Top 5 Golf States in America (with 5 must-play courses each)
Here’s the Top 5 Golf States in the U.S., built the way golfers actually think about it: access, volume, quality, and variety.
The state sitting at #1 isn’t just an opinion... It’s the only state that checks every box at scale.
5. South Carolina
Quietly one of the deepest golf states in the country. Public access, coastal visuals, and legit championship pedigree.
Why it’s top 5: Myrtle Beach alone is a golf ecosystem. Hilton Head adds elite-level design and history. You can build full trips here without touching private clubs.
5 of SC's Top Courses:
- Harbour Town Golf Links – Tight, strategic, PGA Tour staple
- Kiawah Island Ocean Course – Wind, difficulty, major championship site
- Congaree Golf Club – Modern, minimalist, elite design
- Caledonia Golf & Fish Club – One of the best public experiences in the South
- TPC Myrtle Beach – Clean, playable, high-quality public golf
4. North Carolina
Less volume than Florida, but insane golf culture density.
Why it’s top 5: Pinehurst alone carries historic weight that most states can’t match. This is “pure golf” territory.
5 of NC's Top Courses:
- Pinehurst No. 2 – U.S. Open anchor site
- Pinehurst No. 4 – Modern redesign, top-tier conditioning
- Mid Pines Golf Club – Classic Donald Ross design
- Tobacco Road Golf Club – Wild, polarizing, unforgettable
- Quail Hollow Club – Major championship venue
3. Michigan
If golf had a “summer capital,” this is it.
Why it’s top 5: Insane value, tons of public access, and top 100-level courses everywhere. The downside is obvious. You’re playing on a clock.
5 of Michigan's Top Courses:
- Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club – Coastal-style views over Lake Michigan
- Crystal Downs Country Club – Strategic, elite-level layout
- Oakland Hills Country Club – Historic major venue
- Forest Dunes Golf Club – Unique routing and design
- Bay Harbor Golf Club – Scenic, resort-style experience
2. California
The most iconic golf state in the country.
Why it’s top 5: Unmatched variety. Ocean, desert, mountain, parkland. The tradeoff is cost and accessibility.
5 of California's Top Courses:
- Pebble Beach Golf Links – The most recognizable course in the U.S.
- Spyglass Hill Golf Course – Elite difficulty and design
- Torrey Pines South Course – Public U.S. Open venue
- The Links at Spanish Bay
- Pasatiempo Golf Club – One of the best pure designs in America
1. Florida
This is where it stops being a debate.
Why it’s #1:
- Most golf courses in the country
- Year-round play
- Public + private + resort density
- Travel golf capital
- Volume of rounds you can actually play
Other states might beat it in one category. Florida wins overall usage.
5 of the Sunshine State's Top Courses:
- TPC Sawgrass – Stadium golf, iconic 17th hole
- Streamsong Resort – Modern top-100 factory
- PGA National Resort Champion Course – The Bear Trap
- Tiburón Golf Club – Tour-level, clean, and precise.
- Innisbrook Copperhead Course – Tour-level shotmaking
The Real Reason Florida Wins
Most rankings get this wrong. They focus on: prestige, history, top 100 courses.
Golfers don’t actually play rankings. They play availability.
Florida wins because:
- you can play more often
- you can play more types of courses
- you can adjust on the fly
- you can stack rounds without planning your life around it
It has over 1,200 courses and the highest overall golf infrastructure in the country.
That is not even close.
The Final Question
If you had one week to play as much golf as possible…
Are you choosing the state with the best course… or the state that gives you the most golf?