College Football

The best golf trips near every SEC school

October 11, 2023

For many golfers, fall is the best time of the year—not only for the colorful foliage that lines courses but for the return of college football. With a little planning, you can combine these two into a weekend buddies’ trip that is tough to beat: A Friday afternoon round, Saturday tailgating and football, and a Sunday morning tee time that will get you home in time for Sunday Night Football. Or another 18 on Monday, too. We won't tell your boss.

We're not here to sell you on which SEC football stadium is best, but we can help you coordinate where to play near each campus. In this guide, we focused on every school in the Southeastern Conference and identified the best public courses to play when you’re headed to an SEC football game. (Editor’s note: We will add to this guide in 2024 when Texas and Oklahoma are set to join the conference.) Whether you’re looking for just one round or a full weekend of golf, we tracked down the best options with input from our expert course-ranking panelists in the Southeast.

Scroll down for the complete list of the best golf trips near every SEC school. We urge you to click through to each individual course page for bonus photography, drone footage and reviews from our course panelists. Plus, you can now leave your own ratings and reviews of the courses you’ve played. It's all part of the relaunch of Golf Digest's Places to Play franchise.

University of Alabama

If you’re flying into Birmingham on the way to a Crimson Tide game, you’ve got plenty of great public golf options on the road to Tuscaloosa. Consider the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge, a Golf Digest Best in State course that’s scheduled to reopen in October 2023 following some green damage. We also recommend both courses at RTJ Oxmoor Valley, as well as Bent Brook. For something closer to campus, consider Ol’ Colony, a Jerry Pate design that’s home to the Alabama men’s and women’s golf teams.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge
4.2
40 Panelists
Towering pines and two large lakes frame many holes on this expansive layout just south of Birmingham. Significant elevation changes dictate a layout that plays up and down the banks that surround the two lakes, which are connected by a stunning waterfall that separates the ninth and 18th greens. With wide landing areas and large greens, there is ample room for wayward shots. The course tips out over 8,000 yards, but there are five sets of tees to accommodate all players. Note: The course is temporarily closed due to green damage caused by misapplied herbicide.
View Course
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail At Oxmoor Valley: Ridge
3.9
12 Panelists
Standing on the first tee looking down at the fairway below, golfers will get a sense of the dramatic elevation changes and undulating fairways in store for their round. The “roller-coaster” fairways are aesthetically appealing and create many shots from uneven lies. A heavily wooded track flanked by imposing pines, the Ridge course features several dramatic elevation changes, including at the downhill par-3 eighth. Given the topography, taking a cart is recommended.
View Course
Bent Brook Golf Course: Windmill/Brook/Graveyard
Between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Bent Brook is a 27-hole public facility that underwent an extensive renovation in 2016, switching to a hybrid AU Victory bent grass on the greens. The course has hosted three Alabama State Amateur Championships, including in 2022, when the Brook and Windmill nines hosted the championship. Each nine is named for its defining feature, and the Brook and Graveyard combo is the toughest of the three 18-hole combos, with the Graveyard and Windmill the most playable. Still, all three layouts are great for the average player, with generous landing areas.
View Course

University of Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas is home to many excellent private clubs—including Blessings Golf Club, Pinnacle Country Club and Fayetteville Country Club—but public options are harder to track down. Stonebridge Meadows will be the most convenient option when you’re heading to a Razorback game, but if you’re willing to drive 90 minutes, you’ll want to head down to the Lake of the Ozarks and Bella Vista, which has five 18-hole courses. We didn’t include the courses at Big Cedar Lodge—which has three courses ranked on our 100 Greatest Public list—because it’s a couple hours drive from Fayetteville, but if you’ve got the time, consider making a weekend trip out of the popular Missouri resort.

Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club
Public
Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club
Fayetteville, AR
For fans in town to see a Razorback football or basketball game, Stonebridge Meadows is the most convenient public option for a round of golf. The course makes good use of the undulated terrain, playing through the valleys and hills of northwest Arkansas. Carefully consider which set of tees you’ll play from, as the slope and rating is quite high—around 75/145 from the tips. One potential drawback from Stonebridge is that the conditioning can be hit or miss, but considering it is an affordable track near downtown Fayetteville, it’s still a great option.
View Course
Bella Vista Country Club: Country Club Course
Tucked in the northwest corner of Arkansas near the Missouri and Oklahoma border, Bella Vista has five 18-hole courses and two 9-holers, making it a fantastic option for a weekend trip, especially if you're attending a Razorback game less than 45 minutes down the road. The Country Club course is an old-school layout with little elevation change, making it a very walkable course. There are plenty of doglegs on the front side, but the back nine has many long and straight holes. Little Sugar Creek winds throughout the 18 holes, coming into play on both nines. The Tanyard Creek Practice Center is across the street, where there are grass and mat options, as well as covered and uncovered stations.
View Course
Bella Vista Country Club: Highlands
Public
Bella Vista Country Club: Highlands
Bella Vista, AR
Tucked in the northwest corner of Arkansas near the Missouri and Oklahoma border, Bella Vista has five 18-hole courses and two 9-holers, making it a fantastic option for a weekend trip, especially if you're attending a Razorback game less than 45 minutes down the road. The Highlands course is the longest and most challenging of the five at Bella Vista. The course also has the best practice facilities at Bella Vista, with a driving range and short-game area. The routing is interesting, as both nines play in separate large loops. Unlike the Country Club course, which is quite walkable, the Highlands layout has more elevation change and holes are spread out, making it a much tougher walk.
View Course

Auburn University

About 20 minutes from Auburn University and with two Best in State courses, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National is perfect for a weekend golf trip. Rounding out your golf itinerary depends on where you’re flying into (or driving from). If you’re flying out of Birmingham, stop at FarmLinks, a Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry layout. Also consider The Fields, just over the Georgia border, if you’re flying out of Atlanta. The RTJ Golf Trail at Capitol Hill has three excellent courses if you’re heading through Montgomery.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail At Grand National: The Links
3.8
39 Panelists
Contrary to its name, the Links course at Grand National requires many forced carries over bunkers and marshes to often elevated, undulating greens. The layout features large greens with numerous tiers, placing a premium on precise iron play. Weaving through woodlands and playing along Sougahatchee Lake, the Links concludes with its signature par-4 18th, where both the tee and approach shots must carry water to reach an enormous green.
View Course
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National: The Lake
3.9
46 Panelists
The PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship was played on Grand National’s Lake course from 2015 through '17. Strategically placed bunkers and large multi-tiered greens defend this eastern Alabama layout. The track hugs the shore of Sougahatchee Lake, which comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes, often around the greens. The four par 3s each offer a stern test with water in play, most notably on the signature island-green 15th.
View Course
FarmLinks Golf Club
Public
FarmLinks Golf Club
Sylacauga, AL
3.7
37 Panelists
Situated between Birmingham and Montgomery, FarmLinks is a Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry layout at Pursell Farms, a Golf Digest Editors’ Choice resort at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. FarmLinks offers a wide variety of holes with generous landing areas, large greens and up to 50 feet of elevation change, making it an enjoyable, player-friendly layout. All four of the par 3s play downhill, including the fifth and 17th holes, which feature severe drops and impressive views.
View Course

University of Florida

The public golf options around Gainesville are limited, so for a weekend trip, consider heading an hour south to the Ocala area, where you’ll find some solid courses. Though it’s about 80 minutes south of the University of Florida, Black Diamond Ranch was previously a private club, but now offers stay and play packages. With two Best in State courses and a nine-holer, it’s a fantastic option if you can make the drive.

Juliette Falls Golf Club
Public
Juliette Falls Golf Club
Dunnellon, FL
3.8
35 Panelists
Less than an hour south of the University of Florida, Juliette Falls was designed before the homes were laid out around the course, allowing designer John Sanford the freedom to route the holes as he wanted. The course has a rolling topography and great layout variety, with holes moving in both directions and a mix of uphill and downhill shots. There are a couple split fairways, at the fifth and 17th, which force players to be strategic about their tee shots. Those risk/reward decisions are present throughout Juliette Falls. The course has a great set of greens, with plenty of different shapes and contours.
View Course
Candler Hills Golf Club
Public
Candler Hills Golf Club
Ocala, FL
Situated in Ocala, less than an hour south of Gainesville and the University of Florida, Candler Hills is a sprawling layout that can tip out around 7,300 yards. The course has 89 bunkers, many of which are very large and natural looking, helping the Gordon Lewis layout blend with the surrounding terrain. The course is a great option for fans in Gainesville for a Florida football game and is well worth the drive.
View Course
Black Diamond Ranch: Quarry
Private
Black Diamond Ranch: Quarry
Lecanto, FL

