Green Zones: A Map of the US Military’s Golf Courses
From California to the Korean DMZ, the Pentagon runs nearly 200 golf courses.
By Eric Wuestewald and AJ Vicens
The United States military is undeniably massive. In 2012, the Pentagon spent 4.4 percent of our GDP on defense, with hundreds of billions going to contractors for assorted weapons, equipment, and essentials.
What is not known is exactly how much money funds the military’s international golf habit. Mother Jones has found that the Pentagon currently operates at least 194 golf courses and 2,874 holes of golf worldwide. Hover over any flag to tee up more information about the location, name, and size of these courses.
Source: See all data
Nearly all of the military golf courses are on US bases. Unsurprisingly, most are in the United States. However, greens can also be found throughout the Middle East, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. They somewhat coincide with strategic military locations, leaving states like Florida, Hawaii, and Virginia and countries like Germany and Japan covered with flags. The military’s Morale, Warfare, and Recreation and Marine Corps Community Services programs, which run the courses (as well as library programs, youth programs, fitness centers, and bowling alleys), say they are designed to maintain troop morale and combat readiness during stressful situations or down time.
According to MWR officials, military golf courses must “generally” be self-supporting; however, they are quite expensive to run. As journalist Nick Turse pointed out in 2008, fairways and greens regularly need refurbishing. The US Golf Association estimates a standard 18-hole course can cost around $384,000 to $636,000 a year in maintenance fees. (Building a golf course can cost $1.6 to $4.5 million.) Just last year, the Pelican Bay Golf Course at Florida’s Tyndall Air Force Base shut down after running a $270,000 average annual deficit since 2006.
The quality of military golf courses can differ dramatically, ranging from the sprawling 54-hole championship complex outside Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC, to a couple of holes plopped in the highlands of Mosul, Iraq. The terrain is further varied. The military operates its golf courses in volcanoes, surrounded by landmines, and just outside the notorious detention center in Guantanamo Bay. It also boasts the “World’s Most Dangerous Golf Course“—a single par 3 just below the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.
Estimates of the total number of courses vary. In 1975, Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire called out the Pentagon for spending $14 million a year to maintain 300 courses. Today, the most commonly reported number of courses is 234, but a thorough search turned up 194.
For more information, check out our list of military golf courses below. If you know of a course that’s not here, leave a comment.
| base | location | course | courses | holes | branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Rucker | Alabama | Silver Wings | 3 | 27 | Army |
| Redstone Arsenal | Alabama | Links at Redstone | 2 | 36 | Army |
| Maxwell Air Force Base | Alabama | Cypress Tree | 2 | 36 | Air Force |
| Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson | Alaksa | Moose Run Hill and Creek | 2 | 36 | Air Force, Army |
| Fort Wainwright | Alaska | Chena Bend | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Huachuca | Arizona | Mountain View | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Davis-Monthan Air Force Base | Arizona | Blanchard Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Luke Air Force Base | Arizona | Falcon Dunes | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Pine Bluff Arsenal | Arkansas | Pine Haven | 1 | 9 | Army |
| Little Rock Air Force Base | Arkansas | Deer Run | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Air Station North Island | California | Sea ‘n’ Air | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Base San Diego | California | Admiral Baker | 2 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach | California | Navy Golf Course | 2 | 27 | Navy |
| Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake | California | China Lake Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Base Ventura County at Port Hueneme | California | Seabee | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Support Activity Monterey | California | Monterey Pines | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Beale Air Force Base | California | Coyote Run | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Edwards Air Force Base | California | Muroc Lake | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Travis Air Force Base | California | Cypress Lake | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Vandenberg Air Force Base | California | Marshallia Ranch Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms | California | Desert Winds | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow | California | Tees N Trees | 1 | 9 | Marines |
| Marine Corps Air Station Miramar | California | MCAS Miramar Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | California | Marine Memorial Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Fort Carson | Colorado | Cheyenne Shadows | 1 | 18 | Army |
| United States Air Force Academy | Colorado | Eisenhower Golf Club | 2 | 18 | Air Force |
| Peterson Air Force Base | Colorado | Silver Spruce Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Submarine Base New London | Connecticut | Goose Run | 1 | 9 | Navy |
| Joint Task Force Guantanamo | Cuba | Lateral Hazards | 1 | 18 | All |
| Andrews Air Force Base | D.C. | East, South, and North | 3 | 54 | Air Force |
| Dover Air Force Base | Delaware | Eagle Creek | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Royal Air Force Lakenheath | England | Breckland Pines | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Naval Air Station Penscaloa | Florida | A.C. Read | 3 | 27 | Navy |
| Naval Air Station Whiting Field | Florida | Whiting Field Golf course | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Station Mayport | Florida | Windy Harbor Golf Club | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Air Station Jacksonville | Florida | Jackonsville Golf Club | 1 | 9 | Navy |
| Eglin Air Force Base | Florida | Eglin Golf Course | 2 | 36 | Air Force |
| Hurlburt Field | Florida | Gator Lakes | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| MacDill Air Force Base | Florida | Bay Palms Golf Complex | 2 | 18 | Air Force |
| Patrick Air Force Base | Florida | Manatee Cove | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Fort Benning | Georgia | The Bradley, The Marshall, and The Patton | 3 | 27 | Army |
| Fort Gordon | Georgia | Gordon Lakes Golf Club | 3 | 9 | Army |
| Fort McPherson-GIllem | Georgia | Fort McPherson Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Stewart | Georgia | Taylor’s Creek | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Hunter Army Air Field | Georgia | Hunter Golf Club | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay | Georgia | Trident Lakes | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Moody Air Force Base | Georgia | Quiet Pines | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Robins Air Force Base | Georgia | Pine Oaks | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| United States Army Garrison Bamberg | Germany | Whispering Pines | 1 | 9 | Army |
| Edelweiss Lodge and Resort | Germany | Alpental | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Garrison Heidelberg | Germany | Heidelberg Golf Club | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Garrison Stuttgart | Germany | Stuttgart Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Garrison Wiesbaden | Germany | Rheinblick Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Ramstein Air Base | Germany | Woodlawn | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Spangdahlem Air Base | Germany | Eifel Mountain | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Andersen Air Force Base | Guam | Palm Tree Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks | Hawaii | