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LPGA Tour: The 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup

Minjee Lee: 2022 Founders Cup Champion

The Cognizant Founders Cup

The Ladies are returning to northern New Jersey in May! Once the LPGA Tour rounds out a swing to the west coast for the JM Eagle Championship in Los Angeles (April 27-30 at Wilshire Country Club) and the Hanwha Crown International team competition in San Francisco (May 4-7 at Harding Park), the Tour heads east, returning to northern New Jersey for the 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup which will be held at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, from Thursday, May 11 through Sunday May 14.

Minjee Lee, currently ranked No. 6 in the world, held off Lexi Thomson (No. 7), to claim the championship in 2022, and she will be coming back this year to defend her title. Her outstanding play at the ’22 Founders Cup carried through to her second major championship at the 2022 Women’s U.S. Open and then a runner-up at the Women’s PGA.    

Jin Young Ko

Jin Young Ko, the 2019 and 2021 Champion, will be looking for her third Founders Cup title—and her game has been extremely sharp thus far in 2023. In the five tournaments she has played this year, Jin Young has recorded four Top 10’s including a win at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March.  

The Field

The Founders Cup field will include all top ten in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, including Nelly Korda (No. 1 in the World), Lydia Ko (No. 2),Jin Young Ko (No. 3), Lilia Vu (No. 4) and Atthaya Thitikul (No. 5).

Fan favorite and 2022 runner-up Lexi Thompson (No. 7 in the world) will once again be in the field, as well as past Founders Cup champions Stacy Lewis (2013), Kim Sei Young (2016) and Anna Nordqvist (2017). You will also see 5-time major champion and member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, Laura Davies.

Atthaya Thitikul, Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson

With a field comprised of the most talented lady golfers in the world, this year’s event promises superb golf and the perfect setting to enjoy it.

The History

The LPGA Founders Cup was established in 2011 to celebrate the history of ladies’ professional golf and the thirteen trail blazing women who founded the Tour in 1950. The inaugural event was the Tampa Women’s Open held at Palma Ceia Country Club in Tampa, FL, won by Polly Riley, a distinguished amateur player who won more than 100 tournaments in her career. Babe Zaharias, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and among the greatest athletes in the history of sport, won 8 of the 15 events that were held that first year (including all three major championships). Patty Berg would go on to record 60 wins and 15 major championships, while Louise Suggs won 61 times with 11 major championships.  

Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg and Louise Suggs

In the 60’s and 70’s, renowned players including Mickey Wright (82 wins/13 Majors), Kathy Whitworth (88 wins/6 majors) and Betsy Rawls (55 wins/8 majors) continued to pave the way for the current LPGA stars. With grace, charm, and a beautiful swing, Nancy Lopez (48 wins/3 majors) carried the torch through the 80’s until Annika burst on the scene (72 wins/10 majors), raising the bar yet again while setting the stage for the magnificent players we see today.

Past Founders Cup champions include Karrie Webb (a two-time winner), Stacy Lewis, Anna Nordqvist and Inbee Park.

Upper Montclair Country Club

Founded in 1901 and located in Clifton, NJ, UMCC has hosted tournaments for the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, and The Champions Tour. The course was originally designed by A. W. Tillinghast, with major re-design and renovations by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. in the 1950’s.

Upper Montclair Country Club, Clifton NJ

The PGA Tour came to Upper Montclair in the 60’s with The Thunderbird Classic, followed by the Dow Jones Classic in 1970—with Arnold Palmer and Gene Littler included among the champions.

In the late 70’s and 80‘s, Upper Montclair hosted the LPGA Coca-Cola and Chrysler Plymouth Classics, with legendary names like Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley etched on the championship trophies. From 1993 through 2002, UMCC hosted the Champions Tour with the Cadillac NFL Classic, and winners include Hall-of Famers Lee Trevino (twice) and Raymond Floyd.

The LPGA came back to Upper Montclair from 2007-2009 with the Sybase Classic, won twice by one of the most talented and popular players in LPGA Tour history—Lorena Ochoa.

Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley and Lorena Ochoa

Upper Montclair Country Club offers 3 nine-hole courses (West, East and South), and the Founders Cup will be played on the West and South courses. From the Championship tees, the course rating is 73.5 with a Slope of 140.   

What to Expect

In addition to great golf, the ladies on the LPGA Tour go out of their way to make you feel welcome. There are times at PGA Tour and Champions Tour events when it can feel as though you are intruding, an irritating distraction. No so at an LPGA Tour event, where you’ll find a warmth and friendliness that can feel more like a family outing than a golf tournament. And when you watch the ladies produce masterful shots with more than just brute power, your game will benefit greatly as well.

Getting There (177 Hepburn Road, Clifton NJ 07012)

Located 13 miles west of midtown Manhattan, Upper Montclair Country Club is one of the most accessible courses in the New York Metro area. If you are traveling from south/central NJ, Westchester/southern Connecticut, or central Long Island, UMCC is within an hour’s drive.

Parking and Directions

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LIV Golf: 2022-23 Power Rankings and Masters Look Back

Brooks Koepka: He’s Back

To the surprise of many, twelve of the eighteen LIV players who were invited to Augusta for The Masters made the cut. On top of that, three finished in the Top 5 (Phil and Brooks Koepka tied for runner-up, while Patrick Reed landed a T4). Young Joaquin Niemann also had a solid week, finishing among the Top 20 (T16).

The big story of the 2023 Masters was Koepka, dominating the field through the first three days of rain interrupted play. When the third round was halted through 6 holes on Saturday, Brooks appeared to be unstoppable in pursuit of his 5th major championship, standing at 13 under par with a 4-shot lead over Jon Rahm.

And as play resumed on Sunday, with both Phil and Pat Reed rocketing up the leaderboard, it looked like the PGA Tour’s worst nightmare was about to unfold.

The golf pundits had universally been saying that the LIV players would have a rough time because they were not used to stiff competition, and LIV tournaments were only 3 rounds. Phil (at 52 years old) closed with a fourth round 65 and Reed fired a 68—both finishing in the top 5 and putting a stopper on that theory.

Although Brooks faltered on Sunday and Rahm was able to overtake him, he exhibited a degree of humility and class worthy of a four-time major champion. There is no question that Koepka is back, and you can expect to see him among the leaders at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in May.

Dustin Johnson: Giving some Ground

LIV Power Ranking Update

Players have been rated and ranked on the basis of events played, average finish, wins, runner up, Top-5 and Top-10 finishes–as well as performance at the 2022 and 2023 major championships (LIV Player Rankings).

