Golf Course Reviews
In March of 2013 I got the crazy idea that I wanted to play all of the Top 100 Courses Public Courses in the country.
It only took about another month when I realized that, while that was great, what I really wanted to do is play the actual Top 100 Courses in the country.
So I decided to do both.
I run a business that allows me to work whenever and wherever I want, so it would be a waste not to play as much golf as possible right?
That said, one thing that sets me apart from other people trying to accomplish this list is that I’m young – I’m only 28. I started with zero connections in the golf industry and zero connections at any private courses. That said, these days I think pretty much anyone or anything is within reach and if you’re able to provide mutual value to someone else, good things can happen.
Golf Magazine Top 100 in the World Progress (2020-2021) – 52/100
- #3 – St Andrews (Old) – St. Andrews, Scotland
- #5 – National Golf Links of America – Southampton, NY
- #7 – Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West) – Melbourne, Australia
- #10- Royal Dornoch – Dornoch, Scotland
- #11 – Pebble Beach Golf Links – Monterey Peninsula, California
- #15 – Merion Golf Club (East) – Ardmore, Pennysylvania
- #16 – Pinehurst #2 – Pinehurst, North Carolina
- #17 – Turnberry (Ailsa Course) – Ayrshire, Scotland
- #18 – Fishers Island Club – Fishers Island, NY
- #20 – Los Angeles CC (North) – Los Angeles, CA
- #22 – Kingston Heath – Melbourne, Australia
- #23 – Winged Foot (West) – Mamaroneck, NY
- #24 – Pacific Dunes – Bandon, Oregon
- #28 – Riviera CC – Los Angeles, CA
- #30- San Francisco GC – San Francisco, CA
- #31 – Prairie Dunes Country Club – Hutchinson, KS
- #32 – Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship Course) – Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
- #35 – Barnbougle Dunes Golf Course – Tasmania, Australia
- #37 – North Berwick Golf Club – North Berwick, Scotland
- #38 – The Country Club (Clyde/Squirrel) – Brookline. Massachussetts
- #42 – Somerset Hills CC – Bernardsville, NJ
- #45 – New South Wales Golf Club – Sydney, Australia
- #47 – Garden City Golf Club – Garden City, New York
- #48 – Portmarnock GC – Dublin, Ireland
- #50 – California Golf Club of San Francisco – San Francisco, CA
- #51 – Royal Troon Golf Club – Ayrshire, Scotland
- #52 – Camargo Club – Cincinatti, OH
- #53 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course) – Farmingdale, New York
- #57 – Ballyneal Golf & Hunt – Holyoke, CO
- #62 – Winged Foot (East) – Mamaroneck, NY
- #63 – Cruden Bay – Aberdeenshire, Scotland
- #64 – Maidstone Club – East Hampton, New York
- #66 – Castle Stuart – Inverness, Scotland
- #68 – TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
- #69 – Whistling Straits (Straits) – Kohler, Wisconsin
- #70 – Diamante (Dunes) – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- #71 – Kingsbarns Golf Links – St. Andrews, Scotland
- #72 – Oakland Hills (South) – Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
- #74 – Quaker Ridge GC – Scarsdale, NY
- #76 – Sleepy Hollow CC – Briarcliff Manor, NY
- #79 – Olympic (Lake) – San Francisco, California
- #80 – Bandon Dunes – Bandon, Oregon
- #83 – The Course at Yale – New Haven, CT
- #87 – Bandon Trails – Bandon, Oregon
- #89 – Barnbougle Lost Farm – Tasmania, Australia
- #91 – Peachtree Golf Club – Atlanta, GA
- #92 – Myopia Hunt Club – Boston, MA
- #93 – Machrihanish GC – Campbeltown, Scotland
- #96 – Royal Melbourne (East) – Melbourne, Australia
- #100 – Trump International Golf Links – Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Golf Digest Top 100 Public Progress (2017-2018) (39/100):
- #1 – Pebble Beach Golf Links – Monterey Peninsula, California
- #2 – Pacific Dunes – Bandon, Oregon
- #4 – Whistling Straits (Straits Course) – Kohler, Wisconsin
- #6 – Pinehurst #2 – Pinehurst, North Carolina
- #7 – Bandon Dunes – Bandon, Oregon
- #8 – Bethpage Black – Farmingdale, New York
- #9 – Erin Hills Golf Course – Hartford, Wisconsin
- #10 – Old Macdonald – Bandon, Oregon
- #11 – Spyglass Hill – Monterey Peninsula, California
- #12 – TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach, CA
- #13 – Arcadia Bluffs – Arcadia, Michigan
- #14 – Bandon Trails – Bandon, Oregon
- #15 – Blackwolf Run (River Course) – Kohler, Wisconsin
- #17 – Streamsong (Red course) – Streamsong, Florida
- #18 – Pasatiempo – Santa Cruz, California
