10. Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island, S.C.: Jack’s first formal foray into course design was a co-design with Pete Dye that debuted in 1969. This coastal South Carolina gem has been a popular PGA Tour stop ever since.
9. Reynolds Plantation (Great Waters), Greensboro, G.A.: A memorable back nine that skirts inlets of Lake Oconee highlights this gorgeous, playable layout that’s halfway between Atlanta and Augusta.
8. The Challenge at Manele, Lanai, H.I.: Bill Gates chose the 12th tee box as his wedding site, which provides some idea of how spectacular this clifftop course on Lanai really is.
7. The Greenbrier (Greenbrier), White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.: In 1977, Nicklaus completely revamped the 1924 original in time to host the 1979 Ryder Cup. Mountain streams, forced carries and tight, forested fairways spice the play.
6. May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, S.C.: Massive oaks and holes that ease past the oyster-filled May River are the pearls of this 8-year-old track near Hilton Head.
5. Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean Course), Palm Coast, Fla.: Wind, wetlands and a handful of oceanside holes, including the final four that comprise "The Bear Claw," are among the enticements at this 12-year-old course.
4. The Club at Pronghorn (Nicklaus), Bend, Ore.: Thanks to Pronghorn’s 3,200-foot elevation, this 7,379-yarder plays a tad shorter than advertised, but it’s the brilliant vistas of snow-capped mountains and the ancient lava rock ridges in play that command your attention.
3. Cabo Del Sol (Ocean), Los Cabos, Mexico: Mountain backdrops and cactus-framed fairways on this world-ranked beauty set the stage for a dramatic finish, with the final three holes touching the Sea of Cortez.
2. Glen Abbey Golf Club, Ontario, Canada: Frequent home to the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open since the course debuted in 1976, this was Nicklaus’ first solo effort and is best known for its watery valley holes and a superb risk/reward par-5 closer, where Tiger Woods hit the shot of his life to win the 2000 event.
1. Bear’s Best, Atlanta, G.A.: This collection of all-star, Nicklaus-designed holes is pure fun. The par 3s that mirror Muirfield Village’s 12th and PGA National Champion’s 15th are standouts.
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