top five golf states

[VOX]

Seminole? what course are you referring to? I dont know of ANY good courses in Seminole and i live 20 minutes away from there. Im surprised AZ isnt on that list. Where did this list come from?

Seminole Golf Club (ranked #22 in the world) is located just north of Palm Beach, Florida in the town of Juno Beach.

History Seminole, founded by E.F. Hutton, has a rich history of being a golf club for the corporate elite. Donald Ross designed it in 1929. Seminole’s history runs deep. The course has hosted kings and presidents: Eisenhower was an honorary member; Ford and JFK played it often; and the Duke of Windsor was a member. To give a sense of the level of prominence of its membership, in 1947 members included Joseph P. Kennedy, Henry Ford II, Jack Chrysler, Paul Mellon, Phillip Armour, John Pillsbury and Robert Vanderbilt. Seminole’s membership has always included titans of industry, politics and golf. Henry Picard, the 1938 Masters winner, was the professional at Seminole for 26 years and Ben Hogan spent a significant amount of time here playing and practicing.

[jdotConnor]

playing for 18 years and having a father that is an airline pilot has given me the chance to play many places. I live in and was born in Arizona and in my opinion it is great for a wide variety of golf but if you are looking for the highest caliber go to other states. Also because of the sheer number and variety of courses it is great for visiting. I think desert courses have just started to get old to me

[Big_M]

my states (in no order) and reasons, based on public courses...

Michigan - amazing golf, good prices, only downfall is weather. For a summer golf vacation Northern Michigan is 2nd to NONE... light out until 9:30 PM. Course diversity... links near great lakes, beautiful parkland courses, and some pretty nice resorts.

Carolinas - OK it's two states, but Myrtle and the Sandhills, plus some nice mountain courses. Pretty solid weather and some classic great courses.

California - Pebble, Torrey, Spyglass, PGA West, Spanish Bay, etc. Weather is great.

Florida - Had a hard time putting Florida in because the summers suck, but the winter, spring, and fall can't miss. Plus they have some damn nice public tracks.

Arizona - Weather is superb even if a touch hot in the summer. Only downfall is the lack of diversity in courses... sure there is some, but not as much as other states.

[nevets88]

I've never played in MI or Minnesota, but I heard about the flies and mosquitoes there. If that's true, how do you avoid if possible?

[BlueHawkGolf]

1. North Carolina, Pinehurst Area, Donald Ross
2. Pennsylvania, Golf Association of Philadelphia, Oldest in the country, Merion+
3. Texas, learn to play in the wind, Byron Nelson
4. California Great Landscape Torrey, Pebble, San Fran CC
5. Florida, always weather permitting

[right handed phil mickelson]

I've played a lot of golf in Florida but for its size it doesn't have many great courses. Little old Rhode Island has half a dozen courses better than anything FLA can offer other than maybe Seminole.

Treviso Bay? The Honda Classic was just played there a little while ago in the Florida swing. I've played there twice and it's a great course- hard as hell though.

[chipper2]

Excuse my bias , but after playing in 35 states Michigan is No.1 for diversity, number of courses and affordability. Weather does not allow year round golf, but you cannot have everything. My list would be

Hawaii
Both Carolinas
California
Michigan
Arizona

[Ceej]

I have only played golf in 3 states, but there is no way you can not include South Carolina.

Uh... no.

[8urVTEC]

i do remember hearing somewhere that South Carolina has more golf courses per square mile than any other state, but i cant remember the source of that.

I cant really say much here because ive never played anywhere outside North and South Carolina, but im VERY proud of what my state offers. What I like so much is that you dont HAVE to go to somehwere like Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head to have a great game, Ive got a little beach island that i go to thats only a few square miles big, and it has a GREAT course. add to that that you can go from playing beach course to playing mountain courses in a few hours and i believe we are hard to beat

[AzGolfGeek]

I would have to ask, based on what criteria. Best courses, most players, most rounds played........

