You’re nodding and smiling at a holiday party, pretending to be interested in the conversation. You’re looking off in the distance, watching the snow collect on backyard trees while Christmas music fills the air. But deep down, you’re thinking about something far more important — the itinerary for your next big golf trip, complete with some of the world’s best courses.
For the final days of 2023, we’ve been offering up a snapshot of the top 10 stories from each of Golfweek’s most popular sections, including travel, the PGA and LPGA tours, instruction and fitness.
Today, we’re focusing on one of our most important areas — golf course lists and other golf architecture. The tracks featured in these posts are from all around the globe.
Here’s a look at the top 10 golf course lists, as clicked on by you:
10
Where to play golf around Pinehurst: Golfweek's Best 2023 public-access courses
Looking to play one of the top golf regions in the world, with great courses stacked alongside great courses? Look no further than Pinehurst, North Carolina.
From classic dream layouts to modern works of art, there are a dozen courses within a half-hour’s drive of Pinehurst that rank among the top 20 public-access courses in North Carolina.
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9
Where to play golf around Orlando and Central Florida: Golfweek's Best 2023 public-access courses
Looking for a break from the theme parks around Orlando? Whether you want to stay close or you’re willing to drive a bit, there are several courses available that appear on the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top public-access layouts in Florida.
But it’s not as easy as pulling up our state-by-state rankings, which lists Florida courses that might be a full day’s drive away from Central Florida. We wanted to focus on the eight top-ranked courses that, while they might require golfers spend up to 90 minutes in the car, are within reasonable driving distance.
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8
Where to play golf around Las Vegas: Golfweek's Best 2023 public-access courses
Ready to make a break from the casinos or hectic pace of the Las Vegas Strip? If you’re looking for the top golf courses around Sin City, Golfweek’s Best has you covered.
If you’re willing to drive a bit, there are several courses in this region that appear on the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top public-access layouts in Nevada.
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7
Golfweek's Best 2023: Top 200 Modern Courses in the U.S.
Is modern more your speed?
From Hawaii to Boston, we have you covered. Here’s Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of the Top 200 Modern Courses built in or after 1960 in the United States.
6
Golfweek's Best 2023: Top 200 Classic Courses in the U.S. built before 1960
Are you a big fan of Golden Age golf architecture? You’re in the right spot. Here’s Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of the Top 200 Classic Courses opened before 1960 in the United States.
5
Golfweek's Best 2023: Top 40 par-3, short and non-traditional courses in the U.S.
What makes a great short course? We posed that question to our huge network of course raters to establish the first Golfweek’s Best ranking of non-traditional courses in the United States.
We included par-3 courses as well as short courses that might have a few par 4s and even par 5s. Some are crazy, over-the-top fun meant to be played barefoot with a cold drink in hand. Others are more traditional in their design. They might be at an elite private club, or they might be a muni down the street. There might be 18 holes, or there might be only six — who cares when you’re having a blast?
4
10 U.S. destinations with three or more top-ranked resort courses
What do you really want in a golf trip? If your answer is golf, golf, then more golf in one spot, sometimes followed by a wee bit of extra golf, we have you covered.
Any of the layouts on the list would make for a great getaway. More than three dozen resorts have two courses on the list, always begging for a comparison between layouts over a nice cold drink and dinner after a full day of golf.
3
Golfweek's Best Courses You Can Play 2023: Top 100 U.S. public-access courses ranked
All the courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort, or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time.
2
Golfweek's Best Courses You Can Play 2023: State-by-state rankings for public-access layouts
Want to play the best public-access golf courses in each state?
The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required. (There are a handful of courses on this list that some players might consider to be private, but they do allow non-hosted, non-member guest play in some limited form, normally through a local hotel or similar arrangement.)
1
Golfweek's Best Private Courses 2023: State-by-state rankings of private courses
Want to find the best private golf courses in each state? You’re in the right spot, and welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of top private layouts as judged by our international panel of raters.
All the courses on this list are private and don’t accept daily-fee or resort play.
