Public Gems

Best Public Golf Courses

Ranked by the Gems Index — a composite score based on course quality, value, condition, playability, and prestige.

Full Rankings

1
Pinehurst No. 2

Pinehurst, NC

publicWalk
88
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
2
Pasatiempo Golf Club

Santa Cruz, CA

publicWalk
87
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
3
Bethpage Black

Farmingdale, NY

publicWalk
87
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
4
Yale Golf Course

New Haven, CT

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
5
Sea Island: Seaside

Saint Simons Island, GA

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
6
French Lick (Ross)

French Lick, IN

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
7
Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

Southern Pines, NC

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
8
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

Southern Pines, NC

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
9
Pinehurst No. 4

Pinehurst, NC

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
10
Southern Pines Golf Club

Southern Pines, NC

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
11
Firestone Country Club: South

Akron, OH

publicWalk
86
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
12
Spyglass Hill Golf Course

Pebble Beach, CA

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
13
Torrey Pines Golf Course: South

La Jolla, CA

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
14
The Broadmoor Golf Club East Course

Colorado Springs, CO

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
15
TPC Sawgrass: Stadium

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
16
Cragun's Legacy Courses

Brainerd, MN

resortWalk
85
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
17
Shadow Creek

Las Vegas, NV

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
18
Essex County Country Club

West Orange, NJ

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
19
Harbour Town Golf Links

Hilton Head Island, SC

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
20
Kiawah Island: Ocean Course

Kiawah Island, SC

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
21
The Greenbrier Golf Club

White Sulphur Springs, WV

resortWalk
85
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
22
Whistling Straits: Straits Course

Sheboygan, WI

publicWalk
85
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
23
Mystic Creek

El Dorado, AR

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
24
CordeValle Golf Club

San Martin, CA

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
25
La Quinta Resort & Club

La Quinta, CA

resortWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
26
PGA West: Stadium Course

La Quinta, CA

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
27
The Links At Spanish Bay

Pebble Beach, CA

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
28
Makai Golf Club

Princeville, HI

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
29
Manele Golf Course

Lanai, HI

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
30
Mauna Kea

Kamuela, HI

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
31
Fallen Oak

Saucier, MS

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
32
Paako Ridge Golf Club

Sandia Park, NM

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
33
Karsten Creek Golf Club

Stillwater, OK

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
34
Golden Horseshoe Golf Club: Gold Course

Williamsburg, VA

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
35
Chambers Bay

University Place, WA

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
36
Blackwolf Run: River

Kohler, WI

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
37
SentryWorld Golf Club

Stevens Point, WI

publicWalk
84
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
38
Rams Hill Golf Club

Borrego Springs, CA

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
39
Baywood Greens Golf Course and Clubhouse

Millsboro, DE

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
40
Callaway Gardens

Pine Mountain, GA

resortWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
41
Reynolds Lake Oconee: Great Waters

Eatonton, GA

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
42
French Lick (Dye)

French Lick, IN

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
43
Big Cedar Lodge: Buffalo Ridge Golf Club

Hollister, MO

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
44
Pronghorn Resort: Nicklaus

Bend, OR

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
45
Dunes Golf and Beach Club

Myrtle Beach, SC

resortWalk
83
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
46
May River Golf Club At Palmetto Bluff

Bluffton, SC

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
47
Keswick Hall: Full Cry

Keswick, VA

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
48
Whistling Straits: Irish Course

Sheboygan, WI

publicWalk
83
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
49
The Omni Homestead Resort

Hot Springs, VA

resortWalk
82
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
50
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa

Carlsbad, CA

resortWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
51
Silverado Resort and Spa

| establishment =, CA

resortWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
52
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club

Palm Harbor, FL

resortWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
53
The Ritz-Carlton Oʻahu, Turtle Bay

Kahuku, HI

resortWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
54
Tamahka Trails Golf Course

Marksville, LA

publicWalk
81
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
55
Taconic Golf Club

Willamstown, MA

publicWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
56
Bandon Trails

Bandon, OR

publicWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
57
Pacific Dunes

Bandon, OR

publicWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
58
Sand Valley: The Lido

Nekoosa, WI

publicWalk
81
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
59
Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach, CA

publicWalk
81
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
60
RTJ Golf Trail at Cambrian Ridge

Greenville, AL

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
61
Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach, CA

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
62
Rustic Canyon

Moorpark, CA

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
63
Streamsong Resort: Black

Bowling Green, FL

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
64
Streamsong Resort: Blue

Bowling Green, FL

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
65
Streamsong Resort: Red

Bowling Green, FL

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
66
Kapalua Resort

Kapalua, HI

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
67
TPC Louisiana

Avondale, LA

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
68
The Loop at Forest Dunes

Roscommon, MI

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
69
The Classic at Madden's

Brainerd, MN

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
70
Pinehurst No. 10

Pinehurst, NC

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
71
The Omni Grove Park Inn

Asheville, NC

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
72
Old Macdonald

Bandon, OR

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
73
Sheep Ranch

Bandon, OR

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
74
Black Desert Resort

Ivins, UT

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
75
Army Navy Country Club

Arlington, VA

militaryWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
76
Army Navy Country Club - Fairfax

Fairfax, VA

militaryWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
Prestige
77
Capon Springs Resort

Capon Springs, WV

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
78
Sand Valley: Sand Valley

Nekoosa, WI

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
79
Sand Valley: Sedge Valley

Nekoosa, WI

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
80
Craft Farms Golf Club

Gulf Shores, AL

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
81
TPC Scottsdale PGA

Scottsdale, AZ

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
82
Ojai Valley Inn

Ojai, CA

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
83
TPC Sawgrass

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
84
Torrey Pines Golf Course

La Jolla, CA

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
85
Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta, GA

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
86
Telluride Ski and Golf

Mountain Village, CO

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
87
Reunion Resort & Golf Club

Kissimmee, FL

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
88
The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection

St. Petersburg, FL

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
89
Callaway Resort & Gardens

Pine Mountain, GA

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
90
Woodland Hills Golf Course

Des Moines, IA

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
91
Boyne Mountain Resort

Boyne Falls, MI

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
92
Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort

Las Vegas, NV

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
93
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Bandon, OR

resortWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
94
The Club At Brookstone

Anderson, SC

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
95
Sunbrook Golf Club

St. George, UT

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
96
Eaglewood Golf Course

North Salt Lake, UT

publicWalk
80
Quality
Value
Condition
Playability
97
Bay Hill

Orlando, FL

publicWalk
79
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
98
Mission Inn Resort & Club

Howey-in-the-Hills, FL

resortWalk
79
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
99
The Boca Raton Resort

Boca Raton, FL

resortWalk
79
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige
100
The Park

West Palm Beach, FL

publicWalk
79
Quality
Value
Playability
Prestige

About the Gems Index

The Gems Index is a composite score (0-100) that evaluates public golf courses across five dimensions: course quality (30%), value (25%), condition & experience (20%), playability (15%), and prestige (10%). Value is weighted heavily because great public golf should be accessible. Rankings are updated regularly as new data becomes available.