Golf.com Best Munis

[Tim Gavrich]

Some of my favorite munis:


Keney Park
Shennecossett
Fort Myers CC
Manchester
Crandon
North Palm Beach
Winter Park 9
Bacon Park
Grand Beach
Tanglewood (Champ)
Jeffersonville




It's always good to give municipal courses some love, but what happens is that a whole bunch of not necessarily great but still entirely enjoyable courses don't ever get mentioned. Glad Tom mentioned Spokane (city)-owned Indian Canyon, but the three Spokane County courses - Hangman Valley, Liberty Lake and MeadowWood - are really solid too. And the city's second- course, the Creek at Qualchan, is idiosyncratic but nice. Practically every city should aspire to have as thoroughly good a muni golf scene as Spokane has.


Other munis in that next tier for me would be:


Timberlin (CT)
Miami Shores (FL)
Sandridge (FL)
Bryan Park Champ (NC)
Whispering Pines (SC)
Triggs (RI; jumps up with some TLC)


And there appear to be lots more muni courses jumping into that second tier as towns and cities and counties invest in their courses (while others, to be sure, are cutting and running).

[Jason Thurman]

I'll add a vote for Waveland in Des Moines. Super fun and awesome land if overtreed in spots.


Kearney Hill in Lexington, KY is my pick for Kentucky's best public. Hidden Cove in Eastern KY is part of a state park and would be 1A on that list for me. Gibson Bay in Richmond isn't quite the same caliber course, but close and an outstanding overall facility and value. And Picadome in Lexington is an awesome old school layout.


Fernandina Beach Muni on Amelia Island was highly endorsed by Tom Paul and I really enjoyed it.

[Tim_Weiman]

I would love to see GCA tackle a list like this.  Most articles, like this one, round up all the usual suspects and call it good.


I love Sharp Park, for what it could be someday, but there must be a dozen munis not listed that are better than Sharp in is present state, no?


What are they?


I have not seen the Ross muni in Wilmington, NC, but have always heard that should be on the list.

Tom,


The Wilmington Muni is really worth seeing if you are anywhere near Wilmington. Great piece of land in terms of topography and soil conditions. Not many places on can lose a golf ball. Many well placed greens on rises that make club selection very important (usually mean add 1-2 to the estimated yardage). The greens themselves of often large and interesting.


Then, too, the atmosphere of the place is low key with the clubhouse that seems vintage 1930s.


Considering a wide range of golfer skill (not just low handicap), I would probably take Wilmington over the Bethpage Black.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Phoenix has 2 munis worthy of note:


Papago, course and clubhouse renovated a few years ago. Before the opening of upscale highly priced Troon courses, it was the place to be. Still popular with locals. Home of ASU golf teams.
https://papagogolfcourse.net/


Aguila, is very popular with the locals at a lower price than Papago and a good test of golf.
https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/golf/phoenix-golf-courses/aguila

[Joe Zucker]

I'll second the votes for Delaware Springs and Cedar Crest in TX.  Both are very good.  I also think Papago in AZ, Shepherd's Crook in IL, and Golf Mountain in WA are worth a play.


The two best in Cleveland that haven't been mentioned are Sleepy Hollow and Manakiki.  Sleepy could be truly special with a bit of work.

[John Emerson]

The list is for municipal owned golf courses, not random public golf course.  Big difference.  Many of these places being listed aren’t even muni’s!!!

[Pete Lavallee]

Balboa Park is really good, although a 1993 redesign by Halsey Daray changed the layout it has a lot of Billy Bell from 1932.


Coronado GC by Jack Daray was built in 1956 and is more popular than Torrey Pines. Built on fill dredged from the harbor to allow Aircraft Carriers access to North Island Naval Air Station. Easy to walk, and reasonable priced; I’m playing on a yearly 80 round ticket for $24 a round!

[Pete_Pittock]

The list is for municipal owned golf courses, not random public golf course.  Big difference.  Many of these places being listed aren’t even muni’s!!!