While seventy-five players have participated in one or more tournaments since the inaugural event in London last year, we’ve included only the top forty-eight. Not surprisingly, Dustin Johnson has dominated pretty much from day one. With his T4 at The Masters, however, Patrick Reed continues to move closer to DJ, and Brooks Koepka is beginning to bull his way toward the top with his second LIV win and runner-up at Augusta National.

Top 3

No. 1 Dustin Johnson: 81.9 Rating
After opening with an 8th place finish at the initial event in London, Dustin recorded a T3 in at Pumkin Ridge Portland, a T2 in Bedminster and then won the fourth event in Boston. In the ten stroke play tournaments held thus far, DJ has recorded a win, a runner-up, three top 5’s and two top 10’s with an average finish of 9.1.

While DJ made the cut at Augusta, his T48 finish was very forgettable—and allowed Reed and Koepka to close the gap quite a bit in the LIV Player Rankings.

Patrick Reed: Masters T5

No. 2 Patrick Reed: 67.6 Rating
Reed recorded a T3 in his first LIV event in Portland, and finished among the top 5 in four of the ten events he’s played (including a T3 at Orange County National in March). Patrick is also among the top echelon for consistency with an average finish of 12.4.

On the heels of his Top 5 finish at the Masters, Reed will look to carry the LIV banner through each of the remaining majors in 2023.

No. 3 Brooks Koepka: 67.0 Rating
After a slow start in 2022, Brooks recorded a T8 at Bangkok and followed that up with a win in his next event (Jeddah). After mediocre finishes in the first two events of 2023, Koepka recorded his second win in Orlando last week—making him the only LIV player with multiple wins thus far.

While his Sunday stumble at Augusta was no doubt a major let down for Brooks, he certainly sent a message that he’s far from done—and Rahm will have his hands full at the PGA this year.

Cameron Smith: Looking to Heat Up at the PGA

Notables

Cameron Smith: No. 7–60.6 Rating
After a fast start, Cameron Smith has tumbled from No. 2 at the conclusion of ‘22 to No. 7 after finishing 24th at The Gallery Golf Club in Tucson, 26th in Orlando, and a disappointing T34 at The Masters.

He will be a force at the PGA, however, should he brandish the wand as he did at The Open Championship last year.

Joaquin Niemann: Young Gun

Joaquin Niemann: No. 9–57.3 Rating
At 24 years old, Joaquin Niemann is one of the brightest young stars in golf. After joining the PGA Tour at 19, Niemann recorded 22 Top-10’s including 2 wins in 5 years–making the cut in just under 80% of the events he entered while reaching the Tour Championship in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Joaquin had an excellent Masters with a T16 finish, but we won’t see him at another major until the U.S. Open at The Los Angeles Country Club in June—where you can expext him to make some noise with his precision ball striking.

Mito Pereira: No. 12—55.3 Rating
Virtually unknown in the U.S. prior to bursting onto the scene with a T3 at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, Pereira’s outstanding play came as no surprise to golf fans in his native Chile. After winning multiple junior titles, including a victory on the Chilean Professional Tour in 2013 as an Amateur, Mito climbed to number 5 in the official World Amateur Golf Rankings in 2015 at twenty years old.

Mito made the cut and had a solid week at Augusta, and we’ll see him at the PGA Championship in May. Like his fellow Chilean, Joaquin Niemann, look for Mito to have a solid season at the majors in 2023.

Phil: Masters Runner-Up

Phil: No. 37–34.6 Rating 
While Mickelson’s LIV career could only be described as a lead balloon thus far, leave it to Phil to pull a giant rabbit out of his hat when you least expect it. The stunning 65 that he fashioned in the final round at Augusta was a flashback to his incredible PGA win in 2021.

While the Masters runner-up finish propelled Phil from No. 46 to No. 37 in the LIV Player Rankings, it also appears to have ignited a flame as we head toward the PGA (Phil fired a solid 2 under round of 70 in the first round at Adelaide in Australia this week, and followed up with 65 in the second round to move into the Top 10).

Could Phil pull off another bit of magic at Oak Hill? We’ll have to wait and see….

The Masters: 12 of 18 Make the Cut
PGA Tour (https://www.pgatour.com/)

The Masters: Summary

Brooks Koepka           T2

Phil Mickelson            T2

Patrick Reed               T4

Joaquin Nieman          T16

Harold Varner III        T29

Cameron Smith           T34

Talor Gooch                T34

Abraham Ancer          T39

Mito Pareira                T43

Dustin Johnson           T48

Thomas Pieters           T48

Charl Schwartzel        T50

Sergio Garcia              MC

Bryson DeChambeau  MC

Jason Kokrak              MC

Bubba Watson            MC

Louis Oosthuizen        WD

Kevin Na                     WD

The Grange Golf Club: A Greg Norman Design

2023 Upcoming LIV Schedule

Adelaide The Grange Golf Club, Australia (April 21-23)

Singapore Sentosa Golf Club (April 28-30)

Tulsa Cedar Ridge Country Club (May 12-14)

DC Trump National Golf Club, Washington (May 26-28)

Valderrama Real Club, Spain (June 30-July 2)

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LIV Golf: 2022-23 Power Rankings and Masters Preview

Dustin Johnson: Continues to Dominate

With the 2022 LIV season in the rearview, the first three events of 2023 completed, and eighteen players headed to The Masters, let’s take a look at who tops the charts after the first ten events.

Players have been rated and ranked on the basis of events played, average finish, wins, runner up, Top-5 and Top-10 finishes–as well as performance at the 2022 major championships (LIV Player Rankings).

While seventy-five players have participated in one or more tournaments since the inaugural event in London last year, we’ve included only the top forty-eight. Not surprisingly, Dustin Johnson has dominated pretty much from day one. With his T3 at Orlando last week, Patrick Reed moved from No. 5 at the close of 2022 to No. 2 heading into The Masters, and Brooks Koepka has muscled his way from No. 9 to No. 3.

After a fast start, Cameron Smith has tumbled from No. 2 at the conclusion of ‘22 to No. 8 after finishing 24th at The Gallery Golf Club in Tucson and 26th in Orlando last week—perhaps Augusta National will get his juices flowing again.

Top 5

No. 1 Dustin Johnson: 80.9 Rating
After opening with an 8th place finish at the initial event in London, Dustin recorded a T3 in at Pumkin Ridge Portland, a T2 in Bedminster and then won the fourth event in Boston. In the ten stroke play tournaments held thus far, DJ has recorded a win, a runner-up, three top 5’s and two top 10’s with an average finish of 9.1.

