Course owner Hall Thompson enlisted Jack Nicklaus to help him design a championship-caliber course in the mid-'70s, which resulted in the Shoal Creek Golf Club. The course has hosted two PGA Championships and will host the Regions Tradition on the Champions Tour through 2015.
Source: Shoal Creek Club
The Anchorage Golf Course, designed by Bill Newcomb, offers breathtaking views of Mount McKinley, Chugach Mountain Range, Cook Inlet, and the Anchorage city skyline. Golfers can experience the area's natural wildlife with sightings of moose, foxes, and waterfowl.
Source: Facebook/Anchorage Golf Course
The members-only Estancia Club hosts the best golf course in the Grand Canyon State. The championship course was designed by Tom Fazio, who was named the Best Modern Day Golf Course Architect three times by Golf Digest.
Also designed by Tom Fazio, The Alotian Club sits along Lake Maumelle in the town of Roland. The course was designed similarly to that of the Augusta National golf course in Georgia.
Source: Google Maps
The Cypress Point Golf Course in Pebble Beach frequently ranks among the best golf courses in the world. Designed by renowned golf-course architect Alister Mackenzie in 1928, Cypress Point's back nine is all along the Pacific. The signature 16th and 17th holes are two of the most picturesque holes in the world.
Source: Flickr/Jack French
The course at the Country Club at Castle Pines was designed by Jack Nicklaus and sits 6,630 feet above sea level. Golfers can take in sweeping views of the Colorado Front Range.
Source: The Country Club at Castle Pines
The Course at Yale University is hailed as the best collegiate course in the nation. The course was designed by US Golf Association founder Charles Blair Macdonald.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The South Course at Wilmington Country Club was designed by renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones and has hosted a number of amateur USGA Championships. Wilmington Country Club also has a shorter North Course.
Source: Wilmington Country Club
While Seminole Golf Club was designed by Donald J. Ross, the exclusive club even turned down fellow designer Jack Nicklaus for membership. The private club opened in 1929.
Source: Bing Maps
In the early 1930s, star golfer Bobby Jones had a vision for his dream course. He enlisted Alister Mackenzie (Cypress Point) as the course architect, and together they created the Augusta National Golf Club. The birthplace of the Masters Tournament, August National has seen the best players since 1934.
Source: David Cannon/Getty Images
The Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf, designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Moore, offers as-far-as-the-eye-can-see ocean views from every hole. The course is the site of the PGA Tour Hyundai Tournament of Champions every January.
Source: Facebook/Kapalua-Resort
Another Tom Fazio creation, the Gozzer Ranch golf course perfects the golfing experience. The championship course is surrounded by rocky bluffs overlooking Lake Coeur D'Alene.
Source: Gozzer Ranch Golf Club
The Chicago Golf Club is home to the oldest golf course in North America and is one of the founding clubs of the USGA. The historic course was designed by Charles Blair Macdonald in 1893.
Source: Bing Maps
The Victoria National Golf Club is another Tom Fazio design. The course hosts the annual PGA Tour Web.com United Leasing Championship.
Source: Flickr/Pete Burzynski
Renowned golf course architect Keith Foster worked with course owner Dickson Jensen to create The Harvester Golf Club, 25 miles north of Des Moines. The Harvester is one of the few public courses to make our list.
Source: Facebook/Iowa Golf Tee Times
Prairie Dunes Country Club founders, the Carey family, enlisted golf-course architect Perry Maxwell to design the first nine holes of the course in the 1930s. The course was shaped solely by man, horse, and mule power. Twenty years later, Maxwell's son, Press, designed the back nine.
Source: Flickr/proforged
The Valhalla Golf Club is the first course ever owned solely by the PGA of America. The host of two PGA Championships was designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Source: Flickr/louisvillemetro
Tom Fazio took to northern Louisiana to design the Squire Creek Country Club course. The private course is surrounded by natural beauty and Southern charm.
Source: Courtesy of Squire Creek Country Club
Most people travel to Carrabassett, Maine, for great skiing at Sugarloaf. But during the warmer months Sugarloaf is home to a golf club and the best course Vacationland has to offer.
Source: Sugarloaf Mountain
The Blue course at the Congressional Country Club was founded by members of Congress to create a club where prominent government officials — including the president — and businessmen could meet socially since 1920. The course has been the site of major championship tournaments including the US Open, the PGA National Championship, and the AT&T National.
Source: Flickr/Keith Allison
The Country Club is one of the five founding golf clubs of the US Golf Association. It has hosted 16 USGA tournaments, including the biennial US-versus-Europe Ryder Cup matches in 1999.
Source: Stephen Munday/Getty Images
Overlooking Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake, Crystal Downs Country Club is consistently ranked one of the top courses in the US. Because of a lack of space and accommodations, the only tournament hosted here was the 1991 US Senior Amateur. The challenging course was designed by Alister Mackenzie and Peter Maxwell.
Source: Wikipedia
Interlachen Country Club was shaped by many architects, but the current design is the work of golf-course architect Donald Ross. The course has hosted many golf professionals over the years and was the host of the 1930 US Open.
The private Old Waverly Golf Club is the best course in the Magnolia State because of its gorgeous landscape and challenging holes. The course features a beautiful club house and is picturesquely set on five different lakes.
Source: Old Waverly Golf Club
The Dalhousie Golf Club was designed by The Nicklaus Group and boasts a rich Scottish history. The land was settled by relatives of the Earl of Dalhousie from Scotland in the late 1700s and on the outskirts of the course is a mansion similar to that of Scotland's Dalhousie Castle.
Source: Facebook/Dalhousie Golf Club
The golf course at The Wilderness Club is consistently hailed the best course in Big Sky Country. Nick Faldo teamed up with architects Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley to create the challenging course with spectacular mountain views.
