When you start thinking about a golf getaway, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast should be right at the very top of the list. Four fantastic eighteen-hole championship courses, a variety of accommodations including high-rise beachfront condominiums overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, Cottages and Villas along Choctawhatchee Bay, the opulence of Hotel Effie, as well as a wide range of dining options, make Sandestin a golfers paradise.
Courses
Year after year, Burnt Pine is ranked by Golf Digest among the best public courses in Florida, and by Golfweek as one of the best resort courses in the country. A Rees Jones masterpiece, Burnt Pine, provides a stiff test with a USGA course rating of 74.4 and a Slope of 148.
Burnt Pine
Raven, a Robert Trent Jones II original, is a bit more forgiving than Burnt Pine with large receptive greens, but you will still need your “A” game to go low on this visually stunning layout, having previously hosted the Boeing Championship on the PGA Champions Tour.
The Raven Course
When you picture links golf, wind and water come immediately to mind, and master architect Tom Jackson designed The Links using the shoreline of Choctawhatchee Bay as his canvas. While a course rating of 72.6 is relatively modest, when the wind kicks up you will need precision to avoid some big numbers (and thus a slope of 140).
The Links
The only course on the Emerald Coast that extends from the Gulf beach to Choctawhatchee Bay, Baytowneis another Tom Jackson original with multiple tee boxes to provide plenty of challenge for scratch players, while remaining very playable for the novice golfer. Close proximity to Baytowne Wharf offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy waterfront dining after a day on the links.
Baytowne
Accommodations and Amenities
The Sandestin Resort property covers more than 2,400 acres between the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay, and includes a range of accommodation options from high-rise condominiums overlooking the gulf to Villas and Townhomes nestled among the greens and fairways.
Florida is the premier destination for great weather and top-notch golf—take a look at the GolfDay Top 25 Golf Resorts-Florida 2026 and start making some plans.
Our Top 25 is listed by GolfDay Rating with web-site links as well as course descriptions, accommodations and map locations to make it easy to browse.
Kyle Franz and Mike Nuzzo: Stunning Designs at Cabot Citrus Farms
Tom Fazio designs are included in 4 of the Top 25, including PGA Village (No. 5), the Ritz-Carlton Members Club in Sarasota (No. 9), Omni Amelia Island (No. 12) and PGA National (No. 21).
Arnold Palmer Design has a strong presence with 5 among the Top 25, beginning with Bay Hill (No. 8), Reunion Resort (No. 13) and Shingle Creek (No. 22).
PGA National “Jack’s Bear Trap”
Sandestin (No. 6) and The Breakers (No. 10) each include Rees Jones designs, and Jack Nicklaus weighed in as well with PGA National’s Champion course and the iconic “Bear Trap,” as well as the Nicklaus Course at Reunion Resort).
The architectural genius of Pete Dye is on display at both TPC Sawgrass and PGA Village, as well as 2 additional courses among the Top 25 (Gasparilla Inn and Amelia Island).
Streamsong, our No. 1 Florida golf resort with 3 fantastic layouts by Tom Doak, Coore & Crenshaw and Gil Hanse, got even better with the addition of a new fabulous short course (“The Chain”).
Streamsong Resort/The Chain: Coore & Crenshaw Short Course
Click Top 25 Florida Resorts for a map overview of the resort locations (hover over a flag and the resort name will come up, and click for details).
For a complete list of Golf Resorts in Florida by GolfDay Rating, click Top Florida Resorts
Any time you are looking for great public golf, or planning a vacation, the GolfDay Search Engine makes it easy to find the best courses and a better bang for your buck.
Practice Facilities: Extensive including Lighted Grass Range with Targets, Wedge Range, Putting Greens, Chipping Greens with Multiple Bunkers and PGA Golf School.
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Ranges, Putting and Chipping Greens at each course (Burnt Pine includes Bunker, Baytowne Irons Only) with Sandestin Academy.
Practice Facilities: Double Sides Grass Driving Range with Targets, Edge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers, Leadbetter Academy and Pelz Golf School.
Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
Practice Facilities: Double Sides Grass Driving Range with Targets, Edge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers, Leadbetter Academy and Pelz Golf School.
The GolfDay Resort rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), the variety of courses located at the property, 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, as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service
Most everyone has heard about great Florida golf resorts like Streamsong, TPC Sawgrass and PGA Village, but there are a whole lot of terrific public courses that are not part of a resort property.
If you’re looking for great Florida golf without breaking the bank at a high-end resort, take a look at our Top Public courses Florida below, and start planning a get-away–keeping in mind that there are plenty of nice hotels and restaurants to choose from throughout Florida (and GolfDay course pages include a link to Google maps with directions to every course).
While each of the Top 40 has a GolfDay Rating above 90, Florida offers 146 independent public courses with a rating of 85 or higher (very good) and 239 with a rating of 80 or more (above average).
Gil Hanse: The Park
At the top of the list is The Park in West Palm Beach, originally a Dick Wilson course that was completely redesigned by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner in 2023, and has received universal acclaim.
Jack Nicklaus: 5 Designs in the Top 40
Jack Nicklaus leads with most premier public course designs in Florida, with original design or renovations at 5 of the Top 40, including Old Corkscrew (#6) and Webb’s Reserve (#18), his latest design in Punta Gorda.
Ron Garl contributed 4 courses among the Top-40, including renovations at Sun ‘n Lake Golf Club’s Deer Run course in Sebring (#8), and original designs at Eaglebrooke (#23), Sandridge (#29) and Eagle Creek (#30).
Joe Lee designs are included at 3 of the leading public courses in Florida, including Deer Island Country Club in Taveres (No. 9), Abacoa in Jupiter (No. 17) and Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club (#27—recently updated by Kipp Schulties).
Fred Couples and Gene Bates
Gene Bates and Fred Couples teamed up to deliver 2 original designs in the Top 40, including Kelly Plantation (#2) and Southwood (#15)
The best of Florida public golf also includes design by eminent architects such as Donald Ross (New Smyrna Golf Club/No. 13—renovated by Bobby Weed), Tom Fazio (Champions Club at Summerfield/No. 37), Rees Jones (LPGA International/No. 14) and Robert Trent Jones II. (Celebration Golf Club/No. 32).
Any time you are looking for great public golf, or planning a vacation, the GolfDay Search Engine makes it easy to find the best courses and a better bang for your buck.
The Park
The Park/West Palm Beach Florida Historic Golf Trail/City of West Palm Beach
Holes: 27 (Eighteen Hole Championship Course and Lighted Nine Hole Par 3)
Course Architects: Dick Wilson/Mark McCumber/Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner/Dirk Ziff
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.2/139
Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Toptracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
Course Architects: Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest/Hal Sutton
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.3/153
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Grass Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker, Indoor Golf Simulator with TrackMan Technology.
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.
Some of the best public golf in the country can be found in Michigan, including fantastic resorts like Forest Dunes, Arcadia Bluffs and Treetops–but nothing beats membership at a high-end golf club for the quintessential golf experience, and MI has a great many classic courses to choose from. Discover the best options with our guide to the Top 25 Private Clubs-Michigan 2025.
In addition to superb design, limited play at a top private club pretty much guarantees that course conditions will always be great, and you can also say goodbye to the 5-hour round.
25 private clubs in Michigan received a GolfDay rating of 90 or higher, and just over 75 were rated at 80 or better—so there’s a pretty good chance that the perfect club for you is not very far away.
We’ve included our Top 25 below, or you can spin through all of the private courses in Michigan listed by GolfDay Rating. Clubs are listed on the basis of GolfDay Rating, and include a link to the club website, the year founded, course architect(s), current USGA course and slope ratings, a link to course description (where available) as well as a link to Google Maps for each location.
The Michigan Top 25 include eight original Donald Ross designs, beginning with Oakland Hills (#1), as well as Detroit Golf Club (#8) and Muskegon Golf Club (#15).
Donald Ross:8 designs in the Top 25
H.S. (Harry) Colt and C. H. (Charles) Alison, among the greats of classic golf course architecture, designed The Country Club of Detroit (#4) and Orchard Lake CC (#5). Harry Colt also did the original design at Bloomfield Hills CC (recently restored by Mike DeVries, who also crafted the wonderful layout at Kingsley Club–#6).
Dr. Alistair MacKenzie
In addition, Michigan is home to Crystal Downs Country Club (#2), an Alistair MacKenzie design that is perennially among the Golf Digest Top 100 courses in The U.S.
Tom Doak: Modern-day Classic at Lost Dunes
Tom Doak (Renassance Golf), a Michigan native who is widely regarded as one the great modern golf course architects, crafted Lost Dunes Golf Club (#3) in Bridgman. In addition, Tom recently completed High Point Golf Club in Williamsburg, which has opened to rave reviews.
To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and select “where you are” or where you plan to be (by entering the city or zip code). You can also refine your search and save time by adding a description and the features you are looking for.
The GolfDay private club 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), the variety of courses located at the property, USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest, as well as club longevity and prestige.
More and more events on the PGA Tour schedule have been hosted at municipal venues in recent years, including four of the first fourteen events this year–The Farmers and The Genesis at Torrey Pines in California, The Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, and the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park.
The Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, NY (#1 on our top 35), has hosted the U.S. Open Championship twice (2002 and 2009), a PGA Championship (2019) and will be the site of the 2025 Ryder Cup in the Fall.
Torrey Pines South Course (#3) was selected for the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Open, Chambers Bay (#5) in University Place, WA held the 2005 Open, and TPC Harding Park in San Francisco was the site of the 2020 PGA Championship.
So, we have compiled out list of the Top 35 Municipal Courses in the United States.
The Architects
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed 8 of our Top-35, 6 of which can be found along the RTJ Golf Trail in Alabama—including Cambrian Ridge (#7) and Grand National (#9). RTJ also designed the courses at Incline Village (#8) near Lake Taho in NV (renovated by Robert Trent Jones II) as well as the courses at Tanglewood Park (#19) in North Carolina.
Jack Nicklaus weighed in with design at two of the Top-35 (#10–Bally’s in NY, and #27—Breckenridge in Colorado). Jack also did a complete re-design of North Palm Beach Country Club in 2006 (#20)
Jack Nicklaus
Donald Ross is also represented among the Top 35, with 2 North Carolina courses—Monroe Country Club (#31) and Mooresville Golf club (#34).
You can also click Top US Municipal Courses for the Top-200 (includes City and County owned courses, as well as State and National Park golf facilities)—shown by GolfDay Rating.
To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and enter the city where you plan to be.
Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets and Toptracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker (Chipping Green and Bunker closed on Wednesdays).
Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (Grass April-October/Mats November-March, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Michael Breed Golf Academy. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
Course Architects: Larry Packard/Dick Nugent/Ken Killian/Keith Foster/Arthur Schaupeter
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.7 Rating/139 Slope
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Michael Breed Golf Academy. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
Course Architects: Robert E. Baldock/Robert Trent Jones Sr./Robert Trent Jones Jr.
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.9 Rating/137 Slope
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker (flight restricted balls), Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Green Fees.
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, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews.
The California landscape is amazingly diverse, from the rocky northern pacific coast of Monterey to the mountains of Lake Tahoe, the desert beauty of Palm Springs and the sandy beaches of Southern California—and also home to many of the greatest golf courses in the world.
We’ve included our Top 40 California Private Clubs below, or you can spin through all of the private courses in California listed by GolfDay Rating.
Clubs are listed on the basis of GolfDay Rating, and listings include a link to the club website, the year founded, course architect(s), current USGA course and slope ratings as well as a link to Google Maps for each location.
Alistair Mackenzie
Our California Top 40 include four original Dr. Alistair Mackenzie designs, who became perhaps the most celebrated golf course architect in history when he collaborated with Bobby Jones to create Augusta National. Many believe, however, that his greatest work may be Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach—Number 1 in our Top 40.
