Even those who have never visited the United States will be aware of the fact that golf is a very popular game there. Americans are doolally about driving and passionate about putting.
Golf is right up there with other leisure activities like gaming in terms of how big it is across the country. The US and its neighbour Canada have even combined the two; with golf courses that double as casinos, for players to enjoy after. You can even trial some of the casino classics like poker and blackjack using one of the various bonuses available at most casinos online first.
Examples of these fine venues include the Shadow Creek resort in Las Vegas and the Fallen Oak one in Mississippi. Most US courses do still focus exclusively on the game of golf though.
It is those that we will mainly look at in the article below. Keep reading to find out what the best golf courses in the United States are.
Pine Valley
New Jersey is not a US state that people associate much with golf, but the home of Bruce Springsteen also houses the course many consider the finest. It is situated in the southwest of the state and has a unique look, due to the sandy Pine Barrens within the landscape that it is built out of.
Beyond that, Pine Valley is famous for two things: being really tough to get into and even tougher to play if you do manage to join. You cannot apply – they call you if they are interested.
The architecture of the course encompasses all three golf course design principles: strategic, heroic and penal, making it a serious challenge for even the best. Beautiful and maddening, it is a dream course for people who want to test their skill to the maximum.
Augusta National
This course will be known to all golf lovers as the home of the US Masters. You would expect a club that hosts one of the major professional tournaments to have an exceptional course and you would be correct.
It should be exceptional too, because not many golf courses anywhere in the world have been experimented with as much as this one. Since 1934, this course in Georgia has undergone numerous design changes, to make sure it continues to test the top players during the Masters.
That means design ideas have been contributed by multiple sources, leading to a fascinating mishmash. Augusta has mounds by Jack Nicklaus, water hazards by Trent Jones and greens by Perry Maxwell.
Alterations during the past two years include lengthening the 11th, 13th and 15th holes.
Cypress Point
Cypress Point is in California and it is another highly exclusive club. Should you ever be lucky enough to play a round at this course, your companions on the greens might well include top US politicians.
One of the things that make this particular course stand out is its locale. Situated near to the Pacific Ocean, players can gaze out over it between strokes.
It is almost like playing on a small island, you are that close to the sea – especially when you reach the later holes. Memberships are hard to come by though.
Shinnecock Hills
Another part of the US that has plenty of top courses is New York. The most notable of them is probably Shinnecock Hills, which has been around since 1891.
It is in the Southampton area and it has played host to another golfing ‘major’ – the US Open – in the past. The charge just for playing a round on the greens is $350 a time, so it is certainly not for anyone who is on the breadline.
Given that you generally have to book a game far in advance though, you will have lots of time to save up. Among those who helped design the course are such legends of the game as Charles B MacDonald, who is considered to be ‘the godfather of American golf’.
Shadow Creek
Finally we thought we would take a look at the finest of those casino golf resorts. Shadow Creek can be found in Las Vegas, which is of course the home of casino gaming in the US.
In fact it is owned by one of the many major casino companies in that city – MGM Resorts International. It is a world away from the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip though, located within lush forests and was originally created out of Nevada desert.
The quality of the actual course has won the praise of top architects such as Tom Fazio, with each hole offering something different. The 17th is noted for its very wide green, which means players must control their yardage really closely.
These are the five golf courses that any fan of the game would love to play at when they are visiting the US.