TOP 5 Best golf courses in the US

The United States is home to some of the most celebrated golf real estate on the planet - from windswept coastal links to dramatic desert layouts and pine-framed tournament venues that have defined the sport for generations. With hundreds of worthy options spread across every region, picking the courses that truly deserve your travel time is the hardest part of planning any golf trip. Here are seven courses from GolfTroop's national roster that represent the very best the country has to offer.

1. TPC Sawgrass - Stadium Course, Florida

No course on American soil is more universally recognised than TPC Sawgrass. Designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1982, the Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida is the permanent home of THE PLAYERS Championship and the venue most golfers dream about before they ever set foot on it. The island green par-3 17th is the most discussed hole in professional golf, and it plays even more nerve-wracking in person than it looks on television.
The course plays to 7,215 yards with a slope of 155 and a course rating of 76.0, making it a genuine examination of every skill in the game. The 18th hole - a 462-yard par-4 with water down the entire left side - delivers a closing stretch that matches the drama of anything the front nine produces. A round here is not simply a good golf experience; it is a landmark moment in any golfer's life.
Par: 72 | Rating: 76.0 | Slope: 155 | Price range: Premium
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2. The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is one of the most exposed, wind-driven, and exhilarating golf experiences in the country. Designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1991 to host the Ryder Cup - famously known as the "War by the Shore" - the layout runs along the Atlantic coastline with ten holes directly bordering the ocean and all eighteen exposed to its influence. It has since hosted the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships, cementing its status among the great major championship venues.
The course demands full engagement from every tee box, with ocean winds that can turn a straightforward iron shot into a multi-club guessing game in a matter of minutes. Kiawah Island as a destination rounds the experience out beautifully - four additional courses on the island, world-class lodging options from golf villas to private homes, and a natural setting that makes the trip feel genuinely special beyond the golf itself.
Price range: Premium to Luxury
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3. Shadow Creek Golf Course, Las Vegas, Nevada

Shadow Creek is genuinely unlike anything else in American golf. Built in 1989 on a featureless patch of Las Vegas desert at a reported cost of $47 million, Tom Fazio created a lush, green forest retreat from nothing - importing thousands of trees, building rolling terrain from scratch, and routing a creek through the property to produce a layout that feels more like North Carolina than Nevada. Access is exclusive: you must be staying at a select MGM property to play, which adds to the mystique.
The result is one of the most private, impeccably maintained, and visually surprising golf experiences in the world. A dedicated shuttle picks you up from your hotel, flamingos and wildlife roam the grounds, and the conditioning is perpetually immaculate. For golfers who want something completely removed from the standard resort experience, Shadow Creek delivers a round that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else.
Price range: Luxury
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4. Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, South Carolina

Harbour Town Golf Links sits within the iconic Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island and represents Pete Dye's design philosophy at its most precise and rewarding. Built with strategic input from Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1969, the course is defined by narrow fairways, small and undulating greens, and an insistence that accuracy will always outperform raw distance. Winding through Lowcountry pines and along the Calibogue Sound, it delivers a classic coastal golf experience that rewards intelligent play at every turn.
The course has been the permanent home of the PGA Tour's RBC Heritage since 1969, and the finishing hole - framed by the iconic red-and-white Harbour Town Lighthouse - is among the most photographed closers in professional golf. Hilton Head as a base adds further depth to any trip, with Palmetto Dunes, Palmetto Dunes Jones, and the Fazio Course all within easy reach for additional rounds.
Price range: Premium
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5. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, South Carolina

Caledonia is the course that catches golfers off guard - ranked consistently in the top 100 courses you can play in the United States, yet tucked quietly away in Pawleys Island rather than attached to a major resort hub. Designed by Mike Strantz and opened in 1994, the par-70 layout covers 6,526 yards of Hammock Coast terrain draped in Spanish moss, bordered by azaleas, and finished with one of the most dramatic closing holes on the East Coast - a par-4 that plays over water to a green set at the foot of the clubhouse with sweeping marsh views behind it.
Strantz approached course design as an artist rather than an engineer, and every hole at Caledonia reflects that sensibility. The routing feels discovered rather than constructed, which is rare in modern design. Combined with True Blue Golf Club nearby - another Strantz masterpiece - Pawleys Island gives golfers access to two of the country's most distinct and memorable public courses within minutes of each other.
Par: 70 | Distance: 6,526 yards | Price range: Premium
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6. Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale, Arizona

