The United States is home to more golf courses than any other country, but the exact count depends on who is counting and what they include. The National Golf Foundation’s 2026 Course Census reports 13,782 operational courses nationwide. FairwayDB’s directory lists 14,202, a higher figure because it also includes courses that have recently closed, seasonal facilities, and a small number of non-standard layouts like par-3 courses and resort short courses that some counts exclude.

The real number falls somewhere in the range of 13,500 to 16,000 depending on the criteria. The NGF counts operational facilities with at least nine holes. Other sources may include driving ranges with pitch-and-putt courses, temporary closures, or courses under renovation. The US supply peaked at 16,052 courses in 2004 and declined 14% over the following two decades as overbuilt markets corrected. That decline has largely stabilized: only 38 courses closed in 2025, and over 140 new courses are currently in planning or construction.

Regardless of which number you use, the distribution is far from even. A handful of states account for a disproportionate share of the country’s golf infrastructure, while others get by with fewer than 100 courses total. Here is the full breakdown.

The top 10 states by course count

Rank	State	Courses	Browse
1	Florida	1,036	View all
2	California	793	View all
3	New York	777	View all
4	Texas	745	View all
5	Michigan	708	View all
6	Ohio	592	View all
7	Pennsylvania	572	View all
8	Illinois	566	View all
9	North Carolina	475	View all
10	Wisconsin	439	View all

Florida leads with over 1,000 courses. The state’s year-round warm weather and large retiree population have driven decades of course development, particularly along the Gulf Coast, in the Orlando corridor, and throughout South Florida. California and New York follow, though for different reasons: California benefits from climate and population density, while New York’s total reflects a long history of private club development in the Northeast.

The Midwest punches above its weight. Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin all land in the top 10 despite having shorter playing seasons than Sun Belt states. Michigan alone has 708 courses, more than most people expect.

Full state-by-state table

State	Courses	Browse
Alabama	209	View
Alaska	20	View
Arizona	319	View
Arkansas	160	View
California	793	View
Colorado	236	View
Connecticut	161	View
Delaware	40	View
District of Columbia	4	View
Florida	1,036	View
Georgia	364	View
Hawaii	74	View
Idaho	102	View
Illinois	566	View
Indiana	363	View
Iowa	345	View
Kansas	230	View
Kentucky	236	View
Louisiana	136	View
Maine	130	View
Maryland	168	View
Massachusetts	353	View
Michigan	708	View
Minnesota	416	View
Mississippi	147	View
Missouri	313	View
Montana	94	View
Nebraska	198	View
Nevada	94	View
New Hampshire	111	View
New Jersey	294	View
New Mexico	78	View
New York	777	View
North Carolina	475	View
North Dakota	111	View
Ohio	592	View
Oklahoma	179	View
Oregon	170	View
Pennsylvania	572	View
Rhode Island	61	View
South Carolina	319	View
South Dakota	114	View
Tennessee	266	View
Texas	745	View
Utah	113	View
Vermont	66	View
Virginia	308	View
Washington	247	View
West Virginia	98	View
Wisconsin	439	View
Wyoming	52	View

Counts reflect courses listed in the FairwayDB directory, including a small number of recently closed or seasonal facilities. The NGF's operational count may differ for individual states.

Regional breakdown

Golf is a national sport, but course density varies significantly by region.

The Midwest leads the country with 4,395 courses. Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, and Missouri all have substantial course counts relative to their populations. The tradition of small-town municipal and semi-private courses runs deep in this part of the country. Many Midwestern courses are affordable, walkable, and community-owned.

The Southeast follows with 3,754 courses, anchored by Florida’s 1,036. North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee are all major golf states. The Pinehurst region of North Carolina and the Lowcountry of South Carolina are among the most concentrated golf destinations in the country.

The West has 3,296 courses, with California and Texas combining for over 1,500. Arizona’s 319 courses are heavily concentrated in the Phoenix-Scottsdale corridor, making it one of the most course-dense metro areas in the country. Colorado, Washington, and Oregon each have significant totals as well.

The Northeast rounds out the map with 2,737 courses. New York and Pennsylvania dominate, but Massachusetts (353), New Jersey (294), and Connecticut (161) pack a lot of golf into relatively small states. Course density per square mile is highest in this region.

Course types at a glance

FairwayDB tracks several course characteristics. Here is what the national picture looks like.

Holes per course

Courses by price tier

74% of courses (10,463) have a driving range on site.

Two-thirds of American golf courses are 18-hole layouts, but the 4,245 nine-hole courses represent a significant part of the map. Nine-hole courses are particularly common in rural areas, small towns, and older communities where land or demand never justified a full 18.

On price, the largest category is Economy (34%), which includes municipal courses, basic public layouts, and low-fee operations. The Standard and Premium tiers together account for another 38%. The Elite tier (18%) covers private clubs and high-end resort courses. Affordable golf is still the norm across most of the country.

The smallest states for golf

At the other end of the spectrum, a few states have notably small course counts. Alaska has just 20 courses, constrained by climate, geography, and a population spread across a landmass twice the size of Texas. Several courses in the interior play under midnight sun conditions during summer, but the short season limits how many facilities the state can support.

The District of Columbia fits four courses into its 68 square miles, including the historic East Potomac Golf Course on the National Mall. Delaware has 40 courses concentrated around Wilmington and the beach communities, a respectable count for the second-smallest state by area. Wyoming has 52 courses scattered across the least-populated state, many of them in mountain resort towns or small ranch communities where golf is as much a social gathering point as a sport.

Browse the full directory

Every course in the table above has its own page on FairwayDB with address, contact information, hole count, par, yardage, cost tier, and nearby course recommendations. Use the state directory to start exploring, or jump directly to any state that interests you.