Golf's 10 best entrances, ranked (2024)

By Drew Powell and Stephen Hennessey

Jared C. Tilton

Private

1. Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta, GA, United States

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

John Sabino

Private

2. Yeamans Hall Club

Charleston, SC, United States

• Second 100 Greatest
• Best In State

The entrance at Yeamans Hall captures the laidback low country vibe that characterizes the Charleston area. Large oak trees hang over the understated gate, and as you drive down the weaving entrance road, moss drips from the trees. Yeamans Hall was designed by Seth Raynor in the 1920s, and many of our panelists note that the entrance feels as though it’s stuck in time.

Panelist review: "The gate is magnificent, and a feature in and of itself. Then there is a beautiful winding road through majestic live oaks with Spanish moss dripping from them. Then, you finally get a view of the course. Just remember: cars must yield to golfers!"

Carlos Amoedo

Private

3. Pine Valley Golf Club

Pine Valley, NJ, United States

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

Conor Ralph

Private

4. National Golf Links of America

Southampton, NY, United States

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

At National Golf Links of America, you cross the grand gates and enter golf history. The course on the tip of Long Island was where Seth Raynor got his start, surveying holes for architect C.B. Macdonald—holes that would bring the best designs of the British Isles across the ocean. The entrance road winds beside a few of the holes—soak it all in. Glance left and appreciate the towering, iconic windmill, an early reminder that you’re at a special place, if you’d somehow already forgotten.

Panelist review: "Eagles on the gate watch over you as you enter the historic property. The drive in gives you a tantalizing first glance at the beauty you'll soon experience first-hand."

Courtesy of the club

Private

5. The Preserve Golf Club

Carmel, CA, United States

• Second 100 Greatest
• Best In State

The drive into The Preserve Golf Club in Carmel, Calif., is perhaps the most unique in golf.Once you enter through the main gate, you’ve got nine miles until you reach the clubhouse. The drive traverses rolling terrain and passes through towering redwoods and mossy oak groves. Keep an eye out for deer, coyote and quail, which frequent the surrounding hills.From a strictly aesthetic standpoint, the entrance at the Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel, Calif., is tough to beat. The length and beauty make this entrance one of the most unique in golf.

Panelist review: “The drive is miles and miles through a nature preserve. You drive 30 minutes from the guardhouse straight up a mountain, which is certainly something I’ve never seen before. No houses. No cell service. Just pristine forest.”

Private

6. Congaree Golf Club

Ridgeland, SC, United States

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

It's quite the journey through the lowcountry of Jasper County, S.C., one of the poorest counties in the United States, to finding Congaree. Once you arrive, you're greeted with a canopy of towering Spanish moss trees that perfectly fit the vibe of the former plantation turned golf oasis.

Panelist review: "A perfect low country introduction. Nondescript gate, long winding road, pull up on the massive complex. Its magnificent."

Public

7. Shadow Creek

North Las Vegas, NV, United States

• 100 Greatest
• 100 Greatest Public
• Best In State

Arriving at a golf course in a limo, as is required to access Shadow Creek, is bizarre enough. When the MGM-branded limo abruptly turns right after the 20-or-so minute drive from the strip, you’re instantly transported from a benign-looking street in North Las Vegas into a different world, driving through large pines with pine straw underneath as if you’re in North Carolina, until you arrive at the quaint clubhouse, which gives Augusta National vibes.

Panelist review: "It’s like stumbling upon an oasis in the middle of the desert. They pick you up in a limo, and you drive through perfectly manicured grounds with a few glimpses of the course, which builds the anticipation."

Private

8. Cypress Point Club

Pebble Beach, CA, United States

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

Drive down 17-Mile Drive on the Monterrey Peninsula and you might miss the small square sign that marks one of the most famous clubs in the world. Is this really it? The lack of pretension is striking and adds to the allure of the property, say many of our panelists. Like many of the entrances on this list, the sign is far more than a sign—it’s a marker of history, prestige and the beauty that lies beyond.

Panelist review: "The unpretentious, basic sign along 17-Mile Drive says 'Members Only.' Beyond it? One of the best courses in the world."

Jimmie James

Private

9. Sand Hills Golf Club

Mullen, NE, United States

• 100 Greatest
• Best In State

Sand Hills proved the concept of remote, destination golf can work, and this sign is a welcome sign to all who have traveled far and wide to play one of the world's best modern layouts.

Panelist review: "The very small, wooden sign is easily missed. It’s simple, just like Sand Hills. You are in the middle of nowhere and drive two miles on the driveway to get to the clubhouse. The long, remote drive makes you eager to see what you know awaits when you get there."

Patrick Koenig

Private

10. The Bridge

Sag Harbor, NY, United States

• Best In State

The Bridge isn’t what you’d think when you picture a Long Island private club with a seven-figure initiation fee. It trades stuffiness for eccentricity, apparent right as you cross through the gate which reads “Chevron Gasolines”—a tribute to the racetrack origins of the property. The land was once home to the Bridgehampton Motor Racing Circuit, and the long runway entrance seems to encourage you to give the pedal a little nudge.

Panelist review: "It preserves the spirit of the property’s past life as a racetrack. The racetrack artifacts and the sign that reads 'There will be no miracles here' is next level. It’s a long, tree-lined ride, but go ahead and step on the pedal to get the true racetrack feel."