Top “Dunes” Courses You Can Play in the U.S.

There’s a lot to like about the word “dune”—a hill or ridge of sand piled up by the wind—when it comes to the world of golf.

Sandy soil makes for terrific drainage, and the perfect base for a golf course. The undulating nature of dunes in general means a varied terrain, and the potential for aesthetically pleasing drama.

In addition, the creation of a true dune is by definition an act of nature, therefore an authenticity that many golf architects yearn for.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on the remote south Oregon coast might be top of mind for many golfers when it comes to “dunes” courses, after all the bucket-list resort destination has both its original course—Bandon Dunes—and Pacific Dunes.

Following are a dozen more quality courses in the U.S. with “dunes” in their name that the public can play.

Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club (Maricopa, Ariz.)

An Australian Sand Belt-style golf course set in the Arizona desert, this scenic design from Fred Couples and Brian Curley sprawls across 320 acres of land on the Ak-Chin Indian Reservation. Originally developed as a private course, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes underwent a renovation a decade ago during which it was transformed into a more player-friendly venue.

American Dunes Golf Club (Grand Haven, Mich.)

This Jack Nicklaus design was created to memorialize the birthplace of the Folds of Honor Foundation. Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, a fighter pilot and PGA Professional who founded Folds of Honor in 2007, led a group of patriots who joined together to create not only a top daily fee destination, but a haven for veterans who find rehabilitation through the game.

Awarii Dunes Golf Club (Axtell, Neb.)

Architect Jim Engh, perhaps best known for unique designs at The Club at Black Rock (Idaho), The Creek Club at Reynolds Lake Oconee (Georgia), and Fossil Trace (Colorado), took inspiration from links courses in Ireland and brought a bit of the Emerald Isle to the Nebraska Sand Hills. The routing at Awarii Dunes winds through, around, and sometimes up and over dunes.

Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club (Ocean View, Del.)

Three miles west of Bethany Beach, this memorable Rick Jacobson design sits on coastal terrain and, yes, abundant sand dunes. The facility has 27 holes in total, with greens that are fast and true, and has been long recognized as one of the finest public courses in The First State.

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)

A member-owned, semi-private club with more than 800 members, The Dunes Golf & Beach Club is the only oceanfront facility in Myrtle Beach. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the property has played host to a handful of professional tournaments—most notably, the return of the PGA Tour’s Myrtle Beach Classic.

Forest Dunes Golf Club (Roscommon, Mich.)

Tucked in the secluded Huron National Forest in northern Michigan, Forest Dunes has several courses at this golf-centric getaway. The newer of the two 18s is The Loop, a reversible layout inspired by Scotland’s earliest links, but the original—Forest Dunes—is a Tom Weiskopf design that first cuts through the heavily wooded forest before winding through sand dunes deposited by glaciers. The regulation-length designs are complemented by the 10-hole Bootlegger short course designed by Keith Rhebb and Riley Johns, as well as the Hilltop putting course covering close to two acres.

Grande Dunes Resort Club (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)

Showcasing some of the finest views in the Myrtle Beach golf scene, Grande Dunes boasts five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway. The Roger Rulewich design has been ranked among America’s 100 greatest public golf courses and recently underwent a renovation project that included new greens and a complete bunker overhaul.

Kiva Dunes Golf Course (Gulf Shores, Ala.)

This links-style course is on the short list for the best in Alabama, set in a pristine and secluded conservation area, with coastal greenery, natural marsh, and a lot of exposed sand. The layout was designed by the property’s developer, Jim Edgemon, in collaboration with former U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate, a fellow University of Alabama alum.

Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley Golf Resort (Nekoosa, Wis.)

The second regulation-length offering at rapidly expanding Sand Valley in central Wisconsin, this unique design from David McLay Kidd is known for its enormous fairways and visually spectacular hillsides of exposed sand—the mammoth dunes that gave the course its name.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort (Hilton Head Island, S.C.)

This resort on “The Golf Island” is known for its three courses designed by three different, accomplished architects: Robert Trent Jones Sr., Arthur Hills, and George Fazio. RTJ’s wide open design (so long as you avoid the omnipresent lagoons) is home to one of only two true oceanfront holes on Hilton Head Island.

PGA WEST—Dunes Course (La Quinta, Calif.)

Pete Dye designed this demanding layout that’s dramatically situated at the foot of  the Santa Rosa mountains, adding a tougher twist to the traditional Scottish experience. The Dunes Course is one of five public courses at the property, along with another four private facilities.

Wild Dunes Resort (Isle of Palms, S.C.)

In the Charleston area, this award-winning South Carolina resort features two 18-hole courses—the Links Course and Harbor Course—designed by Tom Fazio. In fact, the Links layout was the very first from Fazio and features a finishing hole overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Which other “dunes” courses would you add to the lineup?