The layout at Westfields Golf Club is a Certified Audubon cooperative Sanctuary, with no residential elements interfering. A choice of five tee positions on every hole allows the course to play between 4,597 and 6,897 yards.
Virginia 20124, United States
The layout at Westfields Golf Club is a Certified Audubon cooperative Sanctuary, with no residential elements interfering. A choice of five tee positions on every hole allows the course to play between 4,597 and 6,897 yards.
Many professional golf Hall of Famers with design credentials have implemented plans near the American capital, and Fred Couples is one of the less heralded among that group. His work at the Westfields Golf Club is noted for being unattached to other real estate developments as part of its Audubon certification.
Although not the longest public course in the region by any stretch (a mild 6,900 yards from the back tees), the course opted for a more dramatic title for its back tees: “Boom Boom” evokes the city’s celebrated Independence Day celebration and Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” (those looking for the factual, less metaphorical namesake can look to Couples...the architect came up with the name himself). The course itself does not evoke such sensationalist design, but rather takes a straightforward approach to risk-reward golfing. Couples’s chosen bunker aesthetic means that the sand hazards will always seem to reach for errant balls with their fingerlike projections.
Both the region and the nation’s history are tied to the property as well; the American Civil War raged not too far outside of Washington D.C., and a burial site for soldiers on both sides of the conflict is featured off of the No. 13 fairway.
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
California, United States
New Jersey, United States
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
New York, United States
New York, United States
With the Presidents Cup rosters finally confirmed after both captains announced their six respective picks on Tuesday, the countdown to Medinah Country Club is officially on. Team International will head to Illinois looking to end Team USA’s dominance of the Presidents Cup and lift the trophy for only the second time in the competition’s history, having last tasted victory in 1998 at Royal Melbourne in Australia. It will be no easy task, though. Team USA boasts enormous depth, with major winners, extensive Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup experience, and the world’s number one-ranked player, Scottie Scheffler, among its ranks. But can Geoff Ogilvy’s International side cause an upset at Medinah? Top100 takes a closer look at both rosters, the key players to watch and the venue that could play a crucial role in deciding who will lift the Presidents Cup. Medinah No. 3: A new-look stage for the Presidents Cup There are few more appropriate venues for the 2026 Presidents Cup than Medinah No. 3. Completed in 1928 by renowned architect Tom Bendelow, the course has spent almost a century building a reputation as one of American golf’s great championship venues. Five major championships, a Ryder Cup and countless memorable moments have followed, including Tiger Woods’ victories in the 1999 and 2006 PGA Championships and Europe’s remarkable “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012 – widely regarded as one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history. But the course that welcomes the Presidents Cup will look considerably different from the one that hosted those events. After decades of incremental changes that increasingly narrowed the playing corridors and placed a premium on length, Medinah No. 3 underwent a major transformation by Australian firm OCM Golf, led by Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Cocking and Ashley Mead. The renovation, completed in 2024, sought to restore the scale and strategic character of Bendelow’s original design. Wider fairways, larger greens, expansive bunker complexes and the removal of hundreds of trees have opened up the landscape, resulting in a fascinating mix of old and new. At more than 7,650 yards from the championship tees, Medinah can still stretch the world's best players, but the increased width means distance alone should not dictate how the course is played. Instead, players will be faced with strategic decisions from the tee and into the greens, with different angles potentially offering very different rewards. The closing holes could provide some of the most dramatic moments of the week. Lake Kadijah now plays a prominent role on the inward nine, with the 16th crossing diagonally towards the water and the 17th offering another demanding one-shot test alongside the lake. The 18th, meanwhile, has been returned to its original corridor, providing a fitting finish to a course that has undergone such a significant rebirth. There is one particularly intriguing subplot for the International team. Their captain, Geoff Ogilvy, was part of the team responsible for reimagining Medinah No. 3. While intimate knowledge of a golf course is no guarantee of success, Ogilvy will know better than most how the redesigned holes are intended to be played, where the opportunities lie and which mistakes the course is designed to punish. The United States may arrive with the deeper roster and home advantage, but Ogilvy’s intimate knowledge of the course could help to level the playing field. With the course now offering considerably more strategic options than the penal layout of recent decades, the question is whether Ogilvy can use that knowledge to help his players find an advantage. Team USA: The Favourites On paper, Team USA looks extremely difficult to beat. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler headlines a formidable 12-man roster that also includes major champions Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas, while Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay add a wealth of team-match experience. The automatic qualifiers – Scheffler, Cameron Young, Clark, Sam Burns, Russell Henley and Morikawa – are joined by captain’s picks Schauffele, Thomas, Cantlay, Chris Gotterup, Jackson Koivun and Jacob Bridgeman. Snedeker's selections have made an already strong side even more imposing. Schauffele, Thomas and Cantlay bring considerable Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup experience, while the inclusion of 21-year-old Koivun adds an exciting new dimension. Koivun, Gotterup and Bridgeman will all make their Presidents Cup debuts at Medinah. The Americans therefore have an attractive blend of proven stars and youthful talent, with strength throughout the 12-man roster. Add home advantage and an 11-match winning streak, and it is easy to see why they arrive as overwhelming favourites. The challenge for Brandt Snedeker will be turning that individual quality into the right pairings and combinations – particularly in the foursomes. If he can do that, Team USA will take some stopping. The full Team USA roster can be found below: Scottie Scheffler Cameron Young Wyndham Clark Sam Burns Russell Henley Collin Morikawa Jacob Bridgeman Patrick Cantlay Chris Gotterup Jackson Koivun Xander Schauffele Justin Thomas Team International: The Underdogs The International team enters Medinah as the clear underdog, but Geoff Ogilvy has assembled a side with plenty of experience and enough quality to make life uncomfortable for the Americans. Si Woo Kim, Ryan Fox, Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee, Tom Kim and Adam Scott qualified automatically, before Ogilvy added Corey Conners, Sungjae Im, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Nick Taylor, Nico Echavarria and Ryo Hisatsune with his six captain’s picks. There is plenty of Presidents Cup experience within the group, particularly through Scott, Matsuyama, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim and Im. Ogilvy has also opted for three rookies in Taylor, Echavarria and Hisatsune, betting on a mixture of current form and players he believes can thrive in the team environment. It will also be a Presidents Cup debut for New Zealander and Champion Golfer of the Year, Fox. The obvious concern is star power. Si Woo Kim is the only International player inside the world's top 20, while the Americans boast Scheffler alongside a deep collection of elite players. But this is where Ogilvy's role could prove crucial. With a team that may lack the depth of the USA, the International captain will need to find the right combinations and maximise every available point. If his players embrace the occasion and the new-look Medinah rewards their style, they may have a genuine chance of making this a contest. After all, Medinah has already witnessed some extraordinary comebacks and championship moments. The 2026 Presidents Cup could provide another chapter in its remarkable history. The full Team International roster can be found below: Si Woo Kim (South Korea) Ryan Fox (New Zealand) Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) Min Woo Lee (Australia) Tom Kim (South Korea) Adam Scott (Australia) Christiaan Bezuidenhout (South Africa) Corey Conners (Canada) Nico Echavarria (Colombia) Ryo Hisatsune (Japan) Sungjae Im (South Korea) Nick Taylor (Canada)
North Carolina has an unusually strong claim to being one of America's great golf destinations. From the historic courses around Pinehurst and Southern Pines to the more distinctive layouts scattered across the Sandhills, there is enough variety to suit almost any kind of golf trip. The only question is how much you want to spend. For this guide, Top100 has built three different two-night itineraries for a four-ball, with each one offering a different way to experience North Carolina golf. The budgets range from $750 to $2,000+ per person, with three rounds included in every trip. From three Donald Ross classics for less than $750 to the ultimate Pinehurst Resort experience, here's how to plan your North Carolina golf trip. $750 - The Sandhills Classics If you want to experience the Pinehurst area without spending a fortune, the $750 itinerary is the sweet spot. For four golfers sharing two rooms, two nights and three rounds, you can build a genuinely memorable Sandhills trip around three Ross courses that all feature prominently on the Top100 North Carolina ranking: Mid Pines (#7), Southern Pines (#11) and Pine Needles (#13). The beauty of this itinerary is its simplicity. All three courses sit within a few minutes of one another, so there is no need to spend half your trip behind the wheel. Instead, you can settle into Southern Pines and concentrate on the golf. Mid Pines is the highest-ranked of the three and makes an excellent starting point. It is a relatively compact course by modern standards, but there is plenty of variety in the holes and the undulating terrain means that the lie you leave yourself can be as important as the shot itself. The greens are a particular feature, with plenty of subtle breaks that aren't always obvious from the fairway. A few minutes away, Southern Pines Golf Club offers a different feel. It is less formal than its better-known neighbours and remains one of the more affordable ways to experience the area's historic golf. For golfers who want to see what Pinehurst was like before it became synonymous with luxury golf travel, this is an essential stop. The final round is at Pine Needles, a course with considerably more championship pedigree. It has hosted the U.S. Women's Open four times, most recently in 2022, and provides a slightly more polished resort experience while retaining the strategic qualities associated with Ross's work. The numbers work surprisingly well too. The three-course Bell Golf Package at Pine Needles bundles two nights' accommodation with all three rounds, breakfast, dinner and carts. At approximately $585 per person, there is still room within the $750 budget for a rental car, fuel and a few extras where necessary. For a first taste of the Sandhills, this is difficult to beat. You get three Top100-ranked courses, three distinct takes on classic North Carolina golf and barely any wasted time travelling between them. $1000 - Tobacco Road and the Strantz Experience The middle itinerary moves away from the traditional Sandhills experience and towards three more varied public-access courses: Tobacco Road (#5), Talamore and Tot Hill Farm. Tobacco Road is the obvious starting point. Mike Strantz's course is one of the most distinctive in the country, and its unconventional layout makes it unlike the other courses in this series. Blind shots are part of the design rather than an occasional feature, while the dramatic changes in elevation and extensive sandy areas give the course a character all of its own. It is a course that can feel intimidating on the first tee, but once you accept that not every shot needs to be conventional, the strategy begins to reveal itself. Talamore provides a useful contrast. The course is more conventional, with a mix of woodland and open holes and enough water and bunkering to keep the round interesting. It also has the practical advantage of being part of a resort operation, making it straightforward to combine with accommodation. The third round at Tot Hill Farm brings the trip back towards Strantz territory. Like Tobacco Road, it makes extensive use of the natural terrain, although the course feels less polished and more remote. The course winds through dramatic terrain and uses the natural landscape to create a succession of memorable holes. It is a good complement to Tobacco Road rather than simply another version of it. The three rounds should cost approximately $650 per person, based on fall rates of around $300 for Tobacco Road, $200 for Talamore and $150 for Tot Hill Farm, including the latter's cart fee. Accommodation for two nights and a shared rental car should bring the overall trip to roughly $800-$900 per person, leaving some headroom within the $1,000 budget. This is the itinerary for golfers who want to see a less conventional side of North Carolina golf, with Tobacco Road providing the clear centrepiece. $2000+ - The Ultimate Pinehurst Experience For golfers prepared to spend more than $2,000 per person, there is no need to look beyond the resort that put North Carolina on the golfing map. A two-night stay at Pinehurst Resort, combined with rounds on Pinehurst No. 2 (#1), No. 4 (#9) and No. 10 (#16), delivers the ultimate version of the Sandhills experience. No. 2 is the historic centrepiece and the course most golfers will have seen on television. Its crowned greens and sandy waste areas are immediately recognisable, while its U.S. Open history gives the round an additional dimension. The challenge is less about finding a way to overpower the course than avoiding the difficult positions that can quickly lead to dropped shots. Around the greens in particular, the difference between a good approach and a slightly misplaced one can be significant. No. 4 offers a different experience. It is a larger, more expansive course, with wider corridors and a greater sense of scale. The course has undergone a major transformation in recent years and now sits comfortably among the best courses at the resort. No. 10, meanwhile, is the newest of the three and provides a different perspective again. The Coore & Crenshaw design occupies a quieter part of the property and makes extensive use of the natural sandy terrain. Its inclusion also means the trip isn't simply a greatest-hits tour of Pinehurst's past; you are seeing where the resort's golf story is heading. Pinehurst's Donald Ross Golf Package includes two nights' accommodation, three rounds, breakfast and dinner, with supplements for No. 2 and No. 10. For four golfers sharing two rooms, the trip is likely to come in at around $2,800-$3,000 per person once the package, course premiums, rental car and fuel are accounted for, before any additional discretionary spending. While it’s a substantial investment, this is not simply three rounds of golf. It is a stay at one of America's great golf resorts, playing three of the best courses in North Carolina, including the state's No. 1 course. For golfers looking to make Pinehurst the centrepiece of a Carolina trip, this is the premium option. Each itinerary is based on two nights and three rounds for four golfers sharing two rooms. Prices include accommodation, green fees and food where appropriate, but exclude flights.
There are few tee times in golf more desirable than one at Pebble Beach Golf Links. The setting is extraordinary, the history is unparalleled and the opportunity to play a course that has hosted multiple U.S. Opens and countless other significant events is firmly on many golfers' bucket lists. Eighteen-time Major champion Jack Nicklaus once said if he only had one more round to play, he’d choose to play it at Pebble Beach, calling it “possibly the best [course] in the world”. Pebble Beach has retained its status as one of the world’s great public-access courses, meaning there are ways for ordinary golfers to play it, unlike many of the world's most exclusive layouts. The catch? Getting a tee time requires a little more planning than simply clicking through an online booking system. The good news is that there are a couple of different routes to the first tee at Pebble Beach. Here's everything you need to know. Where is Pebble Beach Golf Links? Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of golf’s great amphitheaters, where the Pacific Ocean provides the backdrop and almost every hole carries a piece of history. The course sits on the spectacular Monterey Peninsula on California's central coast, roughly 120 miles south of San Francisco. It forms part of Pebble Beach Resorts and is reached via the famous 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road that winds around the coastline between Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Pebble Beach occupies a dramatic stretch of Pacific coastline, with several holes running directly alongside Carmel Bay. It is also surrounded by some of the most recognisable scenery on the Monterey Peninsula, including the Lone Cypress and the rocky coastline for which the area is famous. For golfers arriving by air, Monterey Regional Airport is by far the closest airport. From the airport, the route to Pebble Beach Golf Links follows Highway 68 and then 17-Mile Drive, with the resort estimating a journey of about 15 minutes. The Easiest Way To Play: Stay at Pebble Beach Resorts The most dependable strategy to secure a tee time is to make your trip a resort stay. Guests staying at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay or Casa Palmero have access to Pebble Beach's courses, and resort guests are the only golfers who can reserve a Pebble Beach tee time more than 24 hours in advance. The booking window is particularly useful for golfers planning a bucket-list trip well ahead of time. Guests at The Lodge and The Inn at Spanish Bay can book accommodation up to 18 months in advance, while Casa Palmero reservations can be made up to 12 months ahead, subject to availability. To avoid disappointment, Pebble Beach explicitly recommends that resort guests request their tee times at the time of booking their room. A minimum two-night stay is required to secure a round at Pebble Beach Golf Links, although the resort can require three nights on certain dates. The resort's availability calendar identifies dates where different requirements apply, so it’s worth checking before finalising your itinerary. How Far Ahead Should You Book? As soon as possible is the short answer. Because resort guests can plan their accommodation up to 18 months in advance, Pebble Beach is best approached as a destination trip rather than an isolated round of golf. For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, we'd recommend starting with dates rather than a particular tee time. If you are travelling a long way to play Pebble Beach, it’s better to have several possible dates than to become fixated on one particular morning. Another important consideration for larger groups is that up to two players may be booked per room, based on room occupancy. A group of four should therefore plan around two rooms if everyone wants to play Pebble Beach. What if You Don't Want to Stay at the Resort? There is another considerably cheaper option to walk in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, although it is much less certain. Non-resort guests are able to book Pebble Beach Golf Links one day in advance, meaning you don’t necessarily need to fork out for several nights of accommodation to play the course. Being one of the premier public courses in the world, tee times are in high demand, making the one-day window a genuine gamble. If you're already in the Monterey or Carmel area and have some flexibility, it's worth trying. If you're flying across the Atlantic specifically to play Pebble Beach, however, the resort route is significantly safer. How Much Does it Cost? Playing at such a prestigious course does not come without a hefty price tag, particularly if you’re planning on staying at Pebble Beach Resorts. For the current rate period of April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, the published green fee for Pebble Beach Golf Links is $695. The green fee applies to both resort and non-resort golfers, although non-resort golfers also pay the applicable cart fee. Additional published charges include: Cart: $60 per person Pull cart: $20 Single-bag caddie: $175 Double-bag caddie: $250 Forecaddie: $62.50 per person, with a three-player minimum Club rental: $120 per bag, plus tax Those figures make Pebble Beach one of the most expensive public-access rounds in the United States, particularly once accommodation, travel and caddie gratuity are added - but for many golfers this isn't an everyday round, it is the centrepiece of a trip.
