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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jason Lusk

Golfweek’s Best 2020: Top 200 Resort Golf Courses

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2020 list of top resort golf courses in the United States, first published in the print issue of Golfweek’s Ultimate Guide.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region.

We hope you enjoy poring over these rankings, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on this Golfweek’s Best 2020: Top 200 Resort Courses list.

Each course is listed with its 2020 ranking, its location, architect(s), the year it opened and an average ranking from all the Golfweek Raters who reviewed it.

Top 200 Resort Courses 1-50

Whistling Straits (Courtesy of Destination Kohler)
Rank Course  Location Architect(s)  Year opened  Avg. rating
1 Pebble Beach Golf Links Pebble Beach, Calif. Douglas Grant, Jack Neville 1919 8.85
2 Bandon Dunes Bandon, Ore. Tom Doak 2001 8.83
3 Pinehurst
No. 2
Pinehurst, N.C. Donald Ross 1907 8.40
4 Whistling Straits (Straits) Mosel, Wis. Pete Dye 1998 8.28
5 Bandon Dunes (Old Macdonald) Bandon, Ore. Tom Doak, Jim Urbina 2010 8.28
6 Bandon Dunes (Bandon Dunes) Bandon, Ore. David McLay Kidd 1999 8.14
7 Shadow Creek North Las Vegas, Nev. Tom Fazio 1970 8.06
8 Kiawah Golf Resort (Ocean Course) Kiawah Island, S.C. Pete Dye 1991 7.90
9 Bandon Dunes (Bandon Trails) Bandon, Ore. Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 2005 7.85
10 TPC Sawgrass
(Players Stadium)
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Pete Dye 1981 7.76
11 Spyglass Hill Pebble Beach, Calif. Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1966 7.67
12 Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes) Nekoosa, Wis. David McLay Kidd 2018 7.59
13 Sand Valley (Sand Valley) Nekoosa, Wis. Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 2017 7.52
14 Streamsong Resort (Red) Bowling Green, Fla. Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 2012 7.51
15 Streamsong Resort (Black) Bowling Green, Fla. Gil Hanse 2017 7.45
16 Gamble Sands Brewster, Wash. David McLay Kidd 2014 7.45
17 Kapalua (Plantation) Lanai, Hawaii Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 1991 7.41
18 Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs) Arcadia, Mich. Warren Henderson, Rick Smith 1999 7.38
19 Sea Pines Resort (Harbour Town Golf Links) Hilton Head Island, S.C. Pete Dye 1970 7.34
