Michigan Ranks Second Best State in U.S. for Public Golf

Based on reviews by Golf Digest Magazine

Golf Digest magazine took its list of the top golf courses in America last year and ranked California the No. 1 state with the most, followed by New York and Florida. Yet because those three states are dominated by Private courses, the magazine decide to apply the same principles this year but only counting Public golf courses.

That flipped the script significantly.

When looking only at Public golf, Wisconsin soared to the top with 10 courses ranked in the top 100 nationwide. California stayed near the top, but tied for second with Michigan. Each state has nine in the magazine’s top 100 nationwide.

Michigan’s top-rated Public course are:

14. Arcadia Bluffs

32. Forest Dunes

53. Arcadia Bluffs South

58. The Loop Black at Forest Dunes

59. Greywalls at Marquette GC

69. The Loop Red at Forest Dunes

73. Tullymore Golf Resort

90. The Golf Club at Harbor Shores

98. Belvedere (technically private but allows public play)

Wisconsin took the top spot with Whistling Straights, Straights Course; Erin Hills; Sand Valley; Blackwolf Run River course; Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley; Sentury World; Whistling Straights, Irish; Lawsonia Links; Blackwolf Run’s Meadow Valleys and The Bull at Pinehurst Farms.

There is no doubt that Wisconsin has been on a tear the past two decades building world-class resorts, with the late Herb Koehler leading that charge at Whistling Straights and Blackwolf to have overtaken Michigan in such rankings. Yet the Great Lakes State is still considered one of the tops in the country for the most affordable and accessible top-end golf. 

After California and Michigan, Oregon earned No. 4 with huge help from the Bandon Dunes conglomerate. Then came North Carolina at No. 5, before a tie for No. 6 with Florida and Neveda.