- #22 – Streamsong (Blue) – Streamsong, Florida
- #24 – Chambers Bay – Tacoma, Washington
- #25 – Forest Dunes Golf Club – Roscommon, Michigan
- #36 – Pronghorn Golf Club (Nicklaus Course) – Bend, Oregon
- #44 – The Links at Spanish Bay – Monterey Peninsula, CA
- #45 – Whistling Straits (Irish Course) – Kohler, Wisconsin
- #48 – Wolf Creek Golf Club – Mesquite, Nevada
- #49 – The Dormie Club – West End, North Carolina
- #50 – Crosswater Golf Club – Bend, Oregon
- #51 – Cog Hill #4 (Dubsdread) – Lemont, Illinois
- #55 – Tobacco Road Golf Club – Sanford, North Carolina
- #56 – Cascata Golf Club – Boulder City, Nevada
- #60 – Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys) – Kohler, Wisconsin
- #61 – Trump National Doral (Blue Monster) Miami, FL
- #63 – Tetherow Golf Club – Bend, Oregon
- #64 – Pinehurst #8 – Pinehurst, North Carolina
- #68 – Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club – Southern Pines, North Carolina
- #72 – Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry) – Bay Harbor, Michigan
- #75 – Atunyote Golf Club – Verona, New York
- #78 – The Bear at Grand Traverse – Acme, Michigan
- #80 – Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Ghost Creek) – North Plains, Oregon
- #84 – The Bull at Pinehurst Farms – Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
- #90 – Kaluhyat Golf Club – Verona, New York
- #96 – Coeur d’Alene Resort – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Related: Whistling vs. Pebble vs. Pacific: What is the Best Public Course in America?
Golf Digest Top 100 Progress (2019-2020) (45/100)
Here are the golf courses I’ve played on the 2019-2020 Golf Digest Top 100 List:
- #6 – Merion Golf Club – Ardmore, PA
- #7 – Pebble Beach Golf Links (And Here) – Monterey Peninsula, CA
- #8 – National Golf Links of America – Southhampton, NY
- #10 – Fishers Island Club – Fishers Island, NY
- #11 – Winged Foot (West) – Mamaroneck, NY
- #16 – Muirfield Village – Columbus, OH
- #17 – Pacific Dunes – Bandon, OR
- #18 – The Country Club (Clyde/Squirrel) – Chestnut Hill, MA
- #19 – Los Angeles CC – Los Angeles, CA
- #20 – Oakland Hills CC – Bloomfield Hills, MI
- #21 – Whistling Straits (Straits) – Kohler, WI
- #23 – Riviera Country Club – Los Angeles, CA
- #29 – Pinehurst #2 – Pinehurst, NC
- #32 – Gozzer Ranch Golf & Lake Club – Coeur d’Alene, ID
- #33 – Olympic Club (Lake) – San Francisco, CA
- #35 – San Francisco Golf Club – San Francisco, CA
- #36 – Bandon Dunes – Bandon, OR
- #37 – Bethpage State Park (Black) – Farmingdale, NY
- #38 – The Golf Club – New Albany, OH
- #44 – Camargo Club – Cincinatti, OH
- #45 – Spyglass Hill – Monterey Peninsula, CA
- #46 – Ballyneal Golf & Hunt – Holyoke, CO
- #49 – TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
- #50 – Old Macdonald – Bandon, OR
- #51 – Garden City Mens Club – Garden City, NY
- #52 – Winged Foot (East) – Mamaroneck, NY
- #53 – Medinah #3 – Chicago, NY
- #57 – Scioto CC – Columbus, OH
- #63 – Somerset Hills – Bernardsville, NJ
- #67 – Maidstone Club – East Hampton, NY
- #68 – Arcadia Bluffs – Arcadia, MI
- #69 – Bandon Trails – Bandon, OR
- #70 – Estancia Club – Scottsdale, AZ
- #71 – Quaker Ridge GC – Scarsdale, NY
- #73 – Essex County Club – Manchester, MA
- #76 – Myopia Hunt Club – South Hamilton, MA
- #81 – Hudson National GC – Croton-on-Hudson, NY
- #82 – Plainfield CC – Edison, NJ
- #84 – Valhalla GC – Louisville, KY
- #85 – Aronimink GC – Newtown Square, PA
- #86 – Valley Club of Montecito – Montecito, CA
- #87 – Boston Golf Club – Hingham, MA
- #89 – Sleepy Hollow CC – Briarcliff Manor, NY
- #91 – Golf Club at Black Rock – Coeur d’Alene, ID
- #97 – Blackwolf Run (River) – Kohler, WI
Other Golf Course Reviews
California Golf Courses
Idaho Golf Courses
- The Golf Club at Black Rock
- Coeur d’Alene Resort
- Coeur d’Alene: The Sequel
- Circling Raven Golf Club
- Gozzer Ranch Golf and Lake Club
Georgia Golf Courses
- Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside and Highlands)
- Great Waters at Reynolds Lake Oconee
- Creek Club at Reynolds Lake Oconee
- Oconee Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee
Full Review: Best Golf Courses in Georgia – Everything You Need to Know
Illinois Golf Courses
Kentucky Golf Courses
Massachusetts Golf Courses
Full Recap: Best Golf Courses in Massachusetts
Michigan Golf Courses
- Arcadia Bluffs
- Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry)
- Forest Dunes Golf Club
