Golfweek’s Best: How we rank courses with a score of 1 to 10

For nearly three decades Golfweek’s Best has ranked courses. Check out how we do it with 10 criteria for our hundreds of raters.

Golfweek’s Best offers plenty of rankings, everything from top public-access courses in each state to the very best layouts around the world. For pretty much any type of golf you want to play, we have a course ranking.

How do we come up with all these lists? After starting nearly three decades ago, Golfweek’s Best has expanded to rank courses with the input of more than 800 raters around the world. These golfers play the courses and rate each layout based on 10 provided criteria, with each offering its own 10-point scale. Raters then offer one overall rating of 1 to 10, which is not cumulative based on the 10 criteria. An average of those overall ratings is calculated to create an annual score for each layout, allowing Golfweek’s Best to rank courses. 

The 10 criteria were created to help raters analyze what they just saw and played. The criteria are hyper-focused on the course itself. 

Worth noting: There are no perfect 10s. Only eight courses around the world with enough qualifying votes to appear on our top lists in 2024 are rated above a 9. An average rating above 8 indicates an incredible golf course. Anything above a 7 is worth traveling great distances to experience. Courses with an average rating of 6 to 7 are probably the best course in most cities and in several examples are the top layout in an entire state. 

Following are the 10 criteria our raters use:

Scotland
Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland (Coutesy of Royal Dornoch)

1. Routing

How well the holes individually and collectively adhere to the land and to each other. 

2a. Integrity of design (classic courses only) 

The extent to which the existing holes either conform to the original design intent or, for those courses that have been renovated, the extent to which the holes embody a character that is cohesive rather than fragmentary.

2b. Quality of shaping (modern courses only) 

The extent to which course construction creates design elements that fit in well and provide a consistent look or sensibility. 

3. Overall land plan 

Ease of integration of all built-out elements with native land including course, clubhouse, real estate, roads, native topography and landforms. Extent to which land plan facilitates long views of surrounds and/or interior views of property. 

4. Greens and surrounds 

Interest, variety and playability of putting surfaces, collars, chipping areas and greenside bunkers. 

5. Variety and memorability of par 3s 

Differentiation of holes by length, club required, topography, look and angle of approach. 

6. Variety and memorability of par 4s 

Range of right-to-left and left-to-right drives and second shots required, as well as spread of length, topography and look of the holes. 

7. Variety and memorability of par 5s 

Variety of risk/reward opportunities on tee shot; how interesting the second shots are; variety of third shots required. 

8. Tree and landscape management 

Extent to which ornamentals, hardwoods, conifers and other flora enhance the design and playability of a course without overburdening it or compromising strategic flexibility and agronomy. 

9. Conditioning and ecology 

Overall quality of maintenance, discounting for short-term issues (weather or top dressing); extent of native areas; diversity of plant life and wildlife. 

10. “Walk in the park” test 

The sense of the place as worthy of spending four hours on it.

Golfweek’s Best 2024: Top 200 residential golf courses in the U.S.

This list focuses on the residential golf courses themselves, not the communities as a whole or other amenities.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2024 ranking of top residential golf courses in the United States.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final, cumulative rating. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region.

This list focuses on the residential golf courses themselves, not the communities as a whole or other amenities. Each golf course included is listed with its average rating from 1 to 10, its location, architect(s) and the year it opened.

* New to or returning to the list

Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include:

Golfweek’s Best 2024: Top 200 resort courses in the U.S.

From Hawaii to Florida, we offer the Golfweek’s Best ranking of top resort courses in the U.S.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2024 list of top resort golf courses in the United States.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final, cumulative rating. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region.

This list focuses on the golf courses themselves, not the resorts as a whole or other amenities. Each golf course included is listed with its average rating from 1 to 10, its location, architect(s) and the year it opened.

* New to or returning to the list

Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include:

Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 200 Modern Courses in the U.S.

Golfweek’s experts have ranked the Top 200 courses built since 1960, such as Bandon Dunes, Whistling Straits and more.

Want to play the great modern golf courses in the U.S.? From Hawaii to Boston, we have you covered. So welcome to the Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of the Top 200 Modern Courses built in or after 1960 in the United States.

Each year we publish many lists, with this Top 200 Modern Courses list among the premium offerings. Also extremely popular and significant are the lists for Top 200 Classic Courses 2023, the public-access Best Courses You Can Play in each state and Best Private Courses in each state.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce these rankings. The top handful of courses in the world have an average rating of above 9, while many excellent layouts fall into the high-6 to the 8 range.

To ensure these lists are up-to-date, Golfweek’s Best in recent years has altered how the individual ratings are compiled into the rankings. Only ratings from rounds played in the past 10 years are included in the compilations. This helps ensure that any course in the rankings still measures up.

Courses also must have a minimum of 25 votes to qualify for the Top 200 Modern or the Top 200 Classic. Other Golfweek’s Best lists, such as Best Courses You Can Play or Best Private, do not require as many votes. This makes it possible that a course can show up on other lists but not on the premium Top 200 lists.

There’s one course of particular note this year. Landmand Golf Club in Homer, Nebraska, debuts the highest of the courses new to this list, climbing into a tie for 26th. Designed by Tad King and Rob Collins, Landmand opened in 2022. It and the Sheep Ranch at Bandon Dunes are the only courses to have opened since 2020 to rank among the top 200.

Each course is listed with its average rating next to the name, then the location, the year it opened and the designers. The list notes in parenthesis next to the name of each course where that course ranked in 2022.

After the designers are several designations that note what type of facility it is:

  • p: private
  • d: daily fee
  • r: resort course
  • t: tour course
  • u: university
  • m: municipal
  • re: real estate
  • c: casino

* Indicates new to or returning to this list.

More Golfweek’s Best for 2023:

Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 200 Classic Courses in the U.S. built before 1960

Golfweek’s experts have ranked the Top 200 courses built before 1960, such as Augusta National, Pebble Beach and more.

Are you a big fan of Golden Age golf architecture? You’re in the right spot. Welcome to the Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of the Top 200 Classic Courses opened before 1960 in the United States.

Each year we publish many lists, with this Top 200 Classic Courses list among the premium offerings. Also extremely popular and significant are the lists for Top 200 Modern Courses 2023, the public-access Best Courses You Can Play in each state and Best Private Courses in each state.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce these rankings. The top handful of courses in the world have an average rating of above 9, while many excellent layouts fall into the high-6 to the 8 range.

To ensure these lists are up-to-date, Golfweek’s Best in recent years has altered how the individual ratings are compiled into the rankings. Only ratings from rounds played in the past 10 years are included in the compilations. This helps ensure that any course in the rankings still measures up.

Courses also must have a minimum of 25 votes to qualify for the Top 200 Modern or the Top 200 Classic. Other Golfweek’s Best lists, such as Best Courses You Can Play or Best Private, do not require as many votes. This makes it possible that a course can show up on other lists but not on the premium Top 200 lists.

Each course is listed with its average rating next to the name, the location, the year it opened and the designers. The list notes in parenthesis next to the name of each course where that course ranked in 2022.

After the designers are several designations that note what type of facility it is:

  • p: private
  • d: daily fee
  • r: resort course
  • t: tour course
  • u: university
  • m: municipal
  • re: real estate
  • c: casino

* Indicates new to or returning to this list.

Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play 2023: State-by-state rankings for public-access layouts

State-by-state rankings of the best public courses you can play in all 50 states.

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Want to play the best public-access golf courses in each state? Keep reading.

Fresh for 2023, we present the Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list for the top public-access layouts in each state, as judged by our nationwide network of raters.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required. (There are a handful of courses on this list that some players might consider to be private, but they do allow non-hosted, non-member guest play in some limited form, normally through a local hotel or similar arrangement.)

There’s one course of particular note this year. Of the dozens of courses new to this list, only Landmand Golf Club in Homer, Nebraska, debuts in the No. 1 spot in its state. Designed by Tad King and Rob Collins, Landmand opened in 2022.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Editor’s note: The Golfweek’s Best 2023 rankings of top private courses in each state will be published Monday, June 12. More lists, such as the top 200 Modern and top 200 Classic Courses lists for 2023, will be published in the following weeks.

More Golfweek’s Best for 2023:

Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 50 modern courses in Great Britain and Ireland

The links layouts dominate the rankings of the best modern courses in England, Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2023 rankings of the Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain and Ireland – built in or after 1960 – as determined by Golfweek’s Best Raters.

The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in Great Britain and Ireland to produce the final rankings.

Listed with each course below is its average ranking, location, designers and year opened.

*New to or returning to list

Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include:

Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 50 classic courses in Great Britain and Ireland

The traditional links courses find spots of honor on this ranking of the best classic courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2023 rankings of the Top 50 classic courses in Great Britain and Ireland – built before 1960 – as determined by Golfweek’s Best raters.

The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each layout is ranked against others in Great Britain and Ireland to produce the final rankings.

Listed with each course below is its average ranking, location, designers and year opened.

*New to or returning to list

Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include:

Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 200 residential golf courses in the U.S.

Looking to live where you play? We have you covered with the top 200 residential golf courses in the U.S. for 2023.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of top residential golf courses in the United States.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final, cumulative rating. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region.

This list focuses on the golf courses themselves, not the communities as a whole or other amenities. Each golf course included is listed with its average rating from 1 to 10, its location, architect(s) and the year it opened.

* New to or returning to the list

Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include:

Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 200 resort courses in the U.S.

From Oregon to South Carolina, we offer the Golfweek’s Best ranking of top resort courses in the U.S.

Welcome to Golfweek’s Best 2023 list of top resort golf courses in the United States.

The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final, cumulative rating. Then each course is ranked against other courses in the region.

This list focuses on the golf courses themselves, not the resorts as a whole or other amenities. Each golf course included is listed with its average rating from 1 to 10, its location, architect(s) and the year it opened.

* New to or returning to the list

Other popular Golfweek’s Best lists include: