The characteristics that determine an enjoyable course for me are the following: Hole variety, conditioning, fairness, surroundings, service and value. A difficult course can still be enjoyable if it has the above characteristics. For me, it is almost impossible to rank great courses in order, therefore, I would rather group them and list them alphabetically. I think that all golfers would enjoy playing the following great courses. Here are my current 50 favorites.
| 1 | Arcadia Bluffs | Arcadia, MI | #14 | 2021 |
| 2 | Bandon Dunes | Bandon, OR | #7 | 2021 |
| 3 | Bandon Trails | Bandon, OR | #13 | 2021 |
| 4 | Buffalo Ridge | Hollister, MO | #98 | 2015 |
| 5 | Bulle Rock | Havre de Grace, MD | #94 | 2021 |
| 6 | Bully Pulpit | Medora, ND | #94 | 2013 |
| 7 | Cabot Cliffs | Inverness, Nova Scotia | #11 | World Rankings – 2020 |
| 8 | Cabot Links | Inverness, Nova Scotia | #35 | World Rankings – 2020 |
| 9 | Caledonia | Pawley’s Island, SC | #85 | 2021 |
| 10 | Cascata | Boulder City, NV | #70 | 2021 |
| 11 | Chambers Bay | University Park, WA | #22 | 2021 |
| 12 | Circling Raven | Worley, ID | #97 | 2015 |
| 13 | Coeur d’Alene | Coeur d’Alene, ID | #97 | 2017 |
| 14 | Cordevalle | San Martin, CA | #51 | 2021 |
| 15 | Erin Hills | Erin, WI | #9 | 2021 |
| 16 | Fazio Canyons @ Barton Creek | Austin, TX | #85 | 2019 |
| 17 | Forest Dunes | Roscommon, MI | #33 | 2021 |
| 18 | Gamble Sands | Brewster, WA | #38 | 2021 |
| 19 | Green Mountain National | Pittsfield, VT | Never Ranked in Top 100 | |
| 20 | Greywalls | Marquette, MI | #67 | 2021 |
| 21 | Links of North Dakota | Ray, ND | #53 | 2009 |
| 22 | Maderas | Poway, CA | #92 | 2015 |
| 23 | Mammoth Dunes | Nakoosa, WI | #29 | 2021 |
| 24 | Manele | Lanai, HI | #21 | 2021 |
| 25 | Mid Pines | Southern Pines, NC | #93 | 2021 |
| 26 | Mossy Oak | Telico, MS | #60 | 2021 |
| 27 | Ocean Course @ Hokuals | Kaui, HI | #56 | 2007 |
| 28 | Pacific Dunes | Bandon OR | #2 | 2021 |
| 29 | Pasatiempo | Santa Cruz, CA | #17 | 2021 |
| 30 | Pebble Beach | Pebble Beach, CA | #1 | 2021 |
| 31 | Pete Dye Course @ French Lick | French Lick, IN | #19 | 2021 |
| 32 | Pine Needles | Southern Pines, NC | #73 | 2021 |
| 33 | Prairie Club Dunes | Valentine, NE | #45 | 2021 |
| 34 | Primland Highland | Meadows of Dan, VA | #28 | 2021 |
| 35 | Princeville Makai | Princeville, Kauai, HI | #81 | 2021 |
| 36 | Pronghorn Nicklaus | Bend, OR | #40 | 2021 |
| 37 | Quarry at Giants Ridge | Biwabik, MN | #35 | 2021 |
| 38 | Royal New Kent | Providence Forge, VA | #64 | 2007 |
| 39 | Sand Valley | Nakoosa, WI | #18 | 2021 |
| 40 | Sentry World | Stevens Point, WI | #50 | 2021 |
| 41 | Shadow Creek | Las Vegas, NV | #5 | 2021 |
| 42 | St. Andrews Old Course | St. Andrews, Scotland | #6 | World Rankings – 2020 |
| 43 | Stonehouse | Taono, VI | Never Ranked in Top100 | |
| 44 | Streamsong Blue | Streamsong, FL | #26 | 2021 |
| 45 | Streamsong Red | Streamsong, FL | #20 | 2021 |
| 46 | Sugarloaf Mountain | Carrabassett Valley, ME | #45 | 2007 |
| 47 | Tobacco Road | Sanford, NC | #49 | 2021 |
| 48 | True Blue | Pawley’s Island, SC | #87 | 2007 |
| 49 | Whistling Straits (Straits) | Haven, WI | #3 | 2021 |
| 50 | Wild Horse | Gothenburg, NE | #71 | 2021 |
