Research Desk · Golf
The Highest-Elevation PGA Tour Courses
By OverUnderWeather Research Desk
86 courses used by official PGA Tour events in 2021–2026, ranked by elevation and checked against two map sources.
Key takeaway
Castle Pines Golf Club (BMW Championship) sits at about 6,227 ft (1898 m), where the ball flies an estimated 7.2% farther than at sea level. Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood) is close behind at 5,915 ft. Only 3 courses are above 3,000 ft; 76 of 86 sit below 1,000 ft.
All courses ranked by elevation
Extra carry is an estimate from Titleist's rule of thumb, not our own test.
| # | Course | Elevation | Est. extra carry | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Castle Pines Golf Club BMW Championship · Castle Rock, CO | 6,227 ft 1898 m | +7.2% | 1 |
| 2 | Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood) Barracuda Championship · Truckee, CA | 5,915 ft 1803 m | +6.9% | 5 |
| 3 | The Summit Club THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT · Las Vegas, NV | 3,045 ft 928 m | +3.5% | 1 |
| 4 | Black Desert Resort Golf Course Black Desert Championship · Ivins, UT | 2,949 ft 899 m | +3.4% | 2 |
| 5 | TPC Summerlin Shriners Children's Open · Las Vegas, NV | 2,684 ft 818 m | +3.1% | 5 |
| 6 | Shadow Creek Golf Course THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK · Las Vegas, NV | 1,978 ft 603 m | +2.3% | 1 |
| 7 | TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) WM Phoenix Open · Scottsdale, AZ | 1,526 ft 465 m | +1.8% | 6 |
| 8 | TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) RBC Canadian Open · Caledon, ON | 1,302 ft 397 m | +1.5% | 2 |
| 9 | Sherwood CC in Thousand Oaks The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP · Thousand Oaks, CA | 1,060 ft 323 m | +1.2% | 1 |
| 10 | TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course) Valero Texas Open · San Antonio, TX | 1,027 ft 313 m | +1.2% | 6 |
| 11 | Keene Trace Golf Club (Champions Course) Barbasol Championship · Nicholasville, KY | 991 ft 302 m | +1.1% | 4 |
| 12 | East Lake Golf Club TOUR Championship · Atlanta, GA | 981 ft 299 m | +1.1% | 6 |
| 13 | Oakmont Country Club U.S. Open · Oakmont, PA | 981 ft 299 m | +1.1% | 1 |
| 14 | Muirfield Village Golf Club the Memorial Tournament pres. by Workday · Dublin, OH | 932 ft 284 m | +1.1% | 6 |
| 15 | TPC Twin Cities 3M Open · Blaine, MN | 896 ft 273 m | +1% | 6 |
| 16 | Sedgefield Country Club Wyndham Championship · Greensboro, NC | 837 ft 255 m | +1% | 6 |
| 17 | Hamilton Golf & Country Club RBC Canadian Open · Hamilton, ON | 781 ft 238 m | +0.9% | 1 |
| 18 | Olympia Fields Country Club BMW Championship · Olympia Fields, IL | 673 ft 205 m | +0.8% | 1 |
| 19 | Southern Hills Country Club PGA Championship · Tulsa, OK | 669 ft 204 m | +0.8% | 1 |
| 20 | TPC Deere Run John Deere Classic · Silvis, IL | 666 ft 203 m | +0.8% | 6 |
| 21 | Detroit Golf Club Rocket Mortgage Classic · Detroit, MI | 653 ft 199 m | +0.8% | 6 |
| 22 | TPC Craig Ranch AT&T Byron Nelson · McKinney, TX | 646 ft 197 m | +0.7% | 6 |
| 23 | Valhalla Golf Club PGA Championship · Louisville, KY | 640 ft 195 m | +0.7% | 1 |
| 24 | Hurstbourne Country Club ISCO Championship · Louisville, KY | 627 ft 191 m | +0.7% | 2 |
| 25 | Quail Hollow Club Wells Fargo Championship · Charlotte, NC | 620 ft 189 m | +0.7% | 5 |
| 26 | Austin Country Club WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play · Austin, TX | 597 ft 182 m | +0.7% | 3 |
| 27 | Colonial Country Club Charles Schwab Challenge · Fort Worth, TX | 574 ft 175 m | +0.7% | 6 |
| 28 | Caves Valley Golf Club BMW Championship · Owings Mills, MD | 515 ft 157 m | +0.6% | 2 |
| 29 | Pinehurst No. 2 U.S. Open · Pinehurst, NC | 509 ft 155 m | +0.6% | 1 |
| 30 | St. George's Golf and Country Club RBC Canadian Open · Toronto, ON | 499 ft 152 m | +0.6% | 1 |
| 31 | Bellerive Country Club BMW Championship · St. Louis, MO | 479 ft 146 m | +0.6% | 1 |
| 32 | Oakdale Golf & Country Club RBC Canadian Open · Toronto, ON | 446 ft 136 m | +0.5% | 1 |
| 33 | Oak Hill Country Club PGA Championship · Rochester, NY | 430 ft 131 m | +0.5% | 1 |
| 34 | Aronimink Golf Club PGA Championship · Newtown Square, PA | 430 ft 131 m | +0.5% | 1 |
| 35 | Torrey Pines (South Course) Farmers Insurance Open · La Jolla, CA | 367 ft 112 m | +0.4% | 8 |
