The Most Iconic Golf Course in Every State (#15 Is Over 100 Years Old)

Golfers love checking out different courses throughout the U.S. but some courses are better known than others.

So, step up your travel game and make it a point to check out these golf courses in each state to find your next favorite or tee off where golf legends once stood.

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1. Alabama: Shoal Creek (Shoal Creek)

Courtesy of Shoal Creek

The Shoal Creek golf course opened outside of Birmingham in 1977 and has hosted several men’s and women’s championships there. The wooded course also has a clubhouse and golf shop for members.

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2. Alaska: Anchorage Golf Course (Anchorage)

Courtesy of Anchorage Golf Course

Alaska’s golf season may be shorter than other states, but you can still enjoy hitting the links from May to October at the Anchorage Golf Course. The facility also includes a restaurant with plenty of live bands to enjoy during snowier months.

3. Arizona: Grayhawk Golf Club (Scottsdale)

Courtesy of Grayhawk Golf Club

Scottsdale is known for its many courses. The city has more than 50 courses in its city limits and more than 200 courses in the surrounding areas.

Check out the Grayhawk Golf Club, which has 36 holes over two distinct courses for you to try out. The courses are also open to the public, so you don’t have to be a member to try them out.

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4. Arkansas: Hot Springs Country Club (Hot Springs)

Courtesy of Hot Springs Country Club

The Hot Springs Country Club has a rich history after being established in 1898 for golfers. The club has two courses, including one that was just renovated with the help of Master’s Champion Ben Crenshaw.

5. California: Pebble Beach Golf Links (Pebble Beach)

Courtesy of Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach Golf Links is rated the top public golf course in the U.S. for a reason. Enjoy a good game of golf with breathtaking ocean views from the fairways.

You can also take in the game as a spectator, with plenty of high-profile tournaments hosted by the course.

6. Colorado: Ballyneal Golf Club (Holyoke)

Courtesy of Ballyneal Golf Club

The Ballyneal Golf Club in the eastern plains of Colorado offers plenty of open-vista views as you play a round of golf.

The course has also been rated well in several golf publications and was also recognized for its modern course design.

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7. Connecticut: Yale Golf Course (New Haven)

Courtesy of Yale Golf Course

The Yale Golf Course, which is a century old, has a deep connection to Yale University in New Haven. You can get a discounted rate to play if you’re a faculty member or alumni.

Students also get discounted rates, and the course is used by Yale’s golf teams and its distance running teams for practice.

8. Delaware: The Peninsula Golf and Country Club (Millsboro)

Courtesy of The Peninsula Golf and Country Club

Retirees should consider The Peninsula, which features The Peninsula Golf and Country Club and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course.

The development also includes a racquet club and an athletic club for residents to enjoy.

9. Florida: TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach)

Courtesy of TPC Sawgrass

You can try your hand at one of two courses at TPC Sawgrass, including the famed Players’ Stadium course with an island green on the 17th hole.

You might also want to get tickets to watch the Players Championship, held at the club each March.

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10. Georgia: Augusta National Golf Club (Augusta)

Courtesy of Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta is not only one of the most iconic courses in Georgia but also one of the most iconic courses in the world. It also happens to be one of the most expensive country clubs around.

The course hosts the Masters tournament each year, with holes 11, 12, and 13 making up the famed Amen Corner.

11. Hawaii: Kapalua Golf (Lahaina)

Courtesy of Kapalua Golf

Kapalua Golf on the island of Maui has two courses, but the Plantation Course is one you won’t want to miss as it’s consistently ranked one of the best in the state.

The courses were closed after wildfires on the island in August and have only recently reopened. So, you may want to check on the status of the courses before you plan your next trip.

12. Idaho: Coeur d'Alene Golf Club (Coeur d'Alene)

Courtesy of Coeur d'Alene Golf Club

This public course near the border with Washington State is perfect for golfers who want to check out the 18-hole course or take in the club’s practice facilities.

It also includes tee boxes for young players to get them interested in the sport.

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13. Illinois: Chicago Golf Club (Wheaton)

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The Chicago Golf Club in the suburbs of the Windy City opened in 1894 with the last major remodel of the course in 1923, bringing an old charm feel for golfers on the course.

The course was the nation’s first 18-hole course and one of the founding members of the United States Golf Association.

14. Indiana: The Pete Dye Course at French Lick (French Lick)

Courtesy of The Pete Dye Course at French Lick

The French Lick Resort, started in the early 1800s, features the legendary Pete Dye Course.

The course has hosted several PGA and LPGA tournaments and features man-made lakes and unique elevation changes.

15. Iowa: Wakonda Club (Des Moines)

Courtesy of Wakonda Club

The Wakonda Club in Des Moines features plenty to do for the entire family, including three pools and tennis courts.

The club, which is over 100 years old, is also home to the best golf course in the state and is available for members to play a round.

16. Kansas: Prairie Dunes Country Club (Hutchinson)

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You may be surprised to find the best course in Kansas nestled in the rural countryside of Hutchinson, but the setting is perfect for the Prairie Dunes Country Club.

