The Best Public Golf Courses Around Philly

With all eyes turning to Aronimink Golf Club for the PGA Championship, held here for the first time since the ’60s, now seemed as good a time as any to get the rest of us out on the green, too. You needn’t belong to a club to hit the links — the area is filled with public courses. These are some of our favorites.

PGA in the City: Walnut Lane Golf Club

Roxborough
Walnut Lane — a PGA facility that’s been keeping Center City players on their game since the par-62 Alex Findlay–designed course opened in 1940 — has all the bells and whistles: club rentals, individual and group lessons, a 45-yard practice facility for warming up, a fully stocked pro shop, a simulator. The “19th hole” is the snack bar, which quenches appetites (and thirst!) with food and draft beer. Take note: Prepare to be challenged by several par-3s on the course. Tee times from $40.

Natural Beauty: Skippack Golf Club

Skippack
Tucked within Evansburg State Park, with soft rolling hills and a pine-filled back nine, this is an ideal course for nature lovers who also crave a challenge: Golfers have to shoot over the Zachariah Creek on holes 11, 13, and 18. Don’t want to commit to all 18? Work on that swing at the driving range (club rentals are offered), then stop in for lunch or dinner at the Farm House Restaurant, a restored 19th-century building overlooking that damned creek. Tee times from $27.

Two in One: RiverWinds Golf & Tennis Club

West Deptford
Whether you’re swinging a club or a racket, RiverWinds scores with sporting types. The 18-hole public-private course, nestled in the wetlands between Woodbury Creek and the Delaware River, boasts sweeping scenes of the Philadelphia skyline (and the views from hole 12 are unbeatable). BYO clubs or rent theirs — and while there’s no driving range, you can fine-tune your skills at the hitting net, on the putting green, or in the short-game area. And fuel up on burgers and dogs at the 7 Tap‑Tailgate food truck. Non-members can book up to 14 days in advance; tee times from $47.50.

Full Retreat: The Bucks Club

Jamison
What better way to treat yourself following a round of golf than with a refreshing dip or a turn at the spa? That’s what you get here, after you tackle the parkland-style (plenty of trees, rolling terrain) 18-hole course, which challenges all skill levels with elevation changes on the back nine and a picturesque 16th hole that requires the perfect club selection. (It’s a shallow green so you don’t want to hit too long or too short.) The pool’s open during the summer, and the Radiance spa refreshes with a facial, massage, or halotherapy in the Salt Room. But back to golf: There’s a mats-only practice range and a PGA instructor offering private and semi-private golf lessons for all ages. And the Bucks Pub serves contemporary American cuisine to keep you fueled on — or off — the course. Tee times must be booked in advance, from $45.

Community Member: The Golf Course at Glen Mills

Glen Mills
Beginners like this lush, hilly 18-hole course — designed by Bobby Weed — because there are minimal blind spots. Lessons and club rentals are available, along with a driving range. You can also patch up your grip at the club repair facility and catch a post-round meal at the Grille Room. Perhaps the best part? The two-time Best of Philly winner partners with the Boys and Girls Club of Chester to give local kids the opportunity to spark their golf passion. Walk-ins welcome, reservations preferred; tee times from $78.

Beginner-Friendly: Kimberton Golf Club

Phoenixville
Great for newbies — and those on a budget — this 18-hole course is fair off the tee (without too many hazards) and isn’t too hilly, with competitively priced greens fees (at $25) in what can be a very expensive sport. (The average greens fee nationwide was $37 in 2024, according to a report by the National Golf Foundation.) Plus it’s the first golf course designed by professional golfer and Philly native George Fazio. Other amenities include club rentals; private or group lessons with Kimberton’s PGA teaching pro, Gregg Gipp; an adjacent driving range; a putting green; a pro shop; a clubhouse (for snacks); and the Roundhouse Bar and Grille for pub fare. Tee times from $25.

Tough Terrain: Five Ponds Golf Course

Warminster
This award-winning property has, yes, five ponds (plus a few creeks) on its 18-hole course. But water isn’t the only demanding topography: The hilly landscape and forested back nine provide plenty of opportunity for beginners and seasoned experts alike to test their skills. (BYO clubs or rent them from the pro shop.) Prepare yourself for hole 15, which requires golfers to shoot downhill toward a creek, and then into a bunker-guarded green. Reward yourself by snacking on bar favorites and listening to live music at the Backyard Bar & Grille. Live locally? Warminster residents get a $5 discount on weekday play. Tee times from $35.

Worth the Wait: Cobbs Creek Golf Course

West Philly
With a $150 million renovation so buzzy it inspired an Abbott Elementary storyline, the revamped property, opening in stages over the next few years, will soon have its day. For now, it has a youth learning lab providing free STEAM courses and college prep programs, a restaurant, a double-decker driving range (Callaway clubs are available to rent), and other amenities you can read about below. Plan accordingly: Cobbs Creek expects to sell out when they release tee times online, so sign up for newsletter updates to ensure you don’t miss your spot. Driving range from $10.

