Best State in the States

[Gxgolfer]

By Dave Koster via TheSandTrap.com

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Twenty two percent of the best courses in the country are in the two most populated states. This doesn't seem fair, but if you count only public courses, thing look better and even a couple surprises appear.

Lists. We love to look at them. People talk about them, but simply being on a list doesn't verify anything as truth or fact. After all, it's just a list.

Unfortunately, that doesn't stop me from getting worked up when I see one.

Golf Digest's list of top 100 courses has been published for a number of years now and it has always irritated me. Why? Because according to them, the top two states with the best golf courses are New York and California. Grrr…

I don't have anything against New York. California maybe, but not New York. My issue stems from the fact that the two most populated states have the most courses on the list. I'm not going to start yelling about some sort of conspiracy theory, but when you (and I mean you, the reader) think of great states to play golf in, does New York come first to mind? To be fair, Golf Digest is rating the greatest golf courses and not golf destinations… but one can not help to think that they are saying "New York has the greatest golf courses."

I'm taking this point of view from my comfortable abode in North Carolina. I would say that with South Carolina is probably the #1 destination for golfers in the US to take golf vacations. So where do these two states fall on the list? Have a look:



Combined, North and South Carolina are still four great courses shy of the twelve that Golf Digest gave to New York and two less than California. I'll pause for a deep breath now.

OK, so looking further at the list it is understandably filled with a ton of private courses and New York and California is filled not only with people, but some of the richest. This starts to explain some things, but I'm still annoyed. My next step was to look at Golf Digests' list of top 100 public courses to see if there is a better distribution… or at one that I liked.



OK, so now I feel better. South and North Carolina are now at or near the top and well ahead of New York. California is still up there, but I can live with it. When looking for a place to play some great golf, this type of graph is much better than the first one. Now some of these courses may cost a pretty penny to get on to, but it will in most likelihood represent the state well in terms of quality of public courses.

The surprises here, at least to me, are two states I didn't expect to see at or near the top. Michigan and Oregon both have many courses in the top 100. Again, similar to New York, not two states I would consider being high on the golf vacation list. I may have to rethink that.

Now I have played golf in more than just the Carolinas. I grew up playing in western Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. There are lots of great courses there and all over the country. I think that my problems with these lists are more climate driven and something I have to get over. In the back of my mind its hard to imagine great courses in areas that have such short golf seasons. Sounds silly, but I guessthe first step is admitting you have a problem.

Hi, my name is Dave and I'm a location-based golf snob.

Let me know where you think the best golf is outside of the Carolinas. I know we have a lot of readers from a lot of different places and I want to hear from you. This can be a sort of group therapy.

There, I feel even better now, but I still have a problem with California.

"This article is republished with permission from The Sand Trap .com and
remains copyright © The Sand Trap .com. All rights and privileges reserved."

[bradkv]

Hi, Dave, my name is Brad, and I have been in NC since I was 6 (I'm 35 now). Been playing golf since I was 15. Went to college at UNCW, and played all over NC and SC. I don't think there is anywhere like the Carolinas to play golf. For the sake of argument, though, there is something about golf in the Southwest that is awesome. Played once in Scottsdale and it was just unbelievable scenery. There are still a lot of places I would like to play at some point, like any of the Monterey courses (Pebble, Cypress, etc), and I would love to get up to Bethpage and some of the great Northeastern courses. Above all though, the courses in Oregon really intrigue me. I have got to get out to Bandon Dunes and the others one day. They just look beautiful.

[JHR]

Great post and report Dave, I agree that the Carolinas have a ton of great golf, but being from Michigan, I have to agree with the last chart.

 

We have so many great courses here, the problem is our shortened golf season, if we could play year round Michigan would get alot more people traveling here to play.

 

Again great info.

 

Arizona is my favorite golf destination, but there are so many great places nationwide.

[cpa49707]

I have to agree with John, as we are both from Michigan we know the great courses we have and the great value we have.

 

I like playing golf in the southwest also, Arizona is fun but there are some great courses in New Mexico that no one ever speaks of and the price is right.

 

I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would go to either New York or California :fool:

[nochct]

In my opinion, ny has some of the best golf in the world. in fact, the tri state area (ny, nj, ct) does have the best courses in the country. start at winged foot (best 36 in the world), then down to quaker ridge, over to westchester cc (home of the buick classic), and also century and old oaks (great courses).

and little furhter north is Hudson National and also Trump's Course. Sleep Hollow isn't too far away from there either.

A ferry can take you out to fisher island (very underrated). out on the island you have shinnecock and national, deepdale, atlantic, piping rock, maidstone and of course bethpage.

i could go on naming the smaller private clubs that many people don't know about or i can name clubs that aren't with 2 hours of each other (oak hill etc).

