5 World Famous Public Courses To Host The US Open

Pinehurst No.2, one of ten courses 18-hole courses at the stunning Pinehurst resort in North Carolina, welcomes the best players in the world this week to the playing of the 124th US Open Championship.

Pinehurst is a public resort that hosts thousands of visitors per year, bucking the trend of US championship golf courses and their typical exclusivity as private clubs. 

You too can play Pinehurst No.2 and tackle the famous marram grass from the beautiful waste areas or recreate Payne Stuart’s famous fist pump celebration on the 18th green.

Pinehurst is not the only public course to host the US Open, so here are five more to add to your bucket list…

Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach is one of the most famous, and beautiful, golf courses in world golf.

Located in Monterrey, California, the dramatic cliff side views of the Pacific Open provide the perfect backdrop for the US Open championship. Pebble has hosted the championship six times, most recently in 2019, and is scheduled to host for the seventh time in 2027. It also hosted the 2023 US Women's Open and is the annual venue for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour.

There’s a catch, however. Green fees for non-resort guests are $675 and due to the demand to play the course, tee times can be difficult to secure.

Torrey Pines

Most recently hosting Jon Rahm’s debut major triumph, Torrey Pines provides an excellent championship-level test for those who make the trip to the beautiful California coastline.

The South Course at Torrey has hosted two US Open championships, most famously the 2008 edition that Tiger Woods won in a Monday playoff against Rocco Mediate. Tiger holed a famous clutch 12-foot birdie putt on Sunday evening to force the playoff before going on to win his third US Open title.

The San Diego venue plays host to the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open each year, too.

You can play Torrey Pines for $234, but discounted prices are available for juniors, seniors and local residents.

Erin Hills

Located in Wisconsin, to the northwest of Milwaukee, Erin Hills became the sixth public access course to host the Championship back in 2017.

Brooks Koepka claimed his first Major that year, and the club is now set to host the 2025 US Women’s Open Championship after hosting the US Mid-Amateur Championship in 2022.

Green fees at Erin Hills vary depending on the time of year, costing $425 between June and September.

Bethpage Black

Host site of the 2025 Ryder Cup, the Black Course at Bethpage State Park hosted both the 2002 and 2009 US Open Championships. Brooks Koepka also won the 2019 PGA Championship on the public layout, which is infamous for its length and difficulty.

The course became publicly owned back in 2002, with Tiger Woods collecting his second US Open title in Long Island, New York.

Bethpage Black provides a championship test without the sky-high prices, with tee times for out of state residents peaking at $160.

Chambers Bay

Located in the north western state of Washington, Chambers Bay hosted its sole US Open Championship in 2015.

It proved to be one of the most controversial US Opens in recent memory, with players met with brown, speckled and often bumpy greens on the course carved into the wild hills of the Washington coastline.

Dustin Johnson would three putt the 18th green on Sunday evening to lose to Jordan Spieth by one shot, so he may not be in a rush back to play Chambers. If he was, however, it would cost him up to $265 as an out of state visitor.