Looking for the best private golf courses in each state? Then welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2024 list of top private layouts as judged by our international panel of raters.
The hundreds of members of the ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce these rankings.
All the courses on this list are private and don’t accept daily-fee or resort play. We also publish a list of each state’s top public-access layouts.
Sharp eyes might notice there are only 49 states included, because Alaska doesn’t have any private clubs to include among the rankings.
KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.
* indicates new or returning to the rankings
Best private golf courses in each state:
Alabama
1. Shoal Creek
Birmingham (T77m)
2. CC of Birmingham (West)
Birmingham (T108c)
3. The Ledges
Huntsville (m)
4. Old Overton
Birmingham (m)
5. CC of Mobile
Mobile (c)
Arizona
1. Estancia
Scottsdale (17m)
2. Desert Forest
Carefree (63m)
3. Scottsdale National (The Other Course)
Scottsdale (m)
4. Forest Highlands (Canyon)
Flagstaff (T118m)
T5. Whisper Rock (Upper)
Scottsdale (T122m)
T5. The Rim
Payson (T122)
7. Whisper Rock (Lower)
Scottsdale (T138m)
8. Desert Highlands
Scottsdale (T143m)
9. Stone Canyon
Oro Valley (T173m)
10. Mirabel
Scottsdale (T196m)
11. Silverleaf
Scottsdale (m)
12. Forest Highlands (Meadow)
Flagstaff (m)
13. Troon CC
Scottsdale (m)
14. Pine Canyon
Flagstaff (m)
15. Paradise Valley CC
Paradise Valley (c)
16. Flagstaff Ranch
Flagstaff (m)
17. Desert Mountain (Cochise)
Scottsdale (m)
T18. The Gallery (North)
Marana (m)
T18. Torreon (Cabin)
Show Low (m)
20. Desert Mountain (Chiricahua)
Scottsdale (m)
Arkansas
1. Alotian Club
Roland (m)
2. The Blessings
Fayetteville (m)
3. Texarkana Country Club
Texarkana (c)
4. Hardscrabble
Fort Smith (c)
5. Chenal (Founders)
Little Rock (m)
California
1. Cypress Point
Pebble Beach (1c)
2. Los Angeles CC (North)
Los Angeles (11c)
3. San Francisco GC
San Francisco (16c)
4. Riviera CC
Pacific Palisades (17c)
5. California GC
South San Francisco (T27c)
6. Monterey Peninsula (Shore)
Pebble Beach (T19m)
7. Valley Club of Montecito
Santa Barbara (38c)
8. Olympic Club (Lake)
San Francisco (T43c)
9. Monterey Peninsula (Dunes)
Pebble Beach (T49c)
10. Bel-Air
Los Angeles (T57c)
11. Martis Camp
Truckee (43m)
12. Meadow Club
Fairfax (T71c)
13. The Quarry at La Quinta
La Quinta (m)
14. Mayacama
Santa Rosa (T92m)
15. Lahontan
Truckee (m)
16. The Tradition
La Quinta (105m)
17. Santa Lucia Preserve
Carmel (T111m)
18. Lake Merced GC*
Daly City (119c)
19. Wilshire
Los Angeles (T120c)
T20. Stone Eagle
Palm Desert (T147m)
T20. The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe*
Rancho Santa Fe (m)
Colorado
1. Ballyneal
Holyoke (4m)
2. Colorado GC
Parker (27m)
3. Cherry Hills
