Park at West Palm Beach
97. The Pfau Course At Indiana University

 

Thoughts on what I've played; I think Pebble is the pinnacle for public golf. Yes, the stay and play is a lot of $$$ but man the fact that anyone can access it makes it pretty special. I think Spyglass is super front loaded first 5 holes and then mehh, would not be #13 for me. Pete Dye at French Lick seems very high and i certainly do not have it above Kapalua, either the Blue or Red at Streamsong or The Park. Just me though. Lot's more places to see it seems 🙂

 

Pebble Beach allows non-resort guests to book 24 hours in advance, so no stay and play required if you're willing to roll the dice. I played it twice without a stay. 

 

[jvincent]

23 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
4. Whistling Straits: Straits Course
5. Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
6. Pinehurst #2
7. Bethpage State Park: Black
8. TPC Sawgrass: Stadium
9. Bandon Dunes
10. Erin Hills Golf Course

 

11. Bandon Trails
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
14. Old Macdonald
15. Pasatiempo Golf Club
17. Blackwolf Run: River
19. Chambers Bay
 

21. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Sand Valley
25. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Mammoth Dunes
27. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Sheep Ranch
28. Harbour Town Golf Links

32. Pinehurst #4

40. Torrey Pines Golf Course: South

 

44. Tobacco Road Golf Club
 

54. The Links At Spanish Bay
60. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

 

65. Whistling Straits: Irish Course
66. The Golf Courses of Lawsonia: Links

88. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

92. Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys
 

 

28 on the current list for me. I would have had a couple more by the end of the year but cancelled my trip to Sand Valley.

 

I should see where I am on the world wide list after my trip to Scotland. Ireland next year will also tick a few off of that list.

[Phreddy]

As cool as it is to say, "I've played X of the top Y" courses, there is only one family that can say, "I built and own 2 of the top 10 and 5 of the top 20 on that list."  Now, THAT'S cool.

[mci711]

10 of the top 10. About 35 in total. Knocked out Shadow Creek (must play) and Torrey Pines in the past 6 or so months. Torrey Pines being on this list kind of devalues it massively for me. Same with Doral. 

 

I'd put Pasatiempo above basically everything that isn't Pebble. Maybe behind or tied with Shadow Creek, Pinehurst 2 and Kiawah island. 

Edited July 3 by mci711

[ThinkingPlus]

I have only played 3 on the list. At one time I was more interested in playing courses on lists like this, but early on my experiences were underwhelming. The longer I have played, the less I care about the foofoo stuff like shot values or how pretty things are. Good conditioning and just solid golf holes are just fine. I don't want 20 yard wide bowling alleys and putting to the clown's mouth 18 times.

 

I did not care for Spyglass. The course was soft and moist. Meh. Not my cup of tea.

 

I also, much to @Argonne69's chagrin, disliked Black Mesa. Too many blind holes and slow greens with crazy slopes. Goofy golf.

 

Paako was nice. Course was usually in good condition. A couple of holes were not fun, but it was a good test. Better have your "A" game.

[act0fgod]

16 minutes ago, mci711 said:

10 of the top 10. About 35 in total. Knocked out Shadow Creek (must play) and Torrey Pines in the past 6 or so months. Torrey Pines being on this list kind of devalues it massively for me. Same with Doral. 

 

I'd put Pasatiempo above basically everything that isn't Pebble. Maybe behind or tied with Shadow Creek, Pinehurst 2 and Kiawah island. 

Shadow Creek is one I can't see ever paying for, just way too much for me to spend on one round of golf.  I'm looking at a membership for life that cost less than one round there.

[tad950]

21 for me. But I’ve played 35 of GD’s top 100 World.

[postfold]

5 1/2.  I'm only counting Southern Pines as a half because while I've played it many times, I have not played it since the renovation.  Might be able to play it in October.

 

If I cared to it would be pretty easy to knock off a few more, but to really put up a number you have to have both money and the inclination to spend it given the current cost of destination golf.  No thanks, I can live without $500+ rounds and expensive resort stays.

