Wilderness Club, Eureka
They call Montana Big Sky country for obvious reasons. From just about anywhere in the state, the panoramic views are stunning and big, whether it’s on a ranch, national park, or a golf course.
This is a land of cowboys and rodeos, fly fishing and wildlife, and two famous national parks – Glacier National Park and Yellowstone, the latter of which also spans into Wyoming.
Speaking of Yellowstone, there’s a TV series by the same name that might have boosted tourism in Montana as well. And while your visit might not be quite as dramatic as some of the episodes, some of those serene scenic moments you might have seen on the show aren’t exaggerated, as anyone who comes to Montana soon realizes.
As a backdrop for golf, of course, Montana is as good as it gets. While some courses are flat with mountain scapes in the background, others also offer elevation changes, and all of them are unique experiences.
What follows are 10 of the best choices for the public to play golf in Montana.
Wilderness Club, Eureka
Many consider the Wilderness Club the best public golf course in Montana. The course is a design collaboration of Nick Faldo and the architect team of Brian Curley and Lee Schmidt. Opened in 2009, it’s listed among the best 100 courses you can play in the United States, according to Golfweek.
So what makes Wilderness so good? For one, it’s the topography. Located near the Canadian border, the course is carved out of rolling hills with magnificent trees framing the holes around water features with mountains in the background. Wilderness Club is always in impeccable shape, and at approximately 7,200 yards from the back tees, it’s a great test of golf, no matter your skill level. There’s some elevation change, too, like the elevated tees on the ninth and 12th, and the large greens have plenty of slope on them.
Plus, if you want to stay and play, Wilderness Club offers not only nice accommodations, but plenty else to do, like pickleball, hiking, boating, and fishing.
Wilderness Club, Eureka
Old Works, Anaconda
Built on the superfund site of an abandoned copper smelter, Old Works is the only Jack Nicklaus Signature course in the state. The course, which can play as long as 7,700 yards, works its way around the hillsides with the remnants of the old copper smelting operation in the background of several holes.
But what really makes this course unique are its black bunkers, filled with slag, which was a by-product of the smelting operation. It turns out that the granulated slag is inert, so it poses no threat, providing a unique look and link to the history of the site. It’s also quite striking visually, especially with a bright white or yellow ball in the bunker.
At the highest points on the golf course, like on the par-3 fourth and 17th holes, the views include the huge smoke stack left over from the operation. There are other reminders, too, like the granite slabs of the old mill line along the banks of Warm Springs Creek near the 10th green, and the stone furnaces that run along the third hole. It’s a truly unique course that not only draws visitors from outside the state but also golfers throughout Montana.
Old Works, Anaconda
Rising Sun Golf Course at Mountain Sky Ranch, Emigrant
So if you’re sort of looking for the Yellowstone experience, this is it. While the golf course, Rising Sun, has been open for limited public play, the sure way to get on is to book a stay at the incredible Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, which is set on more than 10,000 acres around the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley. Owned by Arthur Blanks of Home Depot, PGA Tour Superstore, and Atlanta Falcons fame, Mountain Sky is an upscale dude ranch, where you’re encouraged (and forced in some situations) to unplug in the incredible beauty of the Montana outdoors just north of Yellowstone National Park.
As for the golf course, Rising Sun is a Johnny Miller design that’s now a par-72 course that has five sets of tees, ranging from 5,017 yards to 7,130 yards. The views are magnificent on this course, where no two holes are alike. Bluegrass fairways, meandering streams, ponds, and incredible mountain views and conditions make up the experience here. And it’s a really challenging course, too, especially from the back sets of tees. Practice facilities are top-notch, and there’s a really cool par-3 course, too.
If you can stay there, you can basically play the course as much as you want, but you definitely want to do some of the other stuff, too, like horseback riding, fly fishing, clay shooting, and an excursion to Yellowstone National Park. Also, dining is incredible, though guests adhere to a structured chow call where everybody eats together (all part of the charm).
Rising Sun Golf Course at Mountain Sky Ranch, Emigrant
Spanish Peaks Mountain Club, Big Sky
The late Tom Wesikopf designed the course at The Club at Spanish Peaks, which sits on a 5,700-acre spread near Yellowstone National Park, the Gallatin National Forest, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness, and the namesake Spanish Peaks, less than an hour from Bozeman. The club is normally private, but it does offer stay-and-play packages to guests.
