Guru's Top 100 Public Golf Courses

Below is the Gurus list of the top 100 public access golf courses in America that we've played. This list gets updated annually after incorporating new courses played each year. Note that while some clubs have memberships, if the club regularly offers tee times to the public then it qualifies for this list.

Top 10 Public Courses

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links (Jack Neville and Douglas Grant 1919/H. Chandler Egan 1929, Pebble Beach, CA)
2. Pacific Dunes Golf Course (Tom Doak 2001, Bandon, OR)
3. Chambers Bay Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2007, University Place, WA)
4. Bandon Dunes Golf Course (David McLay Kidd 1999, Bandon, OR)
5. Manele Golf Course (Jack Nicklaus 1993, Lanai City, HI)
6. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course (Warren Henderson and Rick Smith 2000, Arcadia, MI)
7. The Prairie Club (Dunes) (Tom Lehman and Chris Brands 2010, Valentine, NE)
8. Kapalua Resort (Plantation) (Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore 1991, Maui, HI)
9. Kiawah Island (Ocean) (Pete Dye 1991, Kiawah Island, SC)
10. Bethpage State Park (Black) (A.W. Tillinghast 1936, Farmingdale, NY)

Public Courses 11-20

11. Whistling Straits (Straits) (Pete Dye 1998, Sheboygan, WI)
12. Tobacco Road Golf Club (Mike Strantz 1998, Sanford, NC)
13. Erin Hills Golf Course (Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten 2006, Hartford, WI)
14. Mauna Kea Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1965, Kohala Coast, HI)
15. Mammoth Dunes (David McLay Kidd 2018, Nekoosa, WI)
16. Streamsong Resort (Black) (Gil Hanse 2017, Streamsong, FL)
17. Streamsong Resort (Red) (Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore 2012, Streamsong, FL)
18. Sand Valley (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw 2017, Nekoosa, WI)
19. The Golf Courses at Lawsonia (Links) (William Langford and Theodore Moreau 1930, Green Lake, WI)
20. Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside) (Sea Island, GA)

Public Courses 21-30

21. Makai Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1971/2010, Princeville, Kauai, HI)
22. Shadow Creek Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1989, North Las Vegas, NV)
23. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium) (Pete Dye 1980, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL)
24. Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club (Ken Dye 2000, Sandia Park, NM)
25. Dormie Club (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2010, West End, NC)
26. Old Macdonald (Tom Doak/Jim Urbina 2010, Bandon, OR)
27. Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course (George Fazio 1968, Stateline, NV)
28. Bandon Trails (Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore 2005, Bandon, OR)
29. Streamsong Resort (Blue) (Tom Doak 2012, Streamsong, FL)
30. Pinehurst Resort No.2 (Donald Ross 1907/Crenshaw&Coore 2010, Pinehurst, NC)

Public Courses 31-40

31. Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1966, Pebble Beach, CA)
32. Pronghorn Golf Club (Nicklaus) (Jack Nicklaus 2004, Bend, OR)
33. Highland course at Primland (Donald Steel 2006, Meadows of Dan, VA)
34. The Quarry at Giants Ridge (Jeffrey Bauer 2003, Biwabik, MN)
35. Wolf Creek Golf Club (Dennis Ryder 2000, Mesquite, NV)
36. The Wilderness Club (Nick Faldo 2009, Eureka, MT)
37. Pasatiempo Golf Club (Alister MacKenzie 1929, Santa Cruz, CA)
38. Sand Hollow Golf Club (John Fought 2008, Hurricane, UT)
39. Poipu Bay Resort (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1991, Koloa, Kauai, HI)
40. Hokuala Resort (Ocean) (Jack Nicklaus 1988, Lihue, Kauai, HI)

Public Courses 41-50

41. Tidewater Golf Club (Ken Tomlinson 1990, North Myrtle Beach, SC)
42. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club (Mike Strantz 1994, Pawleys Island, SC)
43. True Blue Golf Club (Mike Strantz 1998, Pawleys Island, SC)
44. World Woods (Pine Barrens) (Tom Fazio 1993, Brooksville, FL)
45. Wine Valley Golf Club (Dan Hixson 2009, Walla Walla, WA)
46. Cascades Golf Course at Omni Homestead Resort (William Flynn 1923, Hot Springs, VA)
47. Blackwolf Run (River) (Pete Dye 1988, Kohler, WI)
48. Gamble Sands Golf Course (David McLay Kidd 2014, Brewster, WA)
49. Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead) (Larry Packard 1970, Palm Harbor, FL)
50. Whiskey Creek Golf Club (J. Michael Poellot and Ernie Els 2011, Ijamsville, MD)

