Chambers Bay, the striking links-style course perched above Puget Sound in University Place, Washington, has been named the top public golf course in the United States in the 2026 Golfers’ Choice rankings published by GolfPass.
The rankings, which are based on more than 226,000 reviews submitted by recreational golfers throughout 2025, evaluate courses across seven categories: value, conditions, layout, pace of play, staff friendliness, off-course amenities, and overall experience. Unlike rankings produced by panels of industry insiders, the Golfers’ Choice lists are entirely consumer-driven — by the people who actually pay to play these courses.
Why Chambers Bay?
If you’ve seen Chambers Bay on television — it hosted the 2015 U.S. Open — you might remember a somewhat controversial setup that drew mixed reviews from Tour professionals. But for recreational golfers, the experience is something else entirely.
Built on a reclaimed gravel quarry, the course offers a landscape unlike anything else in American golf. The holes tumble down to the shoreline of Puget Sound, with views of Mount Rainier providing a backdrop that makes it nearly impossible to be in a bad mood, even after a double bogey. The fescue fairways give the course a links-like character that feels more Scotland than Pacific Northwest, and the firm, fast playing conditions reward creativity and imagination.
The course has also invested significantly in conditioning improvements since the U.S. Open, addressing some of the putting surface concerns that drew criticism during that event. Today’s Chambers Bay is a more polished version of itself, and golfers have clearly noticed.
Beyond the big name
What makes the Golfers’ Choice rankings particularly interesting is that they surface courses that might not appear on the traditional “greatest courses” lists dominated by private clubs and elite resort courses. Value matters in these rankings, as does pace of play and the overall hospitality experience — factors that don’t always get weight in expert panels.
The 2026 list features strong showings from courses across the country’s warm-weather states, including standout public tracks in Arizona, the Carolinas, Florida, and Hawaii. Golf Digest has also been updating its own rankings, adding eleven new entries to America’s top 200 courses, including newcomers like Panther National and Landmand Golf Club.
Planning your trip
If Chambers Bay is on your bucket list, late spring through early autumn is the ideal window. The Pacific Northwest weather can be unpredictable, but the longer days and milder temperatures from May through September make for outstanding playing conditions. Green fees are reasonable for a course of this calibre, particularly during twilight rounds.
For golfers planning travel this year, the full Golfers’ Choice state-by-state rankings are worth consulting. They’re a genuine reflection of what everyday golfers — not magazine panellists — think about the courses they’ve played. And sometimes, the hidden gems rated highly by fellow weekend golfers are the most rewarding rounds you’ll play all year.