Source: The Wilderness Club
In the tiny town of Mullen (population 509), golf architects Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore took over two years to decide on the final design for the Sand Hills Golf Club course. It is considered one of the best in the world — and it inspired Jack Nicklaus to build in the region.
Source: Sand Hills Golf Club
The Shadow Creek golf course, part of MGM Resorts International, has all of the grandeur of Las Vegas and the challenge of a championship course. The Tom Fazio design makes golfers forget they are in the middle of the desert because of the 21,000 trees planted around the course.
Source: MGM Grand
The exclusive Baker Hill Golf Club was designed by well-known architect Rees Jones. The 18-hole course was completed in 2002 and membership is kept down to a very low 225 people so the course is always available for play — if you're a member.
Source: Baker Hill Golf Club
Located just outside Philadelphia, the Pine Valley Golf Club is considered the best course in the country and one of the best in the world. Course designers George Crump and H.S. Colt built the course within the Jersey Pines and made it extremely challenging even for the scratch golfer. The course has never hosted a major tournament, because it doesn't have the space necessary to accommodate thousands of spectators.
Source: Flickr/Christopher Heins
Another public course to make our list, the Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club has 27 holes, all of which are open to the public. Settled in the desert of Sandia Park, the Paa-Ko Ridge is a unique golf experience with challenging holes surrounded by beautiful natural vegetation.
Source: Facebook/Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club
The Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is one of the oldest in the country, and one of the founding member clubs of the US Golf Association. Considered one of the best courses in the world, Shinnecock Hills will host the US Open five times by the end of 2018, including the 100th anniversary of the Open in 1995.
Source: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
The Pinehurst Resort Golf Course No. 2 (one of nine course options) has hosted the most single golf championships of any other course in the US. The course, designed by Donald Ross, opened in 1907 and has since been updated by architecture greats Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore.
Source: David Cannon/Getty Images
The Hawktree Golf Club, just outside Bismark, is a public course designed by James Engh. The links-style course is eco-friendly and serves as a complement to the surrounding vibrant colors and natural beauty.
Source: Google Maps
The Muirfield Village Golf Club is the dream of Jack Nicklaus come to life. Nicklaus teamed up with Desmond Muirhead to create the championship course, which hosts the annual Memorial Tournament and the 1987 Ryder Cup Matches.
Source: Muirfield Village Golf Club
Another Perry Maxwell design, the family-oriented Southern Hills Country Club has the best golf in the Sooner State. The Southern Hills course has played host to seven major championships.
Source: Flickr/Mike Davis
Pacific Dunes, part of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, is another top US course to make our list. The course opened in 2001 and was designed by Tom Doak. The course naturally fits with the landscape of shore pines and incredible 60-foot sand dunes.
Source: Ryan Healy
The Oakmont Country Club, just outside of Pittsburgh, was designed by club founder Henry Clay Frownes. The course is one of the best in the country. Oakmont has seen the best players from around the world because it has hosted 11 major tournaments, eight of which were the US Open.
Source: John Kaminski
The Newport Country Club golf course is the final founding club members of the US Golf Association to make our list. The historic golf club played host to the first ever US Open in 1895.
Source: Flickr/Boris Kasimov
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island has the most seaside holes out of any course in the Northern Hemisphere. Designed by Pete Dye, the course has hosted many major tournaments, including the 2012 PGA Championship, the inaugural UBS Cup in 2001, and the 1991 Ryder Cup Matches.
Source: Flickr/Craig T.
The Sutton Bay golf course was designed by Graham Marsh and overlooks beautiful Lake Oahe for an exceptional golfing experience. The holes are designed to showcase the surrounding views and challenge all types of golfers.
Source: Sutton Bay Golf
Another Pete Dye creation, The Honors Course in Chattanooga was designed to honor amateur golf. The course has hosted golf up-and-comers in 18 amateur championships.
Tucked away from busy city life, Dallas National Golf Club is the premier course in the Lone Star State. Yet another Tom Fazio design, the course has five sets of tees to accommodate every ability level.
Source: Dallas National Golf Club
The Tom Fazio-designed Glenwild Golf Club is consistently hailed as the best course in Utah. The course transitions seamlessly against its countryside backdrop.
Another center for amateur golf, the Ekwanok Country Club offers a quintessential golfing experience. The course was designed by golf-course architects Walter Travis and John Duncan Dunn.
Source: Ekwanok Country Club
Kinloch Golf Club opened its doors to member in 1999. The founders chose Lester George as the course architect who brought in Scottish influences to the course. The traditional and well-conditioned course has earned its spot as the best in Virginia.
Source: Phil Walter/Getty Images
The championship golf course Chambers Bay is set to host the 2015 US Open. Course designer Robert Trent Jones II built the course along the Puget Sound to meet the Audubon International standards and continues to maintain its Silver Signature Sanctuary certification.
Source: Chambers Bay Golf Course
The Pikewood National Golf Club is truly one of a kind. The course, designed by Donald Ross and Alister Mackenzie, is strictly a members-only club, and isn't open to hosting any major tournaments. To preserve the tradition of the game, the course is walking only, where players must carry their own bag or take a caddy.
Source: Pikewood National Golf Club
Designed by Pete Dye, The Straits at Whistling Straits is one of the best courses in the country. The Straits will host the PGA Championship by the end of 2015 and is the host of the prestigious 2020 Ryder Cup Matches.
Source: Flickr/Mike Davis
This course is Rees Jones' second design to make our list. Three Creek Ranch is surrounded by wildlife and the Teton Range mountains.
Source: Three Creek Ranch Golf Club
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