14 Best Golf Courses in Arkansas
Arkansas's topography of Ozark Mountains foothills, dense forests, and deep lake country gives golfers real variety. Travelers can play at the foot of the Ozarks at courses like the Red Apple Inn and Country Club, or tee it up in lake country at locations like Tannenbaum Golf Club. The urban centres of Fayetteville and Little Rock each have their own public-course options with ample nearby entertainment. The fourteen Arkansas courses below cover the state's best options.
Mystic Creek Golf Club
Mystic Creek is consistently ranked the best golf course in Arkansas and has appeared on top-50 national public course lists. It sits in El Dorado, about two hours south of Little Rock near the Louisiana border. The course plays roughly 7,500 yards from the tips with a 77.6 course rating. The first six holes run through ponds and creek hazards and rank among the most demanding opening stretches in the South.
The signature 14th is a risk/reward par 5 with a tiered green heavily guarded by bunkers and collection areas. Architect Ken Dye designed the course (opened 2013-2014), and green fees run $130-$150. A new Troon Golf-run pro shop opened in 2021.
El Dorado itself has developed as a regional destination: the downtown retains its oil-boom character, and the Murphy Arts District hosts concerts and events. Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge is a short drive away. Some golfers compare Mystic Creek's conditioning and tree-lined fairways to Augusta National in Georgia.
Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club
Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club is one of the best public courses in Fayetteville. The parkland par 72 was designed by Randy Heckenkemper in 1997 and plays 7,150 yards with a 75.1 course rating. Green fees run $80-$90. The course rewards shot selection over distance, and a 13-acre practice facility supports serious preparation. Autumn golf here is particularly scenic with Ozark foliage backdrops.
With limited on-course dining, head into Fayetteville. Atlas the Restaurant handles fine dining downtown. Hammontree's Grilled Cheese offers a simpler option with creative sandwich variations. Downtown Fayetteville Historic Square sits next to the University of Arkansas with public art exhibits and local shops.
The Ridges At Village Creek
The Ridges at Village Creek sits within Village Creek State Park, roughly 75 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee. The facility comprises three nine-hole layouts designed by Andy Dye (nephew of Pete Dye). Each is a par 36, with the East Nine carrying the most difficult 38.5 rating. The course is built on Crowley's Ridge, an elevated highland region, so elevation changes are a constant factor. Green fees around $50 make the course one of the best values in the state.
The course sits near Wynne, AR, with limited cabin lodging on-site, plus hiking trails and tennis courts. Nearby Lake Dunn and Lake Austell attract anglers for bass, crappie, and bluegill. The surrounding Delta region is undeveloped and good for travellers who want nature over nightlife.
Big Creek Golf And Country Club
Big Creek Golf and Country Club is consistently ranked among Arkansas's top-5 public courses. The par 73 stretches over 7,300 yards with wide zoysia fairways, and was designed by Thomas Clark in 1999. The course features the winding Big Creek itself plus four lakes and scattered tree copses that force creative approach shots.
The course rating is 75.8 and green fees run $100-$125. The site has hosted USGA qualifiers and regional championships. Big Creek has received multiple Golf Digest "Places to Play" five-star awards.
The course is in Mountain Home, about 15 miles south of the Missouri border. Springfield-Branson National Airport is about a 90-minute drive. The region is known for Norfork and Bull Shoals Lakes, two of the best trout-fishing tailwaters in the country. Mountain Home Commercial Historic District has preserved early 20th-century brick buildings with restaurants and specialty shops.
Glenwood Country Club And Lodge
Glenwood Country Club sits at the foot of the Ouachita Mountains, about 30 minutes from Hot Springs. The par 72 course plays a little over 6,500 yards with a course rating of 71.7. The signature 15th is a par 3 to a peninsula green. Green fees are roughly $50, among the most affordable on this list.
Glenwood operates as a full-service golf destination. The Greens Lodge (sleeps up to 17) is the premier accommodation with full kitchen and patio. Fairways Lodge handles smaller groups. The 19th Green is the on-site bar and grill. The town of Glenwood itself is small but has additional dining and recreation nearby.
DeGray Lake Resort State Park Golf Course
The DeGray Lake Resort in Bismarck houses one of Arkansas's signature golf retreats. Leon Howard designed the par 72, where water is in play on seven holes. The course rating is 73, stretching to nearly 7,000 yards from the tips. Green fees around $40 per round make this an unusually accessible resort course.
The par-4 17th overlooks the lake from an elevated tee box, with a menacing water hazard protecting the green. The course plays more relaxed than regional contemporaries like Glenwood. May and June offer the best conditioning and weather of the year.
DeGray Lake Resort Lodge has nearly 100 rooms on its own island on the lake, with heated pool, indoor hot tubs, and the Blue Heron Spa. The Shoreline Restaurant offers lakeside dining. The lake itself has fishing and a swim beach.
Indian Hills Golf Resort
Indian Hills in Fairfield Bay was designed by Ed Ault in 1983. Rates of $25-$40 per round make this one of the best-value rounds in the state, and a course rating of 71 on a 6,600-yard par 72 means the course is playable for all skill levels. The signature 17th is a par 3 requiring a carry over a large ravine to an elevated green. Play moves quickly in a laid-back atmosphere.
Indian Hills has limited on-site amenities beyond a small bar and practice area, but the Fairfield Bay area offers extensive vacation activities. Golfers can package Indian Hills with Mountain Ranch Golf Club (also in Fairfield Bay) for a full day.