The course includes prairie grasses and rolling hills that could make you mistake it for a traditional Scottish course.

17. Kentucky: Valhalla Golf Club (Louisville)

Courtesy of Valhalla Golf Club

Slug it out in Louisville at the Valhalla Golf Course, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1986.

The private course has hosted PGA championships several times, including at the junior and senior levels.

18. Louisiana: TPC Louisiana (Avondale)

Courtesy of TPC Louisiana

The public TPC Louisiana course in Avondale was designed by Pete Dye and features local cypress and oak trees that dot the wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta.

It’s also a part of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program, making it a natural reserve for animals and plants.

19. Maine: Sugarloaf Golf Club (Carrabassett Valley)

Courtesy of Sugarloaf Golf Club

Enjoy the beautiful Maine scenery at the Sugarloaf Golf Club and stay a little longer than just a round of golf.

The club features stay-and-play deals that give you a discount at local resorts if you book a tee time for the course.

20. Maryland: Congressional Country Club (Bethesda)

Courtesy of Congressional Country Club

The Congressional Country Club is known for those who have played there as much as the golf course itself.

Several presidents have played the course, and the club’s early members included John D. Rockefeller, Walter Chrysler, William Randolph Hearst, and Harvey Firestone.

21. Massachusetts: The Country Club (Brookline)

Courtesy of The Country Club

The Country Club was founded in 1882 and is one of the oldest golf courses in the country. The club is one of five charter members that started the United States Golf Association in 1894 after starting as a horse-racing track.

22. Michigan: Oakland Hills Country Club (Bloomfield Township)

Courtesy of Oakland Hills Country Club

Oakland Hills Country Club was founded in 1916 and has hosted major championships, including six U.S. Opens and the Ryder Cup.

The club has two courses, including the South Course, which has been nicknamed “The Monster.”

23. Minnesota: Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska)

Courtesy of Hazeltine National Golf Club

Hazeltine features woods and water features that make it fit in with the Minnesota landscape.

The private club, founded in 1962, will host the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship and the 2029 Ryder Cup.

24. Mississippi: Fallen Oak Golf Club (Saucier)

Courtesy of Beau Rivage Resort

The Fallen Oak Golf Club near Biloxi is exclusively for guests of the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.

The resort is owned by MGM, so see if you have MGM Rewards from other properties under the company’s umbrella to get a deal on lodging while you play the course.

25. Missouri: Bellerive Country Club (St. Louis)

Courtesy of Bellerive Country Club

The Bellerive Country Club started in 1897 with a nine-hole course.

The club moved west and expanded into an 18-hole course that opened in 1960 with its legendary “Green Monsters of Ladue” and has hosted several major tournaments, including PGA championships.

26. Montana: Yellowstone Club (Big Sky)

Courtesy of Yellowstone Club

Yellowstone Club is the world’s only private, members-only club for skiing and golfing.

Check out the resort’s different options to become a member and use both the club’s mountain in the winter and the golf course in the summer.

27. Nebraska: Sand Hills Golf Club (Mullen)

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The Sand Hills Golf Club, which was started in 1995, features the natural prairie landscape of Nebraska throughout its course.

The private club’s course was designed by golf course architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

28. Nevada: Shadow Creek (Las Vegas)

Courtesy of MGM Resorts

Shadow Creek is a course fit for high rollers in Las Vegas.

A round at Shadow Creek is exclusive to guests of an MGM Resort who arrive at the course in a limousine to meet with their personal caddies for a round.

29. New Hampshire: Baker Hill Golf Club (Newbury)

Courtesy of Baker Hill Golf Club

Baker Hill Golf Club is a members-only club two hours from Boston. It features plenty of unique landscape views with an emphasis on the environment and wildlife in the area.

30. New Jersey: Baltusrol Golf Club (Springfield)

Courtesy of Baltusrol Golf Club

Baltusrol Golf Club features two courses named the Upper and Lower courses for members to take advantage of in northern New Jersey.

The club, founded in 1895, also has the advantage of being close to New York City for members.

31. New Mexico: Paako Ridge Golf Club (Sandia Park)

Courtesy of Paako Ridge Golf Club

The golf course, designed by Ken Dye, opened its first 18 holes in 2000, with nine additional holes added in 2005.

The members-only course reaches elevations as high as 7,000 feet in its spot in the Sandia Mountains.

32. New York: Bethpage Black (Farmingdale)

Courtesy of Bethpage Black

The Bethpage Black course is one of five courses in the Bethpage State Park golf course collection in Long Island.

The public Black course is considered one of the most challenging in the country, so you might want to hold off booking a tee time unless you’re an expert golfer.

33. North Carolina: Pinehurst Golf (Pinehurst)

Courtesy of Pinehurst Golf

Pinehurst Golf boasts nine different 18-hole courses, so there are plenty of options to try if you’re a golfer.

Start with the No. 2 course, which has a unique design and will host the U.S. Open in 2024.

