Professional golfer Rickie Fowler owns six PGA Tour victories, including the 2015 Players Championship, and has competed for the U.S. on five Ryder Cup teams and three Presidents Cup teams. With nine top 5s in major championships, it’s evident that he knows how to handle the toughest tracks. So which courses does he find the most demanding—and which ones are his favorites? We posed those questions to Rickie at a COBRA Golf event at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., on the eve of the 2025 WM Phoenix Open.
Here are Rickie’s picks in this edition of “My Courses.”
MY FAVORITE COURSE: Royal County Down. We played it in the ’07 Walker Cup. My favorite style of golf is links golf and yeah, County Down, on a day with good weather, it’s tough to beat. There’s plenty of others on my list but that’s been the one that sits on top.
FIRST COURSE I EVER PLAYED: I’m actually not sure. I’m probably going to say it was The Colony [now known as California Oaks], which was a little executive course back where I grew up in Southern California, in Murietta.
THE COURSE I’VE PLAYED MOST OFTEN: If it’s over the last 15 years, I’d probably say it’s Medalist which is back home in South Florida, up in Hobe Sound.
COURSE THAT PRODUCED THE SWEETEST MEMORY: For some of my best memories, I might go back to Karsten Creek. I went to school at Oklahoma State for two years and I played a lot of rounds of golf while I was there. Really good memories.
HARDEST COURSE I EVER PLAYED: I’ll go with the U.S. Open at Olympic [in 2012]. It’s a U.S. Open setup, so you’re going to have some thick and healthy rough and they’re some of the hardest fairways to hit in the world. A lot of doglegs and the fairways slope in the opposite direction and that’s what makes those fairways among the hardest to hit. So, with that, and then you’re playing U.S. Open rough. It doesn’t matter how short the shot is coming in, if you’re not in the fairway, good luck.
BEST COURSE I EVER PLAYED: Well, I said my favorite was Royal County Down and there are a few others on my list, but when I think of the best I’ve ever played, Augusta’s obviously there, Shinnecock [Hills], Cypress [Point], and then Royal Melbourne.
A COURSE NOT IN THE TOP 100 THAT SHOULD BE: Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to play very many. I mean, I’ve played a handful of the top 100, but it’s not like we travel and just go play golf courses type of thing. I don’t know if I have any hidden gems. The ones that I’ve played that are good are in the top 100. So, I’m going to have to do some more research and go play some more for you.
A COURSE IN THE TOP 100 THAT HAS MY NUMBER: I’d have to throw Shinnecock on there. I played well there in the [2018] U.S. Open and have had good scores in casual rounds as well, but it’s a golf course that will beat you up if you’re not on your game.
THE NO. 1 COURSE ON MY BUCKET LIST: Bandon Dunes.
THE COURSE I’D PLAY IF I HAD JUST ONE MORE ROUND: That’s a hard one. I might have to flip a coin between Augusta and Cypress.
THE COURSE I’D PLAY IF I COULD PLAY ONLY ONE COURSE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE: Cypress Point.
Tetherow is still waiting for you brother
I like Rickie’s Bandon Dunes bucket list pick.
As just some rando, here’s my responses:
Favorite: The Virtues (formerly Longaberger Golf Club), Nashport, OH
I always try to get to this course whenever we visit my wife’s big family in Columbus. This Arthur Hill’s design is special. Every hole reveals itself like a curtain rising as you approach the tee, There are only a couple of places where you glimpse any of the other holes. One of the few courses I’ve played where I could easily recall every hole after the first time I played there. That is rare and speaks a lot to Hills’ design and the crew’s maintenance. Play this course if you are near Columbus.
First course I ever played: Goddard Park, East Greenwich, RI
After the occasional round at Al’s Pitch & Putt next to TF Green Airport in Warwick, RI, I felt ready to take on a real (9-hole) course. So I convinced my buddy Terry to join and share my ancient bag of Wilson blades. It was a dusty hack fest, but I have never forgotten that first time. Lots of lost balls.
The course I’ve played most often: Francis Byrne Golf Course, West Orange, NJ
Not easy because there are several I’ve played a lot at different decades in my life. Byrne, the former west course of Essex County Country Club, was designed by Seth Raynor protege Charles Banks, and it recently had an expensive, excellent renovation. This is a hard course with long par-4s and new bunkers where I used to always like to aim off the tee. Probably now one of NJ’s best public courses, and only about 12 minutes from my abode. Grateful for Byrne.
Course that produced the sweetest memory: Rehoboth Country Club, Rehoboth, MA (defunct)
No longer there, played Rehoboth a lot in the early 1990s and it’s where I made my first-ever birdie – par-3 3rd hole, about 145 yards, carrying a swampy, cat-o-nine-tails type area. Also sweetest memories on every course at Bandon.
Hardest course I ever played: Montauk Downs Golf Course, Montauk, NY
This Robert Trent Jones gem is often called (cliche) the poor man’s Shinnecock. A beautiful course that has kicked my ass every time I’ve been there. Used to take advantage of the sunrise walk-on openings in early June when you can tee off at like 5:30am. Have definitely finished rounds here by 10am, and then wept all the way back to the old East Deck Motel at Ditch Plains (now long gone).
Best course I ever played: Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, CA
This is the one I liked best of the three Pebble courses. Perfect weather, great caddie (Orion), good buddy (Conor) and course in fabulous shape with late afternoon shadows and light. The view of Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz mountains from the first tee is worth the greens fees. It’s all gravy after that.
Course not in top 100 that should be: I’ll say The Virtues again.
When it was Longaberger, it was ranked inside the top 50 of public courses you can play. It should still be there.
Course in top 100 that has my number: All of them.
I haven’t played enough top 100s enough times for any one of them to “have my number.” I’ve sucked equally on all of them.
No. 1 course on my bucket list: Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
Just look at the pictures.
Course I’d play if I had just one more round: Sheep Ranch, Bandon, OR
Bandon is a spiritual place and Sheep Ranch is most spiritual for me. Amazing views of the coast, fun, beautiful golf holes and great memories with my caddie Wallie. This is not a hard choice.
If only one course for the rest of my life: Cypress Point
I’ve never played Cypress but I’ve seen the pictures, read the stories, and it looks really nice. I think I’d be happy playing there for the rest of my miserable life.