20 Streamsong Resort (Blue) Bowling Green, Fla. Tom Doak 2012 7.32
21 Fallen Oak Saucier, Miss. Tom Fazio 2006 7.25
22 Four Seasons Resort Lanai (Manele) Lanai, Hawaii Jack Nicklaus 1993 7.25
23 Omni Homestead Resort (The Cascades) Hot Springs, Va. William S. Flynn 1923 7.21
24 Sea Island (Seaside) St. Simons Island, Ga. Charles H. Alison, Harry S. Colt, Tom Fazio, Joe Lee 1929 7.10
25 Blackwolf Run (River) Kohler, Wis. Pete Dye 1988 7.03
26 Erin Hills Erin, Wis. Dana Fry, Michael Hurdzan 2006 7.03
27 Mossy Oak GC West Point, Miss. Gil Hanse 2016 6.98
28 Forest Dunes, The Loop (Red & Black) Roscommon, Mich. Tom Doak 2016 6.98
29 Silvies Valley Ranch (Hankins) Seneca, Ore. Dan Hixson 2018 6.97
30 Mid Pines Southern Pines, N.C. Donald Ross 1921 6.97
31 The Prairie Club (Dunes) Valentine, Neb. Tom Lehman, Chris Brands 2010 6.97
32 Highland Course at Primland Meadows of Dan, Va. Donald Steel 2006 6.95
33 Silvies Valley Ranch (Craddock) Seneca, Ore. Dan Hixson 2018 6.93
34 Pinehurst No. 4 Pinehurst, N.C. Gil Hanse 2018 6.91
35 The Greenbrier (Old White TPC) White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Charles Blair Macdonald, Seth Raynor, Lester George  1914 6.83
36 Montage Palmetto Bluff (May River) Bluffton, S.C. Jack Nicklaus  2004 6.83
37 The Dunes G&BC Myrtle Beach, S.C. Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1949 6.82
38 Pine Needles Southern Pines, N.C. John Fought, Donald Ross 1927 6.82
39 Forest Dunes (Forest Dunes/Weiskopf) Roscommon, Mich. Tom Weiskopf 2002 6.78
40 Keswick Hall & GC Charlottesville, Va. Pete Dye 2014 6.77
41 Sand Hollow (Championship Course) St. George, Utah John Fought, Andy Staples 2008 6.77
42 French Lick Resort (Pete Dye Course) French Lick, Ind. Pete Dye 2009 6.75
43 Whistling Straits (Irish) Mosel, Wis. Pete Dye 2000 6.75
44 Golden Horseshoe (Gold) Williamsburg, Va. Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones 1963 6.74
45 Caledonia Golf & Fish Club Pawleys Island, S.C. Mike Strantz 1994 6.71
46 Giant’s Ridge (Quarry) Biwabik, Minn. Jeff Brauer 2004 6.71
47 Cascata Boulder City, Nev. Rees Jones 2000 6.69
48 We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro) Fort McDowell, Ariz. Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw 2006 6.66
49 Arcadia Bluffs (South Course) Arcadia, Mich. Dana Fry, Jason Straka 2018 6.65
50 Old Waverly GC West Point, Miss. Bob Cupp, Jerry Pate 1988 6.65