34. North Dakota: Hawktree Golf Club (Bismarck)

Courtesy of Hawktree Golf Club

Hawktree Golf Club in Bismarck is home to 18 holes of golf through the rolling hills of North Dakota.

The private course has unique black sand in its bunkers instead of white sand due to the lack of white sand in the state.

35. Ohio: Muirfield Village Golf Club (Dublin)

Courtesy of Muirfield Village Golf Club

The Muirfield Village Golf Club outside of Columbus was designed by Jack Nicklaus and includes specific areas for spectators to get a good view of the action.

The course may hold sentimental value for the golfer and course designer as he grew up in Columbus.

36. Oklahoma: Southern Hills Country Club (Tulsa)

Courtesy of Southern Hills Country Club

Tulsa has been home to the Southern Hills Country Club since 1936, and the members-only club has hosted 17 championships there since 1945.

The country club also supports the First Tee of Tulsa program to encourage young people to get involved in the sport.

37. Oregon: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon)

Courtesy of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort features a unique course along the rough dunes of Oregon.

The course features pristine views of the Pacific Ocean as you take on the holes created by a Scottish golf course designer almost 25 years ago.

38. Pennsylvania: Oakmont Country Club (Oakmont)

Courtesy of Oakmont Country Club

Oakmont near Pittsburgh is home to Oakmont Country Club, with a course opened in 1904. The club has hosted several U.S. Opens and U.S. Women’s Opens in its many years of play.

39. Rhode Island: Newport Country Club (Newport)

Courtesy of Newport Country Club

The Newport Country Club was started in 1893 and is one of the five founding members of the United States Golf Association.

In addition to the historic course, Newport’s clubhouse was also named a building of historical significance by the National Park Service.

40. South Carolina: Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Kiawah Island)

Courtesy of Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Kiawah Island near Charleston is home to the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

The resort features five courses for guests to try, including those designed by Pete Dye, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus.

41. South Dakota: Sutton Bay (Agar)

Courtesy of Sutton Bay

Sutton Bay’s golf course is located along the shore of the Missouri River, with beautiful views of the water from the course’s 18 holes.

The club also includes hunting and fishing for members who enjoy the outdoors.

42. Tennessee: The Honors Course (Ooltewah)

Courtesy of The Honors Course

The Honors Course was opened in 1983 with a design by Pete Dye that was considered unique for its time.

The course features tall, native grasses in the rough to give golfers an extra challenge.

43. Texas: Whispering Pines (Trinity)

Courtesy of Whispering Pines

Whispering Pines sits on the banks of the Trinity River and features an 18-hole course completed in 2000 and a nine-hole course called The Needler.

Take a drink break at the Roadhouse while on the nine-hole course to see Lucky, a 14-foot alligator who used to live at the Whispering Pines Golf Club.

44. Utah: Soldier Hollow Golf Course (Midway)

Courtesy of Soldier Hollow Golf Course

The Soldier Hollow Golf Course is part of Utah’s state parks and was previously used as a site for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Its Olympic heritage is reflected in the names of its two 18-hole courses: Gold and Silver.

45. Vermont: The Golf Club at Equinox (Manchester Village)

Courtesy of The Golf Club at Equinox

The Equinox Golf Resort and Spa features historic buildings for your stay in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Check out the golf course as part of your stay, which was originally built in 1927.

46. Virginia: Kinloch Golf Club (Manakin-Sabot)

Courtesy of Kinloch Golf Club

Kinloch Golf Club outside of Richmond leans into the Scottish roots of the sport of golf with a parkland-style layout for its course.

Members began to play on the 18-hole course in 2001, with its Tutor-style clubhouse opening a year later.

47. Washington: Chambers Bay (University Place)

Courtesy of Chambers Bay

Chambers Bay is a public course that sits along the water of Puget Sound, giving golfers a breathtaking water view as they play the 18-hole course.

It has hosted several championships, including the U.S. Open Championship in 2015.

48. West Virginia: The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs)

Courtesy of The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier Resort on White Sulphur Springs includes two 18-hole courses and two nine-hole courses for golfers to try.

Check out The Old White course, which was opened in 1914, or the nine-hole Greenbrier that underwent a major redesign in 1977 by Jack Nicklaus.

49. Wisconsin: Whistling Straits (Haven)

Courtesy of Whistling Straits

The Whistling Straits sits on the shore of Lake Michigan, giving golfers views of the water while playing 18 holes over rolling hills.

The course, about halfway between Milwaukee and Green Bay, played host to the 43rd Ryder Cup.

50. Wyoming: Shooting Star Golf Club (Teton Village)

Courtesy of Shooting Star Golf Club

The private Shooting Star club is nestled along rivers with views of the Teton Mountains.

Club members can take advantage of golf in the summer months and pack up their golf clubs in exchange for skis for trips to nearby Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Bottom line

Golf is a great way to get in some exercise and enjoy a fun outdoor activity with family and friends.

Be sure you book your trip with one of the best travel credit cards to earn travel rewards when you visit these courses to take in a round of golf or two.

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