In addition to Cypress Point, Dr. Mackenzie also did the original design at The Valley Club of Montecito in Santa Barbara (#11), Green Hills Country Club (#17) and Meadow Club (#27).
William “Willie” Watson
Although not quite as famous as Allister Mackenzie, William “Willie” Watson was another Scott who made his way to the western United States in the early 1900’s and created a great many wonderful layouts, four of which are among our Top 40–including both courses at the iconic Olympic Club in San Francisco (#4).
In addition to classic courses steeped in history, our Top 40 private clubs also include four modern designs by Tom Fazio, including The Quarry (#9) and The Madison Club (#12) in the desert at La Quinta, Martis Camp near Lake Tahoe (#10), and The Preserve (#15) in Carmel—about as different as can be from the standpoint of climate and topography.
Tom Fazio
To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and select “where you are” or where you plan to be (by entering the city or zip code). You can also refine your search and save time by adding a description and the features you are looking for.
Course Architects: George Thomas/William P. Bell/Jack Neville/William H. Johnson/William F. Bell/Dick Wilson/George Fazio/Robert Trent Jones, Jr./Tom Doak
The GolfDay private club 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), the variety of courses located at the property, USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest, as well as club longevity and prestige.
With the Texas Children’s Houston Open coming up later this month at Memorial Park, a fantastic municipal layout where Stephan Jaeger nipped Scottie by a shot in 2024, it seemed an appropriate moment to take a look at the best municipal golf in the state of Texas.
Texas offers 140 municipal venues, second only to Illinois (146), with 12 receiving a GolfDay rating above 90 (excellent–the most of any state), while 42 are rated at 80 or higher (very good). For this list, we have compiled the top 25 municipal courses in Texas.
Houston Native Joe Finger did the original design on 5 of our Top 25 (with long time associates Ken Dye and Baxter Spann) including No. 6 (Cedar Creek) and No. 12 Landa Park).
Joe Finger
Texas native Jeff Brauer designed 2 of our Top-25 (No. 2–The Wilderness and No. 7–Tangle Ridge), while Steve Wolfard (The Colony, TX) in association with PGA Tour professional turned golf course architect D.A Weibring renovated 4 of the Top-25 (including Pecan Hollow and Grapevine GC).
Keith Foster, renowned for his work restoring and renovating Colonial Country Club designed Texas Star (No. 9), while PGA Tour veterans Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy, another Houston Native, teamed up to lay out Moody Gardens in Galveston (No. 5).
Tom Doak, who designed Pacific Dunes in Oregon (year after year a Golf Digest Top 100 course) did the renovation at Memorial Park, giving the course plenty of teeth to withstand PGA Tour competition.
You can also click Texas Municipal Courses for a comprehensive list of TX courses you can play.
To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and enter the city where you plan to be.
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, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews.
There are a whole lot of fantastic public golf courses in the state of Texas, but membership at a private club puts you at the top of the food chain for a quality golf experience. Limited play at private clubs pretty much guarantees that course conditions will be great, and you can also say goodbye to the 5-hour round.
Texas boasts 35 private clubs receiving a GolfDay rating of 90 or higher, among the most of any state in the country, and just under 100 clubs were rated at 80 or better—which means you shouldn’t have to look far to find a top echelon course to call home.
We’ve included our Top 30 Private Golf Clubs Texas below, or you can spin through all of the private courses in Texas listed by GolfDay Rating. Clubs are listed on the basis of GolfDay Rating, and listings include a link to the club website, the year founded, course architect(s), current USGA course and slope ratings, a link to course description (where available) as well as a link to Google Maps for each location.
Jack Nicklaus
The Texas Top 30 include three original Jack Nicklaus designs, beginning with Whispering Pines (#1) and include the Traditions Club at Texas A&M (co-designed with Jack II), and the Nicklaus course at Carlton Woods.
Tom Fazio, perhaps the most celebrated architect of the past half century, designed five of our Top 30, including the Fazio course at Carlton Woods (#2), Dallas National (#8) and Escondido Golf & Lake Club (#22). Tom also renovated the Jackrabbit course at The Champions Golf Club in Houston (#2), originally laid out by George Fazio (Tom’s uncle and early mentor).
Bluejack National: Tiger Woods Design
Bluejack National by TGR Design, Tiger’s first course which opened to rave reviews back in 2016, is also among our Top 30 at #12.
Pete Dye (#9 Stonebridge Ranch) and Rees Jones (#27 Shadow Hawk) are also included, as well as the fantastic remodel of Tom Fazio’s original Vaquero Club design by Andrew Green. To view courses by location, use the GolfDay Search Engine and select “where you are” or where you plan to be (by entering the city or zip code). You can also refine your search and save time by adding a description and the features you are looking for.
The GolfDay private club 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), the variety of courses located at the property, USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest, as well as club longevity and prestige.
Donald Ross was by far the most prolific of the classic golf course architectural masters, having designed or remodeled more than 300 courses in the United States that are still open for play.
Many of the most famous courses designed by Ross are private, including Oak Hill, Seminole, and Oakland Hills, but there are 100 Donald Ross courses that are open to the public–starting with Pinehurst #2.
Pinehurst #2, Pinehurst ResortNC
Pinehurst #2, site of the 2024 U.S. Open, is perhaps the most famous Donald Ross design, having previously hosted the Open in 2014, 2005 and 1999 as well as the 2014 Women’s Open, 1936 PGA Championship and the 1951 Ryder Cup.
Donald Ross
Donald Ross also designed courses 1 and 3 at Pinehurst Resort, and a great many of his classic course designs were conceived in his home adjacent to #2, Dornoch Cottage, where Ross lived from 1925 until his death in 1948.
Dornoch Cottage, Pinehurst Resort
Ross left us with a wealth of wonderful golf courses, and we are fortunate indeed that so many are available for everyone to enjoy. We have selected our Top 35, but you can also spin through a comprehensive list of all public Donald Ross courses.
Since Donald Ross made his home in North Carolina, it is not a surprise that 11 of the Top 35 public Ross courses are located in NC. Florida is second with 4, followed by Ohio and New Hampshire with three each.
In addition to Pinehurst, premier golf resort locations with Donald Ross courses include French Lick in Indiana, Pine Needles (also in NC), and The Broadmoor in Colorado.
Should you wish to delve deeper into the life and work of this remarkable man, The Donald Ross Society is a fantastic resource.
And if you’re just looking for great public golf where you are or where you’re going, the GolfDay Search Engine makes it easy to find the best courses and a better bang for your buck.
Course Architects: Donald Ross/William Langford/Mark Mahannah/Brian Silva
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.3/132
Practice Facilities: Driving Range (Grass Thursday-Sunday/Mats Monday-Wednesday) with Targets, Putting Greens (3) and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Jim McLean Golf Academy.
Holes: 18 (Twelve Hole Regulation Course/Belmont and Six Hole Executive Course/Little Bell)
Course Architects: A. W. Tillinghast/Donald Ross/David W. Gordon/Edmund Ault/Davis Love III
USGA Course/Slope Rating: 65.5/121
Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Target Greens, Wedge Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (3) and Eighteen Hole Putting Course (The Ringer).
The summer is starting to roll, and it’s time to think about planning a golf trip. Myrtle Beach is the #1 golf destination in the U.S., offering more than eighty courses–along with great food, terrific nightlife, and gorgeous beaches for when you’re not on the course.
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 (Arcadian Shores), Tom Doak (Legends Resort) and Jack Nicklaus (Pawleys Plantation and Long Bay).
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, perennially among the Golf Digest Top 100 public courses, was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. in 1948, with Rees Jones providing updates and renovations in 2003, 2013 and 2018.
And then there are the two masterpieces left to us by Mike Strantz at Caledonia and True Blue. We’ve included the Top 5 Golf Resorts and the Top 30 Public Courses in the Myrtle Beach area on the basis of GolfDay Rating, but a complete list of MB public courses is also available by visiting the GolfDay Course Search Page.
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.
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.
Practice Facilities: Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker (Full Grass Driving Range available at True Blue Course. Range Balls included with Greens Fee).