| 36 | Los Angeles Country Club U.S. Open · Los Angeles, CA | 367 ft 112 m | +0.4% | 1 |
| 37 | TPC Southwind FedEx St. Jude Championship · Memphis, TN | 358 ft 109 m | +0.4% | 6 |
| 38 | Torrey Pines (North Course) Farmers Insurance Open · La Jolla, CA | 344 ft 105 m | +0.4% | 6 |
| 39 | Wilmington Country Club (South Course) BMW Championship · Wilmington, DE | 344 ft 105 m | +0.4% | 1 |
| 40 | Kapalua Resort (Plantation Course) Sentry Tournament of Champions · Kapalua, HI | 335 ft 102 m | +0.4% | 5 |
| 41 | Augusta National Golf Club Masters Tournament · Augusta, GA | 308 ft 94 m | +0.4% | 7 |
| 42 | TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm Wells Fargo Championship · Potomac, MD | 302 ft 92 m | +0.4% | 1 |
| 43 | The Country Club of Jackson Sanderson Farms Championship · Jackson, MS | 276 ft 84 m | +0.3% | 6 |
| 44 | El Cardonal at Diamante World Wide Technology Championship · Cabo San Lucas, Mexicoapproximate location | 266 ft 81 m | +0.3% | 3 |
| 45 | Riviera Country Club The Genesis Invitational · Pacific Palisades, CA | 262 ft 80 m | +0.3% | 5 |
| 46 | Yokohama Country Club Baycurrent Classic · Yokohama, Japan | 246 ft 75 m | +0.3% | 1 |
| 47 | The Country Club U.S. Open · Brookline, MA | 200 ft 61 m | +0.2% | 1 |
| 48 | Spyglass Hill GC AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am · Pebble Beach, CA | 174 ft 53 m | +0.2% | 6 |
| 49 | Winged Foot GC U.S. Open · Mamaroneck, NY | 171 ft 52 m | +0.2% | 1 |
| 50 | The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course) Truist Championship · Philadelphia, PA | 171 ft 52 m | +0.2% | 1 |
| 51 | Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge Arnold Palmer Invitational pres. by Mastercard · Orlando, FL | 121 ft 37 m | +0.1% | 6 |
| 52 | TPC River Highlands Travelers Championship · Cromwell, CT | 108 ft 33 m | +0.1% | 6 |
| 53 | Silverado Resort (North Course) Fortinet Championship · Napa, CA | 92 ft 28 m | +0.1% | 6 |
| 54 | ACCORDIA GOLF Narashino Country Club ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP · Chiba, Japan | 92 ft 28 m | +0.1% | 4 |
| 55 | The Renaissance Club Genesis Scottish Open · North Berwick, Scotland | 85 ft 26 m | +0.1% | 5 |
| 56 | Pebble Beach Golf Links AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am · Pebble Beach, CA | 72 ft 22 m | +0.1% | 6 |
| 57 | Memorial Park Golf Course Texas Children's Houston Open · Houston, TX | 59 ft 18 m | +0.1% | 6 |
| 58 | La Quinta Country Club The American Express · La Quinta, CA | 46 ft 14 m | +0.1% | 5 |
| 59 | Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club (Copperhead Course) Valspar Championship · Palm Harbor, FL | 43 ft 13 m | +0% | 6 |
| 60 | Royal Portrush Golf Club The Open · Portrush, Northern Ireland | 43 ft 13 m | +0% | 1 |
| 61 | Royal Liverpool GC The Open · Hoylake | 36 ft 11 m | +0% | 1 |
| 62 | El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba · Quintana Roo, Mexico | 33 ft 10 m | +0% | 3 |
| 63 | St Andrews Links (Old Course) The Open · St. Andrews, Scotland | 33 ft 10 m | +0% | 1 |
| 64 | Royal Birkdale GC The Open · Southport, England | 30 ft 9 m | +0% | 1 |
| 65 | Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Shore Course) AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am · Pebble Beach, CA | 30 ft 9 m | +0% | 2 |
| 66 | Dunes Golf & Beach Club ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic · Myrtle Beach, SC | 26 ft 8 m | +0% | 3 |
| 67 | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club U.S. Open · Southampton, NY | 26 ft 8 m | +0% | 1 |
| 68 | The Concession Golf Club WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession · Bradenton, FLapproximate location | 20 ft 6 m | +0% | 1 |
| 69 | PGA National Resort (The Champion Course) The Honda Classic · Palm Beach Gardens, FL | 20 ft 6 m | +0% | 6 |
| 70 | Royal Troon Golf Course The Open · Troon, Scotland | 20 ft 6 m | +0% | 1 |
| 71 | Liberty National Golf Club THE NORTHERN TRUST · Jersey City, NJ | 16 ft 5 m | +0% | 1 |
| 72 | Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales Golf Course) Corales Puntacana Championship · Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | 13 ft 4 m | +0% | 7 |
| 73 | TPC Sawgrass (THE PLAYERS Stadium Course) THE PLAYERS Championship · Ponte Vedra Beach, FL | 13 ft 4 m | +0% | 6 |