It all depends.  Muni is short for municipal, which is a city. There are a bunch of other governmentally owned courses operated at the metropolitan, county and state levels.  Garland mentioned Glendoveer East and West, which are not municipally operated, but by a metropolitan authority.  If you define "muni" as governmental, then all of the Alabama Golf Trail courses can be listed.

[V_Halyard]

Gold Mountain - Olympic course - is owned by the city of Bremerton, Washington, outside of Seattle.  Designed by John Harbottle, surely, must be in the conversation for one of the top Munis in the country. BTW Jordan Spieth won the junior amateur there.

Great call.  love Gold mountain  A bold investment for Muni

[John Emerson]

The list is for municipal owned golf courses, not random public golf course.  Big difference.  Many of these places being listed aren’t even muni’s!!!

It all depends.  Muni is short for municipal, which is a city. There are a bunch of other governmentally owned courses operated at the metropolitan, county and state levels.  Garland mentioned Glendoveer East and West, which are not municipally operated, but by a metropolitan authority.  If you define "muni" as governmental, then all of the Alabama Golf Trail courses can be listed.

If it’s is anything beyond a metro or city it’s not a municipality.  Local government owned is a “muni”. Anything else is not.

[Jeff Evagues]

Phoenix has 2 munis worthy of note:


Papago, course and clubhouse renovated a few years ago. Before the opening of upscale highly priced Troon courses, it was the place to be. Still popular with locals. Home of ASU golf teams.
https://papagogolfcourse.net/


Aguila, is very popular with the locals at a lower price than Papago and a good test of golf.
https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/golf/phoenix-golf-courses/aguila

I played Papago for the first time a few weeks ago and wasn't that excited. Enjoyed the ASU Karsten course (NLE) much more.

[Garland Bayley]

Hideout Golf Club, Monticello, UT
West Seattle Golf Course, Seattle, WA

[JLahrman]

Metropolitan Golf - Oakland, CA - Also not sure, but thought Oakland owned it.

I do not believe so but I could be wrong.


Corica is owned by Alameda, Monarch Bay is owned by San Leandro. I believe Tilden Park and Lake Chabot both count as munis. I don't think Metro does though.


Definitely some sentimentality going on in the list from the original link. Lions here in Austin is fun, has a great location near downtown, and has the Firecracker tournament as well as love from Crenshaw et al, but I don't see how the course could possibly be one of the best municipal courses in the country.

[Greg Hohman]

It is news to me that Desert Willow is a muni. My mother-in-law lives within walking distance. From the street, DW seemed like just another expensive place behind walls, so I did not give it another thought. I suppose it is somewhat affordable? They are transitioning to a new booking software, so no rates were viewable today.

I second Balboa.

A round at Fred Enke in Tucson a few years ago is a good but fuzzy memory. Perhaps a local will weigh in.

[Peter Gannon]

Rock Spring Golf Club - owned by town of West Orange, NJ.   
 
Marine Park, Brooklyn. 


Brakenridge Park Golf Course, San Antonio


Eastmoreland, Portland, OR. 


Not "munis"; public, but great options for Eastern LI, Montauk Downs (NY State), and Island's End in Greeport (great locals, no big deal vibe, fun course.). Would love to see NYC take one of their courses and try something other than $180 resident green fees over a former land fill.  Hoping the National Links Trust works in Washington and can franchise to NYC! 

[Jeff Schley]

It is news to me that Desert Willow is a muni. My mother-in-law lives within walking distance. From the street, DW seemed like just another expensive place behind walls, so I did not give it another thought. I suppose it is somewhat affordable? They are transitioning to a new booking software, so no rates were viewable today.

I second Balboa.

A round at Fred Enke in Tucson a few years ago is a good but fuzzy memory. Perhaps a local will weigh in.

Greg,


Yes you are correct, forgot about DW's 36 holes. It is priced in high season with the resort courses.  Not sure there is a discount for residents, although there should be. I have played it several times. When it first opened it was in unbelievable shape and on par with what you would expect from high end desert golf. Most recently maybe 10 years ago and was in average shape and a jammed tee sheet.

