Pack Your Clubs for These 9 Military Golf Courses!
by Rebecca Alwine - July 18th, 2022
There are some things you simply don’t want to put on the moving truck: your jewelry, your pets, and for the golf lover – your clubs.
PCSing may not be the best time to jet out and hit 18 holes while your spouse is stuck in the hotel room with your kids, but if you’re moving to a new place, or traveling through one of these installations, it’s going to be very tempting to see the course.
To aid you in your golfing and PCS adventure, we’ve cultivated this list of 9 military golf courses that you should play throughout your career. We talked to service members who have golfed there, factored in the value of these facilities and, since golf can be an expensive hobby, we’ve also kept in mind the cost of play in these areas to make sure it’s still a good deal.
9 Military Golf Courses to Play
Eglin Golf Course
The Eglin AFB Golf Course opened in 1924 making it one of the oldest military golf courses. The 36 holes of the Eagle and Falcon courses were designed by Robert Walker and William Langford. The course is rated first in Air Force Material Command, third in U.S. military courses, and 61st in Florida. The two courses span 450 acres, and over 65,000 rounds of golf are played here each year.
Eisenhower Golf Course
The scenery is beautiful at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and one of the most popular places to visit is the Eisenhower Golf Course. With two 18-hole courses, you may find the decision difficult: Silver or Blue?
The Blue course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and is almost 7,500 yards with wide fairways. Travel and Leisure Golf magazine once named this the top golf course in the Department of Defense. The Silver course puts an emphasis on accuracy over length. Tournaments are very popular on these courses and they both offer amazing views of the Rocky Mountains.
Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course
Even if you don’t like golf, you’ll want to admire the views from the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course. Well known for its beauty, it’s located in an area that isn’t short on amazing views. Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii is gorgeous. The course was designed by William P. Bell and opened in 1939. The Bermuda grass course stretches just over 6,500 yards. It’s one of the world’s best military golf courses and is consistently voted number one by Department of Defense patrons. It’s also frequented by President Obama.
The Courses at Andrews
The Courses at Andrews, located on Andrews Air Force Base, consist of two 18-hole championship courses. Both the East and South courses give locals and visitors the opportunity to play enjoyable and challenging golf. Over 60 years ago, the course was created during the transition of the Army Air Corps to the Air Force, and then, because it was so popular, the 18-hole course became a 54-hole course.
Many presidents have and will golf here, a legacy that began in 1974 when President Ford played there for the first time. More recently, President Obama played there an average of 20 times a year. The Courses at Andrews have a lot of tournaments and activities, so you’ll want to book your tee time in advance if possible.
The Legends Golf Course
Golf isn’t what most people equate to Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, but nearby Hilton Head Island and the surrounding areas are flush with golf courses. The challenging course winds its way along deep-water creeks and the wetlands that plague Basic trainees but gives the golfer a sense of the area's rich history. Built in 1947 by Fred Findlay and George Cobb, the course has been rated among the top tier of golf courses in South Carolina by Golf Advisor since 2016.
Gordon Lakes Golf Course
Golf courses in the Augusta, Georgia area have a very high standard to meet, and while Gordon Lakes can’t compete with local private courses like Augusta Country Club or that magical place with all the azaleas where they play the Masters, it is a good bargain and a pretty course.
The original 18 holes were built by Robert Trent Jones Senior in 1976 and the nine holes on the Pine View Side were added in 2002. The 27-hole course hosted the All-Armed Forces Championships and the All-Army Golf Trials. Six holes are played around the 20-acre lake with a Jones signature island hole.
Ft. Sam Houston Golf Club
Beginning with an 18-hole design by AW Tillinghast, Ft. Sam Houston's golf course has expanded to include two additional courses and quite a few practice facilities. Salado del Rio is the more demanding of the two courses, but La Loma has challenges in the form of tree-lined fairways. The Salado del Rio course has hosted players including Arnold Palmer and the scenic course offers some great views of the nearby countryside. In 1950 and 1951, Fort Sam Houston Golf Course shared hosting duties of the Texas Open with Brackenridge Park and hosted the event again in 1956 and 1960.
Additionally, the Gateway Hills Course is located on Lackland Air Force Base and consists of 200 acres of severe elevation changes while looking over the city of San Antonio. Randolph Air Force Base has Randolph Oaks, an 18-hole championship course, with a lighted driving range and putting green.
A.C. Reed Golf Course
Another fantastic Florida golf course is A.C. Reed Golf Course, located on NAS Pensacola, where most people consider the beach and the Blue Angels to be the big draw. The course is home to a local branch of the First Tee program, teaching the next generation of golf lovers. They’ve also been recognized as the November Florida Historical Golf Course. The course is located along Bayou Grande and has lots of old, live oaks and water holes. The 27-hole championship course also has an additional 18-hole executive course making it one of the great places to golf in the Florida panhandle.
West Point Golf Course
The golf season in upstate New York may be a tad shorter than in Florida, but the 18 holes at the West Point Golf Course give you a taste of old-school golf. The historic course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and opened in 1948. The course is rated a little more difficult than average, and the setting makes it feel like a private course. Creeks and sand traps add to the challenge as well as tight fairways – hitting the ball straight is going to make your life much easier. The hilly and elevated course makes wind a challenge at times.
Whether you play a round during a PCS move, on a temporary training assignment, or after you have retired from the military, we are sure you will enjoy the scenery, the challenge, and the history behind these great golf courses on military bases.
Rebecca Alwine is an Army wife, mother of three and lover of her adorable pirate dog. Over the past 15 years, she’s discovered she enjoys coffee, lifting weights and most of the menial tasks of motherhood. Her days consist of working out in her garage gym, audiobooks and pretending to cook while her Instant Pot and Air Fryer do all the work. Her motto: work smarter, not harder.
