These are the 50 Best Golf Courses in the United States...

Subjective only in that it covers exclusively the courses I have personally golfed... but then, if you're rating/ranking courses you haven't golfed you're a moron. (Or kissing up to courses you hope will invite you to play for free.)

If you've played any of these and care to comment on the ones you liked/disliked... the ones you think I have all wrong... and the bones you'd like to pick with me for my ranking order... it's a verbal free for all. Take your shots.

1. Wolf Creek (Mesquite, NV) - Holy Dalznutten!!! Staff @ a rival course insisted we'd only have to play it once and that would be enough. Can't wait to play it again!!!

2. The Chase @ Coyote Springs (Coyote Springs, NV) - Jack Nicklaus gem in the dessert.

3. Fallen Oak (Saucier, MS) - Expensive, but what you get in return in terms of personal service and playing experience is incredible!

4. The Preserve (Vancleave, MS) - This course will be ranked nationally soon. It is simply too amazing not to be. In the middle of a game preserve. Super staff!

5. The Bull @ Pinehurst Farms (Sheboygan Falls, WI) - These guys are finally getting some well-deserved love! They should be ranked in the Top 50 in the country, in my opinion, but at least they've broken into the Top 100. Some of the best people out there... Love playing here!

6. Cascata (Henderson, NV) - Costs an arm and a leg to play here... a very unique experience. Caddies are mandatory, but you'd be lost without them on those greens. If you have the choice of caddies, request Alan. He's awesome!

7. Sand Hollow (St. George, UT) - The front nine tells you nothing of what is coming on the back... but they're both great and it's one of the better golf values in the area easily!

8. The Jewel (Lake City, MN) - Close fight between this one and Troy Burne for the best golf experience in the Twin Cities area. The staff here gives the nod to the Jewel... but the courses are both phenomenal.

9. Troy Burne (Hudson, WI) - Haven't played the Kohler courses yet, but Troy Burne is convincingly (otherwise) the 2nd best golf course in WI behind The Bull.

10. Washington County (Hartford, WI) - If there's a better municipal course in the country I'd be surprised. It's a little pricey, but well worth it if you have it. I'd drive four hours once a month to play here easily.

11. Wild Horse (Gothenburg, NE) - A different kind of golf from anything you've probably ever played. No water, no trees, but fairways and greens like you wouldn't believe... Impossible to adequately describe this experience.

12. The Castle Course @ Northern Bay (Arkdale, WI) - A replica course, this one is so awesome you absolutely have to play it soon if you live in MN or WI... It's worth the drive, and better than the other Wisconsin Dells area options. Trapper's Turn is close... but this one is just too much fun!

13. SouthShore Golf Club @ Lake Las Vegas (Henderson, NV) - This semi-private Jack Nicklaus Signature course is impressive... the front nine is beautiful, but the back 9 may very well be the most fun nine-hole-lineup in Nevada. You have to stay @ Loews to play here (or Ravella) but when I'm in Nevada I go straight to Loews anyway.

14. Lawsonia - Links (Green Lake, WI) - One of the two gems here on property... a true golf test with absolutely perfect conditions... love this course!

15. Trapper's Turn (Wisconsin Dells, WI) - 27 awesome golf holes. Not always in the best condition, but otherwise, this is about as fun as golf gets. Only place I'll pay to play every year in the Dells.

16. Geneva National - Player Course (Lake Geneva, WI) - Best of the 3 courses on site... easily. The first hole is beautiful and the twists and turns never stop. The Palmer course (also on site) is also super fun in stretches... but the Player is from 1 to 18 with only one terrible hole.

17. Entrada @ Snow Canyon (St. George, UT) - This is a Stay & Play option only, but it is Troon managed and the Stay portion is one of the more phenomenal experiences in all of Utah, and the Play portion is equally rewarding... in particular the stretch through the lava grounds... but the water features here are hard to believe!

18. Dancing Rabbit - Azaleas (Choctaw, MS) - They deem this the "Augusta National you can play" and I haven't played Augusta National, but what you find here is every bit what you see on TV every April... Amazing course... best in April/May... but a very stern test as well.

19. Spirit Hollow (Burlington, IA) - Yes, I rate Spirit Hollow above the Harvester... not necessarily because it is a better course, but because it is considerably more fun.

20. Hawktree (Bismarck, ND) - Was a close call between this one and Bully Pulpit... Bully Pulpit has the better 9 (the back), but from 1 to 18... it's not as close as it would seem... Hawktree is amazing and probably the best thing other than the city of Medora itself that North Dakota has going for it.

21. Bully Pulpit (Medora, ND) - If you're in Medora to experience Bully Pulpit, you better stay and see the Medora Musical and try the Pitchfork Fondue, and stay at the Rough Rider Hotel... each of those pieces make the Bully Pulpit experience that much more unforgettable... This city is magical, and hard to believe it's in North Dakota.

22. The Prairie Club - Dunes (Valentine, NE) - I really love this course. The staff out here is exceptional as well. It wasn't as memorable as I'd anticipated it being, but the course itself is always in great condition and a lot of fun. They keep replacing staff members I really liked and knew... but I'd still recommend a visit to Valentine anyday.

23. Somerby (Byron, MN) - Private Course - It's private, but you can play it if you try hard enough. Their management is awesome and they really go all out for their guests. It's an amazing design, typically in superior condition... and only seems to be improving each year. Hazeltine may be a better course overall, but not by much. This one is Top 5 in MN hand's down.

24. Grand Geneva - Brute (Lake Geneva, WI) - Best service at any resort anywhere in the country... period. It's "WOW" service to the last letter. The courses are both great, and vastly different, but it's the service here that will make you so very eager to return.

25. The Harvester (Rhodes, IA) - It was really a close call between this and Farmlinks in AL. Farmlinks is definitely the better experience, but The Harvester has the better course. If I were going to pick the better experience, it would be Farmlinks easily. But for course... the Harvester gets the nod.

And the others...

26. FarmLinks (Sylacauga, AL)

27. Dacotah Ridge (Morton, MN)

28. Paiute - Snow Mt. (Las Vegas, NV)

29. Golden Eagle (50 Lakes, MN)

30. University Ridge (Verona, WI)

31. Geneva National - Palmer Course (Lake Geneva, WI)

32. Paiute - Wolf (Las Vegas, NV)

33. Wild Ridge Championship (Eau Claire, WI)

34. Grand Geneva - Highlands (Lake Geneva, WI)

35. Dancing Rabbit - Oaks (Choctaw, MS)

36. The Prairie Club - Pines (Valentine, NE)

37. The Legend @ Bergamont (Oregon, WI)

38. Lawsonia - Woodlands (Green Lake, WI)

39. Wild Rock @ The Wilderness (Wisconsin Dells, WI)

40. HorseShoe Bay - Private - (Egg Harbor, WI)

41. Paiute - Sun Mt. (Las Vegas, NV)

42. The Golf Club @ Castle Hills (Lewisville, TX)

43. Marianna Butte (Loveland, CO)

44. Erin Hills (Hartford, WI)

45. Kiva Dunes (Gulf Shores, AL) - Eat @ Lambert's in Foley.

46. Tour 18 - Flower Mound (Flower Mound, TX)

47. Ballantrae Golf Club (Pelham, AL)

48. Hawk's View - Como Crossing (Lake Geneva, WI)

49. SentryWorld (Steven's Point, WI)

50. The Links of North Dakota (Ray, ND)

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