Golf Ratings · Courses · Best private courses
Best private golf courses in America
The 100 best private clubs in the country, ranked from what Golf Digest, GOLF and Golfweek agree on. Built from 3 sources. Last checked October 22, 2026.
How we score · The full top 100
Golf Digest · GOLF · Golfweek
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1
Pine Valley, NJ
Pine Valley Golf Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 1 at Golf Digest, No. 1 at GOLF and No. 1 at Golfweek.
100/100 -
2
Pebble Beach, CA
Cypress Point Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 3 at Golf Digest, No. 2 at GOLF and No. 2 at Golfweek.
99/100 -
3
Southampton, NY
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 4 at Golf Digest, No. 3 at GOLF and No. 5 at Golfweek.
99/100 -
4
Augusta, GA
Augusta National Golf Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 2 at Golf Digest, No. 6 at GOLF and No. 3 at Golfweek.
98/100 -
5
Southampton, NY
National Golf Links of America
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 7 at Golf Digest, No. 4 at GOLF and No. 4 at Golfweek.
98/100 -
6
Oakmont, PA
Oakmont Country Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 5 at Golf Digest, No. 5 at GOLF and No. 7 at Golfweek.
98/100 -
7
Mullen, NE
Sand Hills Golf Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 8 at Golf Digest, No. 7 at GOLF and No. 6 at Golfweek.
97/100 -
8
Ardmore, PA
Merion Golf Club: East
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 6 at Golf Digest, No. 8 at GOLF and No. 8 at Golfweek.
97/100 -
9
Fishers Island, NY
Fishers Island Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 10 at Golf Digest, No. 11 at GOLF and No. 10 at Golfweek.
96/100 -
10
Wheaton, IL
Chicago Golf Club
Ranked by all three major raters: No. 11 at Golf Digest, No. 12 at GOLF and No. 9 at Golfweek.
95/100
The full top 100
| # | Course | Where | Golf Digest | GOLF | Golfweek | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pine Valley Golf Club | Pine Valley, NJ | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 1 | 100 |
| 2 | Cypress Point Club | Pebble Beach, CA | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 2 | 99 |
| 3 | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club | Southampton, NY | No. 4 | No. 3 | No. 5 | 99 |
| 4 | Augusta National Golf Club | Augusta, GA | No. 2 | No. 6 | No. 3 | 98 |
| 5 | National Golf Links of America | Southampton, NY | No. 7 | No. 4 | No. 4 | 98 |
| 6 | Oakmont Country Club | Oakmont, PA | No. 5 | No. 5 | No. 7 | 98 |
| 7 | Sand Hills Golf Club | Mullen, NE | No. 8 | No. 7 | No. 6 | 97 |
| 8 | Merion Golf Club: East | Ardmore, PA | No. 6 | No. 8 | No. 8 | 97 |
| 9 | Fishers Island Club | Fishers Island, NY | No. 10 | No. 11 | No. 10 | 96 |
| 10 | Chicago Golf Club | Wheaton, IL | No. 11 | No. 12 | No. 9 | 95 |
| 11 | Los Angeles Country Club: North | Los Angeles, CA | No. 16 | No. 10 | No. 13 | 95 |
| 12 | Friar's Head Golf Club | Riverhead, NY | No. 14 | No. 15 | No. 12 | 94 |
| 13 | Seminole Golf Club | Juno Beach, FL | No. 12 | No. 17 | No. 14 | 94 |
| 14 | Riviera Country Club | Pacific Palisades, CA | No. 18 | No. 14 | No. 20 | 93 |
| 15 | Winged Foot Golf Club: West | Mamaroneck, NY | No. 13 | No. 18 | No. 19 | 93 |
| 16 | Prairie Dunes Country Club | Hutchinson, KS | No. 25 | No. 16 | No. 15 | 92 |
| 17 | Crystal Downs Country Club | Frankfort, MI | No. 15 | No. 23 | No. 16 | 92 |
| 18 | Oakland Hills Country Club: South Course | Bloomfield Hills, MI | No. 20 | No. 20 | No. 28 | 91 |
| 19 | San Francisco Golf Club | San Francisco, CA | No. 33 | No. 22 | No. 22 | 89 |
| 20 | Peachtree Golf Club | Atlanta, GA | No. 22 | No. 33 | No. 21 | 88 |
| 21 | Southern Hills Country Club | Tulsa, OK | No. 28 | No. 24 | No. 47 | 88 |
| 22 | Shoreacres | Lake Bluff, IL | No. 47 | No. 25 | No. 23 | 87 |