[tlknight]

56

[ode1]

11.....old school counting + 1 🙃

 

 

[teejaywhy]

While Arizona is not really known for world class golf courses, the fact that the only AZ course on this list is Quintero is quite sad.  

 

[Pure716]

While I don't put too much stock into any of these "Best of" course lists, it's fun to see how many you've played.  Doing so has made me realize I've actually played more of the Top 100 list (counting private clubs) as opposed to the America's 100 Greatest Public Courses list that excludes them.

4. Whistling Straits: Straits Course
5. Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
6. Pinehurst #2
7. Bethpage State Park: Black
8. TPC Sawgrass: Stadium
10. Erin Hills Golf Course
16. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (Bluffs)
17. Blackwolf Run: River

21. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Sand Valley
23. Kapalua: Plantation
25. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Mammoth Dunes
30. Pinehurst #10
32. Pinehurst #4
37. Forest Dunes Golf Club
44. Tobacco Road Golf Club
50. Cabot Citrus Farms: Karoo
60. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
65. Whistling Straits: Irish Course
88. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
92. Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys
98. Southern Pines Golf Club
100. Bay Harbor Golf Club: Links/Quarry

 

22/100

Edited July 4 by Pure716

[Looper34]

18 in total. 5 in the top 10, 8 in the top 20.

Just an observation but it seems like the majority of Golf Digest's list consists of multiple courses at very high end resorts.

No doubt the resorts have great courses but there are a lot of incredible muni's and indy's that never even get a look.

[mci711]

2 hours ago, teejaywhy said:

While Arizona is not really known for world class golf courses, the fact that the only AZ course on this list is Quintero is quite sad.  

 

 

There are probably 6 or so public courses that I think are better in AZ than Quintero. 

[imkirby34]

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
9. Bandon Dunes
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
15. Pasatiempo Golf Club
27. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Sheep Ranch

54. The Links At Spanish Bay
59. Wolf Creek Golf Club
69. Crosswater Golf Course

 

That's fewer than I thought.  The last time I played Pasatiempo was 1996 (according to the rec.sport.golf archives) and I still remember most of the holes while I (apparently) played Crosswater in 2014 and remember none of it.  LOL.  I do have a Crosswater bucket hat, so I know I was there.

[Argonne69]

3 minutes ago, imkirby34 said:

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
9. Bandon Dunes
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
15. Pasatiempo Golf Club
27. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Sheep Ranch

54. The Links At Spanish Bay
59. Wolf Creek Golf Club
69. Crosswater Golf Course

 

That's fewer than I thought.  The last time I played Pasatiempo was 1996 (according to the rec.sport.golf archives) and I still remember most of the holes while I (apparently) played Crosswater in 2014 and remember none of it.  LOL.  I do have a Crosswater bucket hat, so I know I was there.

 

Don't feel bad. I played Crosswater ten months ago and don't remember a single hole. 

 

[act0fgod]

23 hours ago, postfold said:

5 1/2.  I'm only counting Southern Pines as a half because while I've played it many times, I have not played it since the renovation.  Might be able to play it in October.

 

If I cared to it would be pretty easy to knock off a few more, but to really put up a number you have to have both money and the inclination to spend it given the current cost of destination golf.  No thanks, I can live without $500+ rounds and expensive resort stays.

That is an interesting point that courses change.  I've played a number before renovations and courses like Pinehurst and Pebble aren't exempt from big changes through time. 

 

Changes can even be dramatic depending on the day visited even.  When looking at criteria that include conditioning, esthetics and character a rater who visits on a Tuesday in February after a big Monday outing can have a dramatically different experience than a rater who visits a perfect July day.

Edited July 4 by act0fgod

[WesternRacing]

I’ve played 11 of them, including six of the top 20, but one of my 11 was Cascata, which 100% does not deserve to be on this list.  That’s laughable.  I could pick 20 courses off the top of my head that were better than Cascata.  

[Chanceman]

I reckon the Golfweek list is better than GD. At least they include WeKoPa ahead of Quintero. Perhaps I am biased though as I have played 35 of that list and only 25 of GD.