The wild, wild west has never given anything away for free. Cowboys, outlaws, and scorching desert heat once made this frontier a place you survived, not celebrated. But the West has always rewarded those willing to make the journey, and today, the payoff is sweeter than ever.
Barren deserts now cradle luxurious resorts. Rugged mountains offer a welcome escape from the crowded cities. And that endless sea of sand is now dotted with some of the most artistically driven, jaw-dropping golf courses in the country.
The terrain can be demanding, the drives can be long, but golfers have always been willing to go the distance for the game, especially when the reward looks like this. So saddle up. These are the western U.S. golf courses worth the trip.
The Best Western U.S. Golf Courses
1. Rams Hill Golf Club
Borrego Springs, California
This hidden gem is about as hidden as they come, but don’t let the remote address fool you. The club bills its Tom Fazio design as “the middle of nowhere, but exactly where you need to be,” and after one round, you’ll agree it’s worth every mile.
Named to Golf Digest’s “100 Greatest Public Courses in America,” Rams Hill Golf Club rises straight out of the arid desert floor with dramatic elevation changes, framed mountain vistas, and meandering streams and waterfalls fed by nearby springs. It’s every bit as playable as it is photogenic.
The pedigree backs it up: in 2017, Golf Week rated Rams Hill the third-best resort course in California, behind only Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill. That’s rarefied company.
And the one thing that might just top the golf? Believe it or not, the club’s legendary apple-caramel cookies—cherished by locals and visiting golfers alike.
2. Cascata
Boulder City, Nevada
Set against the River Mountain Range, Cascata is one of Rees Jones’s most stunning designs. Lush fairways carved into a rugged desert backdrop are a Western golf staple, but few pull it off like this. It sits just 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, yet the quiet catches everyone off guard. Out here it’s all stillness and space—a round that feels a world away from the bright lights.
The name is Italian for “waterfall,” and the course lives up to it: a 418-foot cascade tumbles down the mountainside and through the property, right into the clubhouse itself.
You’ll leave raving about the scenery—but slip off your spikes for a post-round drink and it’s the service that seals it. From bag drop to the 18th green, the Cascata staff doesn’t miss a detail.
3. Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan
El Cajon, California
Singing Hills is the only resort in the San Diego area with three distinct courses: Oak Glen, Willow Glen, and Pine Glen, the resort’s par-3 layout.
Oak Glen is the headliner—a demanding par-72 where the Sweetwater River forces some nervy carries and subtly undulating greens test even the sharpest short game. Better yet, it recently reopened after a major renovation, with new water features, rebuilt tee boxes, and greens rolling truer than ever. It’s dialed in and ready for your visit.
Willow Glen is every bit as scenic with a completely different personality—doglegs, elevation changes, and smart bunkering that make it a genuine test for players of any level.
And this is no stranger to the big stage, having hosted the Junior World Golf Championships, multiple SCGA and USGA qualifiers, the U.S. Junior Amateur, and more.
And when you’ve had your fill of golf, the Sycuan Casino Resort sits just five minutes away for a little more action after sundown.
4. Rio Secco Golf Club
Henderson, Nevada
Open since 1997, Rees Jones’s layout at Rio Secco Golf Club has spent more than 25 years near the top of the Western golf conversation—and one round makes it obvious why.
Lush fairways blend seamlessly into the natural desertscape, with the Las Vegas Strip shimmering in the distance. “Rio Secco” means “dry river” in Portuguese, and the front nine threads right through its rocky namesake before the back nine climbs higher for sweeping views of the valley below.
The course keeps evolving, too. Recent upgrades led by Jones added new greens, fresh bunkering, and additional forward tees, keeping it a fair test for every level of player.
5. Sedona Golf Resort
Sedona, Arizona
Snaking through the towering red rocks of Arizona, few courses anywhere leave a mark like Sedona Golf Resort. The par-71 layout is a well-conditioned test in its own right—but let’s be honest, it’s the red rock canyons framing every hole that will pull you back again and again. There isn’t a weak view on the property. Play it any month of the year, and bring the whole group—there’s a stay & play package to fit just about everyone.