Top 200 Resort Courses 51-100

Rams Hill (Courtesy of Rams Hill)
Rank Course Location Architect(s)  Year opened Rating
51 Trump National Doral Miami (Blue Monster) Miamier Dick Wilson, Gil Hanse 1962 6.65
52 Linville GC Linville, N.C. Donald Ross 1924 6.63
53 CordeValle San Martin, Calif. Robert Trent Jones Jr. 2000 6.63
54 Pronghorn (Nicklaus) Bend, Ore. Jack Nicklaus 2004 6.61
55 Mauna Kea Beach GC Kohala Coast, Hawaii Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1964 6.61
56 Atlantic City CC Northfield, N.J. William S. Flynn, Tom Doak 1925 6.61
57 Lajitas Golf Resort (Black Jack’s Crossing) Lajitas, Texas Lanny Wadkins 2012 6.60
58 Rams Hill Borrego Springs, Calif. Tom Fazio 2014 6.58
59 Princeville Makai Princeville, Hawaii Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1971 6.57
60 Cape Cod National Brewster, Mass. Brian Silva, Mark Mungeam 1998 6.56
61 Broadmoor (East) Colorado Springs, Colo. Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1918 6.55
62 Salish Cliffs Shelton, Wash. Gene Bates 2011 6.55
63 Bay Hill Club Orlando Arnold Palmer, Dick Wilson 1961 6.55
64 Tobacco Road Sanford, N.C. Mike Strantz 1998 6.55
65 FarmLinks at Pursell Farms Sylacauga, Ala. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry 2003 6.54
66 Ritz-Carlton GC Dove Mountain (Saguaro & Tortolita) Marana, Ariz. Jack Nicklaus 2009 6.54
67 Wilderness at Fortune Bay Tower, Minn. Jeff Brauer 2004 6.54
68 Big Cedar Lodge (Buffalo Ridge) Ridgedale, Mo. Tom Fazio 1999 6.53
69 Wolf Creek Mesquite, Nev. Dennis Rider, John Rider 2000 6.50
70 Pine Dunes Resort & GC Frankston, Texas Jay Morrish 2001 6.50
71 PGA West (Stadium) La Quinta, Calif. Pete Dye 1986 6.50
72 Barona Creek Lakeside, Calif. Gary Roger Baird, Todd Eckenrode 2001 6.50
73 Innisbrook (Copperhead) Tarpon Springs, Fla. Larry Packard 1974 6.48
74 Pinehurst No. 8 Pinehurst, N.C. Tom Fazio 1996 6.44
75 Nemacolin Woodlands (Mystic Rock) Farmington, Pa. Pete Dye 1995 6.44
76 Reynolds Lake Oconee (Great Waters) Greensboro, Ga. Jack Nicklaus 1992 6.42
77 Links at Spanish Bay Pebble Beach, Calif. Robert Trent Jones Jr., Sandy Tatum, Tom Watson 1987 6.42
78 The Preserve Vancleave, Miss. Jerry Pate 2006 6.41
79 Red Sky (Fazio) Wolcott, Colo. Tom Fazio 2002 6.41
80 The Wilderness Club of Montana Eureka, Mont. Nick Faldo 2009 6.41
81 Crystal Springs Resort (Ballyowen) Hamburg, N.J. Roger Rulewich 1998 6.39
82 True Blue Pawleys Island, S.C. Mike Strantz 1998 6.36
83 Pelican Hill (Ocean North) Newport Coast, Calif. Tom Fazio 1993 6.36
84 TPC Scottsdale (Stadium) Scottsdale, Ariz. Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf 1986 6.36
85 PGA National (Champion) Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus 1981 6.36
86 Bald Head Island Club Bald Head Island, N.C. George Cobb, Tim Cate 1974 6.32
87 Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Fazio Canyons) Austin, Texas Tom Fazio 1999 6.31
88 Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean) Palm Coast, Fla. Jack Nicklaus 2000 6.30
89 Sagamore Bolton Landing, N.Y. Donald Ross 1928 6.30
90 Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Jack Nicklaus 2008 6.29
91 Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (Poipu Bay) Koloa, Hawaii Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1991 6.28
92 Reynolds Lake Oconee (Oconee) Greensboro, Ga. Rees Jones 2002 6.28
93 The Prairie Club (Pines) Valentine, Neb. Graham Marsh 2010 6.28
94 Whitetail GC McCall, Idaho Roger Packard, Andy North 2002 6.28
95 Pelican Hill (Ocean South) Newport Coast, Calif. Tom Fazio 1991 6.24
96 Omni Bedford Springs (Old Course) Bedford, Pa. Donald Ross, A.W. Tillinghast, Ron Forse 1923 6.24
97 Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys) Kohler, Wis. Pete Dye 1988 6.24
98 Madden’s on Gull Lake (The Classic) Brainerd, Minn. Scott Hoffmann 1997 6.23
99 Turning Stone Resort (Atunyote) Verona, N.Y. Tom Fazio 2004 6.21
100 Wailea GC (Gold) Maui, Hawaii Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1994 6.21

