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Cypress Point isn’t only the top course in the West, it’s one of the top 5 courses in the United States.
GOLF Magazine recently unveiled its 2020/2021 Top 100 Courses in the United States, and to showcase the country’s geographic diversity, GOLF has, for the first time, broken the country into four regions and ranked the top 50 in each. Each region is shockingly diverse — and overflowing with exquisite golf. To introduce each region, we called upon a star architect to help.
The Appeal of Golf in the West | by David McLay Kidd
I’m biased — I’ve lived in Oregon longer than I have in my native Scotland — but the golf landscape in the West is unrivaled, from mountain ranges (Gozzer Ranch) and lush valleys (Valley Club), to arid deserts (Shadow Creek) and rugged coastline (Cypress Point), and not forgetting the stunning Hawaiian Islands (Nanea). Course designers are often only as good as the canvas they are given, and the West offers a spectacular canvas.
Golfers are nature lovers — they appreciate beauty and diversity. They enjoy the artistry in the courses they play, as well as the challenge, and courses in the West offer the greatest variety in American golf. You’ll find every genre in every climate. I’d argue it’s the strongest of the four regions, but like I said, I’m biased!
Cypress Point, in all its awe-inspiring beauty, is the top course in the western U.S.
Gary Lisbon
GOLF’s Course Raters named Pacific Dunes the true gem of the Bandon resort courses.
Evan Schiller
Rock Creek Cattle Company is a Tom Doak gem set into some of the country’s most beautiful scenery.
Evan Schiller
Gamble Sands, built in 2014 by David McLay Kidd, is one of the newest additions to GOLF’s Top 100 list.
Brian Oar
An overhead look at the bunkering and superb green complexes at Bel-Air Country Club.
Evan Schiller
Nanea Golf Club is the highest ranked Hawaiian course on by GOLF’s course raters.
Courtesy Nanea Golf Club
Sand Hollow in Utah is built for a postcard, but that’s not all. It’s home to some of the finest publicly accessible golf in the United States.
Brian G. Oar – Fairways Photography
The Plantation Course at Kapalua rests upon one of golf’s most breathtaking vistas and recently completed a renovation to enhance its playability.
Getty Images
Rustic Canyon is a true hidden gem in the California golf scene.
Courtesy
We-Ko-Pa means “four peaks” in Yavapai, a perfect scene-setter for Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw’s brilliant desert design.
Lonna Tucker/We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
Torrey Pines’ newly renovated South Course will play host to the 2020 U.S. Open.
Getty Images
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