If you’re looking for a great place to play golf, there are a lot of options here in the St. Louis area… both for golf enthusiasts and newcomers to the game. There are more than 100 nine-hole or 18- hole public courses in the Metro area alone. The courses I picked as my five favorites include newer courses and the oldest public golf course west of the Mississippi. The one common thread these courses have is outstanding design and use of the land. Nicklaus, Irwin and Player are all represented on my list. There are many other worthy courses in the St. Louis area, and your personal top five may differ; if the list was longer, I would certainly include Annbriar and The Orchards. The bottom line is… if you are an average or low handicap golfer, playing these five courses will not let you down.