Top 200 Resort Courses 101-150

Mauna Lani’s North course (Courtesy of Mauna Lani)
Rank Course Location Architect(s)  Year opened Rank
101 Camp Creek Watersound, Fla. Tom Fazio 2001 6.21
102 Fairmont Grand Del Mar (The Grand GC) San Diego, Calif. Tom Fazio 1999 6.20
103 French Lick (Donald Ross) French Lick, Ind. Donald Ross 1917 6.19
104 Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Maricopa, Ariz. Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley 2002 6.17
105 Bay Harbor GC (Links/Quarry) Bay Harbor, Mich. Arthur Hills 1997 6.17
106 Troon North (Monument) Scottsdale, Ariz. Jay Morrish, Tom Weiskopf 1990 6.17
107 We-Ko-Pa (Cholla) Fort McDowell, Ariz. Scott Miller 2001 6.16
108 Sunriver Resort (Crosswater) Sunriver, Ore. Bob Cupp 1995 6.16
109 Kingsmill Resort (River) Williamsburg, Va. Pete Dye 1974 6.16
110 Sea Pines Resort (Atlantic Dunes) Hilton Head Island, S.C. Davis Love III 2016 6.16
111 Stonewall Resort Roanoke, W.Va. Arnold Palmer 2002 6.14
112 JW Turnberry Miami (Soffer) Aventura, Fla. Raymond Floyd, Robert Tent Jones Sr. 1972 6.13
113 Firekeeper Mayetta, Kan. Jeff Brauer, Notah Begay III 2011 6.13
114 Legends Golf Resort (Moorland) Myrtle Beach, S.C. P.B. Dye 1990 6.12
115 Sandestin (Burnt Pine) Miramar Beach, Fla. Rees Jones 1994 6.11
116 Teton Pines Wilson, Wyo. Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay 1987 6.11
117 Cache Creek Casino (Yocha Dehe GC) Brooks, Calif. Brad Bell 2008 6.10
118 Mauna Lani (North) Kohola Coast, Hawaii R.F. Cain, Homer Flint, Robin Nelson 1981 6.10
119 TPC San Antonio (AT&T Oaks) San Antonio, Texas Greg Norman 2010 6.10
120 The Omni Grove Park Inn Asheville, N.C. Donald Ross, Kris Spence 1926 6.09
121 Ventana Canyon (Mountain) Tuscon, Ariz. Tom Fazio 1987 6.09
122 Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Carlsbad, Calif. Dick Wilson, Jeff Brauer, Damian Pascuzzo, Steve Pate 1965 6.06
123 Snowshoe Mountain (Raven) Snowshoe, W.Va. Gary Player 1993 6.06
124 Treetops Resort (Signature) Gaylord, Mich. Rick Smith 1993 6.06
125 Hidden River Golf & Casting Club Brutus, Mich. W. Bruce Matthews III 1997 6.06
126 Pine Mountain (TimberStone) Iron Mountain, Mich. Jerry Matthews 1997 6.06
127 Sea Pines Resort (Heron Point) Hilton Head Island, S.C. Pete Dye 2007 6.05
128 Troon North (Pinnacle) Scottsdale, Ariz. Tom Weiskopf 1996 6.05
129 Lake Las Vegas (Reflection Bay) Henderson, Nev. Jack Nicklaus 1998 6.05
130 Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort (Circling Raven) Worley, Idaho Gene Bates 2003 6.05
131 Trump National Doral Miami (Golden Palm) Miami Gil Hanse 2015 6.04
132 Turtle Bay Resort (Arnold Palmer) Kahuku, Hawaii Arnold Palmer 1992 6.04
133 Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas (TPC Four Seasons) Irving, Texas Jay Morrish, Byron Nelson, Ben Crenshaw, D.A. Weibring, Steve Wolfard 1982 6.03
134 Wailea (Emerald) Maui, Hawaii Robert Trent Jones Jr. 1994 6.03
135 Wisp Resort (Lodestone) McHenry, Md. Hale Irwin, Todd Schoeder 2010 6.02
136 Hammock Beach (Conservatory) Palm Coast, Fla. Tom Watson 2006 6.00
137 Broadmoor (West) Colorado Springs, Colo. Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones Sr. 1918 5.99
138 Wilderness Resort (Wild Rock GC) Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry 2008 5.99
139 The Resort at Glade Springs (Stonehaven) Beckley, W.Va. Brian Ault, Tom Clark 2003 5.97
140 Desert Willow (Firecliff) Palm Desert, Calif. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry 1997 5.96
141 Stonehenge Crossville, Tenn. Joe Lee 1985 5.96
142 PGA Golf Club (Dye) Port St. Lucie, Fla. Pete Dye 1998 5.96
143 Mission Inn Resort & Club (El Campeon) Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. George O’Neil, Charles Clark 1917 5.95
144 Red Sky Ranch (Norman) Wolcott, Colo. Greg Norman 2003 5.95
145 Incline Village (Championship) Incline Village, Nev. Robert Trent Jones Sr., Kyle Phillips 1964 5.95
146 JW Turnberry Miami (Miller) Aventura, Fla. Robert Trent Jones Sr., Raymond Floyd 1971 5.95
147 Tatanka GC Niobrara, Neb. Paul Albanese 2015 5.94
148 GC at Whitehawk Ranch Clio, Calif. Dick Bailey 1996 5.94
149 Sandia Golf Club Albuquerque, N.M. Scott Miller 2005 5.94
150 Lake of Isles (North) North Stonington, Conn. Rees Jones 2005 5.93

