Thirteen New Lists Reveal the Best Courses in Warm-Weather States, Regions and Countries as Chosen by Recreational Golfers 2026 Golfers’ Choice Lists Rank Best Public Courses by Pace of Play, Value, Course Conditions, Staff Friendliness, and More Newest Edition of Golfers’ Choice Joins Previously Revealed Lists, Headlined by ‘Top 50 Public Golf Courses in the U.S.’
STAMFORD, Conn. – With six more weeks of winter expected thanks to Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction, GolfPass today released the second round of 2026 Golfers’ Choice lists, highlighting recreational golfer’s favorite warm-weather golf courses to find refuge from the cold.
The Golfers’ Choice lists are generated by golfer reviews on GolfNow and GolfPass throughout 2025, determining the best public golf courses played by recreational golfers each year. The latest Golfers’ Choice lists reveal the top courses in warm-weather states and countries including the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas, as well as Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Australia.
“I believe the batch of warm-weather state lists and international destinations we release for Golfers’ Choice every year is perhaps the most important,” said Jason Scott Deegan, managing editor of GolfPass. “Everybody has golf on their minds this time of year. Either you’re stuck in the cold weather dreaming of teeing it up in a warmer location or you’re lucky to be enjoying peak season in great golf hot spots like Florida, Arizona and Hawaii. We’ve even added a new top 25 ranking of the best courses in the Caribbean to entice you to tee it up this winter.”
The Top 5 Courses from each warm-weather list are as follows:
Alabama
FarmLinks at Pursell Farms – Sylacauga
Limestone Springs Golf Club – Oneonta
Kiva Dunes – Gulf Shores
Craft Farms Resort, Cotton Creek – Gulf Shores
Craft Farms Resort, Cypress Bend – Gulf Shores
Arizona
Whirlwind Golf Club, Cattail Course – Chandler
Laughlin Ranch Golf Club – Bullhead City
The Highlands at Dove Mountain – Marana
Whirlwind Golf Club, Devil’s Claw – Chandler
Granite Falls Golf Course, North Course – Surprise
California
Monarch Beach Golf Links – Dana Point
Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club – Carmel
Desert Willow Golf Resort, Firecliff Course – Palm Desert
Poppy Ridge Golf Course – Livermore
Maderas Golf Club – Poway
Florida
Juliette Falls – Dunnellon
Herons Glen Golf & Country Club – North Fort Myers
Candler Hills Golf Club – Ocala
The Park West Palm – West Palm Beach
Streamsong Black – Fort Meade
Georgia
Brasstown Valley Resort Golf Course – Young Harris
Sanctuary Golf Club – Waverly
Meadow Links At George T. Bagby – Fort Gaines
Richard B. Russell At Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course – Elberton
The Lakes At Laura S. Walker – Waycross
Hawaii
Poipu Bay Resort Golf Course – Koloa, Kauai
Pearl at Kalauao – Aiea, O’ahu
Mauna Lani Resort, South Course – Waimea, Hawai’i
The Ocean Course at Hokuala – Lihue, Kauai
Ko Olina Golf Club – Kapolei, O’ahu
North Carolina
Woodlake Country Club – Vass
Thistle Golf Club – Sunset Beach
Springdale Resort – Canton
Tot Hill Farm Golf Club – Asheboro
Tobacco Road Golf Club – Sanford
South Carolina
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club – Pawleys Island
The Walker Golf Course at Clemson University – Clemson
Grande Dunes Resort Club – Myrtle Beach
The Links at Stono Ferry – Hollywood
Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club – Conway
Texas
Hideout Golf Club – Brownwood
Live Oak Golf Club – Abilene
Palo Duro Creek Golf Club – Canyon
John Pitman Municipal Golf Course – Hereford
Kissing Tree Golf Club – San Marcos
Puerto Rico
Bahia Beach Resort – Rio Grande, Rio Grande
Punta Borinquen Golf Club – Base Ramey, Aguadilla
Rio Mar, River – Rio Grande, Rio Grande
Mexico
The Nicklaus Design Course at Vidanta Puerto Penasco – Puerto Peñasco, Sonora
The Golf Course at Vidanta Acapulco – Acapulco, Guerrero
Vista Vallarta, Weiskopf Course – Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
Vista Vallarta, Nicklaus Course – Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
The Greg Norman Course at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta – Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit
Caribbean
Apes Hill Club – Apes Hill, St. James
Casa De Campo, Teeth of the Dog – Casa de Campo, La Romana
Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club – Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands
La Estancia Golf Course – La Romana, La Romana
Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club – Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla
Australia
Long Reef Golf Club – Collaroy, Sydney
Cape Schanck Golf Club – Cape Schanck, Mornington/Bellarine
Port Kembla Golf Club – Primbee, Illawarra
Settlers Run Golf & Country Club – Botanic Ridge, Mornington/Bellarine
Korumburra Golf Club – Korumburra, Phillip Island & Gippsland
The newest installment of Golfers’ Choice lists joins the flagship edition of lists, including the popular Top 50 Public Golf Courses in the U.S. list, which was announced on Jan. 14. The top courses from the rest of the states (excluding Alaska) will be announced on March 4. International lists will be announced on April 2.
Unlike golf course rankings published by industry insiders, the Golfers’ Choice lists are completely consumer driven – by recreational golfers, for recreational golfers. The reviews accumulated by GolfPass and GolfNow come from golfers of various ages, handicaps and budgets, making the Golfers’ Choice lists a true showcase of the golf course characteristics that are the most important to avid golfers across the country.
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