Patrick Reed: Moving Closer to DJ

 No. 2 Patrick Reed: 62.6 Rating
Reed recorded a T3 in his first LIV event in Portland, and finished among the top 5 in four of the ten events he’s played (including a T3 at Orange County National last week). Patrick is also among the top echelon for consistency with an average finish of 12.4.

Brooks Koepka: 2 LIV wins

No. 3 Brooks Koepka: 62.0 Rating After a slow start in 2022, Brooks recorded a T8 at Bangkok and followed that up with a win in his next event (Jeddah). After mediocre finishes in the first two events of 2023, Koepka recorded his second win in Orlando last week—making him the only LIV player with multiple wins thus far.

Don’t be surprised if Koepka makes some noise at Augusta this week.

Uihlein and Wolf: Moving up the Board

No. 4 Peter Uihlein: 61.6 Rating
After a 4-0 record as a member of the 2009 Walker Cup team and then winning the U.S. Amateur in 2010, Uihlein struggled to make it on the PGA Tour, flying largely under the radar with stints on the European Tour (where he recorded a win) and the Korn Ferry Tour (recording 2 wins).

Since joining LIV in 2022, however, Peter’s game has fulfilled the promise of his early career. After opening with a T3 in London, Uihlein recorded five additional Top-10’s including runner-up finishes in Chicago, Jeddah and Mayakoba.

No. 5 Matt Wolf: 61.1 Rating  
At 22 years old, Matt Wolf is one of the brightest young stars in golf. After joining the PGA Tour at 19, Wolf recorded a win at the 3M Championship in his rookie year, a runner up at the 2020 U.S. Open and a T4 at the 2020 PGA Championship.

In nine LIV events, Matt has finished among the Top 10 six times, including a runner-up at Trump Bedminster in ’22 and a T5 in Orlando last week. Wolf also has the best average finish behind DJ at 11.9 for players who have participated in at least 5 LIV events.

Carlos Ortiz and Charles Howell III

Notables

Carlos Ortiz: No. 7—60.1 Rating 
Ortiz opened with a runner-up in his first LIV event in Portland last year and has finished among the Top-10 in five of the nine events he’s played. Thus far in 2023, Carlos has recorded a T7 in Mayakoba, a runner-up in Tucson and a T8 last week in Orlando. He is also tied with Matt Wolf with an average finish of 11.9, just behind DJ.

Charles Howell, III: No. 9–57.3 Rating
Charles won his first LIV event at Mayakoba in February with a dominating four stoke margin over Peter Uihlein, and has finished among the Top-10 in four of the eight events he has played.

Only five players were better than Howell’s average finish of 13.7.

Phil: Poised for a run in 2023

Phil (No. 46—29.6 Rating) 
Mickelson’s LIV career has not been memorable to say the least, dropping even further to No. 46 (he finished 2022 at No. 38).

And Phil’s T41 last week in Orlando, his worst showing ever at an LIV event, does not bode well for Augusta this week—but you never know, perhaps the familiar surroundings and past success will boost him into the weekend.

Augusta National
PGA Tour (https://www.pgatour.com/)

Playing The Masters

Dustin Johnson No. 1 (80.9)

Patrick Reed               No. 2 (62.6)

Brooks Koepka            No. 3 (60.0)

Cameron Smith          No. 8 (59.6)

Sergio Garcia              No. 10 (55.6)

Talor Gooch                No. 11 (55.5)

Mito Pareira                No. 12 (54.3)

Charl Schwartzel        No. 14 (53.2)

Joaquin Nieman          No. 15 (52.7)

Louis Oosthuizen        No. 16 (51.3)

Abraham Ancer          No. 17 (48.0)

Kevin Na                     No. 18 (44.7)

Bryson DeChambeau  No. 23 (41.6)

Jason Kokrak              No. 26 (41.0)

Harold Varner III        No. 30 (37.6)

Phil Mickelson            No. 46 (29.6)

Thomas Pieters           No. 52 (24.0)

Bubba Watson            No. 62 (17.7)

Trump National Washington D.C.

2023 Upcoming LIV Schedule

Adelaide The Grange Golf Club, Australia (April 21-23)

Singapore Sentosa Golf Club (April 28-30)

Tulsa Cedar Ridge Country Club (May 12-14)

DC Trump National Golf Club, Washington (May 26-28)

Valderrama Real Club, Spain (June 30-July 2)

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Tour ’23: Scottie Wins in Scottsdale and Tiger Returns at Riviera

Scheffler moves to #1 and Tiger Returns at Riviera

Scottie Scheffler defended his title last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, defeating Canadian Nick Taylor by two strokes in the PGA Tour’s first full field event of the season. With this latest victory, Scheffler has moved back into the number one spot on the official World Golf Rankings, and number five in the FedEx Cup standings.

The even bigger news is that Tiger will make his first start of the year at Riviera this week in a star-studded field—and all eyes will be glued to CBS Sports and Golf Channel this weekend to see how close he is to the Tiger of old (and if he’s ready to continue the pursuit of Jack’s major championship record).

Scottie wins at TPC Scottsdale

WM Phoenix Open

Eighteen of the Top twenty players in the World Golf Rankings were in the field last week at TPC Scottsdale, and seven finished in the top 10. In addition to Scottie Scheffler jumping to #1 in the world with his win, Jon Rahm continued his dominant play in ‘22-23 with a 3rd place finish (Rahm has finished in the top 10 in all five of the events he’s played this season, including two wins).

Justin Thomas (No. 7) and Jordan Spieth (No. 16) each recorded their first top 10 of the year, and look like they are gearing up to make a challenge at Augusta (which is not too far away).

Xander Schauffele (No. 6) continued his strong play thus far in the young season with a T10 (Xander has made the cut in all 5 of the events he’s played including 3 top 10’s), and Sungjae Im (No. 18) recorded his 3rd top 10 of the season with a T6.

Rory McIlroy (No. 2) made his first PGA Tour start of the calendar year after a win at the CJ Cup back in October, finishing well back at 4 under par (T32).  His win on the DP World Tour at Dubai in January gave him 2 wins in his previous 2 starts, so Rory’s head-to-head match-up with Scottie and the red-hot Jon Rahm was highly anticipated, but some loose driving and an ice-cold putter resulted in a failure to launch—perhaps Tiger’s presence this week in LA will ignite him

Jason Day (5th), Rickie Fowler (T10) and Keagan Bradley (T20) also continued their 2023 resurgence, while a bit of comic relief jumped up on Sunday when a streaker ran onto the 16th green wearing only his underwear and grabbed the flag stick before flopping into the nearby pond (and was quickly escorted away by Security).  