Black Diamond Ranch is located in out-of-the-way hill country of central Florida, some 30 miles southwest of Ocala. Part of a residential development, this Tom Fazio fantasy-come-alive features a front nine that runs up and down 60-foot-high sand hills and alongside natural sand dunes. But it’s the back-nine stretch through an old rock quarries, holes 13 through 17, that’s the real draw. You start with a par 3 over a pit, then skirt along the rim of a bigger quarry, then descend 85 feet of steep limestone cliffs to the 15th green, positioned astride a bottomless pit of lake, then emerge for more shots along the edge, then shoot down into the smaller pit to the 17th green before finishing on a conventional 18th. Black Diamond has as many twists and turns as a hard-boiled detective novel. 

 

Traditionally a private club (there are a total of 45 holes on property), Black Diamond now offers on-site accommodations and stay and play packages.

View Course

University of Georgia

Of all the SEC schools, the University of Georgia makes for one of the best weekend golf trips. For convenience, the school’s course in Athens is a solid option, but consider heading to Reynolds Lake Oconee, where there are six courses including Great Waters, a 100 Greatest Public track. If you’re flying into Atlanta, Chateau Elan works well with traffic flow and has two challenging courses.

Reynolds Lake Oconee: Great Waters
Early in his design career, Jack Nicklaus said he would design resort courses differently than championship ones. Great Waters is a vivid example of that intent. With a routing that features 10 holes on Lake Oconee, Jack and his associate Jim Lipe worked hard to vary the encounters with water. On one hole it's a carry off a tee, on another, it's beside a green, while on a couple, it's a cove in front of a green. Every encounter features a generous bailout option. Another concession to resort golfers: The greens are big but simple, with few complex contours.
View Course
Reynolds Lake Oconee: The Oconee
Public
Reynolds Lake Oconee: The Oconee
Greensboro, GA
4.3
73 Panelists
Ranked 8th for Golf Digest’s Best New Upscale Public Course of 2002, the Oconee course is known for its risk-reward shot options and views of the serene Lake Oconee on five holes. Forced carries over water inlets and opportunities to cut corners on tree-lined doglegs make this Rees Jones design a pleasure to play.
View Course
Chateau Elan Golf Club: Chateau
Public
Chateau Elan Golf Club: Chateau
Braselton, GA
If you’re flying into Atlanta for a Georgia football game, Chateau Elan is a great option on the drive from the airport. With two challenging courses—Chateau and Woodlands—as well as a nine-hole executive layout, Chateau Elan is great for a weekend trip. Driving accuracy is key at the Chateau course, which has many canted fairways lined with trees. Water comes into play on 10 holes and there are 87 bunkers, making the Chateau course a thorough ball-striking test.
View Course

University of Kentucky

You can make an affordable golf trip out of a weekend in Lexington. Below are the three courses we’d recommend, including the University of Kentucky’s Big Blue course, about 10 miles from campus. We would also consider Houston Oaks and the semi-private Griffin Gate, where you can play if you’re a resort guest at the Marriott hotel.

University Club of Kentucky: Big Blue
Big Blue is one of two public courses at the University Club of Kentucky, about 10 miles from campus. The eighth hole is an island green reminiscent of Pete Dye’s original at TPC Sawgrass, though Big Blue’s lacks a bunker and plays to small, exposed green, making it one of the most intimidating shots on the course. Weekday rates are around $50 and weekends just $60, making the course a great option for fans in town for a Kentucky game.
View Course
Kearney Hill Golf Links
Public
Kearney Hill Golf Links
Lexington, KY
3.9
25 Panelists
The father-son duo of Pete and PB Dye designed Kearney Hill Golf Links, which plays true to its name as a Scottish links-style course. South African (and future Players champion) Tim Clark won the 1997 U.S. Amateur Public Links at Kearney Hill. Ten years later in 2007, future U.S. Solheim Cup team member Mina Harigae took home the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links title at this Lexington muny. With weekday rates under $30, it’s an affordable way to play a Dye-designed championship course.
View Course
Gibson Bay Golf Course
Public
Gibson Bay Golf Course
Richmond, KY
Gibson Bay is a scenic central Kentucky layout designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan that plays around Lake Reba, which comes into play throughout the course. Though the course is fairly wide off the tee, lone pines can prevent a shot to the green, and significant mounding in the rough can create awkward sidehill lies. Given the exposed layout, wind can play a strong factor. In addition to the 18-hole course that can tip out over 7,000 yards, there is a nine-hole walking-only short course with holes ranging from 55 to 140 yards, making it a perfect option for juniors looking to get into the game. Less than 40 minutes from the University of Kentucky, Gibson Bay is a great option for fans attending a game.
View Course

Louisiana State University

If you’re flying into New Orleans for an LSU game, we’d recommend playing TPC Louisiana, which hosts the Zurich Classic of New Orleans each spring. For something closer to Baton Rouge, consider these three courses.

Santa Maria Golf Course
Public
Santa Maria Golf Course
Baton Rouge, LA
Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed Santa Maria Golf Course, which started out as a private club but is now owned by the Baton Rouge Recreation Department and is open for public play. A member of the Audubon Golf Trail, the course plays over rolling terrain and features plenty of water, with 18 lakes weaving throughout the course. Given it’s less than 15 miles from LSU and offers rates around $40, Santa Maria is one of the best public options for fans heading to a Tigers game.
View Course
Carter Plantation
Public
Carter Plantation
Springfield, LA
3.3
4 Panelists
This was the first design by Louisiana native and 13-time PGA Tour winner David Toms. Carter Plantation boasts towering cypress and pine trees amidst the distinct Louisiana wetlands. Located just 60 minutes from New Orleans on the Audubon Golf Trail, Carter Plantation offers a variety of challenges with 86 strategically placed bunkers and 11 holes with water in play.
View Course
Beaver Creek
Public
Beaver Creek
Zachary, LA
Accuracy off the tee is essential at Beaver Creek, a public course about 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge. The fairways are quite narrow, though the front nine is more exposed, and there is plenty of rough before you reach trees and water. The back side is a more demanding ball-striking test, with narrow corridors and some forced carries. For an affordable daily-fee course, Beaver Creek is often in nice condition and rates start around $30-40, making it one of the best values in the Baton Rouge area.
View Course

Mississippi State

Mississippi State, located in Starkville, is just down the road from West Point and one of the most underrated weekend golf destinations in the country. We’d play all of our rounds at Mossy Oak—a Gil Hanse design ranked on our 100 Greatest Public list—and Old Waverly.

Mossy Oak Golf Club
Public
Mossy Oak Golf Club
West Point, MS

From Golf Digest Architecture Editor emeritus Ron Whitten: Back in mid-1980s, George Bryan, who ran Bryan Foods, now part of Sara Lee Corp., created Old Waverly Golf Club in tiny West Point, Miss., a Bob Cupp/Jerry Pate design and former U.S. Women’s Open host that to me is a bit underrated. In the early 2000s, Bryan bought an old dairy farm (Knob Hill Dairy) across the highway and hired Gil Hanse to give him an Old School public golf course. George named it Mossy Oak, after a West Point company of the same name that supplies outdoor camouflage gear. (The company has a 10-percent interest in the course.) He was going to call it Howlin' Wolf after a legendary blues singer born in West Point, but his heirs wanted too much money.

 

For our architecture editor's complete review, click here.

View Course
Old Waverly Golf Club
Public
Old Waverly Golf Club
West Point, MS
4.1
110 Panelists

From Golf Digest Architecture Editor emeritus Ron Whitten: I've always admired Jerry Pate's work in golf architecture. He was one of the few PGA Tour pros who really got down and dirty in golf design, and I especially liked the few courses he did with architect Bob Cupp. Their second collaboration was Old Waverly in tiny West Point, Miss., a dream project of West Point native George Bryan, who at the time was chairman of the meat division of the Sara Lee Corporation based in the tri-city area (West Point, Starkville and Columbus) known as Mississippi's Golden Triangle.

