Pebble Beach Golf Links, California

This may be one of the best golf courses in the country for scenic beauty and adventure, with nine of its holes atop rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean. Also notable because unlike most of the exotic courses in the country, it is not a private club, but is open to the public, albeit at a cost–around $500 for a round. It is not a municipal course, but owned by a private company, the Pebble Beach Company, which owns four other courses on the peninsula (The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill, Del Monte, and Peter Hay), and three hotels too. Five U.S. Opens have been played here.