Best Courses to Play in Louisville

It's Championship Sunday at Valhalla Golf Club.

Established in 1986, the course bears the signature of the legendary Jack Nicklaus, and has been the prestigious host of now four PGA Championships, a Ryder Cup and a Senior PGA Championship.

For the throngs of golf fans making their way to this year's PGA Championship, many may be looking for advice on where to tee it up while in and around Louisville. If you've stumbled upon this article, you have come to the right place to get some good recommendations.

Heritage Hill Golf Club
Shepherdsville, Kentucky
Built: 2007
Architect: Douglas Beach
PGA of America Golf Professional: Nicholas Sweeney, PGA
25 minutes from Valhalla Golf Club

Recognized as a Top 10 New Course in America for 2008 by Golf Digest, Heritage Hill Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course located just minutes from Louisville in Shepherdsville. Designed by former Jack Nicklaus associate Doug Beach, Heritage Hill offers a challenging yet enjoyable experience for golfers of all skill levels, with five sets of tees ranging from just over 5,000 yards and up to 7,100 yards. With its bent grass greens, zoysia tees, and fairways, this par-72 course gem is a must-visit for golf enthusiasts coming to the Louisville area.

Nevel Meade Golf Course
Prospect, Kentucky
Built: 1990
Architect: Steve Smyers
PGA of America Golf Professional: Robert Costello, PGA
20 minutes from Valhalla Golf Club

Nevel Meade's golf course is a stunning Steve Smyers masterpiece inspired by the breathtaking courses of Scotland. As you make your way around the course, you will be greeted by rolling terrain that provides challenges to golfers of all skill levels. The freshwater spring and century-old trees lining the borders of the course add to its natural beauty. The course features deep bunkering and large heather grass areas, providing a visual treat and an added challenge for all golfers. The course offers five tee boxes, ranging from approximately 5,200 to 6,900 yards, ensuring that you can choose the perfect tee for your skill level.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginner, Nevel Meade's golf course guarantees fun and challenges that will make you want to come back for more.

Lindsey Golf Course
Fort Knox, Kentucky
Built: 1933
Architect: Buck Blankenship Morgan Boggs
45 min from Valhalla Golf Club

Lindsey Golf Course has undergone numerous renovations and additions in recent years, making it a popular destination for golf enthusiasts. The course boasts rolling terrain and contoured Bermuda grass fairways, with a mix of narrow and expansive landing areas catering to golfers of all skill levels. It has five sets of tees ranging from 4,500 to 6,800 yards, making it suitable for tournament players and weekend beginners.

The recent renovations added two strategically placed lakes that enhance the course's aesthetics and provide an unlimited supply of irrigation water for the new, satellite-controlled double-row irrigation system.

One of the new lakes is on hole 5, a Par 5 with water down the right side for your tee shot. It also has a challenging second shot over water to a very undulated green with a false front, making it a genuine risk versus reward Par 5 hole. The second lake comes into play on holes 1 and 18. The 18th hole is considered one of the most challenging Par 4's in Kentucky, and your second shot, most likely with a long iron, is all carry over water to a narrow, undulating, two-tiered green guarded by a bunker.

Covered Bridge Golf Club
Sellersburg, Indiana
Built: 1994
Architect: Fuzzy Zoeller, Clyde Johnston, Brad Bartell
PGA Professional: David Shanks, PGA
15 min from Valhalla Golf Club

Covered Bridge Golf Club, designed by Fuzzy Zoeller and Clyde Johnson, is situated on a gently rolling plain at the base of the famous Floyds Knobs in Southern Indiana.

The layout of each hole at Covered Bridge has been thoughtfully planned to highlight the natural beauty of the landscape and its panoramic views. The par 72 course boasts five lakes and a meandering creek and is pleasantly forested. The greens are gently contoured, and the bunkers are strategically placed to provide a challenging yet fair experience. Each hole offers a choice of four separate tees, ranging from 4,100 to 7,100 yards, making it suitable for players of all skill levels.