Golf Magazine: The Best Courses You Can Play

Playing one of Golf Magazine's 'Top 100 Courses You Can Play' isn't just about marking a course off a checklist, it's about walking in the footsteps of legends, experiencing brilliant architecture, and creating a memory that will last a lifetime. This guide is your caddie for that journey. We'll break down how to understand the famous list, help you pick the perfect course for your game and budget, and give you a coach’s game plan for tackling these incredible layouts with confidence.

What Exactly Makes a “Top 100 You Can Play” Course?

First, let’s get one thing straight: a Top 100 course isn't just a very, very hard golf course. While many of them are challenging, the rankings from Golf Magazine's panel are based on much more than just difficulty. They evaluate courses on a variety of architectural and aesthetic qualities. Think of it like a beautiful painting, it's the combination of elements that creates a masterpiece.

The raters look for things like:

• Shot Value: Does the course fairly reward good shots and punish poor ones? Does it challenge you to hit a variety of shots - high fades, low draws, bump-and-runs?
• Design Variety: Do the holes feel unique? The round should feel like a story, with a mix of short and long par-4s, risk-reward par-5s, and a collection of interesting par-3s.
• Memorability: Does the course stick with you? Months later, can you recall most of the holes? Courses with spectacular views (like Pebble Beach) or uniquely brilliant green complexes (like Pinehurst No. 2) score high here.
• Aesthetics: Simply put, how beautiful is the property? Great courses feel like a natural part of the landscape, working with the existing terrain rather than being forced upon it.

Understanding this is important. It means you’re not just going to play a tough track, you're going to play a smart track. These courses are designed to make you think, to offer multiple ways to play a hole, and to create moments of genuine excitement and drama.

Choosing Your Battlefield: How to Pick the Right Course

With 100 amazing options, picking just one can feel overwhelming. The key is to match the course to your own game, budget, and travel plans. Here’s a simple framework to help you decide.

Consider Your Game (and Be Honest!)

This is probably the most important step. A grueling championship course that beats you up for five hours might not be the "bucket-list" experience you're hoping for. A 25-handicapper is going to have a profoundly different experience at Bethpage Black versus a layout like Sand Valley.

• For the High-Handicapper (20+): Look for courses known for their beauty, playability, and fun factor. The Bandon Dunes resort, for instance, has multiple courses that are visually stunning and forgiving off the tee, allowing you to enjoy the walk even if you're not scoring well. Many resort courses are designed with wider fairways to be more welcoming.
• For the Mid-Handicapper (10-19): You can handle a bit more challenge. Courses that require solid course management, like Streamsong or the courses at Kohler, will be a fantastic test. They reward good strategy but have bail-out areas if you're not hitting it perfectly.
• For the Low-Handicapper (Single Digits): This is your chance to test yourself against the best. Courses like Bethpage Black, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, or Torrey Pines (South) are designed to challenge the world's elite. They demand precision and power from tee to green.

Factor in Your Budget and Time

The green fees on this list span a massive range. A round at Pebble Beach will cost you well over $600, while a New York resident can play Bethpage Black for under $100. Be realistic about what you want to spend.

Also, think about logistics. Building a trip around a golf resort like Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst, or Streamsong is an incredible experience. You park your car once and spend a few days immersed in pure golf, often playing two or three different Top 100 courses. This can be more efficient and rewarding than flying cross-country for a single round.

A Closer Look: Iconic Courses from the List

To give you a better feel for the variety available, here are a few standouts that represent different styles of great public golf.

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links (Pebble Beach, CA)

The Vibe: The ultimate bucket-list round. It's the course you've seen countless times on TV, hosting U.S. Opens and the annual Pro-Am. The cliffside holes from 4 through 10, plus the iconic 17th and 18th, are arguably the most breathtaking stretch of golf in the world.

A Coach’s Take: Don't get so mesmerized by the ocean that you forget to think. The small, heavily sloped greens are the real defense. The wind is a huge factor, and your approach shot on holes like the par-4 8th calls for one of the scariest and most exhilarating shots in golf. Commit to your club and trust your line.

2. Pacific Dunes (Bandon, OR)

The Vibe: A modern masterpiece that feels like it’s been there for a century. Part of the legendary Bandon Dunes resort, Pacific is a walking-only, fescue-grass journey through giant sand dunes that hug the Oregon coast. Designed by Tom Doak, it's known for its wild, natural feel and strategic variety.

A Coach’s Take: Leave your lob wedge in the bag. This is links golf. You have to use the ground - putt from off the green, play bump-and-runs, and use the contours to feed the ball toward the hole. Wind will dictate your club selection on every shot. Creativity is rewarded here more than almost anywhere else.

3. Pinehurst Resort, Course No. 2 (Pinehurst, NC)

The Vibe: A pure, strategic chess match. There are no water hazards and very few trees to worry about. The challenge of Donald Ross's masterpiece lies in its legendary "turtleback" greens. They are crowned in the middle and fall off sharply on all sides, repelling anything but a perfectly executed approach shot.

A Coach’s Take: Your work on No. 2 starts on the tee box. You must maneuver your drive to the correct side of the fairway to have the best angle into the green. Hitting the middle of the green is a huge victory here. If you miss, you'll be faced with some of the most challenging up-and-downs you’ve ever seen. Be prepared to be humbled, and appreciate the genius of the design.

4. Bethpage State Park, Black Course (Farmingdale, NY)

The Vibe: An absolute beast. The famous sign on the first tee warns: "The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers." It’s long, brutish, and in-your-face. It’s a public park course with major championship pedigree.

A Coach’s Take: Manage your expectations. You are not here to shoot a career score. Play the right tees for your ability, probably one set up from what you normally play. Accept that you will make bogeys. The key is to avoid doubles and worse. Treat the long par-4s as three-shot holes and focus on playing smart, positional golf instead of trying to be a hero.

Coach’s Corner: How to Prepare For Your Big Round

So you've booked your tee time. Now what? Going into a Top 100 round prepared can be the difference between a fun day and a frustrating one. These aren’t your average weekend courses, so your preparation shouldn't be average either.

1. Do Your Homework

Weeks before you go, pull up the course’s website and study the online scorecard and hole-by-hole layout. Where is the trouble? Are greens protected by sand or fall-offs? What are the forced carries? Knowing there’s a lake you can’t see from the tee on the right side of the 14th fairway is the kind of local knowledge that saves you strokes and heartache.

2. Set a Realistic Goal

Your goal for the day should not be breaking 80 for the first time. A much better goal is to simply enjoy the experience. Soak in the views, appreciate the architecture, and focus on hitting one good shot at a time. The score is secondary. If you play from the appropriate tees and don't try to bite off more than you can chew, you’ll have a much better time regardless of the number on your card.

3. Create a Simple Game Plan

Don't just show up and wing it. Develop a default strategy. For instance:

• Choose a "go-to" club off the tee (like a 3-wood or hybrid) that you know you can put in the fairway on tight holes.
• Decide that on every approach shot, your target is the dead center of the green, no matter where the pin is. "Pin-hunting" on these courses is often a recipe for disaster.
- The overriding goal should be to avoid double bogeys. Playing for bogey is often the smartest play.

Final Thoughts

Tackling a course from Golf Magazine's "Top 100 You Can Play" list is one of the game's great treats. Armed with an understanding of what makes them special and a coach's strategy for how to play them, it becomes more than just a round - it’s an adventure.

For those big rounds, having a clear game plan is a game-changer. We built Caddie AI to give you that same strategic advantage on any course, from your local muni to a major championship venue. When you're standing on the tee of a bucket-list hole, wondering what the smart play is, I can give you a simple strategy, suggest the right club, and even analyze a tricky lie from a photo, helping you play with the confidence of knowing you’ve made the right decision.