World’s Most Expensive Golf Courses: Would You Pay $1,000 for a Round?

Have you ever wondered which are the most expensive golf courses in the world? To evaluate how expensive a golf course is, you can base on its membership fees (private courses) or green fees (public courses). In this article, we will focus on the most high-priced public courses, which invite golfers from all over the world.

Most Expensive Golf Courses in the World

Shadow Creek Golf Course

• Address: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Green Fees: Up to $1000/round in peak season

Shadow Creek Golf Course

Leading the roster of the world’s most expensive golf courses is Shadow Creek. In 2019, the course ascended to this position, clinching the title when it elevated its peak-season green fees to $600 per round. This Las Vegas-based course, overseen by Golf Digest’s Stephen Hennessey, has not wavered in its pursuit of opulence. In 2021, it further raised the stakes, setting its round fee at a staggering $1,000. Even during the quieter periods, its 18-hole experience surpasses the expense of any other course on this list.

While the aftermath of the most costly round of golf may leave a sizable dent in your finances, remember to allocate funds for accommodation. Although Shadow Creek extends its doors to the public, access is granted exclusively to patrons lodging in one of MGM Resorts International’s properties within Sin City.

Pebble Beach Golf Club

• Address: Pebble Beach, California
• Green Fees: Up to $620/round in peak season

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach has earned the distinction of being crowned the finest public course in the United States since 2013. Nestled along the captivating Monterrey Peninsula, this golfing haven is a perennial host of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In the past five decades, it has also welcomed more US Opens than any other course.

Stephen Hennessey elucidates that Pebble Beach and Shadow Creek have engaged in a prolonged rivalry for the title of the golfing world’s most costly green fee. Presently, even at a rate of $620 per round, Pebble Beach emerges as a comparatively more accessible option than Shadow Creek.

Patrons lodging at Casa Palmero, The Inn at Spanish Bay, and the Lodge at Pebble Beach savor a $45 reduction on their round, courtesy of waived cart fees. However, for those mindful of their expenditures, investing that additional $45 proves prudent. This is because a night’s stay at these esteemed accommodations commands well over a thousand dollars.

TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course

• Address: Ponta Vedra, Florida
• Green Fees: Up to $600/round in peak season

TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course

Opened in 1981, the Stadium Course at TPD Sawgrass was built specifically to host the Players Championship. Every year, fans watch the best golfers in the world struggle on the famous par 3 17th hole with its island green. During the 2021 tournament, Byeong Hun An made history for the wrong reason by scoring an eleven on that single hole. He hit four consecutive balls into the water before finally finding land. 

If you want to try the Pete dye design yourself. Expect to spend around $900 during peak months. That price covers your 18 holes, a golf cart, a group forecaddie, and warm up balls for the driving range. You can save money by booking the summer or winter off season, though North Florida winters can get surprisingly cold.

Whistling Straits – Straits Course

• Address: Haven, Wisconsin
• Green Fees: Approximately $555/round

The 18th at Whistling Straits

Whistling Straits hosted the Ryder Cup on its famous Straits Course in Haven, Wisconsin. The resort features two 18 holes layouts, the Irish and the Straits, both designed by Pete and Alice Dye to look and feel like a traditional rugged Irish links track. The Straits Course runs right along the edge of Lake Michigan. It became the first public course in 25 years to hold the Ryder Cup, where the American team ultimately took back the trophy with a dominant win.

If you want to play this walking only course today, the peak green fee sits around $645. You will also need to book your tee times well in advance, especially for weekend slots. If that price feels a bit too high, the Irish Course next door is a more affordable option. A round there costs about $380, giving you a chance to experience the same Whistling Straits atmosphere without the premium price tag.

Wynn Golf Club

• Address: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Green Fees: Approximately $550/round

Wynn Golf Club

The second Las Vegas layout on our list is the Wynn Golf Club, designed by Tom Fazio. The course originally opened in 2005 on the site of the old Desert Inn. Fazio returned with his son Logan to completely redesign the track, leading to a grand reopening in late 2019 after a two year closure. The course is the only golf layout located right on the Las Vegas Strip, giving players a unique view of the city skyline and neighbouring attractions like the Sphere while they play.

