Last Updated on November 19, 2016 by Jo

The Best Golf Courses for Women, … and Why

 

Golf Courses Women Love So what’s a “Woman-Friendly” golf course?

Golf Digest (who has put out the list) formed a panel of more than 100 female course raters. When rating, they consider all of the following:

  • welcoming atmosphere
  • family programs, leagues and merchandise
  • course layout (shorter tees might shake up an industry that tends to think longer is better)
  • course conditions and great amenities
  • at least one set of tees shorter than 5,300 yards
  • two sets of tees with USGA Course and Slope ratings for women
  • few or no forced carries

… the rankers will tell you it’s a design that puts strong players to the test yet offers an enjoyable outing for shorter hitters, that will rank high on the list!

The List

 

1. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Southern Pines, N.C., pineneedles-midpines.com

2. The Boulders Resort & Spa (South) Carefree, Ariz., theboulders.com

3. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Old Macdonald) Bandon, Ore., bandondunes.com

4. Amelia Island Plantation (Ocean Links) Amelia Island, Fla., aipfl.com

5. Running Y Ranch Klamath Falls, Ore., runningy.com

6. Sea Island Resorts (Seaside) St. Simons Island, Ga., seaisland.com

7. LPGA International (Champions) Daytona Beach, Fla., lpgainternational.com

8. The Golf Club At Newcastle (China Creek) Newcastle, Wash., newcastlegolf.com

9. Kingsmill Resort & Spa (Plantation) Williamsburg, Va., kingsmill.com

10. Grand Cypress Golf Club (East/North) Orlando, grandcypress.com

11. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Osprey Point) Kiawah Island, S.C.kiawahresort.com

12. Keystone Resort (River) Keystone, Colo., golfkeystone.com

13. Celebration Golf Club, Celebration, Fla., celebrationgolf.com

14. The Greenbrier (Old White) White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., greenbrier.com

15. Reynolds Plantation (Oconee) Greensboro, Ga., reynoldsplantation.com

16. Southwood Golf Club Tallahassee, Fla., southwoodgolf.com

17. La Quinta Resort & Club (Mountain) La Quinta, Calif., laquintaresort.com

18. Fossil Trace Golf Club Golden, Colo., fossiltrace.com

19. The Lodge at Ventana Canyon (Mountain) Tucson, ventanacanyonclub.com

20. Snowmass Club Snowmass Village, Colo., snowmassclub.com

21. Pinehurst Resort (No. 8) Pinehurst, N.C., pinehurst.com

22. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (Mystic Rock) Farmington, Pa., nemacolin.com

23. The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes Orlando, grandelakes.com

24. Province Lake Parsonsfield, Maine, provincelakegolf.com

25. Turning Stone Resort & Casino (Shenendoah) Verona, N.Y., turningstone.com

26. Heritage Hill Golf Club Shepherdsville, Ky., hhgolfclub.com

27. Geneva National Golf Club (Player) Lake Geneva, Wis., genevanationalresort.com

28. Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean) Palm Coast, Fla., hammockbeach.com

29. Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club (Miller) Aventura, Fla., fairmontgolf.com

30. Treetops Resort (Rick Smith Signature) Gaylord, Mich., treetops.com

31. Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club Front Royal, Va., blueridgeshadows.com

32. Monarch Dunes Golf Club (Old) Nipomo, Calif., monarchdunes.com

33. Stowe Mountain Golf Club Stowe, Vt., summer.stowe.com

34. Purgatory Golf Club Noblesville, Ind., purgatorygolf.com

35. Boyne Highlands Resort (Heather), Harbor Springs, Mich., boynehighlands.com

36. Panther Run Golf Club Ave Maria, Fla., pantherrungolfclub.com

37. Half Moon Bay Golf Links (Ocean) Half Moon Bay, Calif., halfmoonbaygolf.com

38. Monarch Beach Golf Links Dana Point, Calif., monarchbeachgolf.com

39. Black Lake Golf Club Onaway, Mich. blacklakegolf.com

40. Wailea Golf Club (Emerald) Wailea, Maui, Hawaii, www.waileagolf.com

41. Richter Park Golf Course Danbury, Conn., www.richterpark.com

42. Queenstown Harbor (Lakes) Queenstown, Md., mdgolf.com/queenstown

43. Williamsburg National Golf Club (Yorktown)Williamsburg, Va., wngc.com.com

44. Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Fazio Foothills) Austin, bartoncreek.com

45. Sunriver Resort (Meadows) Sunriver, Ore., sunriver-resort.com

46. Whistling Straits (Irish) Haven, Wis., whistlingstraits.com

47. Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players) Indian Wells, Calif., indianwellsgolfresort.com

48. The Sea Pines Resort (Heron Point) Hilton Head Island, seapines.com

49. Angel Park Golf Club (Palm) Las Vegas, www.angelpark.com

50. Desert Willow Golf Resort (Mountain View) Palm Desert, Calif., desertwillow .com