Cherry Hills Village (63c)
4. Castle Pines
Castle Rock (57m)
5. CC of the Rockies
Edwards (m)
6. Maroon Creek
Aspen (m)
7. Glacier Club (Mountain)
Durango (m)
8. Frost Creek
Eagle (m)
9. Roaring Fork Club
Basalt (m)
10. Denver CC*
Denver (T183c)
Connecticut
1. Yale Golf Course
New Haven (T71c)
2. Stanwich Club
Greenwich (T100m)
3. CC of Fairfield
Fairfield (T111c)
4. Tamarack
Greenwich (T135c)
5. Bull’s Bridge
South Kent (T192m)
Delaware
1. Wilmington CC (South)
Wilmington (T184m)
2. Bidermann
Wilmington (m)
3. Fieldstone
Greenville (m)
4. The Peninsula
Millsboro (m)
5. DuPont CC (DuPont)
Wilmington (c)
Florida
1. Seminole
Juno Beach (12c)
2. Calusa Pines
Naples (23m)
3. Mountain Lake
Lake Wales (T68c)
T4. Indian Creek
Miami Beach (c)
T4. Belleair CC (West)*
Belleair (T77c)
6. Dye Course at White Oak*
Yulee (T67m)
T7. John’s Island Club (West)
Vero Beach (T77m)
T7. The Bear’s Club
Jupiter (T83m)
9. Jupiter Hills Club (Hills)
Tequesta (91m)
10. Loblolly
Hobe Sound (96m)
11. Naples National
Naples (T97m)
12. Medalist
Hobe Sound (106m)
13. McArthur
Hobe Sound (T111m)
14. High Ridge
Lantana (T118m)
15. Pablo Creek
Jacksonville (m)
16. Pine Tree
Boynton Beach (T132m)
17. Coral Creek Club
Placida (T143m)
18. Trump International West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach (T147m)
19. Concession
Bradenton (T154m)
20. Old Memorial
Tampa (T171m)
Georgia
1. Augusta National
Augusta (3c)
2. Ohoopee Match Club
Cobbtown (5m)
3. Peachtree
Atlanta (19c)
4. Augusta CC
Augusta (T81c)
5. East Lake
Atlanta (94c)
6. Ocean Forest
Sea Island (T100m)
7. Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee
Eatonton (T114m)
8. Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands)
Johns Creek (T129m)
9. Cherokee Town & CC (North)
Dunwoody (T125c)
10. Frederica
St. Simons Island (T154m)
11. Atlanta CC
Marietta (T161m)
12. The Farm
Rocky Face (m)
13. Lookout Mountain Club
Lookout Mountain (T142c)
14. Ford Field & River Club
Richmond Hill (T178m)
15. Cherokee Town (South)*
Dunwoody (m)
Hawaii
1. Nanea
Kona (m)
2. Kohanaiki
Kailua-Kona (m)
3. Kukui’ula
Koloa (T173m)
4. Hokulia
Kailua-Kona (m)
5. King Kamehameha
Maui (m)
Idaho
1. Gozzer Ranch
Harrison (34m)
2. Tributary
Driggs (T100m)
3. GC at Black Rock
Coeur d’Alene (T154m)
4. CDA National Reserve (formerly Rock Creek)
Coeur d’Alene (195m)
5. Blue Lakes*
Jerome (c)
Illinois
1. Chicago GC
Wheaton (8c)
2. Shoreacres
Lake Bluff (20c)
3. Old Elm
Highland Park (56c)
4. Butler National
Oak Brook (45m)
5. Olympia Fields (North)
Olympia Fields (T71c)
6. Beverly
Chicago (76c)
7. Medinah CC (No. 3)
Medinah (T84c)
8. Skokie
Glencoe (T98)
9. Black Sheep
Sugar Grove (T100m)
10. Conway Farms
Lake Forest (T167m)
11. Glen View Club
Golf (c)
12. Olympia Fields (South)
Olympia Fields (59c)
13. Bob O’Link GC
