The phrase "municipal golf" often conjures up images of patchy or bald fairways and greens - not plush, PGA Tour-ready conditions. But your muni probably isn't in the Coachella Valley city of Indian Wells, Calif. At the heart of it all are two municipal courses that fit right in among the area's top resort courses: the Indian Wells Golf Resort's Players and Celebrity courses.
'The Patch,' a nearly century-old city facility that has been reworked by Tom Fazio, Beau Welling and Tiger Woods, will open its doors to public play after the 2026 Masters.
Palm Springs is one of 10 municipalities that encompass the golf-rich Coachella Valley. Home to nearly 125 golf courses, this area of California presents no shortage of stellar public plays. Judd Spicer offers up a city-by-city breakdown of the Coachella Valley's golf courses for golfers of all levels.
When you're playing a municipal golf course in a state, city, county or metropark chain of parks, you're almost always guaranteed a round of golf in a natural setting with no homes and little traffic.
Texas is full of golf history, including historic courses you can play. Stevens Park, Brackenridge park and Lions Municipal are among the collection of classic courses in the Lone Star state.
Home to nearly 125 golf courses, there are no shortage of choice public plays in the Palm Springs area. Whether you're a snowbird escaping winter, or a deal-seeker aiming for value amid the summer sizzle, here are five prime tracks for your desert tee sheet.
The phoenix-like rise of Cobbs Creek Golf Club, a long-neglected Philadelphia classic, headlines this year's rundown of feel-good stories across American municipal golf.
Hampshire Greens Golf Course in Silver Spring, Md. has the conditioning and quality design to match its affluent zip code. But the most compelling reason to play here is Hampshire Greens' combination of convenience and price. Finding another muni of this pedigree 10 miles from the Beltway in Washington, D.C., is downright impossible.
The Houston area has just one course that's routinely more than $100 to play, and that's the Golf Club of Houston's Tournament Course. So golf in Houston is fairly affordable, but some courses are more affordable than others. In fact, they're bargains. Longtime Houstonian Mike Bailey offers up eight courses that offer fairly low green fees, good design and above-average conditions.
One of the best aspects of San Antonio golf are the views created by being on the edge of the Texas Hill Country. The Westin La Cantera courses, for example, are known for them, and they're pretty good at the TPC San Antonio as well. But those are resort courses. What about the daily fees? There's no shortage of non-resort vistas either, and many of them are at a fraction of the price of resort golf. Here's a rundown of my favorites.
Deep in the heart of Texas, there's a golf course for all budgets in San Antonio. Here's a look at the golfer's menu, from bargain plays to high-end resorts.
We took the 2013-14 ratings of golf courses across the U.S. to seek out the most improved courses coast-to-coast. The biggest improvement, based on ratings from GolfAdvisor users, was Tucson's Arizona National Golf Club.
Want to play golf in the Palm Springs area after dark? Indian Wells Golf Resort is unveiling a new driving range concept that will make hitting balls in the dark more fun.
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, easily accessible from airports in Milwaukee and Chicago, is a great lake-and-golf destination. The roster of strong courses goes deep. Jason Scott Deegan presents his list of 10 courses to consider in Lake Geneva.
Hampshire Greens Golf Course in Silver Spring, Md. has dramatic twists and turns; canted fairways; deep, sprawling bunkers; undulating greens and several blind tee shots. Playing longer than its 6,837 yards, Montgomery County Golf's signature facility is a rigorous challenge, especially for a first-timer.
It may be a "hidden gem" to national audiences, but golfers in the Texas Hill Country know Delaware Springs Golf Course quite well. The facility really is the total package, with perhaps its only shortcoming being that it's a little too far from Austin to be a regular play for its residents.
The Celebrity Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort features a little more topographical variance than the resort's Players Course and also has more tight holes lined with trees. There is a stretch of wide-open holes on the back nine, starting with the 12th hole through the 16th hole. The Celebrity is rated among the best municipal plays in the United States.
The Players Course at Indian Wells was designed by John Fought and plays a brawny 7,376 yards from the back tees. Its terrain isn't as dramatic as the resort's Celebrity course, but it features beautification in every spot and there is no residential development lining any fairways. Both Indian Wells courses are rated among some of the best public and municipal courses in both California and the country.
Many of legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie's finest designs, like Augusta National and Cypress Point, are private. Here are seven you can play.
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