The United States has more golf courses than any other country — roughly 16,000 at last count — and a depth of elite, publicly accessible courses that no other nation can match. For international golfers accustomed to the links courses of Scotland and Ireland, the parkland traditions of continental Europe, or the tropical resorts of Southeast Asia, American golf is a different world entirely.
This guide is written for non-American golfers planning their first US golf trip: what to expect, where to go, and how to navigate a country where the golf culture, scale, and logistics are unlike anything at home.
What Makes American Golf Different
Before choosing a destination, it helps to understand what separates the US golf experience from elsewhere.
Public access is the norm
The single biggest advantage of American golf is access. Many of the country's most celebrated courses are publicly accessible — you can book a tee time and play without being a member, without knowing a member, and often without a handicap certificate. Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2, Bandon Dunes, TPC Sawgrass, Whistling Straits, and Bethpage Black — all US Open or major championship venues — are open to any golfer willing to pay the green fee.
This is a fundamental contrast with the UK, where many of the finest courses are private members' clubs with limited visitor access.
Cart culture
Most American courses assume you'll ride in a golf cart (buggy), and the green fee typically includes one. Some courses — particularly resort courses in warm climates — require carts for pace of play. This can be jarring for golfers from walking cultures, but it allows American courses to be longer and more spread out than their European equivalents.
The notable exception is the links-style courses on the Pacific coast — Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, and Sheep Ranch are walking-only.
Tipping
Tipping is expected throughout the American golf experience. Budget approximately USD 5-10 per bag for the bag drop attendant, USD 20-40 for a caddie (per bag, on top of the caddie fee), and standard restaurant tipping (18-20%) in the clubhouse. This catches many international visitors off guard — factor it into your budget.
Pace and format
American rounds tend to be slower than in the UK or Ireland — 4.5 hours is standard, and 5 hours is not uncommon at resort courses. Stroke play is the dominant format; match play is relatively rare. Ready golf (playing when ready rather than strict honour) is increasingly encouraged.
The Destinations
Monterey Peninsula, California
The Monterey Peninsula contains the most famous stretch of coastal golf in the world.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant and opened in 1919, has hosted six US Opens and is one of the most recognisable courses on earth. The stretch from the 6th through the 10th — perched on cliffs above Carmel Bay — is breathtaking. Green fees are USD 575 (yes, really), but playing Pebble Beach is a bucket-list experience that justifies the cost. The course is publicly accessible; book well in advance.
Spyglass Hill, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr in 1966, starts with five holes through sand dunes and coastal forest before climbing into dense pine woodland. Many regulars consider it the harder test. Green fees are USD 395-425.
The Links at Spanish Bay, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, Tom Watson, and Sandy Tatum, is the closest thing to links golf on the California coast. A bagpiper plays at sunset as you finish your round — a nod to the Scottish links tradition. Green fees are USD 295-320.
Bandon Dunes, Oregon
Bandon Dunes Resort is the closest thing to Scottish links golf in America, and it's become a pilgrimage destination for golfers worldwide. Four full courses — Bandon Dunes (David McLay Kidd, 1999), Pacific Dunes (Tom Doak, 2001), Sheep Ranch (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, 2020), and a short course — sit on genuine linksland above the Pacific Ocean.
All courses are walking-only, caddies are available, and the experience is closer to the British Isles than anything else in North America. Green fees run USD 150-395 per round. The resort is remote — a five-hour drive from Portland or a flight to the small North Bend airport — and that remoteness is central to its appeal.
For golfers who love links golf but want to experience it in a new setting, Bandon is essential. Read our guide to course types for more on what makes links golf distinctive.
Pinehurst, North Carolina
Pinehurst No. 2, designed by Donald Ross in 1907, is the centrepiece of America's first golf resort. The course famously has no rough — the fairways blend into sandy waste areas and wiregrass — and the crowned, turtle-back greens reject anything but the most precise approach shots. It has hosted three US Opens, two US Women's Opens, and a Ryder Cup.
The surrounding Pinehurst area has nine courses in total, making it easy to build a multi-day itinerary without moving hotels. Tobacco Road, Mike Strantz's wild, unconventional design an hour away, is worth the side trip.
The Carolinas Coast
Kiawah Island Ocean Course, Pete Dye's 1991 design near Charleston, South Carolina, is best known as the site of the 1991 "War by the Shore" Ryder Cup and the 2021 PGA Championship. It's one of the most windswept courses in America — built along the barrier island coastline with ten holes directly on the ocean. Green fees are USD 350-500.
