Top Golfing Retreats for Enthusiasts: Cities that Caters to Avid Golfers
According to LawnStarter's 2025 list of the Best Cities for Golfers in retirement, the top 25 U.S. cities have been ranked based on overall scores that include public and premium course access, training and equipment availability, and course quality. Here are some highlights from the list:
Mesa, AZ (#8)
Known for courses like Painted Mountain Golf Resort and Toka Sticks Golf Club, Mesa, Arizona, is a popular destination for golfers. With an overall score of 46.69, Mesa offers a variety of courses to suit every skill level.
Houston, TX (#9)
Boasting 57 courses within 15 miles, including public and private, Houston, Texas, is a city rich in golfing opportunities. Notable courses include Gus Wortham Municipal and Cypress Creek. With an overall score of 46.00, Houston provides a scenic, rolling layout at the Gus Wortham Municipal Course, just a few miles from downtown.
Dallas, TX (#10)
Dallas, Texas, features courses like Brook Hollow, Trinity Forest, Brookhaven, and The Clubs of Prestonwood. With an overall score of 45.96, Dallas offers a range of courses for golfers of all skill levels.
Other cities that made it to the top 25 include New York (#5), Chicago (#7), and Denver (#11). In the Southwest and Southeast, many of the best cities for golfers are located, led by a pair of cities in Arizona.
In addition to these cities, the list includes Orlando, Florida, home to the Orange County National Golf Center, with two championship courses and America's largest driving range. The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, is a favourite PGA Tour stop, and the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, is renowned for hosting the Arnold Palmer Invitational and featuring challenging fairways.
Bethpage State Park Golf Course in Long Island, New York, is a public course that hosted the U.S. Open, and Shoreacres Golf Club in Chicago, Illinois, ranks as one of the best in the Chicago area with fluctuating topography.
In 2024, 47.2 million Americans played golf, with 15% of these golf players being older adults.
For a more complete list beyond these highlights, it would be necessary to look directly at LawnStarter’s official 2025 Best Cities for Golfers ranking page or related comprehensive coverage, which is not fully shown here.
LawnStarter published a list of the 2025 Best Cities for Golfers, offering retirees an opportunity to explore and play golf in some of the best cities in the United States.
- Retirees looking for golf-centric destinations may find delight in Mesa, Arizona (#8), known for its varied courses such as Painted Mountain Golf Resort, and Houston, Texas (#9), home to multiple accessible golfing opportunities like Gus Wortham Municipal.
- Golf enthusiasts in retirement could also consider Dallas, Texas (#10), with courses like Brook Hollow and Trinity Forest, and Orlando, Florida, home to the Orange County National Golf Center, a preferred location with two championship courses and a vast driving range.
