Washington state is home to four of the best modern golf courses in the United States, according to GolfWeek.
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Playing the same golf course over and over can get monotonous over time.
If you’re looking to spice up your golf game, you might consider hitting the links someplace new.
To help you find the perfect spot, Golfweek recently went in search of the best modern golf courses in the United States.
“The growth of golf in the modern era of design starts with its mass popularization, the appeal of the late Arnold Palmer and the result of bringing the game into the homes of television audiences,” Golfweek travel editor Jason Lusk wrote in a June 1 article.
Design and construction techniques “shifted fundamentally,” bringing a new level of sophistication to the links, Lusk said.
“The skills required to build a great course became those of professionally trained landscape architects, not just creative golf visionaries.
For its 2026 ranking, Golfweek focused on the top 200 golf courses that have opened since 1960.
Four courses in Washington state made the list.
Here’s where to go for “premium” play:
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Chambers Bay Golf Course is the best modern golf course in Washington state, according to Golfweek. Dexter Raymond Courtesy What is Washington state’s best golf course?
Looking for the best modern golf course in Washington state? Head to University Place, according to Golfweek.
Chambers Bay Golf Course was the highest ranking Washington course on Golfweek’s list, landing at No. 411 with an average rating of 7.58 out of 10.
The 18-hole course opened at 6320 West Grandview Drive in University Place in 2007.
Chambers Bay became the first Pacific Northwest golf course to host the U.S. Open Championship in June 2015.
Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the course features a “rugged and beautiful landscape” with a quarry, golf membership program GolfPass said on its website. “The layout was inspired by the classic links golf courses of Scotland and Ireland.”
It also offers a workout.
“Spanning 249 hilly acres, Chambers Bay provides a rewarding physical test, earning the title of one of golf’s toughest walks,” the golf course said.
You don’t need a membership to tee off at Chambers Bay. Rates vary depending on demand, the time and day of week and how far in advance you book, as well as where you live.
A total of four golf courses in Washington state ranked among the best U.S. destinations for golfers. Getty Images Where are top places to golf in Washington state?
Three other Washington spots landed lower on Golfweek’s list of the top 200
Wine Valley Golf Club, 176 Wine Valley Road in Walla Walla, was No. 137.
The 18-hole course, which opened in 2009, features a “grand scale, playing over rolling hills in the shadow of the Blue Mountains,” Wine Valley officials said.
Architect Dan Hixson’s “thrill-a-minute design” guarantees that golfers “never play the same way twice,” Golfer’s Digest said.
Aldarra Golf Course, 29125 Southeast Duthie Hill Road in Sammamish, ranked at No. 163.
Opening in 2001, it’s the only golf course in Washington state designed by Tom Fazio, according to officials.
“The absence of homes on the course, along with its pristine condition and world class design, make Aldarra a true golfer’s paradise,” Aldarra Golf Course said on its website.
Landing at No. 199 was Sahalee Country Club, 21200 Northeast Sahalee Country Club Drive in Sammamish.
The course, which opened in 1969 and boasts 27 holes, was designed by Ted Robinson with later renovations by Rees Jones.
“This all-weather, year-round course is characteristically Northwest with majestic Douglas fir, red cedar and hemlock trees lining its narrow fairways,” Sahalee officials said.
The top 10 golf courses in the United States include clubs in Oregon, Georgia, Nebraska and New York. Thinkstock Thinkstock photo Where are the top 10 golf courses in the US?
According to GolfWeek, these were the 10 best modern golf courses in the United States in 2026:
Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, NebraskaFriar’s Head Golf Course in Riverside, New YorkPacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, OregonOhoopee Match Club in Cobbtown, GeorgiaBallyneal Golf Club in Holyoke, ColoradoWhistling Straits Golf Course in Kohler, WisconsinWade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, North CarolinaBandon Trails, Bandon Dunes Golf ResortMuirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, OhioSebonack Golf Club in Southampton, New York A total of four golf courses in Washington state ranked among the best U.S. destinations for golfers. Getty Images How did GolfWeek rank golf courses in the U.S.?
To determine the best golf courses in the nation, Golfweek said it seeks input from more than 800 raters around the world.
“These golfers play the courses and rate each layout” based on 10 criteria, including greens, landscape maintenance, routing and variety.
Golfweek calculates scores for each layout by averaging overall ratings, allowing the publication to rank courses.
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Julia Hawkins joined The Herald as a service journalism and general assignment reporter in December 2025. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Western Washington University in Bellingham.