Public Courses 51-100

51. Salish Cliffs Golf Club (Gene Bates 2011, Shelton, WA)
52. Circling Raven Golf Club (Gene Bates 2003, Worley, ID)
53. Lakota Canyon Ranch Golf Club (Jim Engh 2004, New Castle, CO)
54. Redlands Mesa Golf Club (Jim Engh 2001, Grand Junction, CO)
55. Silvies Valley Ranch (Hankins) (Dan Hixson 2017, Seneca, OR)
56. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock) (Dan Hixson 2017, Seneca, OR)
57. Shepherd's Rock Golf Course (Pete Dye 2017, Farmington, PA)
58. Mystic Rock Golf Course (Pete Dye 1995, Farmington, PA)
59. Hualalai Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1996, Kailua-Kona, HI)
60. The Dunes Golf and Beach Club (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1948, remodel 1978/1993, Myrtle Beach, SC)

61. Bulle Rock (Pete Dye 1998, Havre de Grace, MD)
62. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro) (Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore 2006, Fort McDowell, AZ)
63. We-Ko-Pa (Cholla) (Scott Miller 2001, Fort McDowell, AZ)
64. Cog Hill Golf and Country Club (Dubsdread) (Dick Wilson 1964, Lemont, IL)
65. Ironbridge Golf Club (Arthur Hills 2003, Glenwood Springs, CO)
66. Barefoot Resort (Love) (Davis Lovee III 2000, North Myrtle Beach, SC)
67. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay (Jeffrey Bauer 2004, Tower, MN)
68. Headwaters Golf Club at Teton Springs (Gary Stephenson/Steve Jones/Byron Nelson 2004, Victor, ID)
69. The Greenbrier (The Old White TPC) (C.B. Macdonald 1914, White Sulpher Springs, WV)
70. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms (Jack Nicklaus 2003, Sheboygan Falls, WI)

71. Whistling Straits (Irish) (Pete Dye 2000, Sheboygan, WI)
72. The Links at Spanish Bay (Robert Trent Jones Jr./Sandy Tatum/Tom Watson 1987, Pebble Beach, CA)
73. Wailea Resort (Gold) (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1994, Kihei, HI)
74. Wailea Resort (Emerald) (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1994, Kihei, HI)
75. Karsten Creek Golf Club (Tom Fazio 1994, Stillwater, OK)
76. Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean) (Jack Nicklaus 2000, Palm Coast, FL)
77. The Gallery Golf Club (South) (John Fought 2003, Marana, AZ)
78. The Creek at Qualchan (William Robinson 1992, Spokane, WA)
79. Dunes at Maui Lani (Robin Nelson 1999, Maui, HI)
80. Mauna Lani Golf Course (South) (Robin Nelson 1981, Kohala Coast, HI)

81. Cascata Golf Club (Rees Jones 2000, Boulder City, NV)
82. Red Sky Golf Club (Norman) (Greg Norman 2003, Wolcott, CO)
83. Grand National Golf Club (Links) (Robert Trent Jones Jr.1992, Opelika, AL)
84. Troon North Golf Club (Pinnacle) (Tom Weiskopf 1996/reroute 2007, Scottsdale, AZ)
85. TPC Myrtle Beach (Tom Fazio 1999, Murrells Inlet, SC)
86. Forest Dunes Golf Club (Tom Weiskopf 2002, Roscommon, MI)
87. Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Ghost Creek) (Bob Cupp 1991, North Plains, OR)
88. Harbour Town Golf Links (Pete Dye 1969, Hilton Head Island, SC)
89. Crosswater Golf Club (Bob Cupp 1995, Sunriver, OR)
90. Old Corkscrew Golf Course (Jack Nicklaus 2007, Estero, FL)

91. Half Moon Bay (Ocean) (Arthur Hills 1997, Half Moon Bay, CA)
92. Rio Secco Golf Club (Rees Jones 1997, Henderson, NV)
93. Reflection Bay Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1998, Henderson, NV)
94. TPC Scottsdale (Stadium) (Tom Weiskopf 1986, Scottsdale, AZ)
95. Palouse Ridge Golf Club (John Harbottle 2008, Pullman, WA)
96. The Idaho Club (Jack Nicklaus 2008, Sandpoint, ID)
97. The Boulders Golf Club (South) (Jay Morrish 1983, Scottsdale, AZ)
98. Old Works Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 1997, Anaconda, MT)
99. French Lick Resort (Dye) (Pete Dye 2009, French Lick, IN)
100. Kapalua Resort (Bay) (Arnold Palmer 1975, Lahaina, HI)