Highland Park (T165c)
14. Rich Harvest Farms
Sugar Grove (m)
15. Onwentsia Club
Lake Forest (T173c)
Indiana
1. Victoria National
Newburgh (T47m)
2. Crooked Stick
Carmel (T65m)
3. Culver Academies
Culver (T100c)
4. Sycamore Hills
Fort Wayne (m)
5. Club at Holliday Farms*
Zionsville (m)
Iowa
1. Davenport
Pleasant Valley (T68c)
2. Harvester
Rhodes (82m)
3. Cedar Rapids CC
Cedar Rapids (T92c)
4. Wakonda Club
Des Moines (c)
5. Des Moines G&CC (North)
West Des Moines (m)
Kansas
1. Prairie Dunes
Hutchinson (T13)
2. Flint Hills National
Andover (T97m)
3. Kansas City CC
Mission Hills (c)
4. Wolf Creek
Olathe (T200m)
5. Hallbrook*
Leawood (m)
Kentucky
1. Valhalla
Louisville (64m)
2. Idle Hour
Lexington (c)
3. Olde Stone
Bowling Green (m)
4. Hurstbourne
Lousiville (m)
5. Audubon
Louisville (c)
Louisiana
1. Squire Creek
Choudrant (m)
2. CC of Louisiana
Baton Rouge (m)
3. New Orleans CC
New Orleans (c)
4. Metairie CC
Metairie (c)
5. University Club
Baton Rouge (m)
Maine
1. Portland CC
Falmouth (c)
2. Prouts Neck
Scarborough (c)
3. York Golf & Tennis Club
York (c)
4. Woodlands Club
Falmouth (m)
Maryland
1. Congressional (Blue)
Bethesda (47c)
2. Baltimore CC (East)
Timonium (48c)
3. Caves Valley
Owings Mill (T154m)
T4. TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm
Potomac (T161m)
T4. Woodmont (North)
Rockville (c)
6. Burning Tree
Bethesda (c)
7. Columbia
Chevy Chase (T173c)
8. Chevy Chase CC
Chevy Chase (c)
9. Four Streams*
Beallsville (m)
10. Congressional (Gold)
Bethesda (m)
Massachusetts
1. The Country Club (Composite)
Brookline (24)
2. Myopia Hunt Club
Hamilton (T31c)
3. Eastward Ho!
Chatham (40c)
4. Essex
Manchester-by-the-Sea (42c)
5. Old Sandwich
Plymouth (29m)
6. Boston GC
Hingham (33m)
7. Kittansett Club
Marion (52c)
8. Sankaty Head
Siasconset (T89c)
9. Salem CC
Peabody (91c)
10. Whitinsville GC
Whitinsville (T92c)
11. Winchester CC
Winchester (T122c)
12. Taconic
Williamstown (T128c)
13. Worcester CC
Worcester (T138c)
14. Nantucket GC
Siaconsett (T167m)
T15. Charles River*
Newton Centre (T149c)
T15. Hyannisport Club
Hyannis Port (T149c)
Michigan
1. Crystal Downs
Frankfort (T13)
2. Oakland Hills (South)
Bloomfield Hills (22c)
3. Kingsley Club
Kingsley (T30m)
4. Dunes Club
New Buffalo (52m)
5. Franklin Hills
Franklin (80c)
6. Meadowbrook
Northville (T125)
T7. Lost Dunes
Bridgman (142m)
T7. Indianwood (Old)
Lake Orion (130c)
9. Orchard Lake CC
Orchard Lake (T144c)
10. Barton Hills
Ann Arbor (T149c)
11. Wuskowhan Player’s Club
West Olive (m)
12. Bloomfield Hills CC
Bloomfield Hills (c)
13. CC of Detroit
Grosse Pointe Farms (c)
14. Point O’Woods
Benton Harbor (c)
15. True North
Harbor Springs (m)
Minnesota
1. Spring Hill
Wayzata (T47m)
2. Interlachen
Edina (65c)
3. Minikahda Club
Minneapolis (T81c)
4. Hazeltine National
Chaska (T77m)
