Advertisement
Courses
Guides
SIGN UP
Guides

The best golf courses in Kansas

By Derek Duncan and Stephen Hennessey
May 29, 2025
Save for later

Like its neighbor Oklahoma, Kansas has always been a one-course state. That is, there's one course every other course aspires to be like. In Oklahoma that’s somewhat possible since No. 1 Southern Hills, built by Perry Maxwell in 1936, occupies a nice piece of land south of Tulsa but not one that bears any special originality. Kansas’ No. 1, also built by Maxwell a year later (at least nine holes; the second nine were added by his son, Press, in the 1950s), is different: Prairie Dunes’ landscape of grassy, rolling sand dunes studded with clusters of cottonwoods is completely one-of-a-kind.

Kansas' second-ranked course, Flint Hills National, which debuted at No. 43 on America's 100 Greatest Courses in 2005, also occupies a scenic, varied site near the unique geological area from where it gets its name. Rounding out the top 10 is an intriguing blend of old and newer courses, prairie and city, moneyed and modest. One of the most venerable courses, No. 4 Kansas City Country Club, designed by A.W. Tillinghast and home to a young Tom Watson, has just finished a major remodel by Andrew Green. We’ll see how that work may improve its status in 2027.

Below you'll find our 2025-'26 ranking of the Best Golf Courses in Kansas.

Scroll on for the complete list of the best courses in Kansas. Be sure to click through to each individual course page for bonus photography and reviews from our course panelists. We also encourage you to leave your own ratings … so you can make your case for (or against) any course that you've played.

false Public
10. Sand Creek Station
Newton, KS
3.8
8 Panelists
Previous rank: NR
In 2014, Sand Creek Station hosted the final U.S. Amateur Public Links, a championship first played in 1922. Byron Meth captured the title in 2014, defeating Doug Ghim in extra holes. The course, located about 30 minutes north of Wichita, is bisected by a railway and features several template holes, including the Road Hole and Redan.
View Course
false Private
9. Wichita Country Club
Wichita, KS
3.8
8 Panelists
Previous rank: 10
Wichita Country Club is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Kansas. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information
View Course
false Public
8. Colbert Hills
Manhattan, KS
3.9
7 Panelists
Previous rank: 9
Designed by eight-time PGA Tour winner Jim Colbert along with architect Jeff Brauer, Colbert Hills is the highest-ranked public course in the state and ranked in the top 10 in our Best in Kansas rankings. Colbert, a decorated collegiate golfer who finished runner-up at NCAAs during his time at Kansas State, included a fun element as an homage to his alma mater on the fifth hole, with a bunker complex in the shape of a wildcat paw print (in honor of the school’s mascot). On big football weekends, the facility will make the sand purple. Colbert Hills is a challenging yet playable layout with strategic hazards but generous fairways and large putting surfaces, which average over 7,000 square feet. The rolling terrain offers terrific views of the beautiful Flint Hills region framed by native prairie tallgrass. In addition to being home of the Kansas State men’s and women’s golf teams, it also houses the First Tee of Manhattan, including the Earl Woods National Youth Golf Academy, named for Tiger’s father who was born in Manhattan, played baseball at K-State and was the first Black baseball player in the Big Seven conference (now the Big 12).
View Course
false Private
7. Milburn Country Club
Overland Park, KS
3.5
2 Panelists
Previous rank: 7
Milburn Country Club in Overland Park is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Kansas. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information
View Course
false Private
6. Hallbrook Country Club
Leawood, KS
4.1
6 Panelists
Previous rank: 5
Hallbrook Country Club in Leawood is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Kansas. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information
View Course
false Private
5. Wolf Creek Kansas
Olathe, KS
4
6 Panelists
Previous rank: 4
Wolf Creek in Olathe is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Kansas. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information
View Course
false Private
4. Kansas City Country Club
Mission Hills, KS
4
2 Panelists
Previous rank: 6
Kansas City Country Club is ranked as one of the best golf courses in Kansas. Discover our experts' reviews and tee time information
View Course

More From Golf Digest

Golf Digest Logo
America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses
false Private
3. Shadow Glen Golf Club
Olathe, KS
4.2
3 Panelists
Previous rank: 3
Debuting as Golf Digest’s Best New Private Course in 1989, Shadow Glen plays along rocky ridges and through tree-lined valleys. The course sits less than a half-hour from Kansas City and presents an array of challenges, including stone-lined water hazards, rugged ravines and undulating greens. The Tom Weiskopf design is a past member of our 100 Greatest list, and has been ranked inside the top five on our Best in Kansas list since 1991.
View Course
false Private
2. Flint Hills National Golf Club
Andover, KS
4.3
20 Panelists
Previous rank: 2
Located 15 miles east of Wichita on the western perimeter of its namesake Flint Hills prairie region, Tom Fazio incorporated gently rolling terrain, prairie grasses and a meandering body of water into the design. The course features generous zoysia fairways flanked by penal bluegrass rough with fast, highly contoured greens broken into multiple tiers and a naturalistic bunker style that matches the broad prairie environment. Stretching over 7,000 yards with five par-3s, the highly walkable routing shows off a variety of native wildlife. Owner Tom Devlin is a fervent supporter of amateur golf, and Flint Hills has hosted three USGA national championships and a variety of other amateur competitions.
View Course
false Private
1. Prairie Dunes Country Club
Hutchinson, KS
4.8
23 Panelists
Previous rank: 1
Prairie Dunes was the top nine-hole course in America for 20 years. By the time the club found funds to expand it to 18, original architect Perry Maxwell had passed away, but his son Press was able to add nine more holes seamlessly in the 1950s, putting three on the front nine and six on the back. He also replicated his father’s great greens, which seem to break in three different directions. Prairie Dunes reflects all that is common in rural Kansas: sand dunes, prairie grasses, yucca plants, cottonwoods and constant wind.
View Course

More From Golf Digest

Golf Digest Logo
Our Complete Ranking of the Best Golf Courses in Every State

• • •

Explore Golf Digest's new Course Reviews section where you can submit a star rating and evaluation on all the courses you’ve played. We've collected tens of thousands of reviews from our course-ranking panelists to deliver a premium experience, which includes course rankings, experts' opinions, bonus course photography, videos and much more. Check it out here!

Share story

Trending Now