No architect has shaped American golf quite like Donald Ross. The Scotsman learned the game in Dornoch, apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews, and arrived in the United States at the turn of the 20th century with a vision that would define golf-course design for generations. Over a career that spanned hundreds of courses, Ross gave us turtleback greens and a “hard par, easy bogey” strategy that still humbles the world’s best players today.
What makes a trip to a Ross course so rewarding is his philosophy. He believed golf was a game for everyone, so alongside championship venues, he laid out munis and resort courses that anyone can tee it up on. That’s good news for traveling golfers: a genuine Ross masterpiece is often within reach.
Here’s our guide to the best Donald Ross golf courses, from the iconic championship tracks to the public gems worth planning a trip around.
Best Donald Ross Golf Courses
1. Pinehurst No. 2
Pinehurst, North Carolina
If you play one Ross course in your life, make it this one. Pinehurst No. 2 is the architect’s enduring masterpiece and the spiritual home of American golf. Ross lived in a cottage right off the third fairway and tinkered with the design for decades, perfecting those famously fiendish “inverted saucer” greens that repel anything but a perfectly struck approach.
The course has hosted multiple U.S. Opens and U.S. Women’s Opens, and it’s slated to host the U.S. Open again in 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047 as a USGA “anchor site.” A Coore & Crenshaw restoration ahead of the 2014 U.S. Open stripped away decades of added rough and brought back the sandy, natural look Ross intended. The best part for travelers: anyone can play No. 2 as a resort guest, and the surrounding resort offers nine more courses, including Ross’s No. 1 and No. 3.
2. Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Just minutes from Pinehurst, Pine Needles is a 1927 Ross design that has hosted four U.S. Women’s Opens. Founded by World Golf Hall of Famer Peggy Kirk Bell, the course blends history with immaculate conditioning, rolling gently through tall longleaf pines. The par-3 third hole is widely considered one of Ross’s finest one-shotters. Pair it with a stay at the lodge and you’ve got the makings of a perfect Sandhills golf getaway.
3. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Sitting just across the road from Pine Needles, Mid Pines is a Ross classic from the 1920s that has remained remarkably true to its original routing. A sympathetic 2013 restoration sharpened the bunkers and greens without disturbing the bones of the design. Pine-drenched and endlessly walkable, it’s a fair, fun test that’s a touch less daunting than its neighbor and a must-play on any Pinehurst-area golf trip.
4. Oakland Hills Country Club (South Course)
Bloomfield Township, Michigan
Nicknamed “The Monster” after Ben Hogan tamed it at the 1951 U.S. Open, Oakland Hills’ South Course is one of Ross’s most demanding championship designs. A recent Gil Hanse restoration removed decades of changes from other architects and recaptured the Ross feel by expanding greens, clearing trees, and returning bunkers to their original spots. The USGA rewarded the work by awarding the club future U.S. Opens. This one is private, so if you ever get an invitation, clear your calendar.
5. Seminole Golf Club
Juno Beach, Florida
Seminole is the course architects study to understand what made Ross great. Built on a seemingly flat, rectangular site, Ross created a brilliant routing where every hole meets a different wind direction, so the course never plays the same way twice. The par-3 17th is a postcard hole, and the high, exposed dunes give Florida golf a true seaside feel. It’s one of the most exclusive private clubs in the country, but it ranks at the very top of any serious Ross list.
6. Oak Hill Country Club (East Course)
Rochester, New York
The East Course at Oak Hill has hosted four PGA Championships, along with U.S. Opens and a Ryder Cup. An Andrew Green restoration recently undid generations of tree growth and tinkering that had turned Ross’s open farmland layout into a series of narrow corridors. The result is a course closer to Ross’s original vision than at any point in decades, with wider fairways, dramatic bunkering, and reachable greens. Another private club, but a benchmark for what a restored Ross championship venue can be.
7. Inverness Club
Toledo, Ohio
A frequent major championship host, Inverness is often called one of Ross’s best remodeling jobs. The design wandered over the years, but a 2018 Andrew Green restoration returned it to a true Ross examination, with expansive landing areas and the option to run shots onto greens. Inverness is set to host the U.S. Women’s Open in 2027 and was recently awarded the 2045 U.S. Open, cementing its place among Ross’s championship elite.
8. The Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa
Asheville, North Carolina
Built in 1926 and set against the Blue Ridge Mountains, the course at the Omni Grove Park Inn is one of the most scenic Ross designs you can play. It was a regular PGA Tour stop in the 1930s and ’40s, and presidents have walked its tree-lined fairways. At a little over 6,000 yards, it’s not the longest test, but the mountain vistas and the granite resort towering above make it one of the most memorable rounds in the state of North Carolina.
9. The Donald Ross Course at French Lick
French Lick, Indiana
Here’s a sleeper for your radar. French Lick Resort is the only place in the world where you can play courses designed by Donald Ross, Pete Dye, and Tom Bendelow at a single destination. Ross’s course dates to 1917 and once hosted the PGA Championship. It’s a fully public, resort-friendly option that lets you experience classic Ross design in the rolling hills of southern Indiana, then walk a few minutes to one of Pete Dye’s most dramatic modern layouts.
Chasing the best Donald Ross golf courses naturally turns into a road trip, like the Pinehurst Sandhills trio, a Midwest swing through Ohio and Indiana, and beyond. The one part of golf travel that never gets easier is dragging your clubs through airports, paying oversized-baggage fees, and crossing your fingers at the carousel, hoping your driver survived the trip.
That’s where ShipSticks comes in. Instead of lugging your bag, schedule a pickup from your home, office, or club, and your sticks will be waiting for you at the resort or course when you arrive—protected, tracked door-to-door, and backed by complimentary insurance. With relationships at thousands of golf facilities, including Pinehurst and other top destinations, ShipSticks lets you hop off the plane and head straight to the first tee.
So pick your Ross course, book your tee time, and let your clubs travel the easy way. The turtleback greens will be challenging enough—getting there shouldn’t be.