Grayhawk in Scottsdale offers something few clubs manage with consistency: two championship courses on the same property that are genuinely distinct and equally worth your time. The Raptor Course, designed by Tom Fazio, delivers a bold desert layout with dramatic bunkering, elevation changes, and striking saguaro-framed views. The Talon Course, designed by David Graham and Gary Panks, plays a more intimate game through desert terrain with a tighter, more strategic character.
Scottsdale as a golf destination has no equal in the American desert, and Grayhawk sits at the centre of it. The club hosts PGA Tour events, operates an elite golf academy, and maintains a clubhouse experience that matches the quality of the courses. For groups who want back-to-back variety without moving accommodations, Grayhawk is the most efficient use of two days in Arizona.
Price range: High-end
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7. Innisbrook Golf Club - Copperhead Course, Florida

Innisbrook's Copperhead Course near Tampa is the most compelling argument that Florida golf extends well beyond resort parkland. The course plays to 7,209 yards through dense pine tree corridors with rolling terrain that genuinely surprises first-time visitors expecting flat, water-heavy Florida conditions. It is the annual host of the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship, carrying a rating of 76.0 and a slope of 142 that confirm the depth of the challenge.
The broader Innisbrook Resort - set across 900 acres with four courses, full spa, and extensive practice facilities - makes it one of the most complete stay-and-play operations in the country. Two or three days here with rounds split across Copperhead, the Island Course, and the North Course produces a varied and serious golf experience without ever needing to leave the property.
Par: 71 | Rating: 76.0 | Slope: 142 | Price range: High-end
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Seven courses at a glance

 

Course	State	Designer	Slope	Best for
TPC Sawgrass - Stadium	Florida	Pete Dye	155	Bucket-list island green
The Ocean Course, Kiawah	South Carolina	Pete Dye	N/A	Coastal wind and majors history
Shadow Creek	Nevada	Tom Fazio	N/A	Ultra-exclusive luxury
Harbour Town	South Carolina	Pete Dye / Nicklaus	N/A	Lowcountry precision golf
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club	South Carolina	Mike Strantz	N/A	Artistic design, top-100 value
Grayhawk (Raptor/Talon)	Arizona	Fazio / Graham	N/A	Desert variety, two great courses
Innisbrook Copperhead	Florida	N/A	142	PGA Tour venue, pine forest challenge

Planning a US golf trip with GolfTroop

The courses above span five states and four distinct regional golf identities - Florida's resort infrastructure, the Carolinas' Lowcountry tradition, Scottsdale's desert theatre, and Las Vegas's manufactured luxury. Most golfers will build a trip around one region rather than attempting to combine them, which makes choosing your destination the first and most important decision.
GolfTroop covers all of these regions with curated packages that combine lodging, tee times, and logistics into straightforward 3-round, 4-night formats. Whether the goal is a bucket-list single course like TPC Sawgrass or a multi-round regional exploration like Kiawah's five-course island setup, the planning process stays simple - you choose the destination and the courses, and the rest gets handled for you. Browse the full GolfTroop course catalogue at golftroop.com/golf-courses to explore every region and available package.

FAQ

What is the best golf course in the United States?

There is no single definitive answer, but TPC Sawgrass, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, and Pebble Beach consistently appear at the top of national rankings. Among courses accessible to visiting golfers through GolfTroop, TPC Sawgrass and Shadow Creek both represent once-in-a-lifetime playing experiences.

Which US state has the most world-class golf courses?

Florida, South Carolina, and Arizona each make a strong case. Florida leads on sheer volume and year-round playability. South Carolina counters with a concentration of top-100 courses - Kiawah, Harbour Town, Caledonia, True Blue - within a compact coastal geography. Arizona wins for scenery and the depth of the Scottsdale market specifically.

When is the best time to play golf in the United States?

It depends entirely on the region. Florida and the Carolinas are best from October through April. Arizona and Las Vegas peak in the same window, with summer heat making both destinations uncomfortable from June to September. Colorado and mountain courses are strictly summer-to-fall destinations, typically June through early October.

Can I book these courses as part of a package?

Yes. GolfTroop offers structured golf packages for all of the destinations on this list, covering lodging, tee times, and in many cases transfers and additional perks. Packages are built around 3-round, 4-night structures as a baseline but can be extended or customised based on group size and preferred courses.

Are these courses suitable for all skill levels?

Most of the courses on this list sit at the challenging end of the spectrum - several carry slopes above 140 and course ratings above 75. That said, all offer multiple tee options that make the experience manageable and enjoyable for mid-to-high handicappers. Shadow Creek and Harbour Town in particular are known for delivering an unforgettable round regardless of scoring ability.