Exclusive Golf Courses Where You Can Tee Off

As the warm days begin to drift away, golfers everywhere are feeling the itch to get out and hit the links. Longing for a pro-worthy experience? Don’t even think about heading to Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky – the course Rory McIlroy strong-armed during his recent PGA Championship win. Membership is private, and the initial fee will run you $40,000.

There are, of course, equally spectacular greens that are open to the public. But just because they are public doesn’t mean it’s easy to score a tee time. Many, if not most, require reservations months in advance. Others require that golfers be guests at the resorts they call home.

Still feeling the need to iron out your game in style? Here’s a look at the most exclusive courses, where you don’t need a green jacket to take a swing.

Hole 9 at the Ocean Course at Kiawah (Photo: The Ocean Golf Course at Kiawah Island)

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Golf architect Pete Dye designed the Ocean Course to let the wind have an effect on the game, upping the ante for even the most experienced golfers. In 2010, “Golf Digest” named this the toughest course in America. Regardless, it remains a pro favorite and has been home to a slew of tournaments, including the 1997 and 2003 World Cups, the 2001 UBS Cup, the 2005 PGA Professional National Championship, the 2007 Senior PGA, and last year’s PGA Championship. The 1991 Ryder Cup was dubbed “The War by the Shore.” And the $338 per-round rate can definitely be a battle with the budget.

The challenging second hole at Pinehurst (Photo: Pinehurst No. 2)

Pinehurst No. 2, Pinehurst, North Carolina

While the Pinehurst Golf Resort features eight courses, it is the No. 2 Course that consistently ranks among the best in the world. Originally designed by Donald Ross, it was recently renovated by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. This year it hosted the 2014 U.S. Open, won by Martin Kaymer. It costs $450 to score a tee time.

The 18th green at the Greenbrier Old White (Photo: Matt/Flickr)

Greenbrier Old White TPC, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

While the Greenbrier Old White TPC course epitomizes — and symbolizes — the history of early American golf, its layout, designed by C.B. MacDonald in 1914, pays homage to Europe’s most illustrious links, with holes modeled after famous counterparts, including North Berwick, Prestwick, and St. Andrews. Want to play this historic spot? The $375 modern-day greens fee will get you a tee time.

A perfectly landscaped hole at TPC Sawgrass (Photo: TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course)

TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Many golfers flock to the par-three TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course just for the famed island green on the 17 hole. Rumor has it that more than 100,000 balls end up resting in the watery grave surrounding the hole every year. Can’t swing the $375 fee? Every July the club cuts its rates to $170 and $135, respectively, for weekday and weekend rounds.

Hole 9, also called “Down and Dirty,” at Whistling Straits (Photo: Whistling Straits)

Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin

Named for the gusty winds that swirl around the greens, Whistling Straits is best known for the 1,000-plus bunkers that pose a serious challenge even for the pros. During the 2010 PGA Championship, Dustin Johnson grounded his club in one of the bunkers on the 72nd hole, resulting in a penalty that forced him to drop out. It has been home to the 2004 PGA Championship, the Palmer Cup, and the U.S. Open. It is also set to host the 2020 Ryder Cup. Think you got the skills to play the Straits? Well, then you got to have the dough too. A round will run you $370, plus $60 for a caddie.

A view over the legendary 8th hole at the Cherry Hills Country Club (Photo: Cherry Hills Country Club)

Cherry Hills Country Club, Colorado

In a posh suburb of Denver, the Cherry Hills Country Club has a long history, designed in 1922 by William Flynn, who was an expert at blending courses into nature. Over the years, the 7,000-plus-yard course has played host to many of golf’s greats — from Arnold Palmer to Jack Nicklaus — as well as multiple tournaments, including the USGA, the PGA Championship, and the BMW Championship, currently on view. While the club is technically private, guests can play if they’re accompanied by a member, and they can buy tickets to attend the BMW Championship. The course’s location near the Mile High City — more than a mile above sea level — also has an impact on how the course plays, with some of the most memorable finishing holes in the sport.

The 17th hole at CordeValle Golf Course (Photo: CordeValle Golf Course)

CordeValle Golf Course, San Martin, California

Robert Trent Jones Jr. built this gem in the Silicon Valley surrounded by a private preserve — giving golfers the feeling that they are playing on their own course. And at first CordeValle was for members only. Today, the creek and scrub oak stunner is part of a tony resort. Wanna play? Then ya gotta stay. And even then, it will cost you $440. One way to avoid the deep greens fee? Compete in the Frys.com Open, which was staged here for the first time in 2010.

An oceanfront hole at Pebble Beach (Photo: Pebble Beach Golf Links)

Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, California

With holes nestled along the coastline — including one on a peninsula that juts into the ocean — this Jack Neville course is considered one of the most beautiful in America. Pebble Beach has hosted five U.S. Opens and a PGA Tour, making even the average golfer feel like one of the elite when playing. That alone is worth the $495 per person, per round fee. The bonus: It ranked No. 1 on the Golf Digest list of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.

Views of Monterey Bay, from Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Photo: Harvey Barrison/Flickr)

Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, California

Spyglass Hill takes its name from the legend that “Treasure Island” author Robert Louis Stevenson once went there to gather ideas for his novel. Paying homage to that, some of the holes have names like “Black Dog” and “Billy Bones” in reference to pirates. Since this course is considered one of the toughest in the world, it is even more impressive that in 2005 Phil Mickelson set a record of 62 here. The Robert Trend Sr.-designed course opened in 1962 and is part of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tour. The opening nine holes are also legendary for their jaw-dropping views that stretch along the Monterey Coast. Expect to drop $385, plus cart fees.

This is not how you usually picture Las Vegas. (Photo: Shadow Creek Golf Course)

Shadow Creek Golf Course, Las Vegas

You don’t need to be a pro golfer to play the Shadow Creek Golf Course — but a pro gambler. Only high rollers (or celebs) staying at the MGM Mirage properties are lucky enough to hit these secluded links owned by casino mogul Steve Wynn. Even though it sits in the floor of the Las Vegas desert, Shadow Creek is anything but barren. The lush 18-hole course, designed by Tom Fazio, has over 21,000 different types of trees and redefines the term “greens.” The $500 fee comes with limo service to and from the course and a personal caddy.

The Tom Fazio-deisgned course at the Wynn (Wynn Las Vegas)

The Wynn, Las Vegas

Just as he did with his Shadow Creek property, casino mogul Steve Wynn turned to Tom Fazio to create a golf course worthy of the Las Vegas Strip for the Wynn. Fazio delivered, literally moving a mountain and adding a game-stopping waterfall behind the 18th green. Try to roll some winners while you’re in town: A round will set you back $500.

The second hole at Cascata (Photo: Cascata Course)

Cascata Course, Boulder City, Nevada

Designed by “Open Doctor” Rees Jones, the par-72 Cascata Course is a celebrity favorite. Every morning, fresh water is pumped up the 3,600-foot-high Red Mountain, and then it meanders throughout the course and the clubhouse. If a tranquil oasis is what you are after, then the $325 fee is worth every penny.