 

For our architecture editor's complete review, click here.

View Course

University of Missouri

The public golf options near Columbia, Mo., are limited, so after playing Tanglewood, we’d head about 90 minutes south to the Lake of the Ozarks and play Old Kinderhook and Osage National. If you’re feeling especially ambitious, Big Cedar Lodge has three courses ranked on our 100 Greatest Public list and is about three hours south of the Missouri campus. For more options closer to campus, consider Redfield and Eagle Knoll.

Tanglewood Golf Course
Public
Tanglewood Golf Course
Fulton, MO
Tanglewood is one of the best public options near the University of Missouri. The course is often in great condition, and the ball sits up nicely on the zoysia fairways. Tanglewood is a spacious layout, allowing players to freely hit driver, though it’s a distinct advantage to be in the fairways given the zoysia. The course is about 30 minutes east of Mizzou and offers affordable rates under $50.
View Course
Old Kinderhook Resort Golf Club & Spa
3.8
22 Panelists
About an hour south of Jefferson City, Old Kinderhook is a public Tom Weiskopf design near the Lake of the Ozarks. The course is nestled between the Ozark hills and plays over ravines, creating a lot of elevation change. There is a nice variety of holes at Old Kinderhook, with water and fescue weaving into play throughout, requiring solid ball-striking and strategy. Even though the course is 90 minutes from the University of Missouri, it’s a great option for Mizzou football fans looking to cram some golf into the weekend.
View Course
Osage National Golf Resort: Mountain/River/Links
The original 18 holes at Osage National—the River and Mountain nines—were designed by Arnold Palmer in the early 1990s. Now a 27-hole facility, the course sits on the banks of the Osage River, near the Lake of the Ozarks, about an hour south of the University of Missouri. The Mountain nine has some scenic elevated tee shots that provide nice vistas of the river basin.
View Course

Ole Miss

The Ole Miss Golf Course is convenient for a weekend trip to Oxford, Miss., but make sure to book your tee time early if you’re looking to play during a home football weekend. If you’re flying into Memphis on the way to a game, we recommend Mirimichi, a challenging Best in Tennessee course that was once owned by Justin Timberlake. If you’re willing to drive 90 minutes, consider heading down to West Point and playing Mossy Oak and Old Waverly.

The Ole Miss Golf Course
Public
The Ole Miss Golf Course
Oxford, MS
Given its proximity to campus and the consistently quality course conditions, The Ole Miss Golf course is the most convenient option for fans heading to an Ole Miss game. The design is player-friendly and straightforward, though the greens are usually kept at a fast pace. Be sure to plan ahead and get your tee time early if you’re looking to play during a home football weekend.
View Course
Mirimichi Golf Course
Public
Mirimichi Golf Course
Millington, TN
4.1
22 Panelists
This challenging layout less than 15 miles north of Memphis was once owned by Justin Timberlake. A relatively flat course, Mirimichi can play over 7,400 yards from the tips and not only defends itself with its length, but uses meandering streams, deep-faced bunkers and numerous lakes to challenge the better player. Though the course might be unrelenting for some, the natural setting among tall native grasses guarantees a peaceful, enjoyable walk.
View Course
Kirkwood National Golf Club
Public
Kirkwood National Golf Club
Holly Springs, MS
Kirkwood National is a secluded, heavily wooded layout about 30 minutes north of Ole Miss. Given most holes are lined with dense forest, ball-striking is a premium, though there are six sets of tees available, so there is an appropriate yardage for everyone. Given it’s located between Memphis and Oxford, Kirkwood National is a convenient course for those flying into Memphis of an Ole Miss game.
View Course

University of South Carolina

Quality public golf courses are very limited around Columbia, S.C. and the University of South Carolina, making a weekend golf trip tricky unless you have connections to private courses. Your best bet is to head down to Aiken and play the historic Aiken Golf Club. You’re less than 2.5 hours from Kiawah Island, which is a great option if you’re looking for some high-end resort golf and making a longer weekend out of it.

The Aiken Golf Club
Public
The Aiken Golf Club
Aiken, SC
4.2
4 Panelists
Just outside Augusta, Ga., and about an hour from Columbia, S.C., Aiken Golf Club is a short, old-school public layout that dates to 1912 when the first 11 holes were laid out as an amenity to the Highland Park Hotel (closed during the Depression), with several running parallel to the rail line that transported guests in and out of town. Owned by the McNair family since 1959 and just steps from the historic downtown, it possesses the many of the same assets as nearby Palmetto though in less refined form with ocean-surge greens, sporty length, eccentric bygone shaping, tantalizing short par 4s and significant fairway movements across the hilly terrain. Very few places have more eclectic or expressive golf packed into a $26-48 green fee. Jim McNair, who operates Aiken Golf Club, is also responsible for locating and building The Chalkmine, a nine-hole short course and practice area for The First Tee of Aiken on a defunct sand and chalk mining site that might have some of the most exciting holes in the county.
View Course
Cobblestone Park Golf Club: Garnet/Black/Gold
There is plenty of elevation change throughout the 27 holes at Cobblestone Park, just north of Columbia, S.C., including some of the highest points in the county. The course was designed by P.B. Dye—Pete’s son—and has some features reminiscent of his father’s designs, including prominent mounding and unique bunker shapes. The par 3s can play tough at Cobblestone Park, with many having forced carries over water and natural areas.
View Course

University of Tennessee

WindRiver and Island Pointe are the public courses close to Knoxville that we’d recommend, but if you’re willing to drive a couple hours, be sure to head down to Sewanee and Sweetens Cove, two of the best nine-hole courses in the country. Rarity Bay, Egwani Farms and Sevierville are also good public options near Knoxville.    

WindRiver Lakefront & Golf Community
Public
WindRiver Lakefront & Golf Community
Lenoir City, TN
4.3
11 Panelists
WindRiver Golf Club blends nicely into the rolling terrain beside Tellico Lake, about 30 miles outside Knoxville. There is a mix of uphill and downhill holes on this Bob Cupp design, and native fescue lines many fairways. The greens are very large and have plenty of slope, allowing players to feed the ball into certain hole locations. The design variety and dramatic elevations changes make WindRiver one of the best public options near Knoxville.
View Course
Island Pointe Golf Club: River Islands
3.8
31 Panelists
This Arthur Hills design is situated on 175 acres along the banks of the French Broad River, less than 20 miles east of Knoxville. The river plays a central role throughout, bisecting the layout and providing a uniquely natural setting. The Zoysia fairways are often regarded as some of the best in the area, giving golfers great lies as they look to attack the small, subtly undulating greens. With weekday rates under $50, Island Pointe is a great, affordable public option.
View Course
Sweetens Cove Golf Club
Public
Sweetens Cove Golf Club
South Pittsburg, TN
The nine-holer just 30 miles west of Chattanooga is probably the buzziest nine-hole course in the U.S. Designed by King-Collins and now with financial backing by prominent golfers such as Peyton Manning, Sweetens Cove offers numerous alternative routings, allowing the course to be played several ways. The laidback atmosphere defies country-club tradition and encourages players to wear whatever they want—even allowing golfers to bring their dog along for the round. The course itself features generous fairways and massive, undulating greens that reward imagination and creativity.
View Course
The Course At Sewanee
Public
The Course At Sewanee
Sewanee, TN
It doesn't quite get the buzz as another nine-holer just 30 minutes away, but golf's hottest architect, Gil Hanse, did an extensive redesign of this nine-hole track in 2013. Though Hanse kept Sewanee’s original routing, he redesigned all nine greens, added new bunkers and created a new set of tees. The impressively rugged-yet-refined bunkering, prominent undulations and stunning vistas—most notably on the third and fifth holes—all give this layout character.
View Course

Texas A&M University

Gus Wortham, a recently restored municipal near downtown Houston, may be one of the most underrated courses in Texas and is definitely worth a round if you’re flying into Bush airport on the way to College Station. Memorial Park, which hosts the PGA Tour’s Houston Open, is also worth playing, as is Highland Pines, a new course with a uniquely heat resistant type of zoysia grass. Other courses worth checking out on the way to Texas A&M include the Golf Club of Houston, Cypresswood, Tour 18 and High Meadow Ranch.

