Best Affordable
Why we see hope with affordable public golf

Future generations will look back from 2015 to 2025, a period that is likely to extend longer still, as one of the most fertile, creative and lucrative eras in the history of golf course development and renovation. Far-flung sites throughout the United States that would have never been considered for development are now home to some of the most adventurous and attractive golf courses ever created, including places like Ohoopee Match Club, CapRock Ranch, Gamble Sands, Congaree, the courses at Sand Valley, Cabot Cliffs, Landmand, and a spate of private destination courses just now coming online. This coincides with a renovation and restoration renaissance of historic private clubs with $20 to $30 million budgets.
What future generations won’t laud this period for is the widespread care and development of affordable golf. As private clubs new and old break geographic and financial barriers, a relatively constant if not shrinking number of municipal and public courses continue to serve the needs of the vast majority of the golfing public.
While there have been some rays of light in the affordable public golf arena—Papago Golf Club in Phoenix, Belmont Golf Course in Richmond, Francis Byrne in Essex County, N.J., Winter Park 9 near Orlando—too often it is up to cities and counties with limited resources to upkeep and expand their golf options. As the rich get richer, the rest of us make the best of what we’ve got.
It's too soon to know if there’s tangible movement toward a revival of affordable public golf, at least on any kind of meaningful scale, but we were encouraged in 2024 to see more than a few courses that qualify as affordable open or reopen after significant renovations. For the first time since 2007 we are pleased to revive the category of Best Affordable New or Remodeled Course. “Affordable” is somewhat of a subjective target in 2025, but these courses can all be played in some capacity for $79 or less, and most are in the $30-to-$50 range.
We hope this is a Best New category that grows in the coming years.
Additional write-ups and photos on every candidate can be found on each of the additional pieces of content. Plus, explore each course review page and leave reviews on the courses you've played to have your ratings featured on our pages.
Best New or Remodeled Affordable Courses
Explore our brand-new course reviews experience with individual course pages for bonus photography, drone footage and expanded reviews of top international courses and all 17,000-plus courses in the United States. Post your own ratings for courses you’ve played … and tell us where it should be ranked.




4. Old Bridge Golf Club: The Rose
Old Bridge, NJ