- Oakland Hills (South Course)
- The Bear at Grand Traverse
Nevada Golf Courses
New Jersey Golf Courses
New York Golf Courses
- Bethpage Black
- Fishers Island Club
- Hudson National
- Maidstone Club
- Oak Hill Country Club
- Turning Stone (Kaluhyat)
- Winged Foot Golf Club
Full Recap: All of the Best Courses in New York
North Carolina Golf Courses
Full Recap: Best places to golf in North Carolina
Ohio Golf Courses
Oregon Golf Courses
- Bandon Preserve
- Bandon Trails
- Sheep Ranch at Bandon Dunes
- Edgefield
- Old Macdonald
- Pacific Dunes
- Pronghorn (Fazio)
- Pronghorn (Nicklaus)
- Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek)
- The Reserve (South Course)
- The Resort at the Mountain
- Sunriver: Caldera Springs
- Sunriver: Crosswater
- Tetherow Golf Club
- Waverley Country Club
Full Review: Best Golf Courses in Oregon – Everything You Need to Know
Pennsylvania Golf Courses
- Aronimink Golf Club
- Gulph Mills Golf Club
- Merion Golf Club (East Course)
- Philadelphia Cricket Club
- Rolling Green Golf Club
South Carolina Golf Courses
Wisconsin Golf Courses
- Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys)
- Blackwolf Run (River Course)
- Erin Hills Golf Course
- The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
- Whistling Straits (Straits Course)
Full Review: Best Golf Courses in North Carolina
Canadian Golf Courses
- Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Banff Springs Golf Course – Banff, Alberta
- Stewart Creek Golf Club – Canmore, Alberta
- Jasper Park Lodge – Jasper, Alberta
International Golf Courses
- Barnbougle Dunes – Tasmania, Australia
- Nirwana Golf Club – Bali, Indonesia
- Diamante Dunes – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Quivira Golf Club – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Vilingilli Golf Course – Shangri-La, Maldives
- Punta Espada Golf Club – Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
- Mid Ocean Club – Bermuda
- New South Wales Golf Club – Sydney, Australia
- Punta Mita Pacifico Course – Punta Mita, Mexico
- Punta Mita Bahia Course – Punta Mita, Mexico
Scotland Golf Courses
- Carnoustie Golf Links
- Turnberry (Ailsa) – Ayrshire, Scotland
- North Berwick
- Royal Dornoch
- Trump International
- Loch Lomond Golf Club
All of Our Best in State Round-Ups
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Massachusetts
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Wisconsin
Sean, nice to check out your site. I played with you at Royal Troon (which ate my lunch). I did much better at Prestwick and Turnberry. You mentioned you might have some of the photos of the day that I might access. Let me know, or if they are posted. All the best in your efforts! Go USA for Sunday at the Ryder Cup. Marc
Sean,
Looks like you’ve played a great list of golf courses. I’m jealous. Would be curious to know what you do that gives you the chance to play all these great golf courses. Whatever it is . . . I want in.
Zeb
Zeb, thanks for reaching out! http://www.seanogle.com – that should answer most of your questions.
Great plan playing top 100. I’ve played several also. I’m a member at Victoria National in Indiana. I think it’s #47. Be glad to get you on if your in the area. Also a few others closeby that are on the public top 100
Thanks for reaching out Jordan! Shoot me an email – would love to chat more [email protected]
Great site, Sean! Enjoyed every minute browsing through it. Love your goals and the way you deliver information. Nice photography! Keep’em coming!
[…] is spot-on, making it easy to navigate and explore. Most inspiring to me is his quest to play the Top 100 golf courses in the U.S. and the world by the age of […]
Sean,
If you are ever in Delaware check out Baywood Greens!
Will do!
Hi Sean. I love the site. I’ve got a slightly less structured plan to play some of the best courses around and my be able to help. I’ve set up up a website which will track the progress although I’ve got plenty to write up. I managed to get Shinnecock, NGLA Friar’s Head and a couple of others on your side of the pond in last week. When you’re in Scotland next let me know and maybe we can knock a couple of the top ones off together?
Hi Sean, great progress on the top 100, we’ve a few friends from our site trying something similar albeit more localised top 100’s (e.g. Scotland top 100) and not a global list. Interesting to see how this develops going forward.