Let me tell you something about Oklahoma golf that might surprise you… it's actually incredible. While everyone's fighting for tee times in Scottsdale or arguing about whether Pebble Beach is worth the mortgage payment, Oklahoma quietly delivers championship golf at prices that won't require a second job.
The lay of the land (and why it matters)
Oklahoma's golf scene benefits from something most states can't claim: 12 different ecoregions crammed into one state. That means you can play desert-style courses in the west, mountain golf in the southeast, and everything in between. The state recently launched the Oklahoma Golf Trail featuring 18 handpicked courses, which honestly makes planning a golf trip here refreshingly simple.
Here's what really hooked me though… Perry Maxwell, the architect who influenced Augusta National's design, was born here and left his fingerprints all over the state. We're talking about courses that shaped American golf architecture, and you can play most of them for less than a hundred bucks.
When to actually show up
Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are your sweet spots, with temperatures hovering between 59 and 81 degrees. The infamous Oklahoma wind? Yeah, it's real, especially in spring. But here's the thing… it adds character without making the game unplayable. Summer can get toasty, but early morning tee times are totally doable. Winter golf means you'll practically have the course to yourself, plus reduced rates that'll make you wonder why anyone golfs in Florida.
Grand Lake: Oklahoma's worst-kept secret
Shangri-La Resort deserves the hype
If someone told me ten years ago that one of America's best golf resorts would be in northeastern Oklahoma, I'd have checked their medication. But Shangri-La Golf Club in Afton has dumped over $100 million into creating something special. We're talking 45 holes of golf overlooking Grand Lake O' the Cherokees, which sounds made up but isn't.
The main attraction features 27 holes split into three nines (Champions, Heritage, and Legends), so you can mix and match your 18-hole routing depending on your mood or masochistic tendencies. But the real gem might be The Battlefield, their new par-3 course that cost $15 million to build. Golfweek ranked it among the Top 25 Public Par-3 Courses, and after playing it, I get why. The holes average 166 yards with over 100 feet of elevation change… it's like someone shrunk a championship course and cranked up the drama.
The resort itself goes beyond golf with 119 rooms, multiple restaurants, and The Anchor activity park (yes, they have a mini Fenway Park, because why not?). Green fees vary by season, but resort guests get decent discounts.
The Coves: Where math gets weird
Just down the road, The Coves Golf Club throws conventional golf design out the window with five par-3s and five par-5s. I've never played another course with this setup, and honestly, it works. The 6,506-yard layout keeps you guessing, and their 16-acre practice facility means you can actually work on your game instead of just hacking around.
It's technically private, but various membership options provide public access. Call ahead and ask nicely… Oklahoma hospitality is real.
Perry Maxwell's greatest hits tour
Southern Hills: The one that got away (sort of)
Let's address the elephant in the room. Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa is private, with membership capped under 1,000 people. But if you can wrangle an invite, this Perry Maxwell masterpiece has hosted nine major championships including five PGA Championships. The 2019 Gil Hanse restoration reportedly cost $19 million, returning the course to Maxwell's original vision while keeping it major-ready for 2032.
The 12th hole remains one of golf's legendary par-4s according to both Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan, which is like having Einstein and Hawking agree on a physics equation. Guest fees aren't cheap, but walking the same fairways where Tiger won in 2007? Priceless, as they say.
Cherokee Hills: Maxwell for the masses
For those of us without Southern Hills connections, Cherokee Hills Golf Club in Catoosa offers genuine Maxwell architecture at fifty to sixty dollars per round. This 1924 design preserves four original Maxwell holes, with the other 14 thoughtfully added to honor his style.
Located at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, you can follow your round with slots, blackjack, or just a really good steak. The combination of classic architecture and modern amenities works surprisingly well.
Central Oklahoma's heavy hitters
Oak Tree National: Pete Dye's torture chamber
Pete Dye supposedly wanted to build "the hardest golf course in the world" at Oak Tree National in Edmond. Mission accomplished? The course ranks #2 in Oklahoma and has hosted four USGA championships with the 2027 U.S. Senior Open on deck.
Water comes into play on 13 holes, and each hole has its own name referencing famous courses worldwide. It's private, but knowing that Viktor Hovland and other PGA Tour pros call this home tells you everything about the conditioning and challenge level.
Public gems that don't require connections
Here's where regular golfers win in Oklahoma:
KickingBird Golf in Edmond recently went through a major renovation and landed on the Oklahoma Golf Trail. At thirty-five to forty dollars, you get GPS-equipped carts, free practice facilities (that's right, FREE), and conditions that rival private clubs. TripAdvisor reviewers consistently call it the best public course in Oklahoma, and they're not wrong.
