Most Divisive “Great” Public Courses in the U.S.

One of the most enjoyable rounds of golf I’ve ever played was my first visit to Tobacco Road, the twistedly terrific North Carolina masterpiece from architect Mike Strantz that’s about a half hour northeast of Pinehurst.

It was the first stop on a Sandhills golf road trip from the Northeast and my best bud and I had the first tee time of the day, going out as a twosome and getting a crash course in imaginative design, what Strantz called “functional artwork.”

We were quickly captivated by the boldness of the routing, extreme elevation changes, severely contoured greens, sprawling bunkering, and blind shots. Perhaps inspired by the drama of a former tobacco farm turned sand quarry that became one of golf’s most uncompromising designs, we both played exceedingly well and loved (almost) every minute of the unique experience.

To this day, Tobacco Road remains one of my favorite courses, so that’s why it’s so jarring when I hear from those who actively dislike it or use a descriptor along the lines of “Mickey Mouse golf.”

But golf is funny that way. Course preferences tend to be highly personal. They vary based on a player’s skill level and the course difficulty, design philosophy, aesthetic preferences, the green fee, and even the hype around a destination, whether that’s too little or too much. Some of the reasons I enjoyed Tobacco Road—the risk, challenge, visual intimidation, and extreme, unconventional design—are why it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, even if it’s ranked among the top publicly accessible courses in the nation.

Here are some of the other most divisive “great” public courses in the U.S.; in other words, generally well-regarded layouts that can elicit a higher percentage of criticism than some of their highly visible brethren.

Chambers Bay—University Place, Wash.

This thrill ride of a municipal course built in a former gravel mine boasts stunning views of the Olympic Mountains along Puget Sound. But more than just being one of the most controversial U.S. Open sites (in 2015), Chambers Bay is regarded as one of the most challenging walks in the game, with 600 feet of elevation gain that can take a toll on this walking-only layout. The stark look of the links-style layout isn’t one that fits the eye of some traditionalists either. It’s worth noting that the original fescue greens that made headlines in the U.S. Open have since been converted to poa annua and garnered exceedingly positive reviews.

TPC Sawgrass, Players Stadium Course—Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The home of The Players Championship, Pete Dye’s most famous course is also one of the sport’s most groundbreaking designs—the first true “stadium” course—with one of its most recognizable holes in the island green 17th. Ranked 41st in The LINKS 100, difficulties abound on this penal layout with small, tricky greens, challenging fairway and greenside bunkers, tall trees, and water hazards seemingly everywhere. Some golfers don’t like spending $750 during peak season to lose a dozen (or more) balls on a course that they’ll argue doesn’t have enough character and feels like hundreds of other “Florida courses.”

Whistling Straits, Straits Course—Sheboygan, Wis.

Carved along two miles of rugged Lake Michigan coastline, Whistling Straits has played host to multiple PGA Championships as well as the 2021 Ryder Cup and is one of the most visually arresting layouts in the game. It’s also not for the faint of heart when it comes to resort golf. Another Dye-abolical design, the Straits course is ranked among the elite venues in the world at 33rd in The LINKS 100 but does have its share of critics due to its punishing nature. The windswept property has deep bunkers, waste areas, and sandy scrapes seemingly everywhere—about 1,000 in total—in addition to narrow fairways that only heighten the intimidation. But that doesn’t deter most from considering it a must-play public course in the U.S.

Streamsong Black—Bowling Green, Fla.

Gil Hanse acknowledges that his addition to the color wheel at this central Florida golf resort is the most polarizing course he’s ever built. “It’s a strong 1 or a strong 3 in guest rankings,” says Hanse. “It’s never No. 2.” It’s a fun and strategic layout across a vast piece of landscape, but the big, bold features, blind shots, and tricky rolls and ridges take some getting used to. For some guests accustomed to, well, less-adventurous playing conditions who are playing a single round at Streamsong Black during their stay, it’s a course that’s been known to leave some frustrated.

Old Macdonald at Bandon Dunes—Bandon, Ore.

Old Mac is perhaps the Bandon Dunes counterpart to Streamsong Black, a windswept and wide-open layout that’s often misunderstood. For many visitors to the Oregon coast, this Tom Doak homage to architect C.B. Macdonald might be their introduction to template holes that are outside their comfort zone of familiarity. There are also massive greens that can be a terror to read and navigate. And the elements can dictate the experience on this course more than any other on property, especially when long holes are playing even longer dead into the wind and rain. It’s safe to say Old Mac is the most polarizing offering in the incredible Bandon portfolio and, for many, is a true love-it or hate-it proposition.

Shadow Creek—Las Vegas, Nev.

If you’ve got the money, Shadow Creek is one of those places that begs to be experienced. Who knows, over five hours you might even save yourself some cash at the course over the casino; it is Las Vegas after all. While perfectly manicured, one of the gripes occasionally heard about Shadow Creek is that it’s also completely manufactured, with Tom Fazio carving creeks, canyons, hills, and waterfalls out of a pancake-flat desert. Thus, it’s just too “man-made” for some critics, while others can’t stomach the notion of a playing fee that’s climbed past $1,000.

Pebble Beach Golf Links—Pebble Beach, Calif.

It feels like heresy to include a historic landmark of a course in one of the most beautiful spots for golf on the planet. After all, Pebble Beach is the top-ranked U.S. public course in The LINKS 100. But when you’re on top…some people inevitably take shots. Pebble Beach has some of the most stunning holes you’ll find anywhere, like the par-three 7th and the closing par-five 18th, but there is divisiveness from some corners about the inland holes being less inspired. Like with most of the world’s best courses, there is a significant financial decision to be made in securing a tee time; nevertheless, playing Pebble is a bucket-list item by all accounts.

Wolf Creek—Mesquite, Nev.

You won’t find a canvas like this very often in the world of golf. Wolf Creek, just over an hour from Las Vegas, sometimes can feel like playing golf on the moon, or in a video game. It’s a wild ride that starts with a massively downhill tee shot on the opening hole and concludes with a waterfall on the 18th. With peril seemingly everywhere, Wolf Creek presents a dramatic course that weaves through sandstone canyons and up and down hills and ridges. No matter what side of the aisle you fall on, there’s no doubt it’s a singular experience that must be seen to be believed.

(Side note: I’ve played all the above courses but Shadow Creek and would eagerly go back to all but one… I’ll let you try and guess which one…)

Let us know, are there any generally well-regarded public courses you’ve played that you weren’t necessarily a fan of?