Gus Wortham Golf Course
Public
Gus Wortham Golf Course
Houston, TX
4
13 Panelists
Houston’s Gus Wortham Municipal Course—just a few miles from downtown—has roots dating back to 1908, when the original Houston Country Club was routed on the site. It’s the rare piece of property in the sprawling Texas metropolis with elevation changes that make for a scenic, rolling layout. The course is the oldest continually operated course in Texas, and Harry Vardon, Ted Ray and Bobby Jones played exhibitions there over the years. The Houston Golf Association entered a 30-year lease and operating agreement in 2014. Architect Baxter Spann restored the course in 2017, rebuilding greens, bunkers and reshaping contouring, as well has reconfiguring the irrigation system for better water conservation.
View Course
Highland Pines Golf Club
Public
Highland Pines Golf Club
Porter, TX
Highlands Golf Club, just north of Houston, opened in 2022 as the first course in the country to have Lazer Zoysia greens, a type of grass that’s uniquely suited for the harsh heat. The course has Zoysia throughout, so balls often sit up nicely on the fairways. Highland Pines sits near the banks of the San Jacinto River and winds through dense forest, offering a secluded feel. Given the course is near Bush airport, Highlands is a great course to play if you’re flying into Houston.
View Course
Memorial Park Golf Course
Public
Memorial Park Golf Course
Houston, TX
3.8
34 Panelists
A significant renovation was completed by Tom Doak (in collaboration with Brooks Koepka) to transform the old municipal course at Memorial Park—which hosted the first Houston Open in 1947 and then again from 1951 through 1965—into a layout worthy of being a PGA Tour venue. Originally built in 1912 at a hospital near Camp Logan for recovering soldiers to use, architect John Bredemus redesigned the course in 1935 and added a second nine. Now with signature Doak green complexes and tour-level conditioning, Memorial Park is once again a must-play in the state and averages 60,000 rounds a year.
View Course

Vanderbilt University

There are some solid public options around Nashville, which we’ve highlighted below, but if you’re willing to drive 90 minutes, consider heading to Sewanee and Sweetens Cove, two nine-hole courses that are perfect for a laid-back weekend buddies’ trip.

Hermitage Golf Course: President's Reserve
3.8
46 Panelists
Just outside Nashville, President’s Reserve at Hermitage Golf Course offers wide and forgiving fairways with few doglegs, allowing players to hit a variety of shot shapes. There are plenty of risk-reward opportunities, including at the reachable par-5 18th—hug the water on the left to have a chance to get home in two or play safely out to the right, likely making it a three-shot hole. Many holes play along the scenic Cumberland River.
View Course
Gaylord Springs Golf Links
Public
Gaylord Springs Golf Links
Nashville, TN
Three-time major champion Larry Nelson designed this Nashville links course that plays along the Cumberland River. Nearly every hole runs in a north-south direction, allowing golfers to get a sense of the wind direction, which is key to navigating this exposed layout. Golfers are greeted with a straightforward par-5 opener, but water lurks on 10 of the remaining 17 holes. Despite the water, there is generally ample room to bail out, leaving players to choose how much trouble to take on.
View Course
Harpeth Hills Golf Course
Public
Harpeth Hills Golf Course
Nashville, TN
This Nashville municipal course was originally designed in 1965 and underwent an extensive renovation in 1991. Often considered one of the best public options in Nashville, Harpeth Hills features numerous domed greens that require precise iron play and deft short-game touch. The greens, which were resurfaced in 2017, often play firm and fast, placing further emphasis on short-game finesse. With rates on weekdays under $30 and under $40 on weekends, it’s hard to find a better value.
View Course

• • •

Explore Golf Digest's recently relaunched Places to Play community, where you can add star ratings and reviews for all the courses you play. We've collected tens of thousands of reviews from our course-ranking panelists to deliver a premium experience, which includes experts' opinions, bonus course photography and videos, plus much more. Check it out here!