Public US Open Golf Courses

Publicly Accessible US Open Golf Courses
Erin Hills, Wisconsin

Public US Open Golf Courses

Over the last 20 years, the US Open has been held at public courses nine times: Pebble Beach (3), Pinehurst (2), Bethpage (2), Torrey Pines (2), Chambers Bay and Erin Hills. Going forward, the US Open will appear at Pinehurst (2024, 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047)) and Pebble Beach (2027). Pinehurst appears in a permanent fixture in the rota since the USGA has inked a deal with the resort.

That’s approaching 50% public versus private venues, which is a better effort than in the past for the USGA. Before 2000 — going back to 1895 — only one public course held a US Open: Pebble Beach (6 times; the first in 1972). Considering that the vast majority of golfers in the US play at public courses putting more public courses in play for our national championship makes sense.

Here’s the list of public courses where the US Open has been played:

  • Bethpage Black
  • Chambers Bay
  • Erin Hills
  • Pebble Beach
  • Pinehurst #2
  • Torrey Pines

There’s also the oddity of the Country Club of Buffalo, a private club which hosted the US Open in 1912. Today, that country club is a muni: The Grover Cleveland Golf Course.

I have had the good fortune to play a number of US Open Courses: Torrey Pines, Pinehurst No. 2, Erin Hills, Oakland Hills, The Colonial and Medinah #3.

Future US Open Venues:

YearPublic/PrivateVenueLocation
 2021Public MunicipalTorrey Pines San Diego, California 
2022PrivateThe Country ClubBrookline, Massachusettts
2023PrivateLos Angeles Country ClubLos Angeles, California
2024Public ResortPinehurst Resort #2Pinehurst, North Carolina
2025PrivateOakmont Country ClubOakmont, Pennsylvania
2026PrivateShinnecock Hills Golf ClubShinnecock Hills, New York
2027Public ResortPebble Beach Golf LinksPebble Beach, California
2028
2029Public ResortPinehurst No. 2Pinehurst, NC
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035Public ResortPinehurst No. 2Pinehurst, NC
2036
2037
2038
2039
2040
2041Public ResortPinehurst No. 2Pinehurst, NC
2042
2043
2044
2045
2046
2047Public ResortPinehurst No. 2Pinehurst, NC
A view of the eighteenth green and clubhouse at Kohler’s Blackwolf Run River Course

There also are a number of Womens’ US Open courses that are publicly accessible:

  • CordeValle
  • Pinehurst No. 2
  • Blackwolf Run
  • Broadmoor Golf Club
  • Pine Needles Lodge and Club
  • Old Waverly Golf Club
  • The Homestead
  • Dunes Golf & Beach Club
  • Atlantic City Country Club

I have been lucky enough to have played Blackwolf Run, in Kohler.

There also are a number of PGA Tour stops (past and present) that you could play if you set your sights a bit lower, among them Doral, Harbour Town Links, PGA National, Disney’s Magnolia and Palm Courses, Brown Deer Park, Bethpage, Kiawah, Sea Island, PGA West, Bay Hill, Innisbrook, and the TPC Courses. You can easily book the Disney Courses through their corporate site the next time you head to Florida.

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