5. White Bear Yacht Club
White Bear Lake (T89c)
6. Windsong Farm
Independence (T154m)
7. Northland
Duluth (T161c)
8. Somerset
Mendola Heights (c)
9. Minneapolis GC
St. Louis Park (c)
10. Somerby Golf Club*
Byron (m)
Mississippi
1. Hattiesburg CC
Hattiesburg (c)
2. Annandale
Madison (m)
3. Reunion
Madison (m)
4. Laurel CC
Laurel (c)
5. CC of Jackson
Jackson (m)
Missouri
1. St. Louis CC
St. Louis (53c)
2. Bellerive
St. Louis (T107m)
3. Old Warson
Ladue (c)
4. Dalhousie
Cape Girardeau (m)
5. Norwood Hills (West)
St. Louis (c)
Montana
1. Rock Creek Cattle Company
Deer Lodge (16m)
2. The Stock Farm
Hamilton (m)
3. Moonlight Basin (Reserve)
Big Sky (m)
4. Spanish Peaks Mountain Club
Big Sky (m)
5. Black Bull*
Bozeman (m)
Nebraska
1. Sand Hills
Mullen (1m)
2. CapRock Ranch
Valentine (15m)
3. Dismal River Club (Red)
Mullen (51m)
4. Omaha CC
Omaha (T122c)
5. Lost Rail*
Gretna (T147m)
Nevada
1. Clear Creek Tahoe
Carson City (T114m)
2. Southern Highlands
Las Vegas (T122m)
3. TPC Summerlin
Las Vegas (m)
4. SouthShore
Henderson (m)
5. Montreux
Reno (m)
New Hampshire
1. Bald Peak Colony Club
Melvin Village (c)
2. Baker Hill
Newbury (m)
3. Manchester
Bedford (c)
4. Lake Sunapee
New London (c)
5. Nashua CC*
Nashua (c)
New Jersey
1. Pine Valley GC
Pine Valley (2c)
2. Somerset Hills
Bernardsville (21c)
3. Plainfield
Edison (T31c)
4. Baltusrol (Lower)
Springfield (T34c)
5. Hollywood GC
Deal (T49c)
6. Ridgewood (Championship)
Paramus (T57c)
7. Baltusrol (Upper)
Springfield (T60c)
8. Galloway National
Galloway Township (56m)
9. Bayonne GC
Bayonne (T67m)
10. Mountain Ridge
West Caldwell (T104c)
11. Essex County CC
West Orange (T111c)
12. Hidden Creek
Egg Harbor Township (T118m)
13. Ridge at Back Brook
Ringoes (T134m)
14. Trump National (Old)
Bedminster (T154m)
15. Due Process Stable*
Colt’s Neck (m)
New Mexico
1. Rainmakers
Alto (m)
2. Las Campanas (Sunset)
Santa Fe (m)
3. Las Campanas (Sunrise)
Santa Fe (m)
4. Canyon Club at Four Hills
Albuquerque (m)
5. Albuquerque CC
Albuquerque (c)
New York
1. Shinnecock Hills
Southampton (4)
2. National Golf Links of America
Southampton (5c)
3. Fishers Island Club
Fishers Island (9c)
4. Friar’s Head
Baiting Hollow (2m)
5. Winged Foot (West)
Mamaroneck (15c)
6. Sebonack
Southampton (7m)
7. Maidstone Club
East Hampton (25c)
8. Garden City GC
Garden City (29c)
9. Oak Hill (East)
Rochester (30c)
10. Winged Foot (East)
Mamaroneck (33c)
11. Quaker Ridge
Scarsdale (T34c)
12. Sleepy Hollow
Scarborough (37c)
13. Piping Rock
Locust Valley (39c)
14. Creek Club
Locust Valley (T60c)
15. St. George’s
Setauket (T66c)
16. Glens Falls
Queensbury (T68c)
17. CC of Buffalo
Williamsville (T77c)
18. Fenway
Scarsdale (T84c)
19. Hudson National
Croton-on-Hudson (T71m)
20. Atlantic GC
Bridgehampton (m)
North Carolina
1. Wade Hampton Club
Cashiers (6m)
