Golfweek's Best Courses You Can Play 2024: Top 100 U.S. public-access layouts, ranked

Looking to play any of the best public-access courses in the United States? We’ve got you covered with Golfweek’s Best 2024 list of the Top 100 Best Courses You Can Play. 

Each year we publish many lists, and this selection of public-access layouts is among the premium offerings. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce these rankings. The top handful of courses in the world have an average rating of above 9, while many excellent layouts fall into the high-6 to 8 range.

• Top public-access course in each state
• How we rank courses

All the courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time.

Each course is listed with its 2023 ranking in parenthesis in the title line with its average rating next to the name, the location, the designer(s) and whether it is a Classic course (opened before 1960) or Modern (1960 and later).

KEY: (m) modern; (c) classic. 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 or Classic courses in the U.S.

* Indicates new to or returning to this list.

Nos. 1-20

1. Pebble Beach Resorts (Pebble Beach Golf Links) (1) 8.75Pebble Beach, Calif.; Jack Neville, Douglas Grant (10c)

2. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Pacific Dunes) (2) 8.52Bandon, Ore.; Tom Doak (3m)

3. Pinehurst No. 2 (3) 8.27Pinehurst, N.C.; Donald Ross (18c)

T4. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Old Macdonald) (4) 8.10Bandon, Ore.; Tom Doak, Jim Urbina (T8m)

T4. Kohler Whistling Straits (Straits) (5) 8.10Mosel, Wis.; Pete Dye (T8m)

6. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Trails) (7) 8.07Bandon, Ore.; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (11m)

7. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes) (6) 8.03Bandon, Ore.; David McLay Kidd (12m)

8. Shadow Creek (8) 7.98North Las Vegas, Nev.; Tom Fazio (13m)

9. Bethpage State Park (Black) (10) 7.97Farmingdale, N.Y.; A.W. Tillinghast (26c)

10. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean) (9) 7.95Kiawah Island, S.C.; Pete Dye (14m)

11. Pasatiempo (12) 7.82Santa Cruz, Calif.; Alister MacKenzie (36c)

12. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium) (13) 7.76Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Pete Dye (22m)

T13. Pebble Beach Resorts (Spyglass Hill) (14) 7.71Pebble Beach, Calif.; Robert Trent Jones Sr. (T24m)

T13. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Sheep Ranch) (11) 7.71Bandon, Ore.; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (T24m)

15. Sand Valley (Lido)* 7.63Nekoosa, Wis.; Charles Blair Macdonald, Tom Doak, Brian Schneider (32m)

16. Four Seasons Resort Lanai (Manele) (16) 7.60Lanai, Hawaii; Jack Nicklaus (35m)

17. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes) (17) 7.55Nekoosa, Wis.; David McLay Kidd (36m)

T18. Sand Valley (Sand Valley) (18) 7.51Nekoosa, Wis.; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (T37m)

T18. Streamsong (Red) (19) 7.51Bowling Green, Fla.; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (T37m)

T20. Landmand (14) 7.49Homer, Neb.; Tad King, Rob Collins (T40m)

T20. Chambers Bay (21) 7.49University Place, Wash.; Robert Trent Jones Jr., Bruce Charlton, Jay Blasi (T40m)

T20. Kapalua (Plantation) (20) 7.49Maui, Hawaii; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (T40m)

Nos. 21-40

23. Gamble Sands (22) 7.40Brewster, Wash.; David McLay Kidd (T49m)

24. Streamsong (Blue) (24) 7.36Bowling Green, Fla.; Tom Doak (T53m)

25. Lawsonia (Links) (23) 7.35Green Lake, Wis.; William B. Langford, Theodore J. Moreau (T66c)

26. Sea Pines Resort (Harbour Town GL) (26) 7.31Hilton Head Island, S.C.; Pete Dye (59m)

27. Erin Hills (28) 7.30Erin, Wis.; Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, Ron Whitten (T60m)

28. Streamsong (Black) (25) 7.26Bowling Green, Fla.; Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner (T67m)

T29. Sea Island GC (Seaside) (30) 7.23St. Simons Island, Ga.; Charles H. Alison, Harry S. Colt, Joe Lee, Tom Fazio (T71m)

