There are plenty of PGA Championship courses you can play on golf vacations, including North Carolina's Tanglewood Park Championship Course, above.
Do you think the Tiger Woods/Steve Williams/Adam Scott love triangle will generate increased interest in this week’s PGA Championship?
Ok, dumb question. But beyond the curiosity of how Woods will respond (on the course) I also started wondering how many past and future PGA Championship courses are available for public play, much like I’ve advised with respect to U.S Open and British Open courses.
Guess what? There are more of these courses than you might think…and you probably live or will soon travel near one of them.
Check out the list here:
As you can see, the PGA Championship has been (and will be) played on plenty of public courses in some of the best golf vacation destinations in America, making it easy to add a major championship to your own personal record book.
15 PGA Championship Courses You Can Play on Golf Vacations:
California
Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links
Location: Pebble Beach, CA
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1977
Architect: Jack Neville and Douglas Grant
Green Fee: $495
Florida
Course: PGA National Resort & Spa (The Champion Course)
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1987
Architect: Jack Nicklaus
Green Fee: $160-$170
Indiana
Course: French Lick Resort (Donald Ross Course)
Location: French Lick, IN
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1924
Architect: Donald Ross
Green Fee: $85-$115
Minnesota
Course: Keller Golf Course
Location: Maplewood, MN
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1932 and 1954
Architect: Paul Coates
Green Fee: $35
North Carolina
Course: Tanglewood Park (Championship Course)
Location: Clemmons, NC
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1974
Architect: Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
Green Fee: $37-$47
Course: Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (No. 2)
Location: Pinehurst, NC
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1936
Architect: Donald Ross
Green Fee: $319-$410
New Jersey
Course: Seaview Resort (Bay and Pines Courses)
Location: Absecon, NJ
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1942
Architect: Donald Ross
Green Fee: $69-$109
New York
Course: Eisenhower Park (Red Course)
Location: East Meadow, NY
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1926
Architect: Devereux Emmet
Green Fee: $41-$49
Pennsylvania
Course: Shawnee Inn & Resort Golf Course
Location: Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1938
Architect: A.W. Tillinghast
Green Fee: $65-$90
Course: Hershey Country Club (West Course)
Location: Hershey, PA
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1940
Architect: Maurice McCarthy
Green Fee: $140
South Carolina
Course: Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course)
Location: Kiawah Island, SC
Will Host the PGA Championship in: 2012
Architect: Pete Dye
Green Fee: $262-$360
Texas
Course: Pecan Valley Golf Club
Location: San Antonio, TX
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1968
Architect: Press Maxwell
Green Fee: $43-$89
Course: Cedar Crest Golf Course
Location: Dallas, TX
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1927
Architect: A.W. Tillinghast
Green Fee: $22-$27
Virginia
Course: Belmont Golf Course (formerly Hermitage GC)
Location: Richmond, VA
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 1949
Architect: A.W. Tillinghast (redesigned by Donald Ross)
Green Fee: $25-$28
Wisconsin
Course: Whistling Straits (Straits Course)
Location: Haven, WI
Hosted the PGA Championship in: 2004 and 2010 (will host again in 2015)
Architect: Pete Dye
Green Fee: $230-$340
Have you played any of these PGA Championship Courses? Did I leave any out? Please share your comments below.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
It may not be as glamorous as Whistling Straits, but here in Wisconsin, the public is always welcome to play at Brown Deer Golf Course. Brown Deer has been home to the PGA’s U.S. Bank Championship (previously Greater Milwaukee Open) and is where Tiger made his pro debut. Owned and operated by Milwaukee County, the course is very playable and a lot more affordable.
Yes, Sherry. We know it well. Brown Deer is sometimes called, “the Bethpage Black of the Midwest.” And just like Bethpage, it was part of FDR’s Works Progress Administration that put thousands of people to work building golf courses during the Great Depression.
In Tucson, Az you can still play on an older Pro course for less than $40. El Rio off Speedway…tucsoncitygolf.com/elrio.html. Run by the city since 1968.
Yep. Original site of the Tucson Open.
Just visited the site for the first time and I love all of your advice on where to play. Having a list of the 14 PGA Championship courses you can can play is awesome. What a great list to try to check off. I have decided to try my own little impossible golf quest; the Top 100 courses in America in one year. I know my chances are slim and none, but the journey itself is going to be insane! Any advice or knowledge you can give to a nobody trying to fulfill a dream will be greatly appreciated.
Best of luck, Matt.
And what a shame that Brown Deer Park nearly charges $100 to play for non-residents.
Not sure what kind of shape that course is in once the GMO left.
Matt, have a look at the London Golfer’s website. he has played most of the top 100 it seems and must have some good tips for you. If you find a way onto Augusta or Cypress let me know. I’m happy to make up a 4 ball …..
Definitely an increase in interest! I love a good love triangle.
Matt
I suggest you shoot for the best 100 Publicly Available courses. These are attainable and still, absolutely spectacular golf. One of the Mags publishes this list. I’ve plotted them all on a map layer I’ve saved in Google Earth and even planned out routes for 6 or 7 driving trips that could get them all.
Even though it would require a lot of driving, and I haven’t actually taken any of the planned drives, it was a lot of fun just doing the planning.
Golf Magazine’s most recent list now includes an interactive map showing each of the courses.
Brad
Kiawah Ocean is one of the most beautiful and yet diabolical courses.
Crazy long, crazy wind and crazy mosquitoes!
hi guys, i live around atlantic city and have often played at the seaview resort, where the bay course is located. i just want you to know that the 1942 pga tournament was played on a combination of the seaview bay course, designed by donald ross, and the seaview pines course, which was designed by william flynn. the bay course is wide open to the bay and is about 6300 yards, while the pines course is a very tight, tree lined 6750 yards. both courses are well worth playing.
I grew up down there too, Steven, and still get back quite often to visit my parents. You’re absolutely right about Seaview, which is now noted above.
-Craig
Some of these courses are a great buy, however, the four major courses listed are unbelievably expensive and out of reach of 90% of all golfers.
What about the TPC course in Scottsdale?
Nice course, but it never hosted the PGA Championship.
Live on Long Island and play Eienhower Red often. Nice walking course, always in great shape “A pretty walk in the park”. Course closed on Mondays. Only drawback is your are looking at a typical Metro NY round of about 5 hours and slightly longer on weekends. Rates for non Nassau County residents somewhat higher. Great discount for local seniors ($22. to wlk on weekdays)
We make a trip annually to stay and play Tanglewood. An unbelievable bargain.