News

America's Top 50 Courses For Women

January 05, 2010
magazine-golfforwomen-gdw_top_50_620.jpg

What does it take to become a top course for women? A female-friendly design, amenities, courteous staff, programs and an atmosphere that appeals to women. This list differs from other Golf Digest rankings, such as America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, which are based on panelists' evaluations of categories like Shot Values and Resistance to Scoring. In compiling America's Top 50 Courses for Women, we considered nominations and evaluations by our panel of more than 100 female raters, but ultimately we ranked the universe of daily-fee and public courses on how well they met the woman-friendly criteria established by the editors. Among them: at least one tee less than 5,300 yards; at least two sets of tees with USGA Slope and Course Ratings for women, minimal forced carries from the forward tees, and run-up areas to most or all greens.

1: Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Southern Pines, N.C., www.pineneedles-midpines.com, $235

2: The Boulders Resort Spa (South) Carefree, Ariz., www.theboulders.com, $250

3: Amelia Island Plantation (Ocean Links) Amelia Island, Fla., www.aipfl.com, $180

4: Running Y Ranch Klamath Falls, Ore., www.runningy.com, $125

5: Sea Island Resorts (Seaside) St. Simons Island, Ga., www.seaisland.com, $325

6: LPGA International (Champions) Daytona Beach, Fla., www.lpgainternational.com, $75

7: The Golf Club At Newcastle (China Creek) Newcastle, Wash., www.newcastlegolf.com, $125

8: Celebration Golf Club Celebration, Fla., www.celebrationgolf.com, $149

9: Kingsmill Resort & Spa (Plantation) Williamsburg, Va., www.kingsmill.com, $115

10: Grand Cypress Golf Club (East/North) Orlando, www.grandcypress.com, $250

11: Keystone Resort (River) Keystone, Colo., www.golfkeystone.com, $170

12: __ The Greenbrier (Old White)__ White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., www.greenbrier.com, $225

13: Reynolds Plantation (Oconee) Greensboro, Ga., www.reynoldsplantation.com, $265

14: Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Osprey Point) Kiawah Island, S.C., www.kiawahresort.com, $225

15: Southwood Golf Club Tallahassee, Fla., www.southwoodgolf.com, $75

16: Four Mile Ranch Cañon City, Colo., www.fourmileranch.com, $54

17: __ La Quinta Resort & Club (Mountain)__ La Quinta, Calif., www.laquintaresort.com, $179

18: Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club (Mountain) Tucson, www.ventanacanyonclub.com, $195

19: Snowmass Club Snowmass Village, Colo., www.snowmassclub.com, $220

20: Pinehurst Resort (No. 8) Pinehurst, N.C., www.pinehurst.com, $265

21: Turning Stone Resort & Casino (Shenendoah) Verona, N.Y., www.turningstone .com, $150

22: Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (Mystic Rock) Farmington, Pa., www.nemacolin.com, $185

23: Heritage Hill Golf Club Shepherdsville, Ky., www.hhgolfclub.com, $59

24: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, www.grandelakes.com, $209

25: Province Lake Parsonsfield, Maine, www.provincelakegolf.com, $49

26: Boyne Highlands Resort (Heather) Harbor Springs, Mich., www.boynehighlands.com, $134

27: King's Creek Golf Club Spring Hill, Tenn., www.kingscreekgolf.com, $49

28: Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean) Palm Coast, Fla., www.hammockbeach.com, $225

29: Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club (Miller) Aventura, Fla., www.fairmontgolf.com, $225

30: Treetops Resort (Rick Smith Signature) Gaylord, Mich., www.treetops.com, $145

31: Willbrook Plantation Golf Club Pawleys Island, S.C., www.mbn.com, $150

32: Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club Front Royal, Va., www.blueridgeshadows.com, $80

33: Purgatory Golf Club Noblesville, Ind., www.purgatorygolf .com, $75

34: The Golf Club at Del Webb Ave Maria, Fla., www.golfclubatdelwebb.com, $79

35: Half Moon Bay Golf Links (Ocean) Half Moon Bay, Calif., www.halfmoonbaygolf .com, $205

36: Murder Rock Golf and Country Club Hollister, Mo., www.murderrock.com, $80

37: Monarch Beach Golf Links Dana Point, Calif., www.monarchbeachgolf.com, $195

38: Rancho Mañana Golf Club Cave Creek, Ariz., www.ranchomanana.com, $139

39: Williamsburg National Golf Club (Yorktown) Williamsburg, Va., www.wngc.com, $79

40: Black Lake Golf Club Onaway, Mich., www.blacklakegolf.com, $85

41: Stowe Mountain Golf Club Stowe, Vt., www.summer.stowe .com, $205

42: Queenstown Harbor (Lakes) Queenstown, Md., www.mdgolf.com/queenstown, $69

43: Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Fazio Foothills) Austin, www.bartoncreek.com, $260

44: Wailea Golf Club (Emerald) Wailea, Maui, Hawaii, www.waileagolf.com, $225

45: Desert Willow Golf Resort (Mountain View) Palm Desert, Calif., www.desertwillow .com, $185

46: Sunriver Resort (Meadows) Sunriver, Ore., www.sunriver-resort.com, $109

47: Whistling Straits (Irish) Haven, Wis., www.whistlingstraits.com, $170

48: Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players) Indian Wells, Calif., www.indianwellsgolfresort.com, $155

49: The Sea Pines Resort (Heron Point) Hilton Head Island, www.seapines.com, $120

50: Angel Park Golf Club (Palm) Las Vegas, www.angelpark .com, $119