2. Old Town Club
Winston-Salem (23c)
3. Diamond Creek
Banner Elk (T53m)
4. Quail Hollow
Charlotte (T60m)
5. Roaring Gap Club
Roaring Gap (T82c)
6. Mountaintop
Cashiers (T71m)
7. Grandfather (Championship)
Linville (T75m)
8. Eagle Point
Wilmington (T86m)
9. Charlotte CC
Charlotte (T100c)
10. Biltmore Forest
Asheville (T116c)
11. Champion Hills
Hendersonville (T147m)
12. Cape Fear
Wilmington (134c)
13. Dormie Club
West End (T181m)
14. CC of North Carolina (Dogwood)
Pinehurst (T200m)
15. Linville Ridge
Linville (m)
North Dakota
1. Fargo CC
Fargo (c)
2. Oxbow CC
Oxbow (m)
3. Apple Creek
Bismarck (c)
4. Grand Forks CC
Grand Forks (m)
Ohio
1. Muirfield Village
Dublin (10m)
2. Camargo Club
Indian Hill (T27c)
3. The Golf Club
New Albany (21m)
4. Inverness Club
Toledo (46c)
5. Scioto
Columbus (55c)
T6. Brookside
Canton (T71c)
T6. Moraine
Dayton (T71c)
8. Canterbury
Beachwood (87c)
9. Double Eagle
Galena (89m)
10. Kirtland
Willoughby (96c)
11. The Country Club
Pepper Pike (97c)
12. NCR CC (South)
Kettering (T100c)
13. Pepper Pike Club
Pepper Pike (c)
14. Sand Ridge
Chardon (T192m)
15. Coldstream
Cincinnati (cT198)
Oklahoma
1. Southern Hills
Tulsa (41c)
2. Oak Tree National
Edmond (46m)
3. The Patriot
Owasso (T116m)
4. Twin Hills
Oklahoma City (c)
5. GC of Oklahoma*
Broken Arrow (m)
Oregon
1. Eugene CC
Eugene (104m)
2. Waverley
Portland (T120c)
3. Pronghorn (Fazio)
Bend (T132m)
4. Pumpkin Ridge (Witch Hollow)
North Plains (m)
5. Columbia Edgewater
Portland (c)
6. Astoria
Warrenton (c)
7. Bend GC
Bend (c)
8. Portland GC
Portland (c)
9. Illahe Hills
Salem (m)
10. Broken Top Club*
Bend (m)
Pennsylvania
1. Oakmont CC
Oakmont (6c)
2. Merion (East)
Ardmore (7c)
3. Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon)
Flourtown (T43c)
4. Fox Chapel
Pittsburgh (62c)
5. Aronimink
Newtown Square (64c)
6. Lancaster CC
Lancaster (T77c)
7. Laurel Valley
Ligonier (86c)
8. CC of Scranton
Clarks Summit (95c)
9. Gulph Mills
King of Prussia (T11c)
10. Stonewall (Old)
Elverson (T122m)
11. Rolling Green
Springfield (T125c)
T12. Huntingdon Valley
Huntingdon Valley (T128c)
T12. Kahkwa Club
Erie (c)
T14. Pittsburgh Field Club
Pittsburgh (T135c)
T14. Saucon Valley (Weyhill)
Bethlehem (T161m)
16. Saucon Valley (Old)
Bethlehem (T138c)
17. Philadelphia CC (Spring Mill)
Gladwyne (141c)
18. Applebrook*
Malvern (T178m)
T19. Longue Vue
Verona (T146c)
T19. Manufacturers
Fort Washington (T146c)
Rhode Island
1. Newport CC
Newport (T49c)
2. Wannamoisett
Rumford (59c)
3. Shelter Harbor
Westerly (T65m)
4. Misquamicut
Westerly (88c)
5. Sakonnet*
Little Compton (c)
South Carolina
1. Congaree
Ridgeland (T24m)
2. Yeaman’s Hall
Charleston (T43c)
3. Sage Valley
Graniteville (T49m)
4. Cherokee Plantation
Yemassee (m)
5. Long Cove
Hilton Head Island (70m)
6. Secession
Gibbes Island (T86m)
