I've been fortunate to play more than 550 golf courses across all 50 states and several countries. Many of those courses have hosted major championships, challenged the world's best players, and stretched beyond 7,500 yards from the back tees.
Yet some of my favorite golf memories have come on courses where a driver is optional, a beverage is encouraged, and an eight-some moving around the course together barely raises an eyebrow.
The rise of short courses may be the best thing to happen to golf in the last decade. They welcome golfers of every skill level, encourage creativity, and remind us that golf is supposed to be fun. While championship courses test your game, short courses celebrate it.
These six courses represent my favorite examples of golf at its most social. They're places where friendly wagers are common, stories travel from tee to tee, and nobody seems particularly concerned about whether you're carrying fourteen clubs or keeping a score for handicap purposes.
Here are my six favorites.
6. The Sandbox – Sand Valley, Wisconsin
Designed by Coore & Crenshaw, The Sandbox proves that some of golf's best experiences happen before the "real" golf even begins.
My friend Kevin and I played The Sandbox before competing in the Sand Valley Cup, a two-person best ball event. What started as a casual warm-up quickly became one of the highlights of the trip. Along the way we met a group of golfers from Iowa, and before long we were sharing stories, enjoying a few adult beverages, and trying to knock shots close on a collection of clever par-three holes. I won a couple of closest to the pins and made some 2's introducing the group from Iowa to the Deuce club and taking home an initialed Sand Valley ball marker.
The course features several blind shots that add a sense of adventure and anticipation. One moment you're discussing club selection, and the next you're climbing a dune hoping to discover your ball sitting a few feet from the hole.
Like the best short courses, The Sandbox creates opportunities for connections. By the end of the round, the score hardly mattered. What I remember are the laughs, the stories, and the friendships that seemed to develop naturally over a few hours of golf.
5. The Bootlegger – Forest Dunes, Roscommon Michigan
The newest addition to Forest Dunes Resort, The Bootlegger immediately caught my attention—not just for the golf, but for what may be the coolest logo in golf.
The yardages change on the 10 hole course everyday and are updated on a blackboard hanging at the starter shack. The distances we played are shown. What the distances don't show are the massive hills between you and the hole
The Prohibition-era theme sets the tone for a course that doesn't take itself too seriously. The holes are creative, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the entire experience feels like a celebration of golf rather than a test of endurance. After a day on Forest Dunes or The Loop, The Bootlegger provides the perfect encore.
Like every great short course, it encourages experimentation. Shots that would be foolish on a championship course suddenly seem like excellent ideas. Sometimes they even work.
4. The Baths of Blackwolf Run – Kohler, Wisconsin
The Baths is proof that golf doesn't need to be quiet to be great.
What separates it from most short courses is the energy. Speakers throughout the property keep classic rock and roll playing throughout the day, making sure everyone knows there is a party going on. The combination of music, food, drinks, creative golf holes, and groups of friends wandering from green to tee creates an atmosphere unlike almost anywhere else in golf.
The golf itself is outstanding. The short holes invite creativity and imagination, while the putting course keeps the fun going long after the last shot is struck. Families, beginners, scratch golfers, and resort guests all share the same space, creating an experience that feels welcoming and inclusive.
It's impossible to spend an afternoon at The Baths without smiling.
3. The Nest – Cabot Cliffs, Nova Scotia
If scenery alone determined the rankings, The Nest might be number one.
Perched above the Gulf of St. Lawrence, this remarkable short course occupies some of the most dramatic land at Cabot Cliffs. Every hole seems to reveal another breathtaking view of the cliffs, coastline, and ocean beyond.
The setting is spectacular, especially in the evening when the sun begins to drop toward the horizon and paints the landscape in shades of gold and orange. The golf is playful and imaginative, but the views are what linger in your memory.
The Nest captures everything that makes Cabot Cliffs special and distills it into a walk that can be enjoyed by golfers of every ability.
2. The Preserve – Bandon Dunes, Oregon
The Preserve may be the finest collection of par-three holes I've ever played.
Set high above the Pacific Ocean, the course offers one stunning ocean vista after another. Every hole feels different, and every hole feels memorable. The routing takes full advantage of the rugged Oregon coastline, creating a golf experience that is equal parts architecture and scenery.
Then there is the legendary 13th hole.
Playing it with a driver or a putter isn't officially mandatory, but it might as well be. The hole perfectly captures the spirit of The Preserve: creative, fun, and just quirky enough to become part of every golfer's story. My friend Jon hit the stick with his putt from 100 yards and missed his ace by inches with seven of us watching.
If you've ever wondered whether a par-three course can stand alongside championship layouts as a destination golf experience, The Preserve provides the answer.
1. Butler Pitch & Putt – Austin, Texas
Some rankings are based on scenery. Others are based on architecture.
My favorite short course is based on personality.
Butler Pitch & Putt sits in the heart of Austin and attracts one of the most eclectic collections of golfers you'll ever encounter. On any given day you'll find accomplished players, first-timers, families, college students, retirees, and groups of friends simply looking to enjoy a beautiful afternoon outdoors.
The course is filled with colorful artwork and unmistakable Austin character. The golf is fun and approachable, but the atmosphere is what makes the place special. After the round, the burgers are as much a part of the experience as the golf itself.
I've played short courses overlooking oceans, perched on cliffs, and attached to some of the finest resorts in the world. Yet Butler Pitch & Putt is the one I would most happily play tomorrow.
It's authentic, welcoming, and endlessly entertaining.
What's your favorite short course?
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