| 23 | Old Town Club | Winston Salem, NC | No. 39 | No. 32 | No. 18 | 86 |
| 24 | Oak Hill Country Club: East | Rochester, NY | No. 21 | No. 36 | No. 46 | 86 |
| 25 | Ballyneal Golf Club | Holyoke, CO | No. 34 | No. 35 | No. 27 | 86 |
| 26 | Somerset Hills Country Club | Bernardsville, NJ | No. 56 | No. 27 | No. 26 | 85 |
| 27 | Maidstone Club | East Hampton, NY | No. 53 | No. 29 | No. 32 | 84 |
| 28 | Camargo Club | Cincinnati, OH | No. 48 | No. 31 | No. 38 | 84 |
| 29 | California Golf Club | South San Francisco, CA | No. 57 | No. 26 | No. 41 | 84 |
| 30 | Garden City Golf Club | Garden City, NY | No. 58 | No. 28 | No. 44 | 83 |
| 31 | Ohoopee Match Club | Cobbtown, GA | No. 36 | No. 44 | No. 25 | 83 |
| 32 | Muirfield Village Golf Club | Dublin, OH | No. 19 | No. 56 | No. 33 | 82 |
| 33 | Baltusrol Golf Club: Lower | Springfield, NJ | No. 42 | No. 42 | No. 51 | 81 |
| 34 | Sleepy Hollow Country Club | Scarborough, NY | No. 52 | No. 40 | No. 48 | 81 |
| 35 | Winged Foot Golf Club: East | Mamaroneck, NY | No. 45 | No. 45 | No. 55 | 80 |
| 36 | Rock Creek Cattle Company | Deer Lodge, MT | No. 65 | No. 38 | No. 52 | 79 |
| 37 | Myopia Hunt Club | South Hamilton, MA | No. 54 | No. 43 | No. 54 | 79 |
| 38 | Wade Hampton Golf Club | Cashiers, NC | No. 27 | No. 63 | No. 30 | 79 |
| 39 | The Honors Course | Ooltewah, TN | No. 29 | No. 54 | No. 66 | 79 |
| 40 | Pikewood National Golf Club | Morgantown, WV | No. 31 | No. 57 | No. 60 | 78 |
| 41 | Inverness Club | Toledo, OH | No. 62 | No. 41 | No. 78 | 77 |
| 42 | CapRock Ranch | Valentine, NE | No. 72 | No. 46 | No. 43 | 77 |
| 43 | The Olympic Club: Lake | San Francisco, CA | No. 35 | No. 59 | No. 69 | 77 |
| 44 | The Golf Club | New Albany, OH | No. 46 | No. 60 | No. 53 | 76 |
| 45 | The Valley Club of Montecito | Santa Barbara, CA | No. 71 | No. 58 | No. 49 | 74 |
| 46 | Quaker Ridge Golf Club | Scarsdale, NY | No. 75 | No. 52 | No. 67 | 74 |
| 47 | Monterey Peninsula Country Club: Shore | Pebble Beach, CA | No. 55 | No. 71 | No. 37 | 73 |
| 48 | Congressional Country Club: Blue | Bethesda, MD | No. 67 | No. 61 | No. 79 | 72 |
| 49 | Eastward Ho! | Chatham, MA | No. 101 | No. 50 | No. 62 | 71 |
| 50 | Old Sandwich Golf Club | Plymouth, MA | No. 73 | No. 62 | No. 83 | 70 |
| 51 | Essex County Club | Manchester, MA | No. 78 | No. 65 | No. 63 | 70 |
| 52 | Yeamans Hall Club | Charleston, SC | No. 114 | No. 47 | No. 68 | 70 |
| 53 | Plainfield Country Club | Edison, NJ | No. 90 | No. 64 | No. 56 | 69 |
| 54 | Medinah Country Club: No. 3 | Medinah, IL | No. 74 | No. 74 | No. 61 | 69 |
| 55 | Nanea Golf Club | Kailua Kona, HI | No. 59 | No. 83 | No. 57 | 68 |
| 56 | Interlachen Country Club | Edina, MN | No. 64 | No. 73 | No. 89 | 68 |
| 57 | Piping Rock Club | Locust Valley, NY | No. 98 | No. 66 | No. 59 | 68 |
| 58 | The Creek | Locust Valley, NY | No. 110 | No. 53 | No. 88 | 68 |
| 59 | Old Barnwell Golf Club | Aiken, SC | No. 131 | No. 51 | No. 65 | 67 |
| 60 | The Kittansett Club | Marion, MA | No. 89 | No. 68 | No. 92 | 66 |
| 61 | Scioto Country Club | Columbus, OH | No. 82 | No. 72 | No. 98 | 66 |
| 62 | Cherry Hills Country Club | Englewood, CO | No. 63 | No. 91 | No. 91 | 64 |
| 63 | Monterey Peninsula Country Club: Dunes | Pebble Beach, CA | No. 77 | No. 90 | No. 73 | 63 |
| 64 | Milwaukee Country Club | River Hills, WI | No. 97 | No. 78 | No. 100 | 62 |
| 65 | Bel-Air Country Club | Los Angeles, CA | No. 125 | No. 70 | No. 96 | 61 |
| 66 | Aronimink Golf Club | Newtown Square, PA | No. 100 | No. 84 | No. 118 | 59 |
| 67 | Baltimore Country Club: East | Lutherville Timonium, MD | No. 112 | No. 95 | No. 76 | 58 |
| 68 | St. Louis Country Club | Saint Louis, MO | No. 121 | No. 93 | No. 81 | 57 |
| 69 | Newport Country Club | Newport, RI | No. 145 | No. 77 | No. 104 | 56 |
| 70 | Kingsley Club | Kingsley, MI | No. 109 | No. 99 | No. 97 | 56 |
| 71 | The Philadelphia Cricket Club: Wissahickon | Flourtown, PA | No. 120 | No. 98 | No. 80 | 55 |
| 72 | The Country Club: The Main Course | Brookline, MA | No. 17 | No. 21 | 55 | |
| 73 | Hollywood Golf Club | Deal, NJ | No. 163 | No. 75 | No. 95 | 55 |
| 74 | Fox Chapel Golf Club | Pittsburgh, PA | No. 140 | No. 82 | No. 116 | 55 |
| 75 | Ridgewood Country Club: Composite | Paramus, NJ | No. 139 | No. 85 | No. 113 | 54 |
| 76 | Sebonack Golf Club | Southampton, NY | No. 51 | No. 34 | 54 | |
| 77 | Old Elm Club | Highland Park, IL | No. 149 | No. 94 | No. 74 | 53 |
| 78 | Congaree Golf Club | Ridgeland, SC | No. 40 | No. 71 | 53 | |
| 79 | Moraine Country Club | Dayton, OH | No. 152 | No. 81 | No. 128 | 53 |
| 80 | The Estancia Club | Scottsdale, AZ | No. 70 | No. 58 | 50 | |
| 81 | Calusa Pines Golf Club | Naples, FL | No. 68 | No. 64 | 50 | |
| 82 | Whispering Pines Golf Club | Trinity, TX | No. 66 | No. 93 | 48 | |
| 83 | Castle Pines Golf Club | Castle Rock, CO | No. 50 | No. 137 | 48 | |
| 84 | Baltusrol Golf Club: Upper | Springfield, NJ | No. 84 | No. 75 | 47 | |
| 85 | Victoria National Golf Club | Newburgh, IN | No. 60 | No. 130 | 47 | |
| 86 | Kinloch Golf Club | Manakin Sabot, VA | No. 79 | No. 94 | 47 | |
| 87 | Boston Golf Club | Hingham, MA | No. 91 | No. 82 | 46 | |
| 88 | Sankaty Head Golf Club | Siasconset, MA | No. 183 | No. 92 | No. 141 | 45 |
| 89 | The Quarry at La Quinta | La Quinta, CA | No. 85 | No. 110 | 45 | |
| 90 | Oak Tree National | Edmond, OK | No. 80 | No. 126 | 45 | |
| 91 | Butler National Golf Club | Oak Brook, IL | No. 87 | No. 119 | 44 | |
| 92 | Colorado Golf Club | Parker, CO | No. 105 | No. 86 | 44 | |
| 93 | Diamond Creek | Banner Elk, NC | No. 95 | No. 107 | 44 | |
| 94 | Dallas National Golf Club | Dallas, TX | No. 96 | No. 117 | 43 | |
| 95 | Pete Dye Golf Club | Bridgeport, WV | No. 92 | No. 129 | 43 | |
| 96 | Hudson National Golf Club | Croton On Hudson, NY | No. 88 | No. 145 | 42 | |
| 97 | Crooked Stick Golf Club | Carmel, IN | No. 99 | No. 124 | 42 | |
| 98 | Valhalla Golf Club | Louisville, KY | No. 94 | No. 136 | 42 | |
| 99 | Spring Hill Golf Club | Wayzata, MN | No. 107 | No. 127 | 41 | |
| 100 | The Tree Farm | Batesburg, SC | No. 130 | No. 99 | 40 |
How we score
There are three major course raters in the US: Golf Digest, GOLF and Golfweek. Each gives a course one score from its best placing on its national list: No. 1 scores 100 and the bottom of the list 60, and a course it doesn't rank at all scores 40. Golfweek's Classic and Modern lists are merged into one order using Golfweek's own ratings.
A course's score is the average of the three, so a course all three rate highly comes first. To be ranked, a course has to be on at least two of the three publishers' lists, with at least one national ranking. Scores run from 40 to 100.
GOLF's next US rankings are due around November 2026; we'll update the list when they come out.
Nobody pays to be on this list, and we don't use affiliate links.
What we left out
- Courses on only one publisher's lists.
- Courses anyone can book, which are on the public list.
Sources
- Golf Digest America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses (2025-26) · America's Second 100 Greatest Golf Courses (2025-26)
- GOLF Top 100 Courses in the U.S. (2024-25)
- Golfweek Golfweek's Best 2026: Top 200 Classic Courses in the U.S. (2026) · Golfweek's Best 2026: Top 200 Modern Courses in the U.S. (2026)
State outlines: US Census Bureau boundaries, via us-atlas.
Photos: Pine Valley Golf Club: Frjlove, Public domain; Cypress Point Club: schnaars from San Jose, CA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Augusta National Golf Club: Mbrooks, Public domain; Merion Golf Club: East: Michael Stokes, CC BY 2.0; Chicago Golf Club: Unknown author, Public domain. Other photos are the courses' own.