The Riviera Country Club: Tiger’s back

Tiger at Riviera

Tiger’s return at Riviera this week will be his first start on the PGA Tour since The Open Championship last summer, where it was apparent that his come-back needed more time as he missed the cut. The general consensus had been that Tiger would only play the major championships this year, starting with the Masters.

The Genesis, however is Tiger’s tournament and his foundation (TGR) has been hosting the event since 2020. Riviera is also a special place for Tiger because its where he made his PGA Tour debut back in 1992 at the age of 16.

Youthful Tiger

Expectations were sky high for the young phenom as an enormous gallery gathered to follow him that day at Riviera, and Tiger got a glimpse of the future when he was swarmed by media after completing a first round 72.  

In his pre-tournament press conference, Tiger said he was ready to compete, and would not tee it up if he didn’t think he had a chance to win—although his record “wasn’t very good at Riviera.”

Of course, “not very good” is based on Tiger’s standard for himself. Scheduling conflicts and injury limited him to only twelve starts at Rivieras since he first came out on the Tour in 1996, and although he never notched a win, he finished among the top twenty in ten of those twelve, including four top 10’s (and twice runner-up), while missing the cut only once.

Every other player on tour would be thrilled with that kind of record at a tour event, but Tiger is in a category of his own—and the reason the world will be watching when he tees it up on Thursday.

The Genesis Invitational

The Genesis Invitational

The Genesis Invitational, historically known as the LA Open, has been played at iconic Riviera Country fifty-nine times since the event was first played in 1926, and forty-eight of fifty since 1973.

All of the greats in golf history have teed it up at Riviera, including Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Sam Sneed, Arnie and Byron Nelson.

For year’s Riviera was called “Hogan’s Alley” because he won there three times (’42, ’47 and ’48), and the club has been home to many of the biggest stars in Hollywood (including Humphrey Bogart, who was seen taking in the play from beneath a Sycamore on the 12th hole so often that it became known as “Bogeys Tree”).

Bogeys tree: 12th Hole at Riviera

In addition to Tiger, this year’s field includes nineteen of the top twenty players in the World, and the leaderboard will be jammed with the biggest names in golf as the tournament heads through the weekend to what will no doubt be high drama on Sunday—so make sure you tune in and get ready to hold onto your hats.

The Players: Coming in May

Looking Ahead

The last tournament of February is the famed Honda Classic at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach, Florida (February 23-26). This event will officially kick off the ‘Florida Swing’, where players will be competing in four events in the state of Florida. These include the Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 2-5), The Players Championship (March 9-12), and the Valspar Championship (March 16-19).

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PGA Tour 2023: The West Coast Swing

Rham and Scheffler Battle at TPC Scottsdale

While the 2023 wrap-around PGA Tour season technically began back in September, the year really begins to roll with the “West Coast Swing.” The first leg was the American Express at La Quinta, featuring a stiff test on the Stadium Course designed by Pete Dye, and then moved over to The Farmers at Torrey Pines, where Tiger famously won the US Open Championship in 2008 playing on a broken leg.

The third stop on the Swing was the AT&T Pro-Am, home to perhaps the greatest course in the world–Pebble Beach Golf Links. This week is the WM Phoenix Open, played at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

The history of the WM Phoenix Open goes all the way back to 1932, and was originally called the “Arizona Open,” held at Phoenix Country Club. In 1987 the tournament moved to the Championship Course at TPC Scottsdale, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish.

Next week the West Coast Swing moves back to California and the Genesis Invitational at iconic Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, where Tiger just announced that he will be making his 2023 season debut (and also where he made his first appearance on the PGA Tour).

PGA West: Rham wins American Express

The Recap

Jon Rahm won the American Express, his second PGA Tour win of the 2022-2023 season, where he outlasted young Davis Thompson with a one stroke margin at 27 under par. The Farmers Insurance Open saw Max Homa winning his 6th PGA Tour event, where he took down a charging Keegan Bradley, who recorded his 3rd top 10 of the 2023 season to build on his resurgence in 2022 when he recorded 6 top 10’s.

Another big name, Justin Rose, suddenly emerged from the doldrums with an impressive win last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, ending a four-year victory drought by beating Brendan Todd and Brandon Wu by three strokes.

The West Coast swing has delivered plenty of excitement thus far, and this weekend promises even more as Rory McIlroy joins the field at TPC Scottsdale.

TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale AZ

WM Phoenix Open

TPC Scottsdale is home to one of the most popular tour events of the season, where a half million or more golf fanatics assemble each year to watch their favorites and let it all hang out.

The centerpiece of the tournament is the par 3 16th hole, otherwise known as “The Coliseum,” where raucous spectators turn it up to max volume, testing the focus of even the most seasoned tour pro.

Past winners include many of the biggest names in golf, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Rickie Fowler.

16th at TPC Scottsdale: The coliseum

Tiger left his tracks at TPC Scottsdale in 1997 with a hole-in-one at The Coliseum, and the intensity of the thunderous ovation registered on the Richter scale all the way over at Caltech in Pasadena.

This week’s field includes most of the top players in the world, headlined by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, and two-time past winner Hideki Matsuyama.

As we head into Sunday, Scottie Scheffler is in the lead as he ramps it up to capture back-to-back Player of the Year honors–while trying to hold off the red-hot Rahm, Jordan Spieth and Nick Taylor. Jason Day and Rickie Fowler are also among the leaders as they look to continue 2023 comeback seasons.

With Scheffler, Rahm, Rory, and a field stacked with the top players on tour jockeying for position, the weekend will be loaded with thrills–and it’s a pretty good bet that the final round on Sunday will be one you won’t want to miss.

Looking Ahead

The Players: Jewel of the Florida Swing

All eyes will be on Tiger when he tees it up at the Genesis Invitational next week at Riviera Country Club in LA. What already promised to be a great week of golf just jumped to a new level of excitement before the Tour heads east for the Florida Swing.

Genesis Invitational 2023: Tiger’s back

The Honda Classic at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach will be first up (February 23-26), where the world’s best will have to negotiate the infamous “Bear Trap,” followed by the Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 2-5) at Bay Hill.

The Players (March 9-12) highlights the Florida swing, followed by the Valspar Championship (March 16-19).

There’s a great stretch of golf on the horizon, and before you know it The Masters will be here, the best golf week of the year—can’t help smiling about that.

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PGA Tour: 2023 Season Preview

Scottie and Rory: Ready to resume battle in 2023

Scottie Scheffler had a break-out season in 2022 with his win at The Masters, 3 regular tour victories and 6 more top 10 finishes—capping it off with PGA Tour Player of the Year.   

