To qualify to be ranked by the Ladies Professional Golf Association of America (LPGA), the largest women’s golf association in the world, a golf course must feature at least one set of advance tees less than 5300 yards, two sets of tees under 6000 yards, feature few forced carries, and provide a woman-friendly atmosphere.
These courses, among the tops in the country for men or women, were ranked by the LPGA as the top ladies courses for 2008. Many of the top women’s courses, just like many of the top men’s courses, can be found in the golfing paradises of Arizona, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and California.
Women's Golf Courses
Some things to anticipate when checking a golf courses is whether it allows women to enter leagues and tournaments, and whether the course allows women to book tee times at any slot and on any day. These courses offer extra incentives to appeal for the ever-rising golfing market that is the ladies’ game. They include the following.
Top LPGA Courses: Grand Dunes
The Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach is an oceanfront course that has eliminated the advance tees from its membership course, inviting male and female golfers alike to tee off from the same tee boxes.
St. James Plantation
St. James in Southport is a private beach resort that hosts 250 women in weekly golf tournaments. The course’s 81 holes cater to women-only tournaments every Tuesday, and of the courses major tournaments there are 10 annually open to only women or mixed couples teams.
The Golf Academy at the resort, St. James Golf Academy, reserves two weekly schools every year for the sole purpose of female golf instruction, and is a popular class for women golfers throughout the country.
Willoughby Golf Club
The Willoughby Golf Club in Florida offers weekly competitions for a 70-member nine hole women’s groups and a 60-member 18 hole women’s groups, and every Thursday at this course is Ladies Day. Ladies Day events include guest days, Grandmothers days, and Rally for the Cure breast cancer days.
Vista Ridge and Pine Needles
Colorado’s Vista Ridge Golf Course offers a women’s golf league, year-round women’s clinics, a Moms Play Free promotions on Mothers Day and six sets of tees, including at least three sets of women’s tees.
One of the top women’s courses in the world, Pine Needles in California features advance tee yardages of 4396, with two other sets of tees under 6000 yards and the world renowned Golfaris golf schools, which cater to thousands of women annually. Pine Needles has also hosted the LPGA’s U.S. Open Championship three separate times.
These courses, along with a handful of others around the country, are suited as perfect for the women's game. To bring your top game to these popular courses, make sure you're hitting the right shots:
 |
