If you saw headlines this week saying four Washington courses made Golfweek's 2026 list of the nation's best modern layouts, you weren't getting the full picture. A closer look at the full Top 200 Modern ranking, published June 1, 2026, shows five Evergreen State courses earned spots — and the one that was overlooked in early coverage, Gamble Sands in Brewster, actually outranks three of the courses that made the news.
Here's the complete, verified breakdown: which Washington courses made the list, where they rank, what makes each one special — and, most importantly, which ones you can actually book a tee time at.
Which Washington golf courses made Golfweek's 2026 Top 200 Modern list?
Washington's five ranked courses, in order:
| Rank (2026) | Course | Location | Access | Avg. rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 41 | Chambers Bay | University Place | Public | 7.58 |
| T63 | Gamble Sands | Brewster | Public/Resort | — |
| T137 | Wine Valley Golf Club | Walla Walla | Public | 6.95 |
| No. 163 | Aldarra Golf Club | Sammamish | Private | — |
| No. 199 | Sahalee Country Club | Sammamish | Private | — |
Source: Golfweek's Best 2026 Top 200 Modern Courses (published June 1, 2026). Average ratings out of 10; Gamble Sands and the private clubs' ratings were not listed in publicly available summaries.
1. Chambers Bay — No. 41 (University Place)
Chambers Bay remains the undisputed king of Washington golf. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. design (with Bruce Charlton and Jay Blasi), opened in 2007 on a former gravel quarry along Puget Sound, earned an average rating of 7.58 — essentially holding steady from its T40 spot in 2025.
Its résumé is unmatched in the region. In June 2015, Chambers Bay became the first Pacific Northwest course to host the U.S. Open, where Jordan Spieth claimed the second leg of his near-Grand Slam season. The USGA has since committed to bringing the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2033 U.S. Amateur to University Place — a strong signal that the championship pedigree here is permanent, not a one-off.
The links-style layout, inspired by the great courses of Scotland and Ireland, sprawls across roughly 250 hilly acres. Fair warning: it's walking-only and widely regarded as one of the toughest walks in American golf.
Can you play it? Yes. Chambers Bay is municipally owned by Pierce County and fully public. It uses dynamic pricing — rates shift with demand, day of week, booking window, and whether you're a Pierce County resident — so book early for the best rates. On Golfweek's companion 2026 public-access ranking, Chambers Bay sits at No. 18 in the nation.
2. Gamble Sands — T63 (Brewster)
Here's the course much of the early coverage missed — and it's arguably the most exciting name on this list. David McLay Kidd's 2014 design, set on dramatic bluffs above the Columbia River in North Central Washington, tied for 63rd nationally in 2026, confirmed in the course's management company announcements following the rankings release.
Gamble Sands has become a darling of traveling golfers precisely because it delivers a destination-resort experience without Bandon Dunes price tags or logistics: wide, playable fairways, firm-and-fast fescue conditions, and jaw-dropping scenery. The resort has also expanded with the acclaimed new Scarecrow course, which Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated recently named among the best new courses in the country — making the Brewster property a legitimate multi-day golf trip.
Can you play it? Yes — it's a public resort. Pair it with the Scarecrow for a weekend loop.
3. Wine Valley Golf Club — T137 (Walla Walla)
Wine Valley is the list's biggest Washington mover, jumping from T157 in 2025 to T137 in 2026 with an average rating of 6.95. Dan Hixson's 2009 design plays over rolling terrain in the shadow of the Blue Mountains — a "grand scale" layout that plays differently every round thanks to shifting winds and firm turf.
Its location in the heart of Walla Walla wine country is a genuine differentiator: few top-200 courses in America let you pair a morning round with afternoon tastings at world-class wineries. For value-conscious golfers, Wine Valley is frequently cited by Washington players as one of the best pure golf experiences in the state relative to green fee.
Can you play it? Yes, fully public.
4. Aldarra Golf Club — No. 163 (Sammamish)
Aldarra, which opened in 2001, holds a unique distinction: it's the only Tom Fazio design in Washington State. Tucked into the Sammamish Plateau east of Seattle with no homes lining the course, it's prized for its pristine conditioning and seclusion.
