Golfing

Golfing in South Dakota

Experience putting on the prairie

 

With a variety of courses and inexpensive green fees, golfing in South Dakota is a must for both the casual and avid player. Pack your clubs and keep your game sharp on your next road trip. Scroll down for some of the top 18-hole public courses in the state. Keep scrolling for a listing of great tee party spots across South Dakota. For a complete list of all golf courses in The Mount Rushmore State, click here.

May all your shots be great ones!

A golfer tees off
FORE FACTS
  • PGA champs Bernhard Langer, John Daly and David Toms and more played in the Sanford International on Sept. 11-17, 2023, at Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls.

  • Raised in Sioux Falls, LPGA star Kris Tschetter has earned nearly $3 million in prize money in her career.

  • When Curt Byrum won the Hardees Classic the same year his brother Tom Byrum won the 1989 Kemper Open, it marked the first time since 1972 that brothers had won PGA Tour events in the same year.

  • Eureka native Marlene Hagge won 25 LPGA events from 1952-1972. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002 and was the first woman named to the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.

Open greens at a Rapid City golf course
The Golf Club at Red Rock (Rapid City)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 72.11
SLOPE (AVG): 140.5

This course in western South Dakota consistently gets top marks from publications across the state, including “#1 Golf Course in South Dakota” by GolfWeek. In addition to unique holes, Red Rock features practice areas, target greens, and an onsite bar & grill called The Rock.

An aerial shot of the Prairie Green Golf Course featuring greens, a sand trap, and a cloudy blue sky
Prairie Green Golf Course (Sioux Falls)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 73.85
SLOPE (AVG): 127

Nestled in the prairie of South Dakota’s biggest city are 18 championship holes that make up GolfWweek Magazine’s “#2 Golf Course in South Dakota” (2019). Get your tee time today by clicking here.

A golfer checks his bag on a green golf course
The Bluffs Golf Course (Vermillion)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 72.5
SLOPE (AVG): 128

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better course between Sioux City and Sioux Falls than The Bluffs. With water on five of the first six holes, this course keeps locals and visitors coming back for more. Book your tee time here.

American flags fly above golfers
Hillcrest Golf & Country Club (Yankton)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 72.72
SLOPE (AVG): 126.8

Part of the annual Dakotas Tour Pro-Am event, this semi-private facility is family-oriented, meaning everyone can play at a course often recognized by BestCourses.com. You can secure your own tee time by clicking here.

A golfer takes a shot under a tree with purple blooms
Meadowbrook Golf Course (Rapid City)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 70.3
SLOPE (AVG): 123.4

Meadowbrook has hosted everything from the USGA Women’s Public Links Championship to the NAIA College Women’s National Golf Championships. Hit the links in the Black Hills only 23 miles from Mount Rushmore. Book a tee time here.

Trees cover much of this golf course that sits near the base of the Black Hills
Elkhorn Ridge Golf Course (Spearfish)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 70.13
SLOPE (AVG): 126

With a front nine by the side of a mountain and a back nine winding through the rock walls of Polo Creek Canyon, it’s not hard to see why Golf Digest ranked this one of the top five courses in South Dakota. Show your friends or family how golf is done on the historic Frawley Ranch in western South Dakota. Book your tee time here.

An aerial view of the golf course, featuring water hazards and, in the background, Lake Mitchell
Lakeview Municipal Golf Course (Mitchell)

PAR: 72
USGA RATING (AVG): 72.11
SLOPE (AVG): 119.5

Challenging, not punishing – that’s the name of the golf game at Lakeview. The course features strategically planted trees that add beauty to the course, particularly in the fall. And with rates that led USA Today to name Lakeview the Top Golf Course in South Dakota under $50, you won’t break the bank for a round of golf. Bonus: you’re only 3 miles from the World’s Only Corn Palace! Book your tee time here.

A green golf course sits in front of trees and the Black Hills
Southern Hills Golf Course (Hot Springs)

PAR: 70
USGA RATING (AVG): 70.63
SLOPE (AVG): 127.3

It’s amazing how a course under 6,000 yards can be so beautiful – and fun. Located less than an hour from Rapid City, this course is a hidden gem for anyone that hasn’t discovered the magic. Those who have tend to keep coming back for more. Don’t be surprised if you see some wildlife – including deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, and the rare red-tail fox – during your game. Tee times are available for booking at the link below.

A ball-marking machine once used at one of the oldest golf courses in South Dakota
HISTORY & VICTORIES

Located in the Holiday Inn & Suites (2040 W Russell St) in Sioux Falls, the South Dakota Golf Hall of Fame features SDGA championship trophies as well as memorabilia, including a ball-marking device used at one of the oldest golf courses in South Dakota. No admission, just great history.

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