[nochct]

Funny.  Several years ago when GD published this list I sent them a letter, saying their choices were ridiculous. 

 

Not knocking any other states in anyway;  But New Mexico needs to be much higher.  I play year round, no breaks, and have played in Dec & Jan in short sleeve shirts.  We have in the Albuquerque area 12 golf courses, the public courses are $17.00 for 18 holes; the Univ. Of New Mexico South course has hosted the NCAA several time (Phil won both of his there), practically all the course in the state are open to the public.  It rarely rains here, I haven't been rained out in 4 years, the average temp. is in the 70, with no humidity.  You don't bake your brains out, like in NV & AZ.  We have several world class courses. 

 

I don't know how NM can be rated below states that only have golf 5 months out of the year?

41920[/snapback]

how many majors get played in new mexico? they might be able to play golf year round, but the golf won't be as good.

[cpa49707]

I'm not so sure that judging a state or a golf course by how many majors are played there are a true indication of a great golf course.

Remember there are only 3 majors played in the states each year, and one is always played in Georgia. So that leaves 2. I have a relative that is a member of Valhalla and he wouldn't even dare tell me how much they spent courting the PGA to have their championship there. So in this case money speaks louder than what makes a great course. just my 2cents worth

[slicktry]

I think ND is also very underrated. Several top notch tracks which get absolutley no attention, mainly due to the fact they are in no mans land. Which is good, more tranquility.

 

God Bless

Jer

[iacas]

I think ND is also very underrated.  Several top notch tracks which get absolutley no attention, mainly due to the fact they are in no mans land.  Which is good, more tranquility. 

 

God Bless

Jer

42057[/snapback]

Just a quick post, since a few people have come to The Sand Trap recently having read the article here... Dave (and a lot of us) don't venture into GolfWRX too frequently, and Dave didn't post the article here: it was republished here in the forum.

 

All of the articles appear first (and in their original form, complete with a comments form that the author DOES read) at The Sand Trap.

 

The Sand Trap is partners with GolfWRX, and part of that agreement is that GolfWRX republishes our articles. You're welcome to debate them here, to talk about them here, and so forth... but you can always get ahold of the original author by following the link to the original article at thesandtrap.com.

[nmhacker]

Funny.  Several years ago when GD published this list I sent them a letter, saying their choices were ridiculous. 

 

Not knocking any other states in anyway;  But New Mexico needs to be much higher.  I play year round, no breaks, and have played in Dec & Jan in short sleeve shirts.  We have in the Albuquerque area 12 golf courses, the public courses are $17.00 for 18 holes; the Univ. Of New Mexico South course has hosted the NCAA several time (Phil won both of his there), practically all the course in the state are open to the public.  It rarely rains here, I haven't been rained out in 4 years, the average temp. is in the 70, with no humidity.  You don't bake your brains out, like in NV & AZ.  We have several world class courses. 

 

I don't know how NM can be rated below states that only have golf 5 months out of the year?

41920[/snapback]

 

I agree with you. I am also from NM and have played courses in CA, AZ, NV, TX, UT and CO. I would rate UNM South, Paa-Ko, Santa Ana, Black Mesa and Pinon Hills right up there with any of the courses I have played in the above mentioned states.

[kkhere]

im a homer considering im from new york but you have trouble arguing against winged foot, westchester, quaker ridge, shinnecock, national golf links, bethpage black, oak hill, and more

[USNHack]

California is the place you oughta be! :tongue:

Year round golf and it doesn't feel like your walking around in a sauna during the summer :cheesy:

[Coach]

A very underated state(s) is Massachusetts, and also Rhode Island.

 

People think of The Country Club only in Mass, but Mass has huge nuber of Top 1000 courses.

 

Myopia

Eastward Ho!

Oyster Harbors

Hyannisport

Nantucket

Sankaty Head

Charles River

Worchester

Taconic

 

A great mix of mountain, seaside and parkland in a tiny state.

 

Similar story in Rhode Island. Besides Newport and Wannamoiset, there are bunch of lesser known clubs such as Carnegie and Miacomet (sp?).

 

The problem here is these are private, so it takes time and work to play them.

 

PS. Many of The Cape courses allow off season play, write a letter and you will probably get on.

[pingjas]

You can have all your graphs but, you would be hard pressed to beat North Carolina for overall quality and diversity of courses. Mountains, Rolling Hills, Coast, owe yeah, Sand Hills, ie... Pinehurst#2 built with horses close to 100 years ago.

[Ryno920]

Im just happy to see that the three Top 100 Public Courses in Wisconsin are all within 15 minutes of me.