T29. The Park West Palm* 7.23West Palm Beach, Fla.; Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner (T71m)

31. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs) (27) 7.20Arcadia, Mich.; Warren Henderson, Rick Smith (T77m)

32. Black Desert Resort* 7.19Ivins, Utah; Tom Weiskopf, Phil Smith (81m)

T33. Karsten Creek (31) 7.17Stillwater, Okla.; Tom Fazio (T83m)

T33. Fallen Oak (29) 7.17Saucier, Miss.; Tom Fazio (T83m)

35. Sweetens Cove (32) 7.14South Pittsburg, Tenn.; Tad King, Rob Collins (90m)

36. Primland (Highland) (33) 7.11Meadows of Dan, Va.; Donald Steel (T92m)

T37. Prairie Club (Dunes) (33) 7.10Valentine, Neb.; Tom Lehman, Chris Brands (94m)

T37. Omni Homestead Resort (Cascades) (35) 7.10Hot Springs, Va.; William S. Flynn (T98c)

39. Pinehurst No. 4 (36) 7.08Pinehurst, N.C.; Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner (95m)

40. Marquette GC (Greywalls) (38) 7.01Marquette, Mich.; Mike Devries (T107m)

Nos. 41-60

41. Wild Horse (40) 6.99Gothenburg, Neb.; Dave Axland, Dan Proctor (113m)

42. Torrey Pines (South) (39) 6.96San Diego, Calif.; William F. Bell, Rees Jones (T116c)

43. Mystic Creek (37) 6.95El Dorado, Ark.; Ken Dye (m)

T44. Giants Ridge (Quarry) (47) 6.94Biwabik, Minn.; Jeff Brauer (T122m)

T44. Silvies Valley Ranch (Hankins) (43) 6.94Seneca, Ore.; Dan Hixson (T122m)

46. Mossy Oak (43) 6.93West Point, Miss.; Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner (T129m)

T47. Forest Dunes (The Loop Red & Black) (42) 6.91Roscommon, Mich.; Tom Doak (T134m)

T47. Wine Valley (41) 6.91Walla Walla, Wash.; Dan Hixson (T134m)

49. PaaKo Ridge (49) 6.90Sandia Park, N.M.; Ken Dye (T138m)

T50. Lajitas Golf Resort (Black Jack’s Crossing) (53) 6.88Lajitas, Texas; Lanny Wadkins (T143m)

T50. Kohler Blackwolf Run (River) (45) 6.88Kohler, Wis.; Pete Dye (T143m)

T52. Mid Pines (47) 6.87Southern Pines, N.C.; Donald Ross, Kyle Franz (T131c)

T52. Rustic Canyon (58) 6.87Moorpark, Calif.; Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner, Geoff Shackelford (T147m)

54. Sand Hollow (Championship) (49) 6.85Hurricane, Utah; John Fought, Andy Staples (T154m)

T55. Yocha Dehe at Cache Creek Casino (46) 6.82Brooks, Calif.; Brad Bell (m)

T55. French Lick Resort (Pete Dye) (51) 6.82French Lick, Ind.; Pete Dye (T167m)

T55. The Greenbrier (Old White) (54) 6.82White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.; Charles Blair Macdonald, Seth Raynor, Lester George (140c)

T55. Big Cedar Lodge (Ozarks National) (51) 6.82Hollister, Mo.; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (T167m)

59. Minot CC (54) 6.81Minot, N.D.; Jim Engh (m)

60. Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock) (57) 6.80Seneca, Ore.; Dan Hixson (T173m)

Nos. 61-80

61. Mauna Kea (60) 6.79Kohala Coast, Hawaii; Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones (T176m)

62. Princeville (Makai) (77) 6.76Princeville, Hawaii; Robert Trent Jones Jr. (T184m)

T63. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (65) 6.75Pawleys Island, S.C.; Michael Strantz (T187m)

T63. Omni PGA Frisco Resort (Fields Ranch East)* 6.75Frisco, Texas; Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner (T187m)

T65. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club (59) 6.74Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones (154c)

T65. Golden Horseshoe (Gold) (66) 6.74Williamsburg, Va.; Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones, Greg Muirhead (T190m)

67. Pine Needles (62) 6.71Southern Pines, N.C.; Donald Ross, John Fought, Kyle Franz (T156c)

T68. Forest Dunes (Weiskopf) (60) 6.70Roscommon, Mich.; Tom Weiskopf (T196m)

T68. Cascata (56) 6.70Boulder City, Nev.; Rees Jones (T196m)

T70. Big Cedar Lodge (Buffalo Ridge) (77) 6.68Hollister, Mo.; Tom Fazio (m) 

T70. Keswick Hall and GC (Full Cry) (66) 6.68Keswick, Va.; Pete Dye (m)

72. Hawktree (74) 6.67Bismarck, N.D.; Jim Engh (m)

T73. CordeValle (75) 6.66San Martin, Calif.; Robert Trent Jones Jr. (m)

T73. Pebble Beach Resorts (Links at Spanish Bay) (72) 6.66Pebble Beach, Calif.; Robert Trent Jones Jr., Sandy Tatum, Tom Watson (m)

T73. Cog Hill(No. 4 - Dubsdread) (66) 6.66Lemont, Ill.; Dick Wilson, Rees Jones (m)

T73. Rams Hill (70) 6.66Borrego Springs, Calif.; Tom Fazio (m)

77. Leatherstocking (62) 6.65Cooperstown, N.Y.; Devereux Emmet (T161c)

T78. Firestone (South) (64) 6.64Akron, Ohio; Bert Way, Robert Trent Jones Sr. (T165c)

T78. Bay Hill Club and Lodge (70) 6.64Orlando, Fla.; Dick Wilson, Arnold Palmer (m)

T78. Kohler Whistling Straits (Irish) (66) 6.64Mosel, Wis.; Pete Dye (m)

Nos. 81-100

T81. Old Waverly (79) 6.63West Point, Miss.; Bob Cupp, Jerry Pate (m)

T81. Hideout* 6.63Monticello, Utah; Forrest Richardson (m)

T83. Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek) (82) 6.62North Plains, Ore.; Bob Cupp, John Fought (m)

T83. Tobacco Road (79) 6.62Sanford, N.C.; Michael Strantz (m)

T83. Redlands Mesa (82) 6.62Grand Junction, Colo.; Jim Engh (m)

T83. Links of North Dakota (75) 6.62Ray, N.D.; Stephen Kay (m)

T87. Arcadia Bluffs (South)* 6.60Arcadia, Mich.; Dana Fry, Jason Straka (m)

T87. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro) (79) 6.60Fort McDowell, Ariz.; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (m)

T89. Cape Cod National (82) 6.59Brewster, Mass.; Brian Silva (m)

T89. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Great Waters) (82) 6.59Greensboro, Ga.; Jack Nicklaus (m)

T91. Breezy Point Resort (Deacon’s Lodge) 6.58Brainerd, Minn.; Arnold Palmer (m)

T91. Madden’s on Gull Lake (Classic)* 6.58Brainerd, Minn.; Scott Hoffman (m)

T91. Sunriver Resort (Crosswater) (87) 6.58Sunriver, Ore.; Bob Cupp, John Fought (m)

T94. Belvedere* 6.56Charlevoix, Mich.; William Watson, Bruce Hepner (T178c)

T94. Big Cedar Lodge (Payne’s Valley) (93) 6.56Hollister, Mo.; Tiger Woods (m)

T94. Red Sky (Fazio) (86) 6.56Wolcott, Colo.; Tom Fazio (m)

T94. Prairie Club (Pines) (90) 6.56Valentine, Neb.; Graham Marsh (m)

T94. PGA National Resort (Champion) (100) 6.56Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Tom Fazio, George Fazio, Jack Nicklaus (m)

T94. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai* 6.56Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; Jack Nicklaus (m)

100. Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point (formerly Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point)* 6.55New York, N.Y.; Jack Nicklaus, John Sanford (m)