I love golf. I don’t just like playing, I also tinker with clubs, changing grips and shafts (he-he). I have a healthy obsession with buying clubs, testing them, and then, ultimately, reselling them. Usually, this produces no profit whatsoever. I don’t have the business acumen when it comes to golf equipment. While I like playing the public and municipal courses in my area, I have a hankering for playing the “big boys”. Golf is one of the few sports where you can play where the professionals play. Imagine thinking you’re going to play a 3-on-3 pick-up game at Madison Square Garden, or a beer league softball game at Wrigley Field.
A few things are stopping me, however. The first, and most important, is my family (hope my wife is reading this). It would be irresponsible of me to be away weekend after weekend to play golf while my family is home eating scraps. *Insert wink*
The second is the ever-increasing prices you have to pay to play these beauties. As much as I would love to beat the shit out of these places for charging this much, I can’t blame them. People are coming and paying in droves, so why wouldn’t they make as much as they could? Capitalism, baby. I am just one good lottery ticket from checking these courses off, one by one.
Before we start, I’d like to admit, I have played some of the courses listed in Golf Digest’s Top 100 Public Courses in America. Not to name-drop, but you will not be seeing the likes of Bay Hill, TPC Sawgrass, or Shadow Creek on this list because I have played them. No big deal.
So, let’s pretend money is no option and my wife gave me the golfing equivalent of a hall pass. Here are the top 10 (public) golf courses that are on my bucket list:
10) French Lick Golf Resort
This one is simple. I’m a Larry Bird fan and he holds the title for the greatest nickname, “The Hick from French Lick”. I didn’t think there was much in French Lick, Indiana besides Larry Legend billboards everywhere, but I was wrong.
This course was built by legendary course architect, Pete Dye, on a mountaintop, the highest point in Indiana. I haven’t done much navigating of Indiana, and, I don’t really know what it has to offer besides Bob Knight and Hoosiers, but this makes me want to find out.
9) Chambers Bay
Home of the 2015 U.S. Open and a complete Dustin Johnson meltdown, Chambers Bay is one of the newer courses in the USA, located in Washington state. The course was built on an old, abandoned sand quarry and opened in 2007. There are train tracks that run alongside two holes and the course overlooks the Puget Sound. A big highlight for me is that Chambers Bay is walking only; no carts are allowed. Give me that Caddie and let’s have some fun.
8) Wolf Creek
Located 80 miles out side of Las Vegas in Mesquite, NV, Wolf Creek was my go-to golf course in the Tiger Woods video game on PlayStation 2. It’s a golf course that gives you that visual “wow factor” just by looking at the pictures. There’s perfectly manicured green grass dropped into orangish-brown canyon walls. How about a tee box that’s located over 100 ft over the fairway? This course is an orgasm for the eyes and I’m here for all of it.
7) Cabot Cliffs
We’re going north of the border for this course. Cabot Cliffs are located in Nova Scotia and is constantly ranked the #1 course in Canada. Like Wolf Creek, this one clicks all the boxes when it comes to visuals. There are dunes all over the course, large cliffs, over 100 ft in height, dropping into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Let’s go, eh?
6) Pebble Beach
Many people (and most lists) have Pebble Beach ranked as their #1 golf course in the USA. It is in the rotation of courses for the U.S. Open and, yes, Tiger Woods has won here. Beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean are aplenty and there are signature holes all over the course. While I have not played the course, I have walked the grounds and it met all expectations. As of 2023, the cost for one golfer was $625. Giddy up.
5) The Loop at Forest Dunes
This may be one of the selections where you say “Never heard of that course”. Let me tell you why it makes the list. This 18-hole course is ranked one of the best in Michigan. What makes it unique is that the course is reversible. Meaning, that you play the course one way and then come back and play it in the opposite direction. It plays like two completely different golf courses.
4) St. Andrews
The “Home of Golf” has to be on any list. Golf has been being played on this piece of land for over 600 years, don’t ask me how. Hosting the Open Championship (British Open) every five years; Tiger Woods has won here (twice), Jack Nicklaus has won here, Nick Faldo has won here, and, my hero, John Daly has won here. If you can handle the Scottish wind and rain, this is the Mecca of Golf.
3) Bandon Dunes
This is a conglomerate of courses. Bandon Dunes is not only the name of a course, but it’s also a resort. Five out of the six courses at the resort are ranked in the top 20 public courses in the USA, according to Golf Digest. In order, they are Pacific Dunes (#2), Bandon Dunes (#7), Bandon Trails (#11), Old Macdonald (#13), and Sheep Ranch (#16). That’s a pretty impressive feat if you as me. Again, these courses are walking only, so right off the bat, I’m interested.
2) Cabot Citrus Farms
The ultimate guys’ trip getaway. Located about an hour outside of Tampa, FL, Citrus Farms is a resort that was rebuilt on the property of the old World Woods golf courses. The resort hosts two 18-hole courses, one 9-hole course, with holes ranging from 100 yards to 550 yards called “The Squeeze, and an 11-hole, par 3 course called “The Wedge”. Want to know what makes “The Wedge” even cooler? It is illuminated and can be played all night. Grab a couple clubs, a case of beer, and go have yourself a great time.
1) Payne’s Valley Golf Course
Located just outside of Branson, Missouri, this is Tiger Woods’ first ever designed course, paying tribute to Payne Stewart (look him up). Called the “19th Wonder of the World”, the course overlooks the Ozark Mountains and has some insane water features. The course has a 19th hole, “Big Rock”, which is a par-3 with an island green, built into the limestone rock (pictured above). It’s a awesome way to end a round. Did I mention Tiger Woods designed this course?