Eagle Crest Golf Course
Eagle Crest Golf Course sits off Interstate 40 in Alma. The par 71 was designed by three-time PGA Tour champion Mark Hayes. The course sits inside a master-planned community, with zoysia fairways and hilly terrain creating a quieter feel than other public options. A round plays for around $60 with a 73.3 rating. Two of the final three finishing holes are scorable par 5s. Autumn is the best season here.
Northwest Arkansas National Airport is about one hour away. Alma itself is the self-proclaimed "Spinach Capital of the World," with an iconic Popeye statue and other tributes to the leafy crop. Gravity Hill nearby is a local optical illusion where motorists report their vehicles appearing to roll uphill. Lodging is basic motels and suites.
Rebsamen Park Golf Course
Rebsamen Park sits along the Arkansas River in Little Rock. The property has a par 72 championship course plus a nine-hole executive track. The championship course rates 72.1 and plays as a true riverfront layout, with exposed fairways vulnerable to wind off the water. Scattered cottonwood and pecan trees frame views toward the downtown skyline. Green fees under $30 make this the best value in the state's largest city.
The track sits within the heart of Little Rock. Burns Park (one of the largest municipal parks in the US at 1,700 acres) is a short drive from the course. The Old Mill is a local landmark famous for its appearance in the opening credits of Gone with the Wind. Little Rock River Market offers food halls and shopping nearby.
Hot Springs Country Club
Hot Springs Country Club is one of Arkansas's oldest clubs, with golf on site since 1898. Two par-72 parkland courses feature bentgrass greens and Bermuda fairways. The Arlington Course plays a little over 6,700 yards with a 72.8 rating; the par-5 sixth hole is one of the course's longer challenges. The Park Course plays slightly longer at over 6,800 yards with a 72.7 rating, opening with a demanding par 5 on the first. Green fees range $120-$140. Course conditions peak in spring and mid-October.
The town itself centres on Hot Springs National Park and is one hour from Little Rock. The town's traditional bathhouses use the area's natural thermal springs for spa and wellness experiences. Hot Springs Mountain Tower offers panoramic views. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort nearby runs one of the top thoroughbred racing tracks in the US. A Hot Springs golf trip offers the most diverse ancillary activity mix of any Arkansas destination.
Red Apple Inn And Country Club
Red Apple Inn and Country Club sits on Eden Isle in Greers Ferry Lake. The Gary Panks-designed par 71 plays just under 6,500 yards with a 71.5 rating. The 8th hole showcases elevated views of the lake from an elevated tee box. Green fees run $65-$90, with discounted packages for resort guests.
The area is about an hour from Little Rock. The resort offers inn lodging and vacation homes, with multiple pools, fitness centre, and spa. Greers Ferry Lake itself is known for boating and bass fishing, with walking paths throughout the property. The main restaurant has an attached bar and lounge. Red Apple fits the stay-and-play model for a budget-minded Ozark weekend.
The Golf Course At Turkey Mountain
The Golf Course at Turkey Mountain is a rural public course in Horseshoe Bend, a lake town in northern Arkansas almost three hours from both Memphis and Little Rock. Open since 1970, this par 73 is unusual for its easier 69.5 rating. The course uses the natural contours of the rolling Ozark terrain to create dramatic elevation changes across the round. The signature 9th is a par 5 stretching over 600 yards that requires three solid shots to reach the green due to a scarcity of flat lies. The 18th is a rare par 3 returning to the clubhouse as one of the easier finishers. Green fees around $50.
Horseshoe Bend has motels and vacation rentals including the Horseshoe Loft, within walking distance of the course. Nearby Crown Lake is a popular fishing spot with walking trails for wildlife viewing.
Tannenbaum Golf Club
Tannenbaum is a John C. Floyd-designed par 72 track in Drasco on the eastern side of Greers Ferry Lake. The course rates 70.4 and plays at about $65 per round. The signature 12th hole is a par 3 with a tee box 130 feet above a green in a natural valley. The overall feel is more resort than municipal, with the peninsula setting on the lake contributing to that character.
Tannenbaum Lodge is about a mile from the course, or golfers can book cabin rentals nearby. Greers Ferry Lake is considered one of the cleanest bodies of water in Arkansas, with boating and water sports. Drasco is about 80 miles from Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock, making nearby lodging essential for a golf weekend.
Mountain Ranch Golf Club
Mountain Ranch Golf Club sits above Greers Ferry Lake in Fairfield Bay. Designed by Edmund Ault in the early 1980s, the par 72 is known for tight fairways and significant elevation changes. The course rating of 72.8 on a 6,800-yard layout reflects how the difficulty exceeds the distance suggests. The par-4 15th is regarded as one of the most challenging holes in the state: a brutal uphill approach that can add 40 yards of effective distance depending on conditions. Green fees run $55-$65.
Fairfield Bay is a vacation-based community in the Ozark Mountains. Cabin rentals are the main lodging option. Nearby, the Little Red River offers tailwater trout fishing, and the Indian Rock House Cave is a hiking destination with prehistoric petroglyphs. Mountain Ranch pairs well with Indian Hills for a two-course weekend.
Fourteen Rounds Across Arkansas
Mystic Creek and Big Creek anchor the top of any Arkansas list. DeGray Lake, Red Apple, and Tannenbaum deliver the best stay-and-play packages. Hot Springs Country Club provides two courses plus the full thermal-spring resort experience. Fairfield Bay's Mountain Ranch and Indian Hills make an easy two-course stop. Whichever combination fits your budget and schedule, Arkansas delivers a surprising amount of variety across mountains, lakes, and Delta country.
