Public vs. Private Golf Courses: What's the Difference?

Golf courses come in more access flavors than most people realize, and the labels matter when you're deciding where to play.

Municipal courses

Owned by a city or county and open to everyone, munis are golf's front door — the most affordable greens fees in the game, and in cities like San Diego and Denver, genuinely excellent layouts.

Daily-fee public courses

Privately owned but open to the public: pay your fee, play the course. Quality and price span everything from basic nine-holers to championship venues.

Resort courses

Attached to hotels and destinations. Usually open to the public, with priority (and discounts) for resort guests. This is most of what you'll play in Myrtle Beach or Orlando.

Semi-private courses

A hybrid: members get priority tee times and perks, but outside play is welcome. Often the best value-to-quality ratio in an area.

Private clubs

Members and their guests only. But "private" isn't always absolute: many host charity events open to entrants, some offer reciprocal access through other clubs, and accompanied-guest invitations remain the classic way in. It never hurts to be friendly with members.

How to tell what a course is

Course websites usually say up front; if in doubt, call the pro shop — they'd rather answer than have you show up wrong. Our directory listings include websites and phone numbers for exactly this.