I've lived in Nocal and Socal, I would say California could be considered as two different planets for golf. Socal is so much better, Nocal may not get into the top 25. In fact, Minnesoootaaa (I'm from da Iron Range) should definitely be in the top 10. Great Courses, and more importantly, great people at those courses.

1. Florida
2. Arizona
3. Socal
4. Texas
5. Michigan
6. Minnesota

[trumps4]

This is a good thread. My 5.....
1.) South Carolina
2.) Florida
3.) Arizona
4.) North Carolina
5.) Cali
In my mind, the first three are rock solid. The order is up for debate but considering number of quality courses, tour events hosted, and relative size of golf population; I could not be convinced that any of those should be outside the top 5. Personally, I feel good about my other two using the same criteria but nearly as strong.

[laxstar24]

By best golf states I'm going to assume it's based on the best golf, not the most courses or the cheapest courses.

1. California
2. Carolinas
3. Arizona
4. Florida
5. New York- Some may call it bias, I say look at the top 100 course listing

[HoolsNJ]

1.CA
2.SC
3.AZ
4.OR
5.NJ

I say NJ because this is what I am most familiar with and NJ has loads of beautiful public and private courses. This is my home course

http://www.crystalgolfresort.com/Con...ID=183&AID;=441

[parparpar23]

There are way too many factors in this question. Many posts have left Ohio out to dry. Yes I do have a slight bias, but it depends on how you interpret "Top 5 states" to play. Sure everyone lists all the warm states because they can play year round. Understandable. But I assure you Ohio should never be mentioned outside of the top 5. With 5 private courses in the top 100 every single year, 2 of the best PGA Tour tournaments each year (Memorial and WGC), Top 5 College golf course and 2009 NCAA Championship at Inverness, toughest US Open sectional qualifying field in the country, if not the world. The downfall for Ohio is public course recognition, compared to the other states. There is no doubt in my mind though, that if we argued strictly private, Ohio is in the top 5. I wish you all could have the chance to play every private club in Ohio.

1. Arizona/Nevada
2. Carolinas
3. Florida
4. Ohio
5. NY

Relax California people, I've never been, so I can't judge somewhere I have never played. I am positive it is a top 5 state though.

[Big_M]

Understandable. But I assure you Ohio should never be mentioned outside of the top 5.

Ohio has good golf, but it is nothing "special" like most of the other states many consider. Florida - great weather Carolinas - weather + Myrtle + Sandhills Michigan - rediculously nice summers, amazing mature forests, the Great Lakes Cali - Unbelieveable topography, the ocean, etc. Arizona - dessert courses, weather I have lived in Ohio, it has some "good" golf courses, unfortunately as you said, many of the great ones are private... private courses are great and all, but name one amazing public in Ohio... Ohio is just too plain, and too unremarkable. I would NEVER think of Ohio as a top 5 golf state... and I think most people agree. I would say Ohio certainly be outside the top 5 and maybe outside the top 10.

[Bourbon and Coke]

1. Florida
2. California
3. New York
4. Carolinas
5. Georgia

All of Georgia's good courses are private, but it hosts the first major, as well as the final event of the FedEx Cup, as well as hosting the US Collegiate Championship.

[parparpar23]

I'll name 6 real quick.

1. Longaberger GC
2. Stonewater GC
3. Shaker Run
4. Elks Run
5. Stonelick Hills
6. Walden Ponds

I love warm weather and all, but if I am bombing a driver and hitting a wedge all day it gets boring. A large part of my judging is the toughness of a course. I tend to weigh a course heavily on its toughness/layout before scenery and surroundings. Although, there is one exception that I have played and that is a course called Newcastle in Seattle, WA.

P.S. and Bermuda grass sucks!!!

[ramrockgolfer35]

I have the good fortune to work for the Horseshoe Bay Resort in the Texas hill country, and we have three Robert Trent Jones Sr golf courses. They are all spectacular! Come see us, we are located 45 miles northwest of Austin. I play our courses all the time, and they beat me up. Ramrock is said to be a contender for the hardest course in Texas. Come challenge it!