7. Palmetto
Aiken (T106c)
8. Colleton River (Pete Dye)
Bluffton (T107m)
9. Cliffs at Mountain Park
Travelers Rest (T129m)
10. Spring Island (Old Tabby Links)
Okatie (T134m)
11. Kiawah Island Club (Cassique)
Kiawah Island (T147m)
12. Greenville CC (Chanticleer)
Greenville (m)
T13. Palmetto Bluff (May River)
Bluffton (T171m)
T13. Kiawah Island Club (River)
Kiawah Island (T176m)
15. CC of Charleston
Charleston (T146c)
South Dakota
1. Sutton Bay
Agar (T60m)
2. Minnehaha
Sioux Falls (c)
3. Dakota Dunes CC
Dakota Dunes (m)
Tennessee
1. Honors Course
Ooltewah (18m)
2. Holston Hills
Knoxville (T108c)
3. GC of Tennessee
Kingston Springs (T118m)
4. Spring Creek Ranch
Collierville (m)
5. Black Creek
Chattanooga (m)
Texas
1. Whispering Pines
Trinity (T30m)
2. Dallas National
Dallas (39m)
3. Wolf Point GC & Ranch*
Port Lavaca (m)
4. Bluejack National
Montgomery (T75m)
5. Brook Hollow
Dallas (c)
6. Austin GC
Spicewood (T97m)
T7. Colonial
Fort Worth (T108c)
T7. Boot Ranch
Fredericksburg (T107m)
9. Spanish Oaks
Bee Cave (T122m)
10. Austin CC
Austin (T138m)
11. Escondido
Horseshoe Bay (T147m)
12. Trinity Forest
Dallas (166m)
13. Club at Carlton Woods (Fazio Championship)
The Woodlands (T181m)
14. Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club*
Driftwood (m)
15. Oak Hills CC
San Antonio (168c)
Utah
1. Victory Ranch
Kamas (m)
2. Glenwild
Park City (m)
3. Promontory (Painted Valley)
Park City (m)
4. The Country Club
Salt Lake City (c)
5. Entrada at Snow Canyon*
St. George (m)
Vermont
1. Ekwanok
Manchester (T100c)
2. CC of Vermont
Waterbury Center (m)
3. Burlington CC
Burlington (c)
4. Vermont National
South Burlington (m)
5. Quechee Club (Highland)
Quechee (m)
Virginia
1. Kinloch
Manakin-Sabot (28m)
2. Robert Trent Jones GC
Lake Manassas (44m)
3. Olde Farm
Bristol (T86m)
4. Bayville GC
Virginia Beach (m)
5. Trump National Washington D.C. (Championship)
Potomac Falls (m)
6. CC of Virginia (James River)
Richmond (c)
7. River Bend
Great Falls (m)
8. Governor’s Land at Two Rivers
Williamsburg (m)
9. Creighton Farms
Aldie (m)
10. Cutalong
Mineral (m)
Washington
1. Aldarra
Sammamish (T161m)
2. Sahalee (South/North)
Sammamish (T184m)
T3. Seattle GC
Seattle (c)
T3. Suncadia (Tumble Creek)
Roslyn (m)
5. Tacoma G&CC
Lakeland (c)
West Virginia
1. Pikewood National
Morgantown (T19m)
2. Pete Dye GC
Bridgeport (55m)
3. Greenbrier Sporting Club (Snead)
White Sulphur Springs (m)
4. Williams
Weirton (c)
5. Wheeling CC*
Wheeling (c)
Wisconsin
1. Milwaukee CC
Milwaukee (54)
2. Blue Mound
Wauwatosa (T114)
3. Green Bay CC*
Green Bay (m)
4. Pine Hills
Sheboygan (T186c)
5. Oneida
Green Bay (c)
Wyoming
1. Shooting Star
Teton Village (58m)
2. Snake River Sporting Club
Jackson (m)
3. Powder Horn
Sheridan (m)
4. Devils Tower
Hulett (m)
5. Three Creek Ranch
Jackson (m)