Golf is a popular sport enjoyed by many. A diverse community of enthusiasts appreciate the blend of skill and leisure it offers. But not all cities offer the same golfing experience. To celebrate National Golf Lover's Day on October 4, LawnStarter has ranked the best cities for golfers. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or a beginner, these cities have something unique to offer.
They analyzed the 200 largest U.S. cities across six categories, considering factors like access to golf courses, course quality, golfer communities, and climate using 25 metrics. Each city received scores out of 100 points for these factors, determining rankings within each category and overall. The overall score was calculated by averaging scores across all factors and categories, with the highest score earning the title "Best" (No. 1) and the lowest "Worst" (No. 200).
2 Florida cities rank among the top 25
Orlando held the second position in the overall ranking, alongside Scottsdale, Arizona, as one of the few cities to achieve top-5 rankings in at least two categories. Specifically, No. 2 in both Premium Course Access and Training Access. Additionally, Orlando performed admirably in Public Course Access (No. 6) and Course Quality (No. 8).
Among the top 25 cities, only Orlando and Tampa represented Florida. Florida cities scored lower in the Climate category due to hot, humid summers and frequent thunderstorms. While good weather isn't the only factor for a high ranking, it does make for great golfing conditions. It's worth noting that 16 of the top 25 cities for golf ranked in the upper half of the Climate category.
Top 5 best cities for golfers
The top part of the ranking is mostly made up of Southern cities, with a few exceptions from Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. The top 5 best cities for golf are Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 1), Orlando, Florida (No. 2), Las Vegas, Nevada (No. 3), Cincinnati, Ohio (No. 4), and Savannah, Georgia (No. 5).
Take a look at the complete study here.
