Best state for golf

[mizleft]

Hawaii

[ClarkGrswld4]

how about Alaska? You can play golf like 21 hours out of the day during summer

[RagingPlatypus]

I live in SoCal and use golfnow. Never pay more than $50.

[Jaylasvegas]

I would say California, from Northern to Southern you have some of the best courses in the world. The only downside is the millions of golfers who reside or come to visit

[esketores]

May through October... Ohio.
So many public play courses at reasonable prices.

[bellview17]

NC, SC boarder, about 120 places to play within an hour...

[GoodGround]

PA


Jim

[GodSpeed]

Anyone who hasn't said FL, doesn't live in FL. We have golf weather all year long. How does it get any better? And don't give me "scenery". We have coastline around 90% of our state.

We win

[Obee]

I'm from Southern California, and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else as a golfer. 350 days a year (at least ) of golf. Not too wet and soggy like some areas. Not too windy. Not very humid. Price points all over the place, and plenty of excellent tracks at your disposal--especially if you get into the private club scene or are a good (tournament level) golfer.

[TML]

[quote name='Obee' timestamp='1406825761' post='9824877']
I'm from Southern California, and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else as a golfer. 350 days a year (at least ) of golf. Not too wet and soggy like some areas. Not too windy. Not very humid. Price points all over the place, and plenty of excellent tracks at your disposal--especially if you get into the private club scene or are a good (tournament level) golfer.
[/quote]
the only issue with Socal, is the traffic. Can't stand it. Norcal is much better.

I currently live on a private track in AZ and love it all year. rd.

[TML]

[quote name='GodSpeed' timestamp='1404915873' post='9666033']
Anyone who hasn't said FL, doesn't live in FL. We have golf weather all year long. How does it get any better? And don't give me "scenery". We have coastline around 90% of our state.

We win
[/quote]
FL is the swamp with all the humidity and bugs. I mean, who else, needs to put a fence around their pool/spa, than in the SE. Yep - awesome!

[Ezgolfer]

Agree with poster about Southern California weather and great courses..
My gripes..
1. Traffic
2.Crowded courses.
3 Expensive...,
In So Cal you have to pay to use chipping and putting facility for practice.

[putts4bogey]

California. Thunderstorms are a rarity compared to the SE (where I'm from originally). Ocean and mountains within access. Ocean, mountain, desert and traditional courses throughout the state. Southern versus Northern California diversity. Limited humidity. Year-round golf. A variety in terrain. A continuity of beauty. Did I mention the women?

[Divot_07]

California. Great weather and way too many courses keeping rates down. Plus Pebble Beach and Torrey Pines.

[larrybud]

Michigan has the 2nd most courses per capita. Yeah, our season is short, April - November at best. But summer golf is awesome, prices are reasonable, tons of courses to play.

Plus it doesn't get dark til about 9:30-10 depending on where in the state you are.

[dpb5031]

[quote name='GodSpeed' timestamp='1404915873' post='9666033']
Anyone who hasn't said FL, doesn't live in FL. We have golf weather all year long. How does it get any better? And don't give me "scenery". We have coastline around 90% of our state.

We win
[/quote]

I agree. And for those griping about humidity, I'd rather have Florida's humidity where there's almost always a breeze, than the stifling, breeze-less humidity we often have here in NJ in the summers.

[njlam]

Oregon has the best golf courses in the country.

I would put Bandon Dunes (all), Sunriver (et al Bend area), and Pumpkin Ridge, PGC, Eugene (amongst others) against any other state's course line up.

Golf here is not for sissy's. we play in all conditions, just like it was meant to be played.

[oregongolf]

[quote name='njlam' timestamp='1410470357' post='10103501']
Oregon has the best golf courses in the country.

I would put Bandon Dunes (all), Sunriver (et al Bend area), and Pumpkin Ridge, PGC, Eugene (amongst others) against any other state's course line up.

Golf here is not for sissy's. we play in all conditions, just like it was meant to be played.
[/quote]

I personally think Oregon and the (PNW as a whole) has the best golf courses that a regular person can get on and play. It's amazing you can play a large number of courses that are wildly different. You can drive 100 miles in any direction and the golf can be incredibly different (high desert, links, classic tree-lined).

For me, the best collection of courses (that are almost all private) are in California.

[EK16]

SoCal. Sun about 350 days a year. You can golf in shorts year round and no ridiculous humidity during the summer. Also Palm Springs and Las Vegas are in driving range. Drawbacks are overcrowding of courses and high cost of living.

I also heard good things about NC/SC but hear the humidity makes it unbearable for people who didn't grow up with it.

I also would like to mention OR and WA. Lots of really fantastic courses in those 2 states.

[BIG STU]

Got to agree with all the guys from NC myself being a native Tar Heel (but a ECU fan) but I am now living south of Dirty Myrtle. Both states have a great variety of courses and the climate is pretty good except in the mountains in the winter. I am origionally from Charlotte but have not lived there for close to 35 years. I do visit there some and there are a lot of new courses in the area that I have never played. Living here I have over 100 courses on the "Grand Strand" area which now includes Brunswick county NC. I am not that far from Wilmington and not that far from Charlestown and really not that far from the Pinehurst/ Fayetteville area. I am older now and tend to stick close to home but I do venture out. I feel I have the best of both Carolina's worlds living where I do

[BIG STU]

[quote name='EK16' timestamp='1411806434' post='10192927']
SoCal. Sun about 350 days a year. You can golf in shorts year round and no ridiculous humidity during the summer. Also Palm Springs and Las Vegas are in driving range. Drawbacks are overcrowding of courses and high cost of living.

