Course Spotlight

The Best Golf Courses From the College Football Top 25 Rankings

By Terence Malangone & Ryan Adams, PGA

Published on Tuesday, August 25, 2026

The Pfau Course at Indiana University.

College football is back!

And what’s better than some golf with a college football Saturday?

With the season kicking off this weekend, here are five great courses to play, inspired by this year’s AP Preseason Top 25.

Ohio State University Golf Club

The No. 1 spot on the AP's preseason rankings belongs to Ohio State. And a big-time school deserves an architect with a big-time resume, and that's what Ohio State University Golf Club has in its Scarlet and Gray courses.

Dr. Alister MacKenzie, one of golf's most famous course designers, laid out the routings for both the Scarlet and the Gray. MacKenzie passed in 1934 before the courses opened, but another renowned architect, Perry Maxwell, oversaw construction.

The bunkering is a main feature on both the Scarlet and Gray and is reminiscent of MacKenzie's work at Augusta National and Cypress Point, with high lips and massive scale. Buckeye alum Jack Nicklaus returned in 2005-06 to restore those bunkers and lengthen the course to meet modern standards. It now sits at over 7,400 yards and is known for its firm greens, but it’s hard to beat playing a MacKenzie course in Ohio.

University of Georgia Golf Course

The No. 3 preseason ranked Georgia Bulldogs also have a strong course. Located right on campus in Athens, the University of Georgia Golf Course — where the Dawgs play — is open to all students, staff, alumni, and the general public.

Set on rolling northeast Georgia terrain, this par 71 course is both a beautiful and challenging Robert Trent Jones Sr. design. It was renovated by Love Golf Design in 2006 to refresh the green complexes and stretch the course; from the Bulldog Tees, it plays to almost 7,300 yards.

The University of Georgia Golf Course also proudly serves as the training grounds for both the men’s and women’s golf teams, with exceptional practice facilities and a dedicated clubhouse to meet all fans' shopping needs.

Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame

Just behind the Dawgs in the rankings are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 4. The Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, on the iconic campus in South Bend, Indiana, opened in 1999 and was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw as a classic links design.

Undulating greens, native grasses and square tee boxes dot the entire course, which hosted the 2019 U.S. Senior Open won by Steve Stricker. Warren also offers incredible value with walking weekend tee times under $85, twilight under $60 and junior rates even lower.

The University of Texas Golf Club

Arch Manning will be looking to lead the No. 5 ranked Longhorns back to the College Football Playoff this year. And if you're looking for a spot to play ahead of gameday, the University of Texas Golf Club is a Bechtol Russell design and home to the school's legendary golf teams…which means the practice facilities are state-of-the-art.

Located about 30 minutes from campus, the par-71 course tips out at 7,412 yards and is a challenging, stern test - as it should be since Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth used to practice here. The brawn is matched with beauty, though, as UT Golf Club also provides some seriously beautiful panoramic views of Texas Hill Country and overlooks Lake Austin. There's also the Spieth Lower 40 6-hole, par-3 course to warm-up on.

The Pfau Course at Indiana University

The defending National Champions come in at No. 6 on the preseason rankings according to AP, and their golf course ranks just as high.

Designed by highly-acclaimed architect Steve Smyers and two-time Major Champion Fuzzy Zoeller (a Hoosier State native), The Pfau opened in 2020 and occupies the land used by the old Indiana University golf course, par-3 course and cross country course.

Smyers used the natural topography to build the layout and it resulted in a picturesque journey. Fescue frames the fairways and 147 bunkers are spread throughout the course in different sizes and depth. The greens also are wide-ranging in size as are the fairways, which makes it an ideal course for any golfer.