A round here costs $750 during peak season, which places it among the most expensive public tee times in the country. That premium price does include high end perks like a golf cart, a personal forecaddie, and a set of complimentary Callaway premium rental clubs if you choose not to travel with your own bag.

Pinehurst Course Number 2

• Address: Pinehurst, North Carolina
• Green Fees: Up to $495/round in peak season

Pinehurst Course Number 2

Dating back to 1907, Pinehurst Course Number 2 stands among the elder courses on this compilation. Its design by Donald Ross holds a special distinction as the host of a greater number of professional championships than any other golf course in the United States. Noteworthy mentions include three US Opens and a Ryder Cup event.

While it’s advisable to lodge in Pinehurst accommodations for a comprehensive No. 2 experience, it’s not obligatory. Non-hotel patrons can secure a tee time five days ahead of their intended play date.

In contrast to the lavishness of venues like Wynn, Pinehurst offers a classic golfing encounter in a historical town. However, your $495 green fee solely guarantees your tee time, necessitating additional expenses if a caddie or cart is desired.

It’s also important to note that carts are confined to designated paths on No. 2, inevitably involving substantial walking to access your ball.

Kingsbarns Golf Links

• Address: St. Andrews, Scotland
• Green Fees: Up to $478/round in peak season (from May to November)

Kingsbarns Golf Links

Presenting our inaugural non-US entry on the list, we unveil the Kingsbarns Golf Links, located in St Andrews, Scotland. The grounds witnessed the inception of the game in 1793. However, the pursuit of increased arable land led the tenant farmer to disrupt the links in 1850.

In 1922, the course was rejuvenated, initially comprising nine holes. Yet, it wasn’t until the year 2000 that it transformed into an encompassing 18-hole layout.

Embracing a tradition common to many Scottish courses, Kingsbarns is designed for walking. Exceptions for carts solely pertain to valid medical certificates. Underlining their preference for walking, the establishment only boasts a mere four carts, known as buggies across the Atlantic.

To secure a round at Kingsbarns, expect to invest £328, which at the current juncture amounts to $478, making it one of the best golf courses in the world. A noteworthy perk is that indulging in a second round within seven days incurs only half the cost.

Kiawah Island Ocean Course

• Address: Kiawah Island
• Green Fees: Up to $463/round in peak season (from May to November)

The 17th at Kiawah Island Ocean Course

The last name in the list of the most expensive golf courses in the world is Kiawah Island Ocean Course, a premier creation by Pete and Alice Dye. This masterpiece showcases an unprecedented number of oceanside holes, a distinctive trait unmatched in the Northern Hemisphere. The course’s inception unfolded during its construction phase.

Immersive exposure to the vast Atlantic Ocean subjects golfers to the unpredictable whims of the wind, occasionally translating into formidable scores. The prevailing sentiment within the team is that very few links courses beyond Ireland and the United Kingdom encounter wind’s influence as profoundly as Kiawah’s Ocean Course.

Having served as the venue for the 2021 PGA Championship and the 1991 Ryder Cup, the Ocean Course adopts a strict walking-only policy, with exceptions during the months of June to August. A caddie is included within the $463 green fee, although it’s customary to offer a standard tip of $100 per bag.

Golf, undoubtedly an exquisite pursuit, often comes with a price tag that’s far from modest. Our compilation of the eight most expensive golf courses, based on green fees, substantiates this notion. Ranging from a considerable $463 for a round at Kiawah Island Ocean Course to a substantial $1,000 at Shadow Creek Golf Course, the options available could give your wallet a run for its money.

Conclusion

Now, here’s a ponderable notion: is investing such a sum in green fees truly justifiable? Or would you rather opt to save and enjoy more rounds at your local municipal course? Considering this, if you were compelled to pick just one from our esteemed roster of the most expensive golf courses in the world, which would you select for your tee-off experience? Please let us know by leaving your comment below.

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