| 74 | Royal St. George's Golf Club The Open Championship · Kent, England | 13 ft 4 m | +0% | 1 |
| 75 | Vidanta Vallarta Mexico Open · Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico | 13 ft 4 m | +0% | 4 |
| 76 | TPC Sawgrass (Dye's Valley Course) PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry · Ponte Vedra Beach, FL | 13 ft 4 m | +0% | 3 |
| 77 | Sea Island Golf Club (Plantation Course) The RSM Classic · Saint Simons Island, GA | 13 ft 4 m | +0% | 6 |
| 78 | Waialae Country Club Sony Open in Hawaii · Honolulu, HI | 10 ft 3 m | +0% | 6 |
| 79 | Sawgrass Country Club PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry · Ponte Vedra Beach, FL | 10 ft 3 m | +0% | 3 |
| 80 | Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course) The RSM Classic · Saint Simons Island, GA | 7 ft 2 m | +0% | 6 |
| 81 | Grand Reserve Golf Club Puerto Rico Open · Rio Grande, Puerto Rico | 7 ft 2 m | +0% | 6 |
| 82 | Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course) PGA Championship · Kiawah Island, SC | 7 ft 2 m | +0% | 1 |
| 83 | Trump National Doral (Blue Monster) Cadillac Championship · Miami, FL | 7 ft 2 m | +0% | 1 |
| 84 | TPC Louisiana Zurich Classic of New Orleans · Avondale, LA | 0 ft 0 m | — | 6 |
| 85 | Pete Dye Stadium Course The American Express · La Quinta, CA | -3 ft -1 m | — | 6 |
| 86 | Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course The American Express · La Quinta, CA | -26 ft -8 m | — | 6 |
Why altitude changes ball flight
Air gets thinner as you climb, so there is less drag slowing the ball and less lift holding it up. The ball goes farther on a flatter flight, lands shallower and rolls more. Wedges and short irons are where players most often misjudge distance.
Related guides
Method and limitations
- Courses: every course used by an official PGA Tour event in the 2021–2026 seasons, including each course in multi-course rotations (Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The American Express, RSM Classic, Q-School) and no-cut, team and match-play events. Unofficial events (Hero World Challenge, team cups) and the two cancelled events (2020 WGC-HSBC Champions, 2021 RBC Canadian Open) are left out. Weeks counts tournaments at that course, not rounds.
- Each course location was checked one by one against OpenStreetMap on 23 October 2026. El Cardonal at Diamante and The Concession are not mapped there, so their points are approximate; both are low-lying, so the top of the ranking does not depend on them.
- Elevation at one point per course from two sources: Open-Meteo (Copernicus 90 m DEM) and USGS EPQS for US courses or SRTM 30 m elsewhere. The figure shown is their average.
- 3 low-lying courses where the two sources differ by more than 10 m are left out of the ranking: Port Royal Golf Course, Congaree Golf Club, Harbour Town Golf Links.
- Extra carry uses Titleist's published rule: elevation in feet × 0.00116 gives the percentage gain (5,000 ft ≈ 5.8%). Courses at or below sea level show no gain. Temperature, humidity and launch conditions change the real figure.
- We did not test whether scoring is easier at high courses; with only 3 courses above 3,000 ft the sample is too small.
- Sources: ESPN golf data, Open-Meteo elevation API, USGS National Map, OpenTopoData SRTM, Titleist: the effect of altitude.
OverUnderWeather Research Desk
Independent data analysis on public sports and weather records. Studies match historical game outcomes to archived game-window weather, apply pre-set sample and significance rules, and publish null results when that is what the data show. Editorial policy and corrections log.
Frequently asked
What is the highest PGA Tour course?
Of the courses used in 2021–2026, Castle Pines Golf Club (Castle Rock, CO) is highest at about 6,227 ft. Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City (about 7,800 ft) hosted the WGC-Mexico Championship until 2020, before this window.
How much farther does a golf ball fly at altitude?
Titleist's ball-research team gives a rule of thumb of about 1.16% more distance per 1,000 ft of elevation — roughly 6% at 5,000 ft. Real gains vary by club, launch and temperature.
Is this measured on the course?
No. It is the ground height at one stored point per course, from two digital elevation maps. Tees and greens can sit higher or lower.