It's certainly not a problem limited to areas with older courses, because few areas have more of a disparity between public and private offerings than does Arizona.
We-ko-pa, talking stick, boulders, troon north, and TPC? I call shenanigans. Golfweek's "best courses you can play" goes 25 deep in AZ - only FL and CA also go that deep. If I had to list the states that had the *least* amount of disparity, after HI, NV, and FL, I would think that AZ would be in the next batch of states with CO, UT, NM (and maybe WV and ID), if only because of the resorts. Are AZ's private courses that good?
And yet look at any list of best overall courses in the state. Nary a public entity in the top 10, rarely more than 2-3 in the top 25.
I've highlighted the public tracks.
Golf Digest's list:
1 Forest Highlands Golf Club - The Canyon Course
Flagstaff, AZ
2 The Estancia Club - Estancia Course
Scottsdale, AZ
3 Seven Canyons - Four Seasons Course
Sedona, AZ
4 Desert Forest Golf Club - Desert Forest Course
Carefree, AZ
5 Stone Canyon Club - Stone Canyon Course
Tucson, AZ
6 The Rim Golf Club - Rim Course
Payson, AZ
7 Whisper Rock Golf Club - Lower Course
Scottsdale, AZ
7 Whisper Rock Golf Club - Upper Course
Scottsdale, AZ
8 The Golf Club Scottsdale - Golf Club Scottsdale Course
Scottsdale, AZ
9 Forest Highlands Golf Club - The Meadow Course
Flagstaff, AZ
10 Troon Country Club - Troon Course
Scottsdale, AZ
11 The Gallery Golf Club - North Course
Marana, AZ
12 The Golf Club At Chaparral Pines - Chaparral Pines Course
Payson, AZ
13 Troon North Golf Club - Monument Course
Scottsdale, AZ14 The Desert Mountain Club - Chiricahua Course
Scottsdale, AZ
15 Mirabel Golf Club - Mirabel Course
Scottsdale, AZ
16 Desert Highlands Golf Club - Desert Highlands Course
Scottsdale, AZ
17 Quintero Golf & Country Club - The Founders Course
Peoria, AZ
18 The Desert Mountain Club - Renegade Course
Scottsdale, AZ
19 Talking Rock Golf Club - Talking Rock Course
Prescott, AZ
20 The Silverleaf Club - Silverleaf Course
Scottsdale, AZ
21 The Desert Mountain Club - Geronimo Course
Scottsdale, AZ
22 The Desert Mountain Club - Cochise Course
Scottsdale, AZ
23 Anthem Golf & Country Club - Persimmon Course
Anthem, AZ
24 Troon North Golf Club - Pinnacle Course
Scottsdale, AZ25 The Gallery Golf Club - South Course
Marana, AZ