The Next 100

101. Black Horse Golf Club (Edwin Carnes 1964/Gene Bates 2008, Seaside, CA)
102. Pinehurst Resort No.9 (Jack Nicklaus 1989, Pinehurst, NC)
103. Gold Mountain Golf Course (Olympic) (John Harbottle 1996, Bremerton, WA)
104. Rock Hollow Golf Course (Tim Liddy 1994, Peru, IN)
105. Atunyote at Turning Stone Resort (Tom Fazio 2004, Verona, NY)
106. Twin Warriors Golf Club (Gary Panks 2001, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM)
107. Bandon Crossings (Dan Hisxon 2007, Bandon, OR)
108. TPC Four Seasons at Las Colinas (Jay Morrish 1983/D.A. Weibring and STeve Wolford 2009, Irving, TX)
109. The Prairie Club (Pines) (Graham Marsh 2010, Valentine, NE)
110. Teton Pines Resort (Arnold Palmer 1987, Jackson, WY)
111. University of New Mexico (Championship) (Robert 'Red' Lawrence 1967, Albuquerque, NM)
112. Indian Wells Resort (Players) (John Fought 2007, Indian Wells, CA)
113. SentryWorld Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1982, Stevens Point, WI)
114. Coeur d'Alene Resort (Scott Miller 1991, Coeur d'Alene, ID)
115. Aviara at Four Seasons (Arnold Palmer 1991, Carlsbad, CA)
116. The Course at Wente Vineyards (Greg Norman 1998, Livermore, CA)
117. Golden Horseshoe Resort (Gold) (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1963, Williamsburg, VA)
118. SunRidge Canyon Golf Club (Keith Foster 1995, Fountain Hils, AZ)
119. Black Mesa Golf Club (Baxter Spann 2003, Espanola, NM)
120. The Broadmoor Golf Club (East) (Donald Ross 1918 and Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1952, Colorado Springs, CO)
121. Falcon Crest Golf Course (Hans Borbonus 2001, Kuna, ID)
122. Barton Creek Resort (Fazio Canyons) (Tom Fazio 1999, Austin, TX)
123. Troon North Golf Club (Monument) (Tom Weiskopf 1990, Scottsdale, AZ)
124. Pinehurst Resort No.4 (Donald Ross 1919/Tom Fazio 2000, Pinehurst, NC)
125. CordeValle Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1999, San Martin, CA)
126. Bear Mountain Resort (Don Barth/Robert Yount 2005, Chelan, WA)
127. Pine Needles Golf Club (Donald Ross 1928, Southern Pines, NC)
128. Spring Creek Golf Club (Ed Carton 2006, Zion Crossroads, VA)
129. Poppy Hills Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1986, Pebble Beach, CA)
130. Thanksgiving Point Golf Club (Johnny Miller 1997, Lehi, UT)
131. Cape Fear National (Tim Cate 2010, Wilmington, NC)
132. Coyote Springs Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus 2008, Coyote Springs, NV)
133. Grand at Del Mar (Tom Fazio 1999, San Diego, CA)
134. Red Sky Golf Club (Fazio) (Tom Fazio 2002, Wolcott, CO)
135. Legends Resort (Heathland) (Tom Doak 1990, Myrtle Beach, SC)
136. Trump National Golf Links Los Angeles (Donald Trump 2005, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA)
137. Puakea Golf Course (Robin Nelson 1997, Lihue, HI)
138. Tetherow Golf Club (David McLay Kidd 2008, Bend, OR)
139. Brickyard Crossing Golf Course (Pete Dye 1993, Indianapolis, IN)
140. Valley View Golf Course (William Hull 1974, Layton, UT)
141. Quintero Golf and Country Club (Rees Jones 2000, Peoria, AZ)
142. Desert Canyon Golf Resort (Jack Frei 1993, Orondo, WA)
143. The Golf Club at Stonelick Hills (Jeff Osterfeld 2004, Batabia, OH)
144. Sun Valley Resort (Trail Creek) (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1980/William P. Bell 1937/George Von Elm 1960, Sun Valley, ID)
145. Wild Horse Golf Club (Dave Axland and Dan Proctor 1999, Gothenburg, NE)
146. The Classic at Madden's Resort (Scott Hoffman 1996, Brainerd, MN)
147. Deacon's Lodge at Breezy Point (Arnold Palmer 1999, Breezy Point, MN)
148. Indian Canyon Golf Course (H. Chandler Egan 1935, Spokane, WA)
149. Arrowhead Country Club (Raymond Floyd 1994, Myrtle Beach, SC)
150. Rustic Canyon Golf Course (Gil Hanse 2002, Moorpark, CA)
151. Cherokee Run Country Club (Arnold Palmer 1995, Conyers, GA)
152. Suncadia Resort (Prospector) (Arnold Palmer 2005, Cle Elum, WA)
153. Soldier Hollow Golf Course (Gold) (Gene Bates 2004, Midway, UT)
154. Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course (Jim Engh 1999, Castle Rock, CO)
155. Bald Head Island (George Cobb 1974/Tim Cate 2010, Bald Head Island, NC)
156. Juniper Golf Club (John Harbottle 2004, Redmond, OR)
157. Kona Country Club (William P. Bell 1966, Kailua-Kona, HI)
158. Bali Hai Golf Course (Lee Schmidt and Bill Curley 2000, Las Vegas, NV)
159. Shenendoah at Turning Stone Resort (Rick Smith 2000, Verona, NY)
160. Jug Mountain Ranch (Donald Knott 2004, McCall, ID)
161. Royal Links Golf Course (Pete Dye 1998, Las Vegas, NV)
162. Potomac Shores Golf Course (Jack Nicklaus 2014, Dumfries, VA)
163. Ridge at Castle Pines North (Tom Weiskopf 1997, Castle Rock, CO)
164. Brasada Ranch Golf Club (Peter Jacobsen 2007, Powell Butte, OR)
165. TPC Harding Park (Willie Watson 1925, San Francisco, CA)
166. Coral Canyon Golf Course (Keith Foster 2000, Washington, UT)
167. Wasatch State Park (Mountain) (William Neff 1972, Midway, UT)
168. Kaluhyat at Turning Stone Resort (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2003, Verona, NY)
169. Sky Mountain Golf Course (Jeff Hardin 1994, Washington, UT)
170. Apple Tree Resort (John Steidel 1992, Yakima, WA)
171. Conestoga Golf Club (Gary Panks 2010, Mesquite, NV)
172. Augusta Pines Golf Club (Dave Relford 2000, Spring, TX)
173. Golf Club of Houston (Tournament) (Rees Jones 2005, Humble, TX)
174. Maui Nui Golf Course (Bill Newis 1987, Kihei, HI)
175. Loomis Trail Golf Course (Graham Cooke 1992, Blaine, WA)
176. Florence Golf Links (Rees Jones 1993, Florence, OR)
177. Kiahuna Golf Course (Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1984, Poipu, HI)
178. Lincoln Park Municipal Golf Course (West) (Art Jackson 1921, Oklahoma City, OK)
179. Oasis Golf Club (Palmer) (Arnold Palmer 1995, Mesquite, NV)
180. Black Butte Ranch (Glaze) (Gene Mason 1982, Black Butte Ranch, OR)
181. Bear's Best Las Vegas (Jack Nicklaus 2002, Las Vegas, NV)
182. TPC Sawgrass (Dye Valley) (Pete Dye 1987, Ponte Verda Beach, FL)
183. Whitetail Resort (Andy North and Roger Packard 2002, McCall, ID)
184. Gladstan Golf Course (William Neff 1988/Gene Bates 2007, Payson, UT)
185. Mid Pines Golf Club (Donald Ross 1921, Southern Pines, NC)
186. Atlantic City Country Club (John Reid 1897/Willie Park Jr. 1915/Toomey and Flynn 1925/Tom Doak 1999, Northfield, NJ)
187. Bayonet Golf Course (Robert McClure 1954/Gene Bates 2008, Seaside, CA)
188. Incline Village (Championship) (Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1964, Incline Village, NV)
189. Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club (Bob Baldock 1965, Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1973, Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2007, Jackson, WY)
190. Papago Golf Course (William F. Bell 1963, Phoenix, AZ)
191. Reunion Resort (Palmer) (Arnold Palmer 2004, Reunion, FL)
192. Aspen Lakes (William Overdorf 1997, Sisters, OR)
193. Fossil Trace Golf Club (Jim Engh 2003, Golden, CO)
194. McCormick Woods Golf Course (Jack Frei 1987, Port Orchard, WA)
195. Black Butte Ranch (Big) (Robert Muir Graves 1970, Black Butte Ranch, OR)
196. Harbour Pointe Golf Club (Arthur Hills 1990, Mukilteo, WA)
197. Bountiful Ridge Golf Course (William Neff 1975, Bountiful, UT)
198. Pacific Groves Golf Links (H. Chandler Egan 1932, Pacific Grove, CA)
199. Paiute (Wolf) (Pete Dye 2001, Las Vegas, NV)
200. Semiahmoo Resort (Arnold Palmer 1987, Blaine, WA)