Harbour Town Golf Links, also on South Carolina's coast at Hilton Head, is Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus's 1969 design famous for its intimate scale and the red-and-white-striped lighthouse behind the 18th green. It hosts the RBC Heritage every spring. Green fees are USD 200-425.
Florida
TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, near Jacksonville, is home to The Players Championship and the most famous par-3 in modern golf — the island-green 17th. Pete Dye designed the course in 1980, and it remains one of the most recognisable layouts in the game. Green fees are USD 250-575.
Streamsong Red, a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design in central Florida, is an unlikely links-style course built on reclaimed phosphate mining land. The terrain — rolling, sandy, treeless — feels nothing like typical Florida golf. At USD 150-350, it's one of the best values in American destination golf.
Cabot Citrus Farms, the newest addition to the Florida scene (2023), features courses by Gil Hanse and Coore & Crenshaw on former citrus farmland. It's already drawing comparisons with Bandon for its ambition.
Hawaii
Kapalua Plantation Course, on Maui, hosts the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions each January. Designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, it's a dramatic layout with massive elevation changes and views of the Pacific and neighbouring islands. Green fees are USD 299-399.
Mauna Kea, on the Big Island, is Robert Trent Jones Sr's 1964 masterpiece — the 3rd hole, a par-3 over a rocky ocean inlet, is one of the most famous in Hawaiian golf.
The Upper Midwest
Whistling Straits, on the shores of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, is Pete Dye's audacious links-inspired course that hosted three PGA Championships and the 2021 Ryder Cup. At 7,790 yards, it's enormous — and the wind off the lake makes it play even longer. Green fees are USD 350-550.
Sand Valley, also in Wisconsin, is a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw links-style course built on sandy glacial terrain. Erin Hills, host of the 2017 US Open, is another Wisconsin links-inspired layout that welcomes visitors.
Budget-Friendly Options
Not all great American golf requires a premium green fee. Bethpage Black on Long Island — a US Open venue — charges just USD 65-150 (New York residents get the lower rate). Torrey Pines South in San Diego, site of the 2008 and 2021 US Opens, is a municipal course with green fees of USD 65-250. Chambers Bay near Seattle, the 2015 US Open venue, runs USD 75-250.
Practical Planning
Visa and entry
Most European, Australian, and Japanese citizens can enter the US under the Visa Waiver Programme (ESTA). Apply online at least 72 hours before departure.
When to go
The US is so large that there's always somewhere in season:
- California and Hawaii: Year-round, with April-June and September-October ideal
- Florida: October through April (summer is hot and stormy)
- Carolinas and Pinehurst: March-May and October-November
- Bandon Dunes and Pacific Northwest: June through September
- Upper Midwest (Wisconsin): May through September
Timing your trip to the right season makes an enormous difference to both conditions and cost.
Internal travel
A rental car is essential everywhere except resort destinations where you'll stay on-site. Domestic flights connect all major golf regions; Southwest, JetBlue, and Delta often offer competitive fares. The distances are vast — don't try to combine Pebble Beach with Pinehurst on a one-week trip.
Budget expectations
Green fees at America's top courses range from USD 65-250 at public championship venues to USD 395-600 at premium resort courses like Pebble Beach and Shadow Creek. A week playing five rounds at a mix of courses, with rental car and mid-range accommodation:
- Bandon Dunes area: USD 2,500-3,500 per person (stay-and-play packages)
- Monterey Peninsula: USD 3,000-5,000 per person
- Pinehurst: USD 2,000-3,000 per person
- Florida/Carolinas: USD 1,500-2,500 per person
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a handicap certificate to play in the US?
Generally no. Most American public and resort courses do not require a handicap certificate. A few premium clubs may ask for one, but it's the exception rather than the rule.
Is Bandon Dunes worth the remote location?
Bandon Dunes is absolutely worth the journey. Four world-class links courses in one location, walking-only with caddies available, on genuine linksland above the Pacific. It's the closest thing to a Scottish links experience in America. Most golfers who visit call it the best golf trip they've ever taken.
Can I walk instead of riding a cart?
At many courses, yes — though you may need to request it. Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley, and Sweetens Cove are walking-only. At resort courses in warm climates, carts may be required for pace of play. If walking matters to you, check the course policy before booking.
What's the single best US golf destination for a first trip?
For international visitors, either Bandon Dunes (for the links golf experience) or the Monterey Peninsula (for the iconic bucket-list round at Pebble Beach). Both offer multiple courses within one destination, eliminating the need for extensive domestic travel.
