Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course
Just around the corner from Pebble Beach is Pacific Grove, which can be played by non-residents for about $50-70 walking and features an oceanfront back nine.
Tony Roberts/Corbis via Getty Images
Bethpage Black Course Scenics
Bethpage Black is one of the most difficult courses in the country, but New York residents and tourists alike still find the green fees to be an exceptional value for a major championship experience. (Residents: $65-75, Non-residents: $130-150).
Chris Condon/US PGA TOUR
Winter Park 9 - walkers
Central Florida's 9-hole Winter Park Golf Course renovation was done extremely economically and has led to the course making a profit for the city. ($13-21)
Matt Ginella/Golf Advisor
Coronado Golf Course
Just across the bridge from downtown San Diego, Coronado Golf Course is one of the best waterfront values in the country and it is immensely popular. Non-residents pay $42-49 but there is an advanced booking fee of $18 as well.
Courtesy of Coronado G.C.
Northwood Golf Course
Northwood Golf Course in Sonoma, California is a spectacular 9-hole layout originally built by Alister Mackenzie. ($39-47). It's a special chance to walk beneath towering redwoods.
Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Wild Horse Golf Club in Nebraska - No. 18
In Gothenburg, Nebraska, Wild Horse is one of the great rural value courses. It is located just off I-80. ($51.50-61.50)
Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Wailua Golf Course
Kauai's Wailua Golf Course features plenty of ocean scenery. Non-residents can play for $48-60.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Jeffersonville Golf Club - No. 13
Among the Donald Ross porfolio available to public play, the best combination of value and architectural integrity can be found In metro Philadelphia at Jeffersonville Golf Club. ($32-62)
Tim Gavrich/Golf Advisor
Rustic Canyon - no. 16
Designed by Gil Hanse and L.A.-based golf writer Geoff Shackelford, Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Moorpark, Calif., is one of the best values in the Los Angeles metro area. ($44-69)
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Links at Grand National GC: #3
Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail broke the mold as the best value golf buddies trip in the country. Grand National's Links & Lakes nines can be played for $65.
Grand National GC
Sweetens Cove - View from the clubhouse of 9th green
Near Chattanooga, Tennessee, 9-hole Sweetens Cove has become a pilgrimage for value seekers. You can walk all day for $45 and each green has two sets of pins.
Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Golf Club at Redlands Mesa - hole 17
The best mountain course value in the country would likely be the Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, with spectacular scenery for $77.
Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Pilgrim's Run Golf Club - hole 4
Michigan is a well-known value state, and among its most famous bargain courses is Pilgrim's Run, a Mike Devries design north of Grand Rapids.
Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Memorial Park - No. 2
Avid fans of architect Tom Doak - or those who love playing PGA Tour venues, will be eager to play Houston's Memorial Park, just $30-40 walking.
Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
14 Images
What is America's iconic value course?
A collection of popular golf courses coast-to-coast have earned a larger-than-life reputation thanks to their significant bang-for-buck.
Houston's Memorial Park Golf Course reopened on November 4th, 2019 after an extensive 10-month renovation by architect Tom Doak with player consultant Brooks Koepka. The $15 million project will bring the PGA Tour's Houston Open inside the city's I-610 loop to a historic and immensely popular municipal golf course that prior to the renovation received about 60,000 rounds annually and had a lottery system for tee times.
Now reopen and with walking rates as low as $30 during the week, Memorial Park figures to be one of the most popular public courses in the United States. Even more significant is that there is no difference between resident and non-resident green fees or booking privileges. That's in contrast to such fabled muni facilities as TPC Harding Park and Torrey Pines where the visitor rate can be $100-175 higher.
Memorial Park's rebirth is a reminder the country has exceptionally low green fees in both major metropolises as well as in rural areas well worth the drive. With these cherished rounds in mind, we're considering the golf courses that are America's most iconic value play coast-to-coast, and even in Hawaii. These courses have been known to deliver a unique and superlative experience to golfers for much if not all of their entire existence.
What is the best value golf course in America? Review it right here.
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![Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course]()
Just around the corner from Pebble Beach is Pacific Grove, which can be played by non-residents for about $50-70 walking and features an oceanfront back nine. Tony Roberts/Corbis via Getty Images -
![Bethpage Black Course Scenics]()
Bethpage Black is one of the most difficult courses in the country, but New York residents and tourists alike still find the green fees to be an exceptional value for a major championship experience. (Residents: $65-75, Non-residents: $130-150). Chris Condon/US PGA TOUR -
![Winter Park 9 - walkers]()
Central Florida's 9-hole Winter Park Golf Course renovation was done extremely economically and has led to the course making a profit for the city. ($13-21) Matt Ginella/Golf Advisor -
Just across the bridge from downtown San Diego, Coronado Golf Course is one of the best waterfront values in the country and it is immensely popular. Non-residents pay $42-49 but there is an advanced booking fee of $18 as well. Courtesy of Coronado G.C.
-
![Northwood Golf Course]()
Northwood Golf Course in Sonoma, California is a spectacular 9-hole layout originally built by Alister Mackenzie. ($39-47). It's a special chance to walk beneath towering redwoods. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor -
![Wild Horse Golf Club in Nebraska - No. 18]()
In Gothenburg, Nebraska, Wild Horse is one of the great rural value courses. It is located just off I-80. ($51.50-61.50) Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor -
![Wailua Golf Course]()
Kauai's Wailua Golf Course features plenty of ocean scenery. Non-residents can play for $48-60. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor -
![Jeffersonville Golf - No, 13]()
Among the Donald Ross porfolio available to public play, the best combination of value and architectural integrity can be found In metro Philadelphia at Jeffersonville Golf Club. ($32-62) Tim Gavrich/Golf Advisor -
Designed by Gil Hanse and L.A.-based golf writer Geoff Shackelford, Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Moorpark, Calif., is one of the best values in the Los Angeles metro area. ($44-69) Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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![Links at Grand National GC: #3]()
Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail broke the mold as the best value golf buddies trip in the country. Grand National's Links & Lakes nines can be played for $65. Grand National GC -
![Sweetens Cove]()
Near Chattanooga, Tennessee, 9-hole Sweetens Cove has become a pilgrimage for value seekers. You can walk all day for $45 and each green has two sets of pins. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor -
The best mountain course value in the country would likely be the Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, with spectacular scenery for $77. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
-
Michigan is a well-known value state, and among its most famous bargain courses is Pilgrim's Run, a Mike Devries design north of Grand Rapids. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
-
![Memorial Park - No. 2]()
Avid fans of architect Tom Doak - or those who love playing PGA Tour venues, will be eager to play Houston's Memorial Park, just $30-40 walking. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Brandon Tucker is the Sr. Managing Editor for GolfPass and was the founding editor of Golf Advisor in 2014, he was the managing editor for Golf Channel Digital's Courses & Travel. To date, his golf travels have taken him to over two dozen countries and nearly 600 golf courses worldwide. While he's played some of the most prestigious courses in the world, Tucker's favorite way to play the game is on a great muni in under three hours. Follow Brandon on Twitter at @BrandonTucker and on Instagram at @btuck34.
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