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

[sabram]

1 hour ago, jvincent said:

Old Mac gets beat on a lot but it's my favourite course at Bandon.

I love Old Mac

[jvincent]

2 hours ago, Mullenboy said:

Interesting.  I haven't heard Old Mac get beat on much besides by me.  It's pretty beloved, as the ranking suggests.

 

Since it's your favourite course though... I have to ask... have you played it in winter wind?

 

I'm sure I must have. Is #4 into the wind or downwind for the normal winter wind?

[knock it close]

14 hours ago, jvincent said:

 

I'm sure I must have. Is #4 into the wind or downwind for the normal winter wind?

down off the left

[jvincent]

33 minutes ago, knock it close said:

down off the left

 

The last few times I've played it's been into the wind IIRC. 

[WesternRacing]

I just noticed that PGA Frisco is #34.  Double LOL.

 

How Poppy Hills isn’t on this list when courses like PGA Frisco, or even CordeValle, are, is beyond me.

[Yoshifan151]

On 7/10/2025 at 5:51 PM, jvincent said:

I'm sure I must have. Is #4 into the wind or downwind for the normal winter wind?

#4 plays into the wind in the winter.

 

Old Mac is an awesome golf course, in my personal top 3 and my fav at Bandon, but gets a lot of hate for how giant the greens are. Likely by duffers that can't hit it close and have to putt from a long ways away.

[sabram]

15 hours ago, Yoshifan151 said:

Old Mac is an awesome golf course, in my personal top 3 and my fav at Bandon, but gets a lot of hate for how giant the greens are. Likely by duffers that can't hit it close and have to putt from a long ways away.

But putting from a long ways away is easier for most duffers than a greenside sand shot or chip from rough, and better than if the ball eas in a pond, all of which would be common results if the greens were " normal" sized with "normal" surrounding features

[Yoshifan151]

23 minutes ago, sabram said:

But putting from a long ways away is easier for most duffers than a greenside sand shot or chip from rough, and better than if the ball eas in a pond, all of which would be common results if the greens were " normal" sized with "normal" surrounding features

Which makes total sense, but with Rustic Canyon near me a common complaint is the same thing, generally from average/higher caps that don't like it (although it's not common to find people who aren't fans). Who knows lol.

[carrera]

Old Mac always a favorite of mine and playing partners on trips to Bandon.  My favorite on property is Trails, but my least favorite (except for hole #1) is Sheep Ranch, so I'm not just a C&C fanboy.

[sabram]

2 hours ago, Yoshifan151 said:

Which makes total sense, but with Rustic Canyon near me a common complaint is the same thing, generally from average/higher caps that don't like it (although it's not common to find people who aren't fans). Who knows lol.

No golf course architect will ever please everyone 😁

[Mullenboy]

52 minutes ago, carrera said:

Old Mac always a favorite of mine and playing partners on trips to Bandon.  My favorite on property is Trails, but my least favorite (except for hole #1) is Sheep Ranch, so I'm not just a C&C fanboy.

Old Mac has always been the least favorite of mine and playing partners on trips to Bandon.  My favorite on property is Trails and second favorite is Pacific, so I'm not sure what fanboy that makes me if any.  

 

😉

[sabram]

56 minutes ago, Mullenboy said:

Old Mac has always been the least favorite of mine and playing partners on trips to Bandon.  My favorite on property is Trails and second favorite is Pacific, so I'm not sure what fanboy that makes me if any.  

I think there is a wide diversity of opinions about the Bandon courses because the courses are pretty different from one another. Same thing with Sand Valley.

[slytown]

Good to see Michigan courses still up there. I do wish there were more public courses on here. Cost and accessibility need to be factored in more if Golf Digest wants to grow the game.

[jwhite86]

4. Whistling Straits: Straits Course
17. Blackwolf Run: River
21. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Sand Valley
23. Kapalua: Plantation
25. Sand Valley Golf Resort: Mammoth Dunes
49. SentryWorld Golf Club
55. Greywalls at Marquette Golf Club
65. Whistling Straits: Irish Course
66. The Golf Courses of Lawsonia: Links
92. Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys

 

10/100

 

Guess where I live? 

 

Can't wait to get back to SV and check a couple of others off the list. Also need to hit up Erin Hills to complete the in-state rotation.
 

[SilverBullets]

28 for me. 7 of the top 10 which is nice. 

 

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links
2. Pacific Dunes
4. Whistling Straits: Straits Course
5. Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course
6. Pinehurst #2
9. Bandon Dunes
10. Erin Hills Golf Course

11. Bandon Trails
13. Spyglass Hill Golf Course
14. Old Macdonald
16. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (Bluffs)
17. Blackwolf Run: River
19. Chambers Bay
23. Kapalua: Plantation
28. Harbour Town Golf Links
32. Pinehurst #4
37. Forest Dunes Golf Club
44. Tobacco Road Golf Club
53. Arcadia Bluffs South Course
54. The Links At Spanish Bay
60. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

61. Tetherow Golf Club
63. The Loop: Black
65. Whistling Straits: Irish Course
68. The Loop (Red)
92. Blackwolf Run: Meadow Valleys
93. Quintero Golf Club
100. Bay Harbor Golf Club: Links/Quarry

[Kent01putt]

On 7/3/2025 at 6:56 AM, Argonne69 said:

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.

 

I have 97 of the present top 100 done.