And with 3 Tour wins and a Top 10 at all four majors, including runner up at The Masters, 3rd at the Open Championship, and a T5 at the US Open, Rory McIlroy gave Scheffler a run for his money—adding a huge cherry on top with his FedEx Cup victory.

The 2023 season promises even more excitement, as Jon Rahm has his game ramped up to full power for an all-out assault on the majors, and Justin Thomas, Collen Morikawa, Patrick Cantley and Tony Finau appear to be primed and ready for a big year as well.

In addition to the deep field of top stars, there is a host of mega-talented young players looking to hit it big on Tour in ‘23, along with a few big-name Tour veterans who had dropped out of sight in recent years, but appear ready to make some noise again in 2023.

Here’s where they stand so far in the wrap-around 2022-23 season.

Jon Rahm: Four Top 10’s and 2 wins in 2023

Who’s Hot

Jon Rahm
After a relatively quiet 2022 season where Jon failed to record a top 10 in any of the major championships, Rahm has finished among the top 10 in all four tournaments he’s entered thus far in ‘23, including 2 wins in January (Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, and the American Express at La Quinta).

Scottie Scheffler
Continuing his fantastic 2022 season, Scottie has made the cut in all five events he’s entered this year, including 3 top 10’s (T3 at Mayakoba, T7 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and T9 at the Cadence Bank Houston Open), narrowly missing another top 10 at the American Express where he finished in a tie for 11th.

Rory McIlroy
McIlroy has played one PGA Tour event (CJ Cup in South Carolina in October) and one DP Tour event (Hero Dubai Desert Classic last week), winning them both. The wins moved Rory past Lee Trevino into No. 20 among the GolfDay All-time Top 100 players.

Two Tour wins in 2023

Max Homa
Max recorded 2 wins in 2022 and has added 2 more thus far in the ’23 season (The Fortinet Championship in September and The Farmers last week at Torrey Pines. Homa has made the cut in all 5 of the events he’s played thus far, finishing among the top 10 in 4 of them. At 32 years old, Max is in his prime and it should not come as a surprise if he adds a major championship to the to 6 Tour wins that he has recorded since 2018.

Tony Finau
Coming off a terrific 2022 season where Tony notched 2 wins (back-to-back at the 3M Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July) with 5 additional top 10’s, Finau is off to a fast start in 2023 masking the cut in 4 of 5 events with 3 top 10’s. This may be the year that Tony brings his power game to bear at a major championship.

Collen Morikawa: 2 time major winner

Collin Morikawa
While two-time major champion Collin Morikawa failed to record a win in 2022, he still notched 8 top 10’s including a 5th place finish at The Masters and a T5 at the US Open. The start to his 2023 season has been solid as well, making the cut in all 5 of the events he’s entered with 2 top 10’s, including a runner up at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and 3rd at The Farmers last week.

Taylor Montgomery
After 2 successful seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, Montgomery is off to a hot start to his PGA Tour career, making the cut in all 10 of his starts in 2023 with 4 top-10’s. Taylor hits it a long way (308-yard average off the tee), and he’s ranked No. 1 in putting and No. 1 in scoring—a pretty good formula for success.

Sahith Theegala and Tom Kim: Young Guns on Tour

Young Guns

Sahith Theegala
In 2022, his first full season on Tour, 25-year-old Theegala made the cut in 26 of the 32 events he entered–with 5 top 10’s including a tie for runner up at the Travelers and a trip to the Tour Championship. Thus far in 2023, Sahith has made the cut in 8 of 9 events with 4 top 10’s. It’s only a matter of time before he records his first Tour win, and sooner is more likely than later.

Tom Kim
Yet another young phenom coming out of South Korean, 20-year-old Tom Kim is off to a blazing start to his PGA Tour career, making the cut in 6 of the 7 events he’s played, including a win (the Shriners Children’s Open in October) and 2 additional top 10’s. It seems almost certain that he will notch another win or two as the season progresses, and keep an eye on him at the majors as well.

Day, Fowler and Bradley: Back on track in 2023

Come-backs

Jason Day
After yet another dismal season in 2022 where Jason made the cut in only 12 of 19 events, Day looks like he may have things turned around. Thus far in 2023 he has made the cut in 6 of the 8 events he has played, recording 2 top 10’s (already matching his 2022 total). Jason certainly has the talent, and at 35 there should still be plenty in tank.

Rickie Fowler
Rickie is back with Butch Harmon, and the results are starting to pay off. He’s made the cut in 5 of 6 events with 2 top 10’s in ‘23, and his confidence is growing with each start (including a solid T11 with a 67 in the 3rd round at Torrey Pines last week). That elusive major may be a big ask, but Rickie is still only 34, and there’s something about his look that tells me he’s back. 

Keegan Bradley
Keegan’s game began to come back in 2022, making the cut in 19 of 25 events with 6 top 10’s.  So far in 2023 Bradley has kicked it up another notch, making the cut in 5 of 6 starts with 3 top 10’s including a win at the Zozo Championship and a runner-up at The Farmers last week including a 66 in the final round on the difficult South course.  At 36 years old, it would seem we have not seen the last of Keegan Bradley.

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Top Golf Resorts and Public Courses: Myrtle Beach

Barefoot Resort

It’s time to start planning your spring golf trip, and Myrtle Beach is the #1 destination in the U.S. offering more than eighty courses, great food, terrific nightlife, and gorgeous beaches for when you need some down time. It’s still a bit cool through February, but temps climb through the 60’s in March, the 70’s in April, and it’s total perfection in May with temperatures in the low to mid 80’s.

Many of the great modern architects are on display among the wide variety of courses in the Myrtle Beach area, including Tom Fazio (Barefoot Resort and TPC Myrtle Beach), Pete Dye (Barefoot and Prestwick), Rees Jones (The Dunes Golf & Beach Club and Arcadian Shores), Tom Doak (Legends Resort) and Jack Nicklaus (Pawleys Plantation).

Roger Rulewich, who collaborated with Robert Trent Jones, Sr. to sculpt the wonderful courses along the RTJ Golf Trail in Alabama, shared his architectural mastery at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club as well as Grande Dunes Resort Club.

And then there are the two masterpieces left to us by Mike Strantz at Caledonia and True Blue.

If you are looking for deals and packages, check out Myrtle Beach Golf and Myrtle Beach Golf Trips.

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

If you have yet to mark Myrtle Beach from your bucket list, now is the time. And even if you’ve made the trip many times before, MB never disappoints—so start getting a plan in motion.

