The golf course which Gary Player picked as his favorite in America above Augusta National

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Gary Player knows a thing or two about great golf courses, having competed on many of them since the 1950s.

Player is one of the most successful golfers in the history of the game, with 159 worldwide wins to his name, including nine major championships.

The now 89-year-old won three Masters titles, with his last triumph at Augusta National coming in 1978.

However, Player recently fell out with the Augusta National hierarchy after claiming he couldn’t go and play there with his grandchildren without having to ‘beg a member’ to play with them.

Interestingly, Player’s son, Wayne, is banned for life from Augusta, after he fell foul of their rules pertaining to brand endorsement.

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that the South African picked another golf course besides Augusta as his favorite in the United States.

Gary Player’s favorite golf course in America above Augusta National

Player is one of the most well-traveled golfers of all time.

He has won tournaments on six continents throughout his career, so he obviously has a very good idea about what makes a great golf course.

During a video sponsored by golf club manufacturer PXG for The Average Golfer YouTube channel, Player named his favorite golf course in the word.

He said: “There is no tournament that compares to The Open. The Open is the greatest championship by a mile in the world, for the simple reason, historically number one, we must not put that aside and look at that lightly. Where all great men tread and where the game started. The R&A, what they’ve done for golf.

“If I had to pick one golf course to play in the world, it would be St Andrews. In America it would be Pine Valley.“

Everything you need to know about Pine Valley

Situated in Camden County, New Jersey, Pine Valley is a par 70 that measures 7,201 yards off the back tees.

It has a course rating of 76.6 and a slope rating of 155.

George Arthur Crump designed the majestic New Jersey layout, with the help of well known golf course architects – A.W. Tillinghast, Harry Colt, Donald Ross, and George C. Thomas Jr.

Pine Valley has played host to some big events in the past, including the Walker Cup in 1936 and 1985 and the Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match between Gene Littler and Byron Nelson in 1962.

The New Jersey layout has consistently been named as the number one golf course in America by Golf Digest from 1985 through until 2025.

Pine Valley was not named as the best golf course in America on only eight occasions during that 40-year period.

The George Arthur Crump design has also regularly been named as the best golf course in the world.

While Player names St Andrews as his favorite golf course in the world, Pine Valley stands alone in the South African’s mind as the best layout in the United States.