[Dan_Callahan]

Ponkapoag has the potential to be one of the best munis in the US. Unfortunately, it remains in awful shape even after a multi-million dollar renovation. Between Ponky and George Wright, the Boston area has two courses just begging for a minimum level of maintenance. Such a shame.

[jeffwarne]

The list is for municipal owned golf courses, not random public golf course.  Big difference.  Many of these places being listed aren’t even muni’s!!!

It all depends.  Muni is short for municipal, which is a city. There are a bunch of other governmentally owned courses operated at the metropolitan, county and state levels.  Garland mentioned Glendoveer East and West, which are not municipally operated, but by a metropolitan authority.  If you define "muni" as governmental, then all of the Alabama Golf Trail courses can be listed.

If it’s is anything beyond a metro or city it’s not a municipality.  Local government owned is a “muni”. Anything else is not.

So Bethpage and Montauk(State owned) don't qualify?

[Phil McDade]

The list is for municipal owned golf courses, not random public golf course.  Big difference.  Many of these places being listed aren’t even muni’s!!!

It all depends.  Muni is short for municipal, which is a city. There are a bunch of other governmentally owned courses operated at the metropolitan, county and state levels.  Garland mentioned Glendoveer East and West, which are not municipally operated, but by a metropolitan authority.  If you define "muni" as governmental, then all of the Alabama Golf Trail courses can be listed.

If it’s is anything beyond a metro or city it’s not a municipality.  Local government owned is a “muni”. Anything else is not.

So Bethpage and Montauk(State owned) don't qualify?

Yes, that definition of a muni strikes me as a bit too narrow. To suggest the Bethpage complex is anything other than a muni is off the mark.


The greatness of America is its many layers of government ( ), and some have simply chosen to offer recreational fields and programs (be it tennis courts, softball fields or disc golf) through a variety of government-run agencies -- park districts, counties, state parks, and publicly funded universities. It can get a little fuzzy with things like the Robert Jones Trail in Alabama, but I'd argue for a fairly broad definition. I'm not sure what to do with government-owned courses leased out to some kind of management company to operate it (as it currently being discussed with one of Madison WI's muni's.)


Addendum: I do think one feature that should probably mark a qualifying entry is some kind of discounted fee for those who are paying for the governmental entity running/owning the place.

[Jeff Schley]

Agree with Phil and others, government owned qualifies for me and like the idea of some sort of resident/qualifying discount to separate.

[John Emerson]

The list is for municipal owned golf courses, not random public golf course.  Big difference.  Many of these places being listed aren’t even muni’s!!!

It all depends.  Muni is short for municipal, which is a city. There are a bunch of other governmentally owned courses operated at the metropolitan, county and state levels.  Garland mentioned Glendoveer East and West, which are not municipally operated, but by a metropolitan authority.  If you define "muni" as governmental, then all of the Alabama Golf Trail courses can be listed.

If it’s is anything beyond a metro or city it’s not a municipality.  Local government owned is a “muni”. Anything else is not.

So Bethpage and Montauk(State owned) don't qualify?

Ask yourself one question.  Are they owned by the LOCAL government?  If the answer is yes, then they qualify.  If they are owned by any other entity OTHER THAN local or metro government then they are not a “muni”.  This exercise really isn’t that difficult to grasp.

[Garland Bayley]

John,

That's strictly applying the definition of municipal. However, it does not reflect the generally accepted definition of municipal golf course.

[Andrew Harvie]

In Canada, I like Lakeview (Herbert Strong), Roseland (Ross), Langara & Fraserview (Macan) and Whirlpool (Thompson).


In the US, Papago is nice, and Chambers Bay is good, although I wouldn't have thought about it as a muni without the article mentioning it.

[John Emerson]

John,

That's strictly applying the definition of municipal. However, it does not reflect the generally accepted definition of municipal golf course.

Then let’s start the 1 millionth thread on best public courses.  Words matter. 

[Kalen Braley]

If someone can explain to me the actual difference between a City owned course and a County owned one I'd like to hear it.

They are both ran by local government and both being run on small/tight budgets subject to frequent voter scrutiny.