This 7,200-yard, par-72 course is simply magnificent, with each hole seemingly outdoing the other. The signature hole, however, is the par-3 15th, which plays downhill to a view that encompasses 40 or 50 miles.
In the winter, the clubhouse on the 18th hole has ski-in and ski-out access. Luxury accommodations include guestrooms and suites at the resort’s Lodge and Inn, as well as mountainside homes. Fine dining and an array of other activities besides golf are available, too.
Spanish Peaks Mountain Club, Big Sky
Whitefish Lake Golf Club, Whitefish
Tucked away in the far northwest corner of the state, Whitefish is a summer haven for many. There are two courses at Whitefish Lake Golf Club, the North and South, and both of them are among the very best in the state. The South is probably the better of the two, with lots of elevation change and great views, but they’re both super enjoyable.
Both were renovated by architect John Steidel in the mid-1990s. The North Course, however, has a lot more history, with its first nine holes dating back to 1935, while the South opened in 1979. Both are simply stunning, with the North Course featuring the namesake Whitefish Lake, and the South Course laid out along the shores of Coon Lake.
In addition to the golf, however, you’ll want to dine in the Whitefish Lake Restaurant, which features incredible steaks and walleye as well as something else you can’t get in most of the country – huckleberry pie, a must-have for anyone visiting Montana.
Whitefish Lake Golf Club, Whitefish
Bridger Creek Golf Club, Bozeman
Located just 10 minutes from the Bozeman airport, Bridger Creek, with the Bridger Mountains in the background, is a wonderful residential course open to the public. It was designed by Mac Hunter, an accomplished player who competed in more than 20 majors. He was also the head pro at the famed Riviera Country Club for close to two decades.
The Bridger Creek golf course is a terrific parkland layout with water coming into play on eight holes. The par-70 that measures nearly 6,600 yards has several holes that work around Bridger Creek. The layout also features fast, undulating greens.
The facility is also known for its excellent practice facilities that include the Rock Mountain Golf Academy, one of the northwest’s premier short-game and full-shot golf instructional sites.
Bridger Creek Golf Club, Bozeman
Big Sky Golf Club and Summer Resort, Big Sky
A great base for anyone planning to visit Yellowstone National Park, this wintertime ski resort is also a good spot for golfers looking to tee it up in the summertime and early fall.
The resort features Arnold Palmer’s first golf course design, which has been updated several times over the past five decades. The course has a bit of a linksy feel to it, with the mountain backdrop providing plenty of beauty. The par-72 course can measure as long as 6,800 yards, and there’s plenty of room to drive the ball off the tee.
In addition to the golf, there are luxury accommodations and plenty of other things to do, like lift rides, mountain biking, hiking, archery, and even disc golf.
Big Sky Golf Club and Summer Resort, Big Sky
Canyon River Golf Club, Missoula
If you make it to Missoula, home of the University of Montana (and the Grizzlies’ powerhouse FCS football teams), you’ll want to tee it up at Canyon River Golf Club.
The course is a Schmidt-Curley design situated along the Clark Fork River with the Woody Mountain on one side and Mount Jumbo on the other. Measuring just under 7,000 yards from the tips, the course is always in great shape and showcases fast, sloping greens.
Lakes and marshes come into play on several holes. The course’s signature hole, however, might be the downhill, par-12th, which showcases a panoramic view to go along with the challenge.
Canyon River Golf Club, Missoula
Championship 18 at Buffalo Hill GC, Kalispell
Designed by Robert Muir Graves, the Championship 18 Course at Buffalo Hill Golf Club (there is an additional course called the Cameron Nine) is a must-play for visitors to the Flathead Valley.
The course, which opened in 1978, is as challenging as it is beautiful, with a few blind shots and several elevated tee shots. Mountain views are abundant, as are views of the city, Whitefish Mountain Resort, and Glacier National Park.
Measuring about 6,800 yards from the back tees, the layout is known as a shotmaker’s course with tree-lined fairways and the Stillwater River running through it.
Championship 18 at Buffalo Hill Golf Course, Kalispell
Polson Bay Golf Club, Polson
There are 27 holes at Polson Bay Golf Club, another Flathead Valley favorite for decades.
Golf there goes back to 1936 as a WPA project with John Steidel and Carl Thuesen redesigning the Championship Course, which now plays as a 7,008-yard par-72. The Olde Course is a par-36 layout that plays a little more than 3,200 yards from the back tees.
Both courses boast spectacular views of the mountains and Flathead Lake, which is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.
Polson Bay Golf Club, Polson