As part of GOLF's rigorous ratings process for our newly released Top 100 Courses in the U.S. and Top 100 Courses You Can Play rankings, our fleet of 100-plus expert panelists identified the best golf courses in every state.
You can check out the links below to browse all of our course rankings, or scroll down to see the best courses in Pennsylvania. And if you're looking to create your own trip in the future, you'd be wise to let GOLF's new Course Finder tool assist you. Here, you can toggle all of our lists -- Top 100 public, best munis, best short courses, best par-3s and more -- or filter by price to create the perfect itinerary for your next trip.
Ed. note: Some courses were omitted from our rankings because they did not receive enough votes.
1. Oakmont (Oakmont) [#]
No course thrives more on looking mean. Indeed, the beauty of Oakmont is how it doesn't doll itself up, and yet to a purist, the view from the crest of the hill on 15 is as breathtaking as any in the country. The barren landscape possesses few trees and no water, just drainage ditches that traverse the land. Daunting carries aren't the issue, either, and the greens are huge, so what's the big deal? The question is answered at the 1st, with a green that follows the natural contours and slopes away from the player. The club prides itself on the pace and firmness of its world-renowned putting surfaces, so let the beating commence! For a course known for its difficulty, what gets lost in the shuffle is the brilliance of its quartet of short par-4s, at 2, 11, 14 and 17.
2. Merion - East (Ardmore) [#]
What makes Merion so distinctive is its remarkable variety. Some par-4s are short; others are monsters with the delta being as much as 200 yards. One par-3 is tiny, at 115 yards; the others measure 236, 246 and 256. The famous par-4 11th, where Bobby Jones clinched the 1930 Grand Slam, is slashed by a creek, while the par-4 16th demands a shot over an abandoned stone quarry. In short, Merion has everything, including sub-air and irrigation systems that lend more control over the firmness and speed of the playing surfaces. The recently expanded greens have created a plethora of new hole locations around the greens' perimeters, and the player's chess match with the clever design is more intense than ever.