We see the course on TV every year, and most American golfers answer Augusta National Golf Club when asked which course they would play if given one shot at any layout in the world. Fair enough.
But is Augusta National the top-rated golf course in the world, or even the U.S.? Simple answer: no. More complex answer: Course rankings are subjective, and if Augusta National is your favorite, it’s an awfully good choice.
Augusta National ranks No. 3 on Golfweek’s Best list of classic courses in the United States. Our rating program breaks courses into two main time periods: before 1960 for classic courses, and 1960 and after for modern courses. The separation is based largely on the mechanization of course construction that became available after World War II. Worth noting: No modern course outranks the top five classic courses. No courses on our international list would outrank Augusta National, either.
But which two courses beat Augusta National on our classic list? That would be Pine Valley in New Jersey at No. 2 and Cypress Point in California at No. 1. Those two courses have dueled it out for the top spot for decades, and Cypress Point took over the No. 1 spot in 2024 by the slimmest of margins. Cypress Point has an average rating of 9.62, Pine Valley averages 9.60 and Augusta National averages 9.50 on our 10-point scale. Only six classic courses in the U.S. average above a 9, and only one modern course breaks that elite 9-point barrier.
This listing gives Golden Age golf architect Alister MacKenzie two of the top three courses. He designed Cypress Point that opened in 1928, and his work there led to him being hired to design – alongside Bobby Jones – Augusta National, which opened in 1932.
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