Shadow Creek in Las Vegas (left) and George Wright (right) in Boston are at opposite ends of the affordability scale.
Left: Brian Oar; Right: City of Boston Golf
Last week, we revealed the latest ranking of The 100 best courses you can play in the USAjust a week after its publication Top 100 courses in the USA
There are some big differences between the two lists: the latter is ultra-exclusive, with publicly accessible courses making up only a small percentage of the list. The first celebrates the best songs in America where ANYONE you can tear it up. Unfortunately, just because these courses are open to the public doesn’t mean they aren’t expensive. There are many of them, and some that stand out.
Why our list of the 100 best courses you can play is still so relevant
Ran Morrissett
Where does each course rank in terms of affordability? We put the courses in order from the most expensive. The process isn’t entirely black and white: Some courses require stay and play for access, others use dynamic pricing or require boxes as part of the green fee. In most cases, we tried to rank courses according to their peak levels when applicable.
As you’ll see below, while most of the courses on our list fall into the $200-$399 bracket, nearly a quarter of the list can be played for less than $200—and five of the nation’s best public courses can played for $100 or less.
The club champion in terms of value goes to George WrightNo. 70 on our 100 best to play list, but a clear number 1 in terms of value. Boston Muni, designed by Donald Rossrated as a better track than many private clubs around. And with a maximum green fee of $62, it sounds like a course you have to experience.
How does the rest of the list fare in terms of price? Check out the price rankings for each Top 100 Playable Course below.
Top 10 Most Expensive Green Fees in GOLF’s Top 100 You Can Play
14. Shadow Creek, $1,250
53. Firestone (South), $550 (plus overnight stay required)
10. Whistling Straits, $735
8. TPC Sawgrass (The Players Stadium), $700+ (course uses dynamic pricing)
1. Pebble Beach, $675
52. Greenbrier (Old White), $665
6. Kiawah Island (Ocean), $650 (non-resort guest rate)
12. Harbor Town, $650
2. Pinehurst no. $2,595
77. Trump National Doral (Blue Monster), $595
Courses with fees from $400-$550
47. Four Seasons Lanai (Manele), $550
23. Spyglass Hill, $495
15. Pinehurst no. $10,125 plus resort stay
69. Innisbrook Copperhead, $435 plus resort stay
25. Pinehurst no. $4,125 plus resort stay
83. CordeValle, $250 plus resort stay
56. PGA West (Stadium), $482
71. Bay Hill, $475
33. Double (Plantation), $459
21. Erin Hills, $455
29. Blackwolf Run (River), $440
24. Sheep Farm, $420
74. Karsten Creek, $400
84. French Lick (Dye Course), $400
Course green fees from $200-$399
32. Citrus Farms (Karoo), $395
11. Hobby, $385
86. Waterfall, $375
3. Pacific Dunes, resort guest rate of $370
7. Bandon Trails, resort guest rate of $370
9. Bandon Dunes Resort Visitor Rate $370