Jimmie Austin Golf Club in Norman might be the best Perry Maxwell course you can actually play without begging for an invite. The University of Oklahoma's home course stretches to 7,400 yards and has hosted multiple NCAA Championships. Green fees run seventy-nine dollars plus cart, which sounds steep until you realize you're playing a course that shaped champions like Anthony Kim.
Lake country golf adventures
Chickasaw Pointe: Two courses in one
Chickasaw Pointe near Kingston pulled off something clever… they built two nines on separate peninsulas jutting into Lake Texoma. The result? Water views from nearly every hole and a genuine links feel when the wind kicks up. Weekend rates of seventy dollars including everything make this a bargain, especially considering the "Striper Capital of the World" location means you can fish in the morning and golf in the afternoon.
Cedar Creek: Mountain golf in Oklahoma?
Drive southeast to Beavers Bend State Park and you'll find Cedar Creek Golf Course tucked into the Kiamichi Mountains foothills. Golf Digest named it Oklahoma's top municipal course in 2009, and at forty to forty-seven dollars with a cart, it's practically criminal.
The state park setting means you've got 26 miles of hiking trails, fishing, and water sports at Broken Bow Lake when you're done golfing. Or just grab a cabin and make a weekend of it.
The pilgrimage sites
Dornick Hills: Where it all began
Architecture nerds, listen up. Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore was Perry Maxwell's first design, built on his former dairy farm between 1914 and 1923. The famous "Cliff Hole" 16th features a green perched atop a 50-foot precipice that'll make your palms sweat just looking at it.
Tom Doak completed a restoration in 2022, and here's a detail that gets me every time… Maxwell himself is buried in the family cemetery near the 7th fairway. It's private, but the historical significance makes it worth pursuing guest access.
Boiling Springs: Prairie golf perfection
Way out in Woodward (yes, it's a drive), Boiling Springs Golf Club offers something you won't find anywhere else in Oklahoma: true sandbelt golf across "120 acres of wildly undulating dunes." Golf Digest's Ron Whitten called it "one of the unheralded municipals in the country," and at forty-seven to fifty-seven dollars with a cart, it's worth the 2.5-hour drive from Oklahoma City.
The splurge that's actually worth it
Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater normally serves as Oklahoma State's home course, but they welcome public guests at four hundred dollars per round. Before you close this tab in disgust, hear me out. This Tom Fazio design ranks #48 among North America's Top 100 Public Courses and consistently tops lists of America's best collegiate courses.
The 7,095-yard layout winds through blackjack oak forests with Lake Louise dominating the back nine. Viktor Hovland holds the course record, and Rickie Fowler learned his craft here. If you're going to splurge once, this is where to do it.
Making it happen: The logistics
Getting to Oklahoma's golf wonderland is easier than you'd think. Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International both have solid flight options. Rental cars average $52 to $64 daily, which you'll need since Uber-ing to Woodward isn't happening.
From Oklahoma City, most courses sit within 30 to 45 minutes. Southern destinations like Chickasaw Pointe require about 90 minutes to two hours. Tulsa's airport puts you 15 minutes from Cherokee Hills and 90 minutes from Grand Lake.
Where to crash
Your accommodation options run the gamut:
- Resort packages at Shangri-La
- Casino hotels for golf and gambling
- Chain hotels near airports
- Vacation rentals around Grand Lake
- State park cabins for the outdoorsy types
Money matters
Here's what makes Oklahoma golf so appealing… you can play legitimate championship courses without selling plasma. Municipal courses start around $31 (looking at you, Lincoln Park in OKC), while premier public tracks typically run $50 to $80. Even the ultra-premium Karsten Creek, at $400, costs less than a mediocre resort course in Hawaii.
The bottom line
Oklahoma golf surprises people, and I mean that in the best way possible. You've got Perry Maxwell courses that influenced American golf architecture, modern resorts that rival anything in traditional golf destinations, and prices that'll make you wonder what the catch is.
There isn't one. While everyone else fights crowds in Phoenix or drops a car payment on one round at Pebble Beach, you could spend a week in Oklahoma playing world-class golf, eating surprisingly good barbecue, and still have money left over for that new driver you don't need.
The Oklahoma Golf Trail makes planning easy, the locals are genuinely friendly (not just "resort friendly"), and the golf speaks for itself. Just don't tell too many people… some secrets are worth keeping.
