Gil Hanse

Bowling Green, FL

The Black Course at Streamsong Resort in central Florida is a Gil Hanse design, built with Jim Wagner, that opened in 2017 as the resort's third 18. Like the Red and Blue courses, it sits on land reclaimed from phosphate mining, but the site Hanse used is broader and less abrupt than its sister courses. Black is the biggest of the three in scale, playing to 7,320 yards at par 73. The greens are enormous, including a punchbowl on the ninth and dual greens on the thirteenth, the fairways are extremely wide, and the routing includes long open stretches with few trees. An infinity green on the par-3 17th is one of the course's signature features. The course is walkable with caddies, and carts are permitted later in the day. It has its own clubhouse separate from the resort's original building, and like the Red and Blue courses it is open to resort guests and the public rather than restricted to members.

Pinehurst, NC

A modern Hanse masterpiece at Pinehurst

West Point, MS

Mossy Oak Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi, was designed by Gil Hanse and opened in 2016 on open prairie next to the Old Waverly property. Hanse worked with a wide, largely treeless site and used ground contour rather than water to shape the golf, building wide corridors with native grasses scattered through the margins. The fairways run firm and the turf is kept fast, so shots release and the course plays shorter than the yardage suggests. Bunkering has ragged, sandy edges rather than a formal look, and the large greens allow running approaches from well short of the putting surface. It is walkable, with caddies available, and plays about 7,200 yards from the back tees. It is open to public play, and it was built to look and play differently from the water-driven Old Waverly course next door.

West Palm Beach, FL

Gil Hanse masterpiece: best new public course in Florida.

Rising Fawn, GA

The Highlands Course at The McLemore Club sits atop Lookout Mountain in Rising Fawn, Georgia, designed by Rees Jones and Bill Bergin. It plays as a cliff-edge par 71 course measuring 7,055 yards from the tips. The routing includes a set of canyon holes that run into and along an elevated ridge on the eastern side of the mountain, centered around a lake, and a run of highland holes that make up most of the back nine. The course closes with a cliff-edge par 3 along the rim overlooking McLemore Cove. It is part of the McLemore resort, with access available to members, resort guests and invited Friends of McLemore.

Pinehurst, NC

The Cradle at Pinehurst is a nine-hole short course designed by Gil Hanse and opened in 2017. The compact routing rolls across sandy ground, wiregrass and pines near the main clubhouse, with varied par threes that reward imagination rather than length. Music, quick rounds and the option to loop it again make the atmosphere deliberately social, but the contours and recoveries still feel tied to Pinehurst's broader golf character. Cradle Crossing is the open-air bar overlooking The Cradle, with seating and fire pits above the third green and fourth tee. The nearby Pinecone bar cart and its Transfusions add to a short-course scene built around music, sunsets and another loop.

Frisco, TX

Fields Ranch East is one of two championship courses at Omni PGA Frisco Resort, designed by Gil Hanse and opened in 2023 on the PGA of America's headquarters campus in Frisco, Texas. The par-72 layout plays up to 7,863 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 78.9 and a slope of 151. It routes over rolling North Texas terrain shaped by dry washes and Panther Creek, with smallish greens, rough-edged bunkers, and edges that blend into prairie grasses. A caddie is required before 10 a.m. The course is open to resort guests, Club 1916 members, and the public.

Moorpark, CA

Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Moorpark, California, opened in 2002. Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner designed the course with a minimalist, lay-of-the-land approach, shaping greens and bunkers directly from the natural terrain. From the back tees the par-72 layout plays 7,040 yards with a course rating of 73.9 and a slope of 135. Wide, flat fairways fade into native barrancas and canyon hills dotted with sagebrush, cactus, and native grasses. Large, contoured greens favor a ground-game approach, and bunkers are edged with shaggy fescue. The course is public and open to daily-fee play.

West Palm Beach, FL

The Lit 9 at The Park West Palm, designed by the collaborative team of Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner, and Dirk Ziff, offers an innovative and accessible golf experience. This lighted 9-hole par 3 course embodies a philosophy of 'open golf,' aiming to make the game enjoyable for players of all skill levels and backgrounds. The design focuses on creating a fun and challenging quick loop, perfect for honing short-game skills or enjoying an evening round under the lights. A standout feature is the soon-to-be-famous 9th hole, an exceptionally long putt that can stretch over 150 feet, providing a unique and memorable challenge. The course is part of a larger complex at The Park West Palm, which emphasizes community programming and making golf accessible. The Lit 9's extended hours and walk-up only policy make it a flexible and inviting option for golfers seeking a relaxed yet engaging experience in West Palm Beach.

Avondale, PA

Inniscrone Golf Club is a public course in Avondale, Pennsylvania, owned and managed by London Grove Township since it opened in 1999. It sits on farmland in southern Chester County, in the rural landscape between Philadelphia and the Delaware line. The 18-hole course was designed by architect Gil Hanse and is laid out to challenge golfers while remaining approachable for a range of skill levels. It is open daily for public play, and greens fees include use of a practice green and a cart. On-site amenities include a driving range, a pro shop selling clubs and apparel, and a snack bar offering food and beverages. Various levels of club membership are also available alongside daily public access.

Frisco, TX

The Swing at PGA Frisco is a lighted, 10-hole, par-3 short course located at the PGA of America headquarters complex in Frisco, Texas. Co-designed by Gil Hanse and Beau Welling, the course opened alongside the resort's two championship courses and features holes ranging from roughly 45 to 100 yards, with green complexes that include dramatic swales. The course is part of Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa. Resort guests can reserve tee times up to 120 days in advance, while public play is walk-up only. It is open into the evening under lights, making it a practice and recreational option distinct from the resort's Fields Ranch East and West championship courses.

Townsend, DE

Odessa National Golf Club is located in Townsend, Delaware, on the site of a former dairy farm, offering a rural setting typical of the tri-state area. Each hole is set apart from the others with generous setbacks from the property lines. The course was originally laid out by Gil Hanse and later re-routed by Joel Weiman of the McDonald Design Group before opening in August 2008. The design emphasizes shot placement and strategy, with small, largely unbunkered greens on shorter holes and larger, more receptive greens on longer ones; high native grasses border many fairways and forced carries appear on several holes. Odessa National operates as a public golf course with a golf shop and grille, playing to a par of 72 at roughly 6,961 yards from the back tees.