The Reserve At Moonlight Basin
Big Sky, MT, United States • Private
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/moonlight-basin-big-sky-seventeenth-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/moonlight-basin-big-sky-seventeenth-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1679934693198.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![Moonlight Basin #1 TB](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin%201%20TB.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1625404861589.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/moonlight-basin-big-sky-second-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/moonlight-basin-big-sky-second-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1679934805841.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/moonlight-basin-big-sky-third-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/moonlight-basin-big-sky-third-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1679934882652.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin5_DJI_0574 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin5_DJI_0574%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404867171.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin5_DJI_0825 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin5_DJI_0825%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404866325.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin6_DJI_0320 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin6_DJI_0320%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404865585.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin7_DJI_0349 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin7_DJI_0349%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404864803.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin9_DJI_0453 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin9_DJI_0453%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404863938.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![Moon Basin #10 TB](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin%2010%20TB.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1625404861376.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![Moonlight Basin #10](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin%2010.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1625404821959.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![Moonlight Basin #12 Aerial](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin%2012%20Aerial.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1625404820903.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/The Reserve-Hole 13-Media Selects-10.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/The%20Reserve-Hole%2013-Media%20Selects-10.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1625404861286.jpeg)
Lone Mountain Land Company
![Moonlight Basin #14](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin%2014.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1625404819578.jpeg)
Aidan Bradley
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin15_DJI_0864 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin15_DJI_0864%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404863174.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin16_DJI_0906 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin16_DJI_0906%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404860587.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin17_DJI_0641 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin17_DJI_0641%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404862354.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight Basin18_DJI_0605 .jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/6/Moonlight%20Basin18_DJI_0605%20%20.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1625404840147.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-Threetees-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-Threetees-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1707429474538.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1707429481974.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-Trees-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-Trees-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1707429480775.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
![/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-Tees-27767.jpg](http://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/course-photos-for-places-to-play/The-RESERVE-at-Moonlight-Basin-Tees-27767.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1707429476601.jpeg)
Evan Schiller
Overview
The Reserve at Moonlight Basin is just the third course from Montana to appear in the national rankings, joining Tom Doak’s Rock Creek Cattle Company (No. 56) and Robert Trent Jones’ Yellowstone C.C., which surfaced in the 1960s on the list of America’s “Toughest” courses. Located near Big Sky at an elevation of 7,500 feet above sea level, the Jack Nicklaus design is the highest (in altitude) in the rankings. Big sky is apt—the course was built on the site of an old ski mountain with 360-degree panoramas of the surrounding Rockies, and the impressively large holes race, slalom and dive across circuits of terrain that twist different directions through the wilderness. With numerous downhill shots through the thin air, the championship yardage of 8,000 yards doesn’t seem egregious, and scoring well actually requires a high degree control in judging where the ball will carry and settle. The epic vistas of holes like the par 4 first and par 5 17th (at over 700 yards) are sights to behold, for golfers and non-golfers alike.
About
Awards
![100 Greatest the Second 100](/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/awards/100Greatest_Second100FINAL.png)
![Best Courses in Every State](/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/awards/BestCoursesInEveryState_FINAL.png)
Ranking history:
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 176th in its debut appearance (2023-'24)
Best in State: Ranked second, 2019-'24. Ranked fifth, 2017-'18.
2023-'24 ranking: 2nd.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Moonlight Basin might be the most beautiful mountain course I've seen. It is partially around the mountain from Big Sky, so it takes seclusion to a new level. The terrain is severe, so some of the holes play way downhill. The course is challenging but gives enough width to be fair. Make sure the cart has bear spray before you set out!"
Read More2021
Review
“Difficult course with unbelievable beauty. For scratch golfers it is a must to play"
Read More2021
Review
“Huge elevation changes with unparalleled views of the spectacular Big Sky mountains."
Read More2020
Readers
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