Trying to name a single best region for golf in the United States is like trying to name the single best club in your bag - the answer completely depends on the shot you’re trying to hit. This breakdown will give you a tour of the top golf regions in the country, detailing what makes each one special. We’ll look at the style of courses, the pros and cons, and even offer some on-the-ground coaching advice for tackling the unique challenges each region presents.
When you picture classic American golf - azaleas, towering pines, and sweeping, emerald-green fairways - you’re likely thinking of the Southeast. This region is the heartland of traditional, parkland-style golf, offering a blend of history, beauty, and championship pedigree that's hard to match.
From the sandy soil of Pinehurst, North Carolina, known as the "Home of American Golf," down to the hallowed grounds of Augusta National in Georgia, the golf here is steeped in tradition. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, positions itself as the more accessible golf "Disneyland," with over 90 courses packed into one long stretch of coastline. Add in spectacular coastal destinations like Kiawah Island, and you have a region with incredible depth.
Most courses in the Southeast feature some variety of Bermuda grass, and if you're not used to it, the greens will drive you crazy. Bermuda has a distinct grain that grows toward the setting sun (or a nearby water source). When putting "into the grain," the putt will be slower and break less. When putting "with the grain," the ball will be super fast and break more.
Your Game Plan: Always look at the cup. You can often see which way the grass is growing by observing how it's cut around the edge of the hole. If one side looks ragged, you're putting into the grain. If the edge looks sharp and torn, the grain is running away from you. Because of these strong influences, you have to be firm with your stroke. Forget dying the ball into the hole, make a confident, solid stroke to keep the ball on its line without getting bumped off by the grain.
Playing golf in the Southwest feels a bit like playing on another planet. It’s a world of vibrant green ribbons of fairway cut through a stark, beautiful desert landscape of rock, sand, and saguaro cacti. The philosophy here is "target golf," where you have to fly your ball from point A to point B with little room for error.
Scottsdale, Arizona, is the epicenter, bragging about a mind-boggling concentration of pristine, high-end public courses. From TPC Scottsdale (home of the rowdy WM Phoenix Open) to Troon North, the courses are immaculate and demanding. Think perfectly manicured fairways and greens surrounded by unforgiving desert waste areas. Las Vegas offers a similar vibe, blending high-energy entertainment with spectacular, often "money is no object" course designs.
Desert golf is all about managing risk on the forced carries. From the tee, courses will often present a 'hero' route with a long carry over a vast waste area, and a 'safe' route with a more manageable carry. Your job is to ignore your ego and assess the situation honestly.
Your Game Plan: Before you pull driver, ask yourself, "What club do I need to comfortably carry the trouble?" If the safe landing zone requires a 210-yard carry, don't hit a 3-wood you only carry 215 on your best day. Club down to your hybrid or a long iron that you know will get you in play - even if it leaves a longer approach shot. A shot from the fairway is always better than a reload from the tee box. On approach shots, aim for the middle of the green. The trouble surrounding these greens is severe, and a 30-foot putt is a much better result than a drop from a cactus bed.
For sheer drama and jaw-dropping beauty, nothing beats the West Coast. From the cliffs of Pebble Beach to the rugged, windswept coastline of Oregon, this region offers some of the most memorable and photo-worthy rounds of golf on the planet.
The Monterey Peninsula in California is arguably the greatest single golf destination in America, with icons like Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, and Cypress Point all clustered together. Further south, Torrey Pines offers public-access U.S. Open-caliber golf with stunning Pacific views. Then you have Oregon, where Bandon Dunes has become a bucket-list pilgrimage for "golf purists." It's a collection of five true links courses that rival the best of Scotland and Ireland, built for walking and celebrating the ground game.
Whether you're at Pebble or Bandon, wind is a constant companion. Pros know how to hit a lower, more piercing 'knockdown' shot to control their ball flight under the wind. So can you.
Your Game Plan: First, take more club. If the shot is 150 yards into a 1-club wind, grab your 160-yard club (or even 170). Next, position the ball slightly back from the center of your stance. At setup, put about 60% of your weight on your front foot. The key is to make a shorter, more controlled swing - think three-quarters back and three-quarters through. Don't try to go at it 100%. The mantra is, "When it's breezy, swing easy." The combination of more loft, a shorter swing, and forward weight will produce a lower, more penetrating ball flight that won’t get smacked down or blown off course by the wind.
For a long time, the Midwest was considered flyover country for serious golf travelers. Not anymore. It has exploded with a new generation of bold, imaginative, world-class golf destinations that have made it a must-visit for any golf fanatic.
Venues like Whistling Straits in Wisconsin (a Pete Dye masterpiece that looks like it was transplanted from the Irish coast), the incredible minimalist design of Sand Valley, and Michigan's Arcadia Bluffs have completely reshaped the landscape. These aren't your typical, tree-lined country club courses. They are sprawling, dramatic, and creative, often built on sandy soil and emphasizing walking and the pure experience of the game.
Many Midwest powerhouse courses play firm and fast, just like true links courses. The ground is your friend! You don't always need to fly the ball high onto the green. Learning the simple "bump and run" shot will save you countless strokes.
Your Game Plan: If you're 20-30 yards offthe green with no obstacles in front of you, put your wedges away. Grab an 8 or 9-iron. Set up like you're making a putt - use your putting grip, stand closer to the ball, and make a simple pendulum-like stroke, just like you would with a putter. The goal is to get the ball onto the green as quickly as possible and let it run out to the hole like a putt. It's a much lower-risk shot than trying to hit a delicate, high-lofted pitch, and it harnesses the firm conditions to your advantage.
So, where should you go? It all comes down to what you prioritize in a golf experience.
Ultimately, there is no single-best region of the United States for golf, only the best region for the type of experience you’re looking for. From the foggy cliffs of California to the humid parklands of Georgia, each area presents a unique test and a distinct flavor of the game we love.
Wherever your travels take you, adapting to these new courses and conditions can be a big part of the challenge. This is precisely how we built Caddie AI to help. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by an unfamiliar layout, you get on-demand course strategy for any hole in the country. You can snap a photo of a strange lie in a desert waste bunker or pine straw and get instant, clear advice on how to play the shot. It acts as your personal coach and local caddie, helping you understand how to navigate new turf and make smarter decisions, so you can play with more confidence no matter where you tee it up.
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