Resorts

Barefoot Resort, North myrtle Beach SC
  1. Barefoot Resort & Golf/North Myrtle Beach, SC
    • Holes: 72 (4 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Greg Norman/Tad Burnett/Davis Love III/Tom Fazio/Pete Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Norman:         74.2 Rating/141 Slope
    • Love:                74.9 Rating/141 Slope
    • Fazio:               73.4 Rating/144 Slope
    • Dye:                  76.0 Rating/143 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted and Covered Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Dyer and Greg Norman Golf Academies.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest SC Top 35, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 100.0
    • Location
Legends Resort, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. Legends Resort/Myrtle Beach, SC
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Tom Doak/P.B. Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Parkland:        74.3 Rating/144 Slope
    • Moorland:       73.6 Rating/143 Slope
    • Heathland:     73.3 Rating/143 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.8
    • Location
Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. Grande Dunes Resort Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
  2. Marina Inn
Myrtle Beach National, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. Myrtle Beach National Golf Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Francis Duane/Arnold Palmer/Victoria Martz
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Kings North:                73.9 Rating/137 Slope
    • South Creek:               70.9 Rating/128 Slope
    • West:                              72.6 Rating/125 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Photos
    • Video Tour
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public,
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.1
    • Location
Wachesaw Plantation East, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. Wachesaw Plantation East/Myrtle Beach, SC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail/Waccamaw Golf Trail
Sea Trail Golf Club, Sunset Beach NC
  1. Sea Trail Golf Club/Sunset Beach, NC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Francis Duane/Arnold Palmer/Victoria Martz
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Jones:             73.2 Rating/138 Slope
    • Maples:           72.0 Rating/138 Slope
    • Byrd:                72.6 Rating/129 Slope
    • Course Descriptions
    • Accommodations
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • GolfDay Rating: 88.9
    • Location

Public Courses

The Dunes, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
Caledonia, Pawleys Island SC
  1. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club/Pawleys Island, SC
  2. Waccama Golf Trail
True Blue, Pawleys Island SC
  1. True Blue Plantation/Pawleys Island, SC
  2. Waccamaw Golf Trail
Thistle Golf Club, Sunset Beach NC
  1. Thistle Golf Club/Sunset Beach, NC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail    
Wild Wing, Conway SC
  1. Wild Wing Plantation/Conway, SC
    • Holes: 27 (Eighteen Hole Regulation Course and Nine Hole Executive Course)
    • Course Architects: William Byrd/Jeffrey Brauer/Larry Nelson
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.8/135
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Photos
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.1
    • Location
Pawleys Plantation, Pawleys island SC
  1. Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club/Pawleys Island, SC
  2. Waccamaw Golf Trail
Myrtlewood, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. Myrtlewood Golf Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Edmund Ault/Tom Clark/Arthur Hills
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Palmetto:    73.6 Rating/137 Slope
    • Pinehills:     72.1 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.9
    • Location
Arcadian Shores, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. Arcadian Shores Golf Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
Prestwick Country Club, Myrtle beach SC
  1. Prestwick Country Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
The Pearl, Calabash NC
  1. The Pearl Golf Links/Calabash, NC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
Carolina National, Bolivia NC
  1. Carolina National Golf Club/Bolivia, NC
    • Holes: 27 (3 Nine Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Gene Bates/Fred Couples/Kipp Schulties
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Egret:          37.6 Rating/145 Slope
    • Heron:        37.6 Rating/147 Slope
    • North          37.0 Rating/144 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Bunker, Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Photos
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.7
    • Location
World Tour Golf Links, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. World Tour Golf Links/Myrtle Beach, SC
Heritage Club, Pawleys Island SC
  1. Heritage Club/Pawleys Island, SC
  2. Waccamaw Golf Trail
Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club, Sunset Beach NC
  1. Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club/Sunset Beach, NC
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • Holes: 27 (3 Nine Hole Courses)
    • Course Architect: Dan Maples
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Sand:     35.1 Rating/128 Slope
    • Piper:    36.1 Rating/125 Slope
    • Bay:       36.5 Rating/141 Slope           
    • Practice Facilities: Three Level Grass Driving Range with Target, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Photos
    • Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.3
    • Location
TPC Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach SC
  1. TPC Myrtle Beach/Myrtle Beach, SC
  2. Waccamaw Golf Trail
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Top 12 Resorts and Public Courses: Las Vegas–Southern Nevada

Coyote Springs

While it’s still a bit cool in Vegas right now (low to mid-50’s through the end of January), perfect golf weather is right around the corner. Temps begin a steady climb into the 60’s through February, and March will generally deliver some perfect days that push into the 70’s.

April and May are prime time golf weather in Las Vegas (75-85 degrees), so if you enjoy great food and perhaps a few games of chance in the evening, it’s time to start your planning.

Many of the great modern course designers have brought their talent to the Las Vegas golf landscape, including Tom Fazio (Shadow Creek and Wynn Golf Club), Pete Dye (Paiute), Rees Jones (Cascata and Rio Secco) and Jack Nicklaus (Coyote Springs and Bear’s Best).

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

If you haven’t yet experienced golf in Vegas, this is the perfect time to finally pull the trigger!

Resorts

Shadow Creek/MGM, North Las Vegas NV
  1. Shadow Creek Golf Club/North Las Vegas, NV
  2. MGM Resorts
Cascata/Caesars, Boulder City NV
  1. Cascata/Boulder City, NV
    Casers Palace Las Vegas
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Rees Jones
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.4 Rating/151 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Butch Harmon Golf School. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Course Description/Photos
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Locally Ranked Nevada top 15 Public, Golf Digest Nevada Top 15, GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 100.0
    • Location
Paiute/MGM, Las Vegas NV
  1. Paiute Golf Resort/Las Vegas, NV
  2. MGM Resorts
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architect: Pete Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Wolf:                              75.5 Rating/145 Slope
    • Snow Mountain:       73.1 Rating/130 Slope
    • Sun Mountain:           73.0 Rating/135 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Extensive, including 2 Grass Driving Ranges with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest NV Nevada Top 15, Golfweek Nevada Top 15-Public  GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 97.8
    • Location
Rio Secco/Caesars, Henderson NV
  1. Rio Secco Golf Club/Henderson, NV
  2. Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Wolf Creek/Eureka Resort, Mesquite NV
  1. Wolf Creek Golf Club/Mesquite, NV
  2. Eureka Casino Resort
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Dennis Rider
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.8 Rating/149 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets (Irons Only/200 Yard Max), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Photos
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest NV Top 15, Golfweek NV Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.6
    • Location
Wynn Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV
  1. Wynn Golf Club/Las Vegas, NV
  2. Wynn Las Vegas

Public Courses

Coyote Springs Golf Club, Coyote Springs NV
  1. Coyote Springs Golf Club/Coyote Springs, NV
  2. Red Hawk/Troon Golf
Revere Golf Club, Henderson NV
  1. Revere Golf Club/Henderson, NV
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Billy Casper/Greg Nash
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Lexington:      74.7 Rating/145 Slope
    • Concord:         73.5 Rating/140 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
    • Golf Academy
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.7
    • Location
Bear’s Best, Las Vegas NV
  1. Bear’s Best Last Vegas/Las Vegas, NV
TPC Las Vegas
  1. TPC Las Vegas/Las Vegas, NV
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Edmund Ault/Tom Clark/Bobby Weed/Raymond Floyd
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.9 Rating/146 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Nevada Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.2
    • Location
Reflection Bay, Henderson NV
  1. Reflection Bay Golf Club/Henderson, NV
Oasis Golf Club, Mesquite NV
  1. Oasis Golf Club/Mesquite, NV
    • Holes: 36
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay/David Druzisky
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 

                    Canyons:   71.0 Rating/137 Slope

                    Palmer:      71.5 Rating/138 Slope

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Top 15 Golf Resorts and Public Courses: Hawaii

Royal Hawaiian Golf Club

The Hawaiian Islands offer some of the most spectacular golf in the world. Of our Top 15, three are located on the Big Island, while Maui, Oahu and Kauai boast four each—so you can’t miss regardless of where you go.

Designs by many of the towering figures in course architecture can be found in Hawaii, including Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (Mauna Kea and Ka’anapali),  Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (Wailea, Poipu Bay, Princeville Makai, Ka’anapali and Kiahuna), Rees Jones (Mauna Kea), and Jack Nicklaus (Manele and Hualalai).

The great courses at Kapalua on Maui were most recently updated by the renowned team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and if you are looking for a terrific Pete Dye design, be sure to include Royal Hawaiian on Oahu.

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

Hawaii may be a bit of a hike, and can also put a dent in your wallet—but it has to be at the top of your bucket list. Until you decide to make the plunge, the golf experience of a lifetime will always be calling.

Resorts

Kapalua, Lahaina HI (Maui)
  1. Kapalua Resort/Lahaina, HI (Maui)
  2. Troon Golf
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/Francis Duane/Hale Irwin/Robin Nelson/Rodney Wright/Neil Haworth/Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Bay:                    72.7 Rating/137 Slope
    • Plantation:      77.0 Rating/144 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golf Digest Top 200, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.7
    • Location
Mauna Kea/Marriott, Kohala Coast HI (Big Island)
  1. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel/Kohala Coast, HI (Big Island)
  2. Marriott
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Rees Jones/Neil Haworth/Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Mauna Kea:    76.6 Rating/144 Slope
    • Hapuna:          74.7 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 200, Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.6
    • Location
Wailea Golf Club, Wailea HI (Maui)
  1. Wailea Golf Club/Wailea, HI (Maui)
  2. Wailea Resort
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Gold:                74.5 Rating/138 Slope
    • Emerald:        72.8 Rating/135 Slope
    • Blue:                71.6 Rating/129 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.6
    • Location
Manele Golf Course/Four Seasons, Lanai City HI (Maui)
  1. Manele Golf Course/Lanai City, HI (Maui)
  2. Four Seasons / Lanai
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with bunker. ProV1 Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.8
    • Location
Hualalai/Four Seasons, Kailua HI (Big Island)
  1. Hualalai Resort/Kailua Kona, HI (Big Island)
  2. Four Seasons
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Tom Weiskopf/Phil Smith
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Nicklaus:         74.1 Rating/129 Slope
    • Ke’olu:              74.7 Rating/133 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (unlimited ProV1 Balls and complementary TaylorMade clubs provided).
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top-15 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
Mauna Lani/Auberge Resorts, Kohala Coast HI (Big Island)
  1. Mauna Lani/Kohala Coast, HI (Big Island)
  2. Auberge Resorts
    • Holes: 45 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses and Nine Hole Par 3)
    • Course Architects: Homer Flint/Raymond Cain/Robin Nelson/Rodney Wright/Mark Miller
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • North:              74.2 Rating/136 Slope
    • South:             73.3 Rating/127 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Bunker, Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15 Public, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
Poipu Bay/Grand Hyatt, Koloa HI (Kauai)
  1. Poipu Bay/Koloa, HI (Kauai)
  2. Grand Hyatt
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.7 Rating/131 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.2
    • Location
Kukui’ula, Koloa HI (Kauai)
  1. The Club at Kukui’ula/Koloa, HI (Kauai)
  2. The Lodge at Kukui’ula
Turtle Bay/Four Seasons, Kahuku HI (Kauai)
  1. Turtle Bay/Kahuku, HI (Oahu)
  2. Four Seasons
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/George Fazio
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Palmer:           75.2 Rating/134 Slope
    • Fazio:               73.8 Rating/130 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.0
    • Location

Public Courses

Princeville Makai, Princeville HI (Kauai)
  1. Princeville Makai Golf Club/Princeville, HI (Kauai)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Rating: 75.5 Rating/135 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green. Range Balls included with Greens fee.
    • Junior Golf
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100-Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 100
    • Location
Ko Olina, Kapolei HI (Oahu)
  1. Ko Olina Golf Club/Kapolei, HI (Oahu)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ted Robinson, Sr./Mark Miller
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6 Rating/138 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Junior Golf
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Resorts, GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.9
    • Location
Ka’anapali, Lahaina HI (Maui)
  1. Ka’anapali Golf Club/Lahaina, HI (Maui)
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arthur Jack Snyder/Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Robert Trent Jones, Jr./Robin Nelson/Neil Haworth
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Ka’anapali Kai:            71.6 Rating/136 Slope
    • Royal Ka’anapali:       73.7 Rating/129 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (250 Yard Max), Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Accommodations/Packages
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.9
    • Location
Kapolei Golf Club, Kapolei HI (Oahu)
  1. Kapolei Golf Club/Kapolei, HI (Oahu)
Royal Hawaiian, Kailua HI (Oahu)
  1. Royal Hawaiian Golf Club/Kailua, HI (Oahu)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Perry Dye/Greg Norman
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.1 Rating/138 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens fee.
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 88.9
    • Location
Kiahuna, Poipu HI (Kauai)
  1. Kiahuna Golf Club/Poipu, HI (Kauai)
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr./John Colligan
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5 Rating/131 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green.
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 88.5
  • Location

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Top 20 Golf Resorts and Public Courses: Southern California

PGA West

Southern California public golf includes work by many of the great modern course architects. Tom Fazio designs include Pelican Hill, The Grand, Rams Hill, and Oak Creek. Pete Dye sculped The Stadium Course at PGA West, both courses at La Quinta, as well as and Trump National Los Angeles. Jack Nicklaus laid out two courses at PGA West and Escena in Palm Desert.

Wonderful courses by the talented architectural team of Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley can also be found in southern California (Shadow Ridge, Shadow Hills and Tierra Lago).

Arnie left us with a terrific layout at PGA West, along with a stiff test of golf at the The Classic Club in Palm Desert.

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

If you are considering a place to enjoy some great golf this winter, southern California is hard to beat.

Resorts

PGA West, La Quinta CA
  1. PGA West/La Quinta, California
  2. Hilton Honors
    • Holes: 108 (Six Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architect: Arnold Palmer/Greg Norma/Matthew Dusenberry/Tad Burnett/Jack Nicklaus/Tom Weiskopf/Pete Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Palmer:                        73.9 Rating/141 Slope
    • Norman:                      74.6 Rating/136 Slope
    • Nicklaus Private:      74.3 Rating/136 Slope
    • Nicklaus Resort:       75.3 Rating/143 Slope
    • Weiskopf:                    74.2 Rating/130 Slope
    • TPC Stadium:            75.8 Rating/148 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest CA Top 45, Golfweek CA Top 30 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Resort Rating: 100
    • Location
Pelican Hill, Newport Beach CA
  1. Pelican Hill Golf Club/Newport Beach, CA
  2. The Resort at Pelican Hill
    • Holes: 36 Holes (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architect: Tom Fazio
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Ocean North: 73.5 Rating/137 Slope
    • Ocean South: 72.0 Rating/133 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Putting Green.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest CA Top 45, Golfweek CA Top 30-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Resort Rating: 94.8
    • Location
La Quinta Resort, La Quinta CA
  1. La Quinta Resort & Club/La Quinta, CA
  2. Hilton Honors
    • Holes: 90
    • Course Architect: Pete Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Mountain:       72.8 Rating/135 Slope
    • Dunes:              72.3 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek CA Top 30-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Resort Rating: 93.3
    • Location
The Grand Club, San Diego CA
  1. The Grand Golf Club/San Diego, CA
  2. Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Desert Willow, Palm Desert CA
  1. Desert Willow Golf Resort/Palm Desert, CA
  2. JW Marriott
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Michael Hurdzan/Dana Dry
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Firecliff:                    74.1 Rating/141 Slope
    • Mountain View:     73.0 Rating/132 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens
    • Golf Academy
    • Junior Golf
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek California Top 30 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Resort Rating: 92.4
    • Location
Eagle Falls, Indio CA
  1. Eagle Falls Golf Course/Indio CA
  2. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Clive Clark
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.8 Rating/133 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek California Top 30 Public
    • GolfDay Resort Rating: 91.7
    • Location
Shadow Ridge, Palm Desert CA
  1. Shadow Ridge Golf Club/Palm Desert, CA
  2. JW Marriot
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Lee Schmidt/Brian Curley/Nick Faldo
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.7 Rating/135 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts
    • GolfDay Resort Rating: 91.7
    • Location
Journey at Pechenga, Temecula CA
  1. Journey at Pechanga/Temecula, CA
  2. Pechanga Resort Casino

Public Courses

Rams Hill, Borrego Springs, CA
  1. Rams Hill Golf Club/Borrego Springs, CA
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ted Robinson, Sr./Tom Fazio
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.5 Rating/141 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and chipping Greens with Bunker. ProV1 Range balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations/Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest CA Top 45, Golfweek CA Top 30-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 100
    • Locations
Torey Pines, San Diego CA
  1. Torrey Pines Golf Course/San Diego California
  2. City of San Diego
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: William F. Bell/David Rainville/Stephen Halsey/Jack Daray, Jr./Rees Jones
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • North:  75.8 Rating/138 Slope
    • South: 78.2 Rating/144 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golf Digest Top 200, Golf Digest CA Top 45, Golfweek CA Top 30-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Public, GolfDay Top 25 Municipal
    • GolfDay Rating: 100
    • Location
Shadow Hills, Indio CA
  1. Shadow Hills Golf Club/Indio, CA
    • Holes: 36 Holes (Eighteen Hole Regulation Course (South) and Eighteen Hole Par 3 Course (North)
    • Course Architects: Lee Schmidt/Brian Curley/Brian Costello/Mark Hollinger/Bob Moore
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • South: 73 Rating/134 Slope
    • North: 54.1 Rating/84 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.8
    • Location
Oak Creek, Irvine CA
  1. Oak Creek Golf Club/Irvine, CA
Classic Club, Palm Desert CA
  1. Classic Club/Palm Desert, CA
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Arnold Palmer
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.4 Rating/142 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Rankings: Golfweek CA Top 30-Public, GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.7
    • Location
Trump National Los Angeles, Rancho Pales Verdes CA
  1. Trump National Los Angeles/Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Perry Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6 Rating/144 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Putting Green (Chipping Green with Bunker–Instruction Only).
    • Golf Academy
    • Rankings: Golfweek CA Top 30-Public, GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
The Golf Club at Tierra Lago, Palm Springs CA
  1. The Golf Club at Terra Lago/Indio, CA
    • Holes: 36 (Two Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Lee Schmidt/Brian Curley
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • North:  74.1 Rating/138 Slope
    • South: 73.9 Rating/137 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.4
    • Location
Steele Canyon, Jamul CA
https://www.ocregister.com/
  1. Steele Canyon Golf Club/Jamul, CA
    • Holes: 27 Holes (3 Nine Hole Courses)
    • Course Architect: Gary Player
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Canyon:          35.8 Rating/134 Slope
    • Ranch:             37.7 Rating/141 Slope
    • Vineyard:       36.5 Rating/137 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2).
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.3
    • Location
Mission Hills, Ranch Mirage CA
  1. Mission Hills North/Rancho Mirage, CA
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Gary Player
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6 Rating/131 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.1
    • Location
Arrowood, Oceanside CA
https://www.golftroop.com/
  1. Arrowood Golf Course/Oceanside, CA
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Ted Robinson, Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.4 Rating/135 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (Grass-Weekends/Mats-Weekdays), Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Golf Academy
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.9
    • Location
The Golf Club of California, Fallbrook CA
  1. The Golf Club of California/Fallbrook, CA
Escena Golf Club, Palm Springs CA
  1. Escena Golf Club/Palm Springs, CA
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