Can you play it? Not without an invitation — Aldarra is a private club, accessible to members and their guests.
5. Sahalee Country Club — No. 199 (Sammamish)
Sahalee, which opened in 1969 — barely qualifying as "modern" under Golfweek's post-1960 definition — is the most decorated championship venue on this list. The Ted Robinson design (later renovated by Rees Jones) features 27 holes carved through towering Douglas fir, red cedar, and hemlock.
Its major-championship history includes the 1998 PGA Championship (won by Vijay Singh), the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, and the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in both 2016 and 2024. The narrow, tree-lined corridors remain one of the sternest driving tests in American golf.
Can you play it? Private — members and guests only.
What are the 10 best modern golf courses in the U.S. for 2026?
For context, here's the top of Golfweek's 2026 ranking:
- Sand Hills (Mullen, Nebraska)
- Friar's Head (Baiting Hollow, New York)
- Pacific Dunes (Bandon, Oregon)
- Ohoopee Match Club (Cobbtown, Georgia)
- Ballyneal (Holyoke, Colorado)
- Whistling Straits - Straits (Mosel, Wisconsin)
- Wade Hampton Club (Cashiers, North Carolina)
- Bandon Trails (Bandon, Oregon)
- Tie: Muirfield Village (Dublin, Ohio) & Sebonack (Southampton, New York)
Washington golfers should note that two of the top 10 sit just down I-5 at Bandon Dunes in Oregon — an easy pairing with a Chambers Bay or Gamble Sands trip for a full Pacific Northwest golf tour.
How does Golfweek rank golf courses?
Golfweek's rankings aren't editorial opinion — they're built from a large-scale ratings system:
- 800+ raters worldwide play and evaluate courses.
- Each course is scored on 10 criteria, including greens, conditioning, routing, and variety.
- A course needs at least 25 ratings to qualify for the Top 200 Modern or Classic lists.
- Only rounds played within the past 10 years count, keeping rankings current.
- "Modern" = opened in 1960 or later (older courses go on a separate Classic list).
The final score is the average of each course's overall ratings — which is why even small movements, like Wine Valley's 20-spot climb, reflect real shifts in rater sentiment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Washington golf courses are in Golfweek's 2026 Top 200 Modern ranking?
Five: Chambers Bay (No. 41), Gamble Sands (T63), Wine Valley (T137), Aldarra (No. 163), and Sahalee (No. 199). Some early coverage reported four, but the full list includes Gamble Sands at T63 — Washington's second-highest-ranked modern course.
What is the best golf course in Washington State?
Chambers Bay in University Place is Washington's highest-ranked course — No. 41 on Golfweek's 2026 Top 200 Modern list and No. 18 on its public-access list. It's also the state's only U.S. Open host venue (2015).
Can the public play all five ranked Washington courses?
No. Chambers Bay, Gamble Sands, and Wine Valley are open to the public. Aldarra and Sahalee — both in Sammamish — are private clubs requiring membership or a member's invitation.
When was Golfweek's 2026 modern courses ranking released?
June 1, 2026. The ranking covers U.S. courses opened in 1960 or later, rated by a panel of more than 800 course raters.
Has Chambers Bay hosted a major championship?
Yes — the 2015 U.S. Open, the first ever held in the Pacific Northwest. The USGA has also awarded it the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2033 U.S. Amateur.
The Bottom Line
Washington State quietly boasts one of the deepest golf benches in the country: five courses on Golfweek's 2026 Top 200 Modern list, three of them open to anyone with a tee time. Whether it's walking the same fairways as U.S. Open champions at Chambers Bay, road-tripping to the Columbia River bluffs at Gamble Sands, or pairing golf with wine tasting at Wine Valley, the Evergreen State offers championship-caliber golf at every price point — no membership required.
Rankings and ratings per Golfweek's Best 2026 (published June 1, 2026). Championship histories per USGA and PGA of America records. Green fees vary — check each course's website for current rates.