America is blessed with some of the greatest golf courses on the planet.
When it comes to the debate over the best golf destinations in the US, most immediately point toward the coastal prestige of Pebble Beach or the historical deep-green hills of Pinehurst.
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But most of the best golf courses in the country are exclusive, gate-guarded clubs that most could never dream of playing. Even PGA Tour pro Marco Penge recently said he’s had trouble getting access to a private club in Florida, so what chance do we have?
However, NBA legend and outspoken analyst Charles Barkley said there’s a state in America that has the best public courses in the country, which we can all enjoy.
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Charles Barkley thinks Arizona has the best public golf courses in America
Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1992, and discovered something about the state of Arizona when he was there. He says it has the best selection of public golf courses in the country.
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After his playing career, Barkley retired there and recently said to GOLF.com, “When I leave here, I’m going to be cremated. I’m never leaving Arizona. We got the best golf courses in the world.
“Especially, we got the best public golf courses in the world. There are a lot of great golf courses in places, but most of them are private. I would put Phoenix up against any part of the country as far as public golf courses.”
From TPC Scottsdale to We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, there are a number of stunning courses in the desert that anyone can play. That’s what golf is supposed to be about.
Why Charles Barkley retired in Arizona instead of Florida
While the trade to the Phoenix Suns in 1992 brought him to the desert initially, Barkley’s decision to make Arizona his permanent home after retirement wasn’t actually a foregone conclusion.
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He was close to choosing Florida as his retirement state, but an encounter with an alligator changed his mind.
Barkley said, “What’s really crazy is I was going to go to Florida or Arizona. And Florida was actually the leader in the clubhouse to be honest with you. I looked at five houses in Florida one day… when I got to the last house, it was almost dark and I could see something moving.
“I said I think something’s moving over there, and she said, ‘Oh, that’s an alligator.’ I said, ‘What, excuse me? That’s in the front yard.’ And she said, ‘Unless you’ve got a little dog or kids it won’t matter’. I said I got both, so Arizona it is. And I moved here when I retired, and I’m never leaving.”
Ultimately, the lack of apex predators in his front yard, combined with some of the finest public fairways in existence, sealed the deal.
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