6. Tetherow Resort
Bend, Oregon
From the mind of David McLay Kidd—the architect behind Bandon Dunes, the Castle Course at St. Andrews, and Gamble Sands (more on that one later)—Tetherow shows off a different side of his design style.
Dramatic elevation changes and a clever routing keep the unforgettable Cascade Mountain views front and center, while fescue fairways, scattered pines, and rugged bunkering give the course a wild, links-like edge that plays firm and fast.
The critics have taken notice: Golf Digest ranked Tetherow No. 57 on its 2023–24 list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses”—a 25-spot jump—and it’s held a place among the country’s top 100 and Oregon’s very best ever since.
7. Sand Hollow Resort
Hurricane, Utah
Just 45 minutes from Zion National Park, no destination shows off the red rocks quite like Sand Hollow Resort. Its three courses aren’t just easy on the eyes—they’ve earned national acclaim from golf’s biggest publications.
The Championship Course is the must-play. Routinely voted the best course you can play in Utah, it perches several holes right on the edge of the desert canyon, so you’ll be reaching for your camera as often as your clubs. The Links Course tips its cap to the home of golf with massive, rolling greens and fairways. And the aptly named Wee Course—Southern Utah’s only par-3 course—is genuinely fun for the entire family.
8. Gamble Sands
Brewster, Washington
Since opening in 2014, Gamble Sands has rocketed straight to the top of the Western golf world—and its setting beneath the peaks of the Cascade Mountains is a big reason why.
The original Sands Course, a David McLay Kidd design, sprawls across the desert floor over nearly 115 acres of firm, fine-fescue fairways. It puts a bold spin on traditional links golf—reachable par 4s, split fairways, and endless options off the tee—with Columbia River views that only sweeten the deal.
And there’s far more to play now. In August 2025, the resort opened its second 18-hole McLay Kidd course, Scarecrow—instantly one of the most talked-about new courses in the country—bringing Gamble Sands to 50 holes of golf, including the fun 14-hole par-3 QuickSands and the Cascades putting course. Plan on more than one round; this is a full-blown golf destination now.
9. Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club
Palm Desert, California
For serious value with no compromise on quality, tee it up at this Nick Faldo–designed treasure in the Coachella Valley. With more than 350 days of sunshine a year, good weather is just about guaranteed whenever you visit Shadow Ridge Golf Club.
Generous fairways keep things approachable, but strategic bunkering and subtly undulating greens demand a plan on nearly every shot. The golf takes center stage and the snow-capped Santa Rosa Mountains framing it all are the cherry on top.
10. Silverado Resort and Spa
Napa, California
Wineries, a world-class spa, and two celebrated golf courses—what more could you want? Silverado Resort and Spa delivers all of it in the heart of beautiful Napa, California.
Both courses have been redesigned by PGA Hall of Famer Johnny Miller, and with play limited to members and resort guests, you’re all but guaranteed an exclusive, uncrowded day on the links.
When the round’s over, the fun’s just getting started: the region’s world-class wineries await for intimate tastings, and award-winning restaurants sit around nearly every corner.
11. Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club
Tucson, Arizona
Tucked into the Santa Catalina Mountains, Ventana Canyon is a private golf experience unlike any other. Winding through the peaks and valleys of the Sonoran Desert, it offers two of the finest courses in the West.
Both 18-hole championship designs come from the mastermind of Tom Fazio and showcase desert golf at its absolute best—elevated tee boxes, gently rolling greens, and a beautifully preserved landscape of saguaro-studded canyons alive with coyotes, javelina, roadrunners, and quail. It’s as much a nature preserve as a golf course.
These incredible western U.S. golf courses are calling. And all you have to do is answer. Every course on this list is worth the journey and ShipSticks makes the getting-there part effortless. Ship your clubs and luggage ahead, skip the oversize fees and the baggage-claim stress, and arrive with your gear already waiting at the first tee. Learn more about shipping your clubs or get a free quote today!