Top 200 Resort Courses 151-200

Reunion Resort’s Watson course (Courtesy of Reunion Resort)
Rank Course Location Architect(s)   Year opened Rank
151 Gasparilla Inn & Club Boca Grande, Fla. Unknown, Pete Dye 1933 5.92
152 Kiva Dunes Gulf Shores, Ala. Jerry Pate 1995 5.92
153 Paiute (The Wolf) Las Vegas, Nev. Pete Dye 2001 5.92
154 Ocean Course at Hokuala Kauai, Hawaii Jack Nicklaus 1988 5.92
155 The Greenbrier (Greenbrier) White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Seth Raynor, George O’Neil, Jack Nicklaus 1925 5.92
156 Grand National  (Links) Opelika, Ala. Robert Trent Jones Sr., Roger Rulewich 1993 5.91
157 Park Hyatt Aviara Carlsbad, Calif. Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay 1991 5.91
158 PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker) Port St. Lucie, Fla. Tom Fazio 1996 5.90
159 Eagle Ridge (The General) Galena, Ill. Roger Packard, Andy North 1997 5.90
160 Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players) Indian Wells, Calif. John Fought 2007 5.90
161 Boulders Resort & Spa (North) Carefree, Ariz. Jay Morrish 1985 5.90
162 La Quinta Resort & Club (Mountain) La Quinta, Calif. Pete Dye 1980 5.90
163 Silverado Resort & Spa (North) Napa Valley, Calif. Robert Tent Jones Jr., Johnny Miller 1967 5.89
164 Coeur d’Alene Resort Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Scott Miller 1991 5.89
165 Okemo Valley GC Ludlow, Vt. Steve Durkee 200 5.88
166 Hershey CC (West) Hershey, Pa. Maurice McCarthy 1930 5.88
167 The Breakers (Rees Jones Course) West Palm Beach, Fla. Rees Jones 2004 5.88
168 Reynolds Lake Oconee (National) Greensboro, Ga. Tom Fazio 1997 5.87
169 La Cantera Resort (Palmer) San Antonio, Texas Arnold Palmer 2001 5.87
170 PGA West (Nicklaus Resort) La Quinta, Calif. Jack Nicklaus 1987 5.86
171 Myrtle Beach National (King’s North) Myrtle Beach, S.C. Frank Duane, Arnold Palmer 1972 5.86
172 Orange County National (Panther Lake) Winter Garden, Fla. David Harman, Phil Ritson 1997 5.86
173 TPC Sawgrass (Dye’s Valley) Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Pete Dye 1987 5.86
174 Nemacolin Woodlands (Shepherd’s Rock) Farmington, Pa. Pete Dye 2017 5.85
175 Omni Mount Washington Resort (Mount Washington) Bretton Woods, N.H. Donald Ross, Brian Silva 1915 5.85
176 Bay Creek (Nicklaus Course) Cape Charles, Va. Jack Nicklaus 2006 5.85
177 Paiute (Sun Mountain) Las Vegas, Nev. Pete Dye 1996 5.84
178 Reynolds Lake Oconee (The Landing) Greensboro, Ga. Bob Cupp 1986 5.84
179 Kapalua (Bay Course) Maui, Hawaii Frank Duane, Arnold Palmer 1974 5.84
180 Grande Dunes Resort Club Myrtle Beach, S.C. Roger Rulewich 2001 5.84
181 Boyne Highlands (Arthur Hills) Harbor Springs, Mich. Arthur Hills 2000 5.83
182 Turning Stone Resort (Shenendoah) Verona, N.Y. Rick Smith 2000 5.83
183 Surf Golf & Beach Club North Myrtle Beach, S.C. George Cobb, John LaFoy 1960 5.83
184 Barefoot Resort & Golf (Love) North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Davis Love III 2000 5.80
185 Indian Wells Golf Resort (Celebrity) Indian Wells, Calif. Clive Clark 2006 5.79
186 Journey at Pechanga Temecula, Calif. Steve Forrest, Arthur Hills 2008 5.79
187 Barefoot Resort & Golf (Dye) North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Pete Dye 2000 5.79
188 Grand Bear Saucier, Miss. Jay Morrish 1999 5.79
189 Boulder Resort & Spa (South) Carefree, Ariz. Tom Fazio, Jerry Pate 1985 5.79
190 TPC San Antonio (AT&T Canyons) San Antonio, Texas Pete Dye 2010 5.79
191 Ko Olina Golf Club Kapolei, Hawaii Ted Robinson 1990 5.78
192 Giants Ridge Golf (Legends) Biwabik, Minn. Jeff Brauer, Lanny Wadkins 1997 5.78
193 Orange County National (Crooked Cat) Winter Garden, Fla. David Harman, Phil Ritson 1998 5.78
194 Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa (Wolfdancer) Lost Pines, Texas Arthur Hills, Chris Wilczynski 2006 5.77
195 Dancing Rabbit (Azaleas) Philadelphia, Miss. Tom Fazio, Jerry Pate 1997 5.77
196 Mauna Lani (South) Kohola Coast, Hawaii R.F. Cain, Homer Flint, Robin Nelson 1981 5.77
197 Half Moon Bay (Ocean) Half Moon Bay, Calif. Arthur Hills 1997 5.77
198 Reunion Resort (Watson) Kissimmee, Fla. Tom Watson 2005 5.76
199 Palmetto Dunes (Robert Trent Jones) Hilton Head Island, S.C. Robert Trent Jones Sr., Roger Rulewich 1967 5.76
200 Grand Cypress (New) Orlando Jack Nicklaus 1988 5.76

 

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