When Cobbs Creek Golf Course first opened its greens and fairways in 1916, the destination represented something new in the golf world: inclusion. As one of the only public courses in the United States to welcome players of all races — and women, which some clubs in the U.S. still don’t — Cobbs Creek spawned generations of duffers who would travel from all over the region to play the West Philly course. Time (and erosion) wasn’t kind, with the verdant course falling into disrepair and eventual abandonment. That’s all changed now, thanks to an influx of donations, new focus, and sparkling amenities ready to launch the playing careers of a whole new generation. Take a peek:

Heritage Center
Opening soon, this learning center will expound on the history of the site and course. Expect to discover the story of Charlie Sifford, the first Black member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, who called Cobbs Creek his home course.

Driving Range
Sixty-eight bays — 20 of them heated for wintertime fun — await on two stories. All bays are equipped with Toptracer technology so you can track the speed, distance, and launch angle of every drive.

Little Horse Tavern
No round is complete without a few drinks, right? Try the Albatross — bourbon, with fig and balsamic — and then try to replicate the namesake feat on the course. (If you can, next drink’s on us.)

The Q School Short Course
This nine-hole course (designed by Tiger Woods’s firm) is perfect for new players and folks trying to sneak in a quick round during an extended lunch break.

18-Hole Course
The traditional Olde Course at Cobbs Creek is currently undergoing a massive facelift; a spring 2027 reopening is expected. — B.P.

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In Play

Entertainment venue or golf club? Get a little of both at these high-tech destinations.

Ballers

This massive sports complex is home to Philly’s only indoor short-game green, along with four Golfzon sims. Private and group lessons are also available. Post-game, check out the snack bar or cocktail bar, or grab a bite in the restaurant. A monthly membership will get you access to the locker rooms and recovery suite. Fishtown.

Five Iron Golf

Book a simulator or join the indoor golf league at one of the three Philly locations. Improve your form with a swing evaluation from a coach who’ll create a customized training plan to help improve your technique, or sign your kid up for one of the junior clinics. When it’s time to get your first pair of clubs (or replace your current setup), take advantage of the premium club fitting with Callaway equipment. Fishtown, Logan Circle, and Rittenhouse.

Fairways & Dreams Indoor Golf

Book one of six sim bays outfitted with TrackMan4 technology — which uses AI to analyze your swing while tracking club data and ball flight — and transport your game to one of the 270 best courses in the world, including Pebble Beach. Fairways & Dreams is BYOB — order from the nearby Weis or Sans Beverage for a DIY golf adventure. Conshohocken.

Topgolf

This place is known for its party atmosphere. The 100-plus covered bays (with heat and cooling fans) and complimentary clubs mean you can play outside nearly year-round. Both locations have DJs, bars, and restaurants; Toptracer games; and tons of discounts depending on the time and day of play. Don’t worry if your friends are competitive — Topgolf’s high-tech golf balls keep score themselves. King of Prussia and Northeast Philly. — C.S.

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Pro Tips

Good Form

Kyle Spaulding, golf director at Walnut Lane, wants to fix your swing.

Start with the setup. Give yourself space to move athletically through the golf ball. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with knees soft but not bent. Then bend slightly at the hips and let your arms hang naturally just in front of your toes (not directly over them). That’s when you’re ready to swing through.

Work that hip bump. We all want to perform like the pros do, and a key to doing so is consistent contact. That can be achieved with a slight hip bump at setup. Imagine there’s a wall just outside your lead foot, and then bump your hips toward it while keeping your upper body squared. This puts you in position for clean contact in the downswing.

Keep your arms connected. The turn — as your body rotates through the swing — should feel like a spiral staircase. Your right pocket and left shoulder should turn together, and on the way through, your left pocket turns back while your right shoulder comes around your spine. Keep your arms in front of you and move with your sternum. When you stay synced like that, you’ll start flushing it more often.

More distance requires a better finish. Get your ball farther with the walk-through drill. Take your swing, and after impact, let your momentum pull you forward: Allow your back foot to step through so it finishes in front and your weight is fully on your lead side. Your weight has to get through the shot if you want to really let it ride. — L.B.

The Polite Golfer

Avoid these common faux pas:

“No filming TikToks or reels on the greens or while another group is behind you or waiting.” — Gregg Gipp, PGA teaching professional, Kimberton Golf Club

“Leave the course better than you found it. Take care of your ball markers; cover your divots; make sure you pick up your tees.” — Cavan Birmingham, coach, Five Iron Golf, Fishtown

“Be mindful of playing music on the golf course.” — Logan Buel, director of golf, Fairways & Dreams Indoor Golf

Published as “Tee Time!” in the May 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.