I also heard good things about NC/SC but hear the humidity makes it unbearable for people who didn't grow up with it.

I also would like to mention OR and WA. Lots of really fantastic courses in those 2 states.
[/quote]Trust me I grew up with the humidity being a NC native from the Piedmont area but the older you get the harder it is to take

[BIG STU]

[quote name='bellview17' timestamp='1404776519' post='9655397']
NC, SC boarder, about 120 places to play within an hour...
[/quote]With those numbers I would guess you are up around the Shallotte area in Brunswick County

[dmblanch]

[quote name='drewtaylor21' timestamp='1399429859' post='9246979']
My vote is for Utah. I have only lived here for 3 years, but I will severely miss the golf here if I ever have to leave. Salt Lake and the area within an hour's drive in any direction has probably 50+ courses, most of which are public, in great shape, outstanding views, and available to play for $30-35. I have never once had any issues with slow play or overcrowded courses, and if the winter is bad, southern Utah is only a few hours drive and has another dozen or so courses that are incredible. 9 months out of the year the weather in SLC is great - lots of sunshine, no humidity, no severe wind....overall I feel extremely spoiled playing here!
[/quote]

I'm also going to vote for Utah. I think this question isn't about which state has the prettiest courses that you can never get on or can't afford to play. (Otherwise we could all just fantasize ourselves into memberships at Cypress Point, Pine Valley and Augusta and end the discussion.) It's about a place that boasts a wealth of attainable affordable attractive offerings.

So that's why I vote Utah. I've never seen a region so full of pretty golf courses that were nearly always empty and cheap. (Reno/Tahoe was about as good, but a bit pricier.) I watch GolfNow's hot deals and I can usually find $13-17 full round special with cart about twice a week. Otherwise, I simply never make tee times, I just show up and play whenever I want wherever I want. Wednesday I had to pick my son up at the airport and we have a fine links course at the airport, so I showed up early to get a round in at 3:00 pm. I PLAYED FREE BECAUSE THE PRO CLOSED THE CLUBHOUSE TO RUN AN ERRAND. That's the third time this has happened to me this year at three different courses.

It's true that in northern Utah we can only play from about March to early December, with maybe a thaw or two in the dead winter. But then we just drive to the south end of the state to St. George/Mesquite and we have twenty more desert courses at our fingertips. Almost everything is a scenic gem.

I've lived in Michigan and SoCal and played a bunch in South Carolina and Florida. Michigan has beautiful courses that are pretty cheap thanks to their depressed economy. But a season that is achingly short. I can understand the folks who vote South Carolina -- it has hundreds of courses, but they're not exactly cheap, relatively similar in type, and usually peppered with hard partying Yankee visitors. Florida has an abundance of flat, swampy architectural gems, but they are full of old folks in the season, and hot as Hades in the off season. And again, not cheap.

As for SoCal, I simply can't understand why it gets so many votes. Year round season, little rain and it has many good courses -- that you can't ever get on and you pay a fortune when you do. Their population base is simply too large in proportion to the number of courses. So if you want to bask in the knowledge that you live close to Torrey or Pebble, but don't play there more than once in a blue moon because it costs $200 to $500 a round, have at it. I live two states over and I play at Torrey and Pebble as much as the locals do. I want to play a LOT and play in a variety of places. In Utah I can play 3 or 4 times for what the Carolinians or Californians pay to play just once. Heck, I can buy an unlimited season pass at any local course for less than an average CC's monthly dues.

The only downside to Utah golf is that they are closing or threatening to close lots of courses due to lack of use. And you can't legally get beer on most courses. Oh well, you can't have everything.

[Mr. Redford]

For the midwest how can it not be Wisconsin? http://www.jsonline.com/sports/golf/sand-valley-on-course-to-become-true-american-beauty-b99370835z1-279227112.html

[Guia]

Summer in AZ is like playing in hell, FL has too many bugs and it rains too much. New Mexico is inexpensive, many courses, and you can play 12 months of the year.

[nikegolfer1983]

Ohio you have courses such as:

Inverness
Muirfield Village
Scioto
Canteburry
Sand Ridge
Firestone
New Albany GC
Double Eagle
The Golf Club
Scarlet & Grey
Kenwood CC
Camargo CC
Coldstream
NCR
Longeberger
Canton Bookside

and many more

I realize that most if not all of these are private, but Ohio is filled with a ton of great golf

[GOUFGO]

Great state of Alabama. Can't beat the quality and value of the trail. This is coming from a Gator, born and raised in the FLA.

[GHIN n Juice]

Dm, when did they stop selling beer at golf courses in Utah? I lived out there for 25 years and never had a course that didn't sell beer...well maybe some of the Provo area courses.

I'd also have to throw a vote to Utah. Plenty of well kept courses, low prices, great scenery, fairly long season, and quite a few courses without a house in sight. There is nothing nicer than a round of golf in that dry mountain air without a house, road or car in sight.

Also, they have a great amateur golf system. A lot of stroke play tournaments all over the state. Very easy to get your fill of competitive golf weekly.

[BillyZ2]

If it weren't for the long winters here, Michigan would be right up there. In the spring/summer/fall, it's hard to beat. For example, Arcadia Bluffs on a nice day would rival any course "anywhere"!

[1puttTUT]

Michigan would win hands down if it weren't for the short season. Arcadia, Tullymore, Forest Dunes, Treetops, True North, etc can all be played for $100 or less. All these other state's great courses are either private or $200+ per round. Michigan is All about public golf and we don't charge out-of-staters jacked up rates like A-holes in AZ, FL and CA.