- This month, a report by Wealth-X intelligence confirmed golf as the No. 1 preferred sport for multi-millionaires worldwide.
- Golf Digest released their biennial ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, with Pine Valley Golf Club in NJ ranked first.
- The top 25 courses included courses as far north as Michigan and as far south as Florida.
Golf Digest recently released its 2019-2020 ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses. Established in 1966, the biennial ranking by the publication is considered the “gold standard” in the sport’s community.
In Wealth-X’s inaugural High Net Worth Handbook, golf was ranked as the No. 1 preferred sport amongst individuals with a net worth of $1 million to $30 million.
Many of the top ranking courses are elite private clubs, where non-members can only play if invited by a current member. Other courses are public but come with high green fees as a result of their prestige. Courses in Pebble Beach, California and Augusta, Georgia are often utilized for annual professional golf tournaments such as The Masters.
Read more: The top 15 sports wealthy people around the world love, ranked
To score each prestigious course, the Golf Digest panel totals its averages in seven categories, including shot value, aesthetics, and ambience. In addition, 60 evaluations over the past 10 years are required for a course to even be considered.
Golf Digest defines shot value as the variety of risks and rewards when playing each hole. Aesthetics assess the course's scenic value, while ambience takes into account the overall feel and atmosphere.
Below are the top 25 of the 100 courses provided by Golf Digest, in descending order with scores rounded to the nearest tenth.
25. Wade Hampton Golf Club, Cashiers, North Carolina
Shot values: 7.9
Aesthetics: 8.3
Ambiance: 8.2
Total score: 64.5
24. The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Shot values: 8.0
Aesthetics: 8.2
Ambiance: 8.1
Total score: 64.5
23. Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California
Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 7.8
Ambiance: 8.3
Total score: 64.8
22. Oak Hill Country Club (East), Rochester, New York
Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 7.9
Ambiance: 8.3
Total score: 64.6
21. Whistling Straits (Straits), Haven, Wisconsin
Shot values: 7.9
Aesthetics: 8.3
Ambiance: 8.2
Total score: 64.6
20. Oakland Hills Country Club (South), Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 8.2
Ambiance: 8.3
Total score: 64.8
19. Los Angeles Country Club (North), Los Angeles, California
Shot values: 8.0
Aesthetics: 7.9
Ambiance: 8.2
Total score: 64.8
18. The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Shot values: 8.0
Aesthetics: 7.9
Ambiance: 8.6
Total score: 64.9
17. Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Oregon
Shot values: 7.9
Aesthetics: 8.5
Ambiance: 8.4
Total score: 64.9
16. Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio
Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 8.0
Ambiance: 8.2
Total score: 65.2
15. Friar's Head Golf Club, Baiting Hollow, New York
Shot values: 8.0
Aesthetics: 8.3
Ambiance: 8.2
Total score: 65.2
14. Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, Illinois
Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 7.9
Ambiance: 8.7
Total score: 65.6
13. Crystal Downs Country Club, Frankfort, Michigan
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Shot values: 8.2
Aesthetics: 8.2
Ambiance: 8.3
Total score: 65.6
12. Seminole Golf Club, Juno Beach, Florida
Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 8.2
Ambiance: 8.7
Total score: 65.9
11. Winged Foot Golf Club (West), Mamaroneck, New York
Shot values: 8.3
Aesthetics: 7.9
Ambiance: 8.7
Total score: 66.2
10. Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island, New York
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Shot values: 8.1
Aesthetics: 8.8
Ambiance: 8.7
Total score: 66.4
9. Sand Hills Golf Club, Mullen, Nebraska
Shot values: 8.3
Aesthetics: 8.4
Ambiance: 8.5
Total score: 66.4
8. National Golf Links of America, Southampton, New York
Shot values: 8.3
Aesthetics: 8.6
Ambiance: 8.8
Total score: 67.4
7. Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, California
Shot values: 8.3
Aesthetics: 8.9
Ambiance: 8.8
Total score: 67.5
6. Merion Golf Club (East), Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Shot values: 8.5
Aesthetics: 8.3
Ambiance: 8.9
Total score: 67.9
5. Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Shot values: 8.6
Aesthetics: 8.2
Ambiance: 8.8
Total score: 68.9
4. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, New York
Shot values: 8.6
Aesthetics: 8.7
Ambiance: 8.9
Total score: 69.3
3. Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach, California
Shot values: 8.5
Aesthetics: 9.3
Ambiance: 9.2
Total score: 69.7
2. Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Shot values: 8.7
Aesthetics: 9.2
Ambiance: 9.4
Total score: 71.6
1. Pine Valley Golf Club, Pine Valley, New Jersey
Shot values: 8.9
Aesthetics: 8.9
Ambiance: 9.2
Total score: 72.0
