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10 U.S. destinations with three or more top-ranked resort courses

10 destinations have three or more highly ranked courses on Golfweek’s Best Top 200 Resort Courses list.

What do you really want in a golf trip? If your answer is golf, golf, then more golf in one spot, sometimes followed by a wee bit of extra golf, we have you covered.

Golfweek’s Best ranks courses around the world by various categories, ranging from modern courses to the best in each state. One of our most popular rankings is the top 200 resort courses in the U.S.

Any of the layouts on the list would make for a great getaway. More than three dozen resorts have two courses on the list, always begging for a comparison between layouts over a nice cold drink and dinner after a full day of golf.

But if you’re looking for more, keep reading. Because 10 resorts are home to three or more courses on Golfweek’s Best ranking of top resorts in the U.S. From coastal Oregon to inland Florida, these destinations have the holes — and the pedigrees — to keep golfers swinging for days.

Pinehurst No. 4 (Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort)

Six of these resorts have three courses ranked among the top 200. They are Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, Firestone Country Club in Ohio, Pebble Beach Resorts in California, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, Sea Pines in South Carolina and Streamsong in Florida.

Two of these are not traditional resorts. The first is Firestone, which for the most part is a private members club. But Firestone offers stay-and-play packages open to the public. That qualifies it as a resort based on Golfweek’s Best standards in which any course that offers tee times to the public, even if the club is mostly a private facility, is deemed to be public-access.

The other in question is the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, which offers golf at 11 sites around the state. Because all the facilities are managed under one umbrella and offer great opportunities to bounce from one site to another with relative ease, we opted to include the Trail on this list.

Next up are the resorts with four courses ranked among the top 200 — rarefied air. They are Destination Kohler in Wisconsin (Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run are two clubs, each with two courses, that are part of one resort) and Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia, which is a sprawling resort and residential community.

Only two resorts in the U.S. have five courses among the top 200 in the U.S.: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Both of them are bucket-list destinations that every golfer should see, hopefully more than once. They offer all the golf most players would ever want on one vacation — playing one round on each course would take days, and one round on each course is never enough.

The resorts with three or more ranked courses have gone about their development in multiple ways. Some were established more than a century ago and have added courses through the decades — these resorts often feature courses designed by multiple architects, offering an array of styles and architectural features. Others feature several courses by one designer, with the resorts sticking with the architects who proved to work best for them.

Either way, you can’t go wrong with a trip to any of these locations listed on the following pages. Included for each resort are its top-200 courses listed with their average rating on a scale of 1 to 10 as assigned by Golfweek’s Best rater program, their designers, the years they opened and their rankings on various Golfweek’s Best lists. We hope you enjoy perusing these elite resorts, both on these pages and in real life.

And it’s worth noting, there is one more resort destination that is very likely to join this list of 10 in the coming years. Pine Needles in North Carolina, not far from Pinehurst Resort, operates three courses, two of which are on the 2023 list of top 200 resorts: Pine Needles (No. 47) and Mid Pines (T-35). The company’s third course, the recently renovated Southern Pines, didn’t have the requisite number of votes to qualify for this year’s list but is almost a lock to appear on the list in upcoming years.

Photos: Whistling Straits is 25 years old

Pete Dye and Herb Kohler Jr. wanted to challenge the best players in the game.

Whistling Straits became so embedded in golf’s championship schedule so quickly, it’s sometimes difficult to remember that Pete Dye’s creation on the shores of Lake Michigan is only 25 years old. On Thursday, the Straits Course celebrates its silver anniversary of July 6.

Since its opening in July 1998, the Straits has hosted three PGA Championships (2004 won by Vijay Singh, 2010 won by Martin Kaymer and 2015 won by Jason Day). The Straits joins Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pinehurst No. 2, Bethpage Black and Southern Hills as the only layouts to have hosted three men’s major championships in that span.

Throw in the 2007 U.S. Senior Open (Brad Bryant) and the 2021 Ryder Cup (U.S. won 19-9 over Europe), and Whistling Straits has quickly established itself as a major player.

That was the idea from the beginning.

Herb Kohler Jr. – the longtime executive chairman of Kohler Co., the plumbling fixtures powerhouse based near Sheboygan, Wisconsin – branched into golf with the creation of Blackwolf Run in 1988. That resort club eventually became home to two 18-hole courses (River and Meadow Valleys) as well as the newer Baths of Blackwolf Run par-3 course. In addition to the American Club Resort Hotel, Blackwolf Run formed the initial backbone of what has become Destination Kohler. Blackwolf Run hosted the first big event for the resort, the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open (Se Ri Pak won), and the composite course there again hosted the Women’s Open in 2012 (Na Yeon Choi won).

But Kohler had no intent of stopping there. He wanted more major championships, including for the men.

“That was our ambition right from the outset,” Kohler told Golfweek in a 2019 interview. “We wanted tournaments, and we didn’t want the weekly tournaments, so the only possible thing was majors.”

As he had with the creation of Blackwolf Run, Kohler turned to architect Pete Dye. It was Dye’s sometimes quirkiness that initially drew Kohler’s attention.

“This one particular chap, he was an odd duck, but he had two courses in particular that were of interest,” Kohler said. “One that had just been open to the public, it was the TPC at Sawgrass, the home course for the PGA Tour. And at least 20 different pros who had a chance to play it were extraordinarily upset, and they were making their feelings known to the local press. … It sort of fascinated me. What I liked about it was, he had this desire to get into the psyche of a pro and really befuddle him.

“This fellow, Pete Dye, took them right to the edge of embarrassment, and they didn’t like being embarrassed, but I enjoyed it. … So here was this single person, a little strange as he might be – he always wore khaki pants and always wore tennis shoes – but here was this single person who could befuddle the pros but was considerate to the amateurs when he had to be. And I liked that combination.”

Vijay Singh hits out of a bunker on the 15th hole en route to winning the 2004 PGA Championship at the Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

That determination to challenge the pros on every shot was the impetus for creating the Straits Course. Kohler found 560 suitable acres on the shore of Lake Michigan, but the land was relatively flat, perched on a tabletop above the lake – the site included an abandoned military airfield. Dye, who passed away in 2020 at age 94, went to work converting the site into a rocking and rolling golf course reminiscent of something found in wild Irish dunes, moving 13,000 truckloads of sand in the process of creating 70 feet of elevation change. It became home to the Straits Course and the adjacent Irish Course.

“Pete and I had this general agreement that the Straits course would be something like Ballybunion (in Ireland), but that was the closest we got to any specifics in design. It was all Pete thereafter, and he did a wonderful, wonderful job,” Kohler, who passed away in 2022 at age 83, said of the course that features eight holes on the edge of the massive lake. “It was the sand that gave it the character and gave the fairways some speed.”

The Straits has been challenging the best players in the game ever since. And even in the absence of its two masterminds – Kohler and Dye – the resort will continue to challenge and thrill its guests for years to come. The Straits ranks No. 9 on Golfweek’s Best list of top modern courses in the U.S., and it’s the highest-ranked public-access course in Wisconsin.

Check out several photos of the 1998 grand opening of the Straits below, along with more shots of the course today. And for even more on Whistling Straits, check these hole-by-hole flyover videos of the course shot before the 2021 Ryder Cup.

Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Wisconsin

Whistling Straits and Sand Valley top the list for courses in Wisconsin, which ranks among the best states in the country for public golf.

Despite a short golf season amid its northern climate, Wisconsin offers one of the best lineups of golf courses in the U.S. Players who haven’t sampled the game in Wisconsin might be surprised to learn the state ranks amid the top five of all states for its elite public-access courses.

Golfweek’s Best offers many lists of course rankings, with that of top public-access courses in each state among the most popular. All 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.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Wisconsin’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses.

* New to or returning to list

Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play 2022: Top 100 U.S. public-access courses ranked

Where are the best places you can play golf in the U.S.? Our rankings of the best 100 public courses for 2022 will be your guide.

Welcome to the Golfweek’s Best 2022 list of the Top 100 Best Courses You Can Play in the U.S.

Each year we publish many lists, with this selection of public-access layouts among the premium offerings. Also extremely popular and significant are the lists for Top 200 Classic Courses, Top 200 Modern Courses, the Best Courses You Can Play State by State and Best Private Courses State by 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.

All 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.

Each course is listed with its average rating next to the name, the location, the year it opened and the designers. Also included with many courses are links to recent stories about that layout.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. Also included with many courses are links to recent stories about that layout.

* Indicates new to or returning to this list.

With the building of ‘The Baths,’ Dirk Willis has helped create something special in his return to Wisconsin and Destination Kohler

When he was asked him to come back, Dirk Willis returned to Wisconsin. “I couldn’t say ‘no’ to Mr. Kohler.”

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Dirk Willis will tell you he never wanted to leave Kohler in the first place. But in spite of having a successful run as Director of Golf at Kohler, when one of his mentors in the business called to offer him the next step up in his career, he left for California.

While Willis liked what that opportunity brought him, when his phone rang about six months later and it was Herb Kohler asking him to come back, Willis returned to Wisconsin.

“I couldn’t say ‘no’ to Mr. Kohler,” says Willis.

Willis, 51, is now Kohler’s Vice President of Golf, Retail & Landscape.

Before leaving for California, Willis approached Kohler about creating a par-3 short course. The idea didn’t move forward. After his return in 2017, Willis approached Kohler again on creating a short course. By then more destination properties were starting to build them, and Kohler gave Willis approval to move forward on a short course now called The Baths, a name coming from Kohler that follows the company’s long traditional product line.

“What it came down to was trying to identify the right site to build the course,” said Willis. “I took our Kohler property map from corporate engineering and spread out where all of our existing properties were across the county.”

Kohler and Willis narrowed down the list, and decided the best location was where there was an existing infrastructure in place, in a central location. That turned out to be in between holes on the Meadow Valleys course.

One thing both Kohler and Willis take pride in is that all 10 holes on The Baths Course are strong enough that they could be a good fit on any of the four Kohler championship courses. The Baths Course and adjoining two-acre putting green opened in June.

Willis calls Kohler “The Catalyst” for everything that has happened in the state of Wisconsin in terms of destination golf ever since Blackwolf Run was built. Not just bringing in resort guests, but bringing major championship golf to the state.

Working for that catalyst is another experience that Willis relishes.

“If you can work for Herb Kohler, you can handle anything,” says Willis. “I mean that as a compliment, because he challenges you every day, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I work for an individual who is passionate about everything we do, he is a single guiding light and all you have to do is follow that light, because it rubs off. Getting back into that culture and atmosphere is something I missed in California and a main reason I came back to Kohler.”

RYDER CUP: Live updates | How to watch

Coming back to help prepare for the Ryder Cup was another reason to return. One thing that will be different Ryder Cup week is the course designer, the late Pete Dye, won’t be there.

“I’m pretty sure Pete knew my name, but he always called me ‘pro,’” says Willis. “When someone came into my office and said ‘Hey pro’ I knew it was Pete. His dog Sixty would always eat in my office. I was with Pete on the course prior to the 2010 PGA Championship, when he put that deep bunker in the middle of the sixth green. Pete would tell me any pro can get out of this bunker. He would jump down in the bunker to hit test shots. Then I would reach down and help pull him out, because he couldn’t climb out on his own.”

Willis grew up in the southwest Wisconsin town of Platteville and started playing golf at age 10 when his dad (Michael), who learned to play while serving with the army in Germany, introduced him to the game. The family joined the Platteville Golf & Country Club, so Willis started riding his bike to the club every day at 6 a.m. and returned home at dark. Willis credits brothers Nick and Dick McKichan, good amateur players and junior golf instructors, for helping him get better.

While attending Platteville High School, Willis won several tournaments, including the conference championship and both regional and sectional titles. He finished second at the state championship and made the all-state team. In college at the University of Wisconsin Platteville, Willis had top-3 finishes at the conference and district tournaments.

Since turning professional, Willis has focused more on work than playing tournaments. At Kohler he won the Wisconsin PGA’s Merchandiser of the Year Award in 2004-2005 and 2006. In 2007 he won the PGA’s National Merchandiser of the Year Award. In 2013 Willis earned the WPGA section award for Junior Golf Development.

When he plays golf, Willis plays pretty well. He has two holes-in-one, and two double eagles on par-5 holes. His double eagles both came with driver and 5-iron, from 214 and 215 yards.

Willis served as the golf coach at Kohler High School, where his teams won multiple state titles, and has served on the state’s high school coaches association board since 2004.

Helping prepare Whistling Straits for the Ryder Cup allows Willis to spend time with another golfer from southwest Wisconsin, Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker.

“Steve’s given us suggestions which have been implemented to the golf course, to hopefully make things challenging for Team Europe,” said Willis. Some of those things from an overall resort guest standpoint, we will probably keep in our daily set-up.”

Willis and his wife, Karla, have two children: son McClean and daughter Logan, who still holds some of Loyola (Chicago) women’s golf team scoring records.

After the Ryder Cup, Willis says Kohler Company will work with the PGA of America, the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the PGA Tour on bringing more championship golf to Wisconsin as Kohler Company continues to be a catalyst in making Wisconsin a great golf destination.

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Aerial video: The Baths of Blackwolf Run promises par-3 fun, plenty of laughs

New short course and massive putting green at Destination Kohler, home of Whistling Straits, offers a relaxed scene for all golfers.

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KOHLER, Wis. – Destination Kohler in Wisconsin, home to golf clubs at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, is in for a very big year. Aside from being a booming destination with four full-size golf courses and a overflowing menu of top-tier amenities on or near the shore of Lake Michigan, the Straits will welcome one of the game’s largest events as the Ryder Cup tees off in September.

But the small things matter too, and Destination Kohler recently opened a compact golf experience that promises big fun. The Baths of Blackwolf Run – a 10-hole, par-3 course sitting on 27 acres at Blackwolf Run – promises laughs and a few cold ones in a fantastic setting, complete with a 2-acre putting course, an events patio, a firepit, even an old claw-foot bathtub that pays tribute to the Kohler brand of plumbing supplies.

Pete Dye built the four big courses at Kohler, and his protégé, Chris Lutzke, built The Baths with a focus on playability for any level of player. There are formal tees, but golfers are encouraged to tee it up from whatever length they like on a given hole – just find a flat spot and swing away.

“Play it from wherever you want, whatever you want to do,” said Mike O’Reilly, the golf operations manager at Destination Kohler. “There’s some recommended tee boxes out there, but you can do whatever you like. That’s really all about fun.”

A rendering of the par-3 course at The Baths at Blackwolf Run at Destination Kohler in Wisconsin, host resort of the 2021 Ryder Cup. Photo courtesy of Destination Kohler

O’Reilly said he has taken his young sons to the course, and they can play from different distances to make the holes right-sized. His 9-year-old plays from about 60 yards, while his 11-year-old plays from about 100. A similar approach can work for new players of any age, allowing accomplished players to hit a few longer shots while their newbie friends experience the course at a manageable yardage.

“You build fun into a short course by making it flexible,” O’Reilly said. “Almost every one of the holes, you could play from about 60 yards, and then the longest one, you could play from about 175 yards. If you play the proper tee boxes, they’re all going to play between 80 and 170 yards.

“So, you build fun into it by making it not terribly penal. … You just make it a little more playable and give those options for proper tee boxes.”

It makes it a perfect respite from the resort’s larger courses, especially the Straits, which ranks as No. 1 on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list for Wisconsin and No. 8 on Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses list for all layouts opened in or after 1960 in the United States. The Straits is beautiful, one of Dye’s masterpieces and the site of three PGA Championships, but it’s a major test without a lot of shots that allow a player to relax.

At The Baths, maybe have a drink, make a few putts, enjoy an easy stroll across the 10 holes, scorecard optional.

“We’re going to be serving Spotted Cows like crazy up there,” O’Reilly said of the Wisconsin-brewed ale. “I think people are going to come out to play and find themselves hanging out for two hours after they’re done playing.”

Golfweek videographer Gabe Gudgel flew his drone over The Baths shortly before it opened, and the video shows the dramatic landscape and holes that promise to welcome players of all abilities.

Destination Kohler adding new par-3 course, The Baths of Blackwolf Run, in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin resort, host to this year’s Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, plans to open a fun new par-3 course in June.

Count Destination Kohler in Wisconsin as the latest top resort with plans to add what promises to be a fun par-3 course.

The resort – host of this year’s Ryder Cup in September at Whistling Straits – plans to build The Baths of Blackwolf Run, a 10-hole course near the resort’s Meadow Valleys layout. The Baths also will include a 2-acre putting course, food and beverage service, and special event capability. The Baths course is scheduled to open in June in Kohler.

It’s all part of a trend in which golf resorts add fun amenities aside from their traditional 18-hole layouts.

The par-3 layout is being constructed on 27 acres between the first and 11th holes of Meadow Valleys and will feature holes between 60 and 160 yards long across the glacier-carved terrain of Blackwolf Run.

A rendering of the par-3 course at The Baths of Blackwolf Run at Destination Kohler in Wisconsin, host resort of the 2021 Ryder Cup (Courtesy of Destination Kohler)

The new course is named The Baths because of four water features, but players won’t face a forced carry unless they want to. The course can also be played as a three-hole, six-hole or 12-hole experience, the resort said.

Chris Lutzke, a Pete Dye protégé, is designing The Baths course. Lutzke has spent two years preparing the resort’s Whistling Straits course, built by Dye and opened in 1988, to host the Ryder Cup.

A map of the par-3 course at The Baths of Blackwolf Run at Destination Kohler in Wisconsin, host resort of the 2021 Ryder Cup (Courtesy of Destination Kohler)

“As a global leader in golf and prominent member of the Wisconsin golf community, it is our responsibility to support the growth of the game,” Dirk Willis, vice president of golf for Kohler Co., said in a media release announcing the new amenities. “The Baths of Blackwolf Run is focused on fun. The par-3 course, putting course and stone food and beverage terrace with firepit overlooking the north Bath are designed for playing, learning, hanging out and refreshing in The Baths after a game.”

Herb Kohler, executive chairman of Kohler Co. and founder of the resort, served as co-designer of The Baths, the resort said.

“The par-3 and putting courses will provide a dynamic experience for our international guests and local community,” Kohler said in the media release. “It is important for these courses to aid in our continuing efforts to grow the game by creating opportunities for players of all skill levels. The Baths will do it with the Kohler touch to create a unique experience.”

Destination Kohler is home to four highly ranked 18-hole layouts. There are two courses at Blackwolf Run, the River and Meadow Valleys, not far from the resort’s campus and main hotel, the American Club. The Whistling Straits and Irish courses are several miles away on the shores of Lake Michigan. Each of the four courses is ranked in the top 10 on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list for public-access layouts in Wisconsin.

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Whistling Straits’ proposed sister course receives conditional permit alongside Lake Michigan

The proposed layout in Wisconsin is on Lake Michigan and would give Destination Kohler and the American Club a fifth course.

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SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – The city of Sheboygan’s Plan Commission approved a conditional use permit for Kohler Co. to move forward with development of its new golf course along Lake Michigan.

But before the permit can take effect, all pending lawsuits affecting the construction of the course must be closed in Kohler’s favor.

Kohler already operates two courses at Whistling Straits, the Straits Course and the Irish, as well as two courses at Blackwolf Run, Meadows Valley and River, as part of the American Club Resort. Both Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run have hosted elite professional events, including major championships. Each of the four is among the top 10 golf courses in Wisconsin you can play, according to Golfweek.

“The asset to the community will be tremendous, but the ball is still in Kohler’s court to take care of the lawsuits that are still pending,” said Alderperson Jim Bohren.

Nine people gave public comments at the meeting. Additional written comments were submitted beforehand by people who didn’t wish to or couldn’t attend the meeting because of the coronavirus.

Of the comments given during the meeting, six were against the permit and three were in support. Supporters include the executive director of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation, Brian Doudna, and the executive director of the Wisconsin State Golf Association, Rob Jansen.

Most of those who spoke in opposition were people who lived near the proposed course in the town of Wilson or the Black River area. Their concerns largely connected to environmental issues that could result from the course, such as pesticide or other chemical runoff into Lake Michigan.

Leslie Freehill, who appeared on behalf of the Friends of the Black River Forest, said there is no reason to rush to approve the conditional use permit now since Kohler can’t even start construction yet.

A Kohler representative said they wish to get the permit approved now so they can begin construction as soon as the lawsuits are dealt with and not delay the project more.

The Friends of the Black River Forest have been in a legal battle with Kohler and the state over the development of the course for over two-and-a-half years.

Kohler’s wetland delineation permit was revoked in 2019 and has yet to be reinstated. The Friends also have pending cases regarding a land swap agreement with the Department of Natural Resources.

The representative for Kohler called the timing for developing this course “ideal” since all eyes from the golf world will be on Sheboygan County in September for the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

Kohler estimates the course will bring $1.3 million in tax revenue annually — $300,000 of which would go to the city of Sheboygan — and create roughly 200 jobs.

Kohler said its existing golf courses in the county are considered world-class golf destinations, and this would create another world-class course, but this time in the actual borders of the city of Sheboygan, helping to enhance its reputation.

Crowds gather at Blackwolf Run's 18th hole during the 1998 U.S. Women's Open. — Crowds gather at Blackwolf Run’s 18th hole during the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open. (Golfweek files)

Town of Wilson resident Erik Thelen said Kohler is using outdated maps that don’t account for the current ordinary high-water mark and might need to add revetments in the future to control water levels.

Kohler’s representative said the integrity of the course design and public access to the beach could still be maintained, even with the high water levels. The intent of the design, he said, is to utilize the natural aesthetic of the water and dunes in the area.

Since the initial planning started in 2014, there have been over 20 hearings and forums where the public made comments, said Steve Sokolowski from the city’s planning department. He said Kohler worked to address some of the concerns.

For example, the proposed course will no longer use a high-capacity well, which some worried could dry up nearby wells at residences. Instead, the course will connect to the city’s water.

Access to the course will be through the Kohler-Andrae State Park entrance on Beach Park Lane off County Highway V. Seven entrance options were reviewed, Sokolowski explained, and this one offers minimal effects on neighbors and the environment.

Kohler plans to preserve over 230 acres for protected greenspace on the property, but will need to remove over 50 percent of the woodlands.

The proposed course includes a multilevel clubhouse with a pro shop, restaurant, bar and banquet room capable of hosting indoor and outdoor events, including weddings. An observation tower overlooking the lake may be added next to the clubhouse.

Reach AnnMarie Hilton at ahilton@gannett.com or (920) 242-3032. Follow her on Twitter at @hilton_annmarie.

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