Showcases the best places for recreational golfers to play where the pros play, and more
ORLANDO, Florida – Part of the uniqueness of golf is that any recreational golfer can play some of the very same courses they see the pros play on TV every week, as well as hundreds more that host the sport’s most prestigious tournaments.
With bucket lists everywhere in mind, NBC Sports Next’s GolfPass has just released its latest Top 100 list, America’s Top 100 Tournament Golf Courses You Can Play.
To determine its rankings, the editorial team at GolfPass examined the tournament histories of America’s best public and resort courses, from those that have hosted professional events on golf’s major tours, including the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour, to venues where some of the biggest championships are held by the PGA of America and United States Golf Association – even courses hosting college and elite junior tournaments.
“We love this list because it identifies many of America’s top public and resort courses for their commitment to host premier tournaments,” said Jason Scott Deegan, managing editor at GolfPass. “We took into account each course’s tournament history, difficulty, stature in the game and came out with an incredible mix of places to play. It’s not just about playing where the pros play either. We included top college courses and excellent daily fee courses that host prominent amateur and club pro events, as well.”
Both California and Florida each have six ranked courses in the top 25 on the list, including gems like Northern California’s Pebble Beach Golf Links, which has hosted six U.S. Open Championships, more than any other course over the past 50 years; and Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, which has invited the PGA TOUR’s best pros to compete at The King’s Florida home every spring since 1979.Deegan said his team tried to balance a course’s tournament pedigree against its difficulty and critical acclaim.
Golfers also can book tee times – or even a golf vacation – to many of the tournament venues on the list directly from the articles on GolfPass.
Below are the top 25-ranked courses on the America’s Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play list, which are presented in three articles highlighting 1-25, 26-50, and 51-100, including course descriptions. These lists and the popular Golfers’ Choice lists, can be found in the Travel section on GolfPass.
- Pinehurst No. 2, N.C.
- Pebble Beach Golf Links, Calif.
- PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Fla.
- Bethpage Black, N.Y.
- Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, S.C.
- Straits Course at Whistling Straits, Wis.
- South Course at Torrey Pines, Calif.
- South Course at Firestone Country Club, Ohio
- Harbour Town at Sea Pines Resort, S.C.
- TPC Harding Park, Calif.
- Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Fla.
- Erin Hills, Wis.
- Chambers Bay, Wash.
- Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii
- Stadium Course at PGA West, Calif.
- Champion Course at PGA National Golf Resort & Spa, Fla.
- Shadow Creek, Nev.
- Spyglass Hill at Pebble Beach Resorts, Calif.
- Blue Monster at Trump National Doral Miami, Fla.
- Copperhead at Innisbrook Resort, Fla.
- North Course at La Costa Resort & Spa, Calif.
- Gold Course at Tiburon, Fla.
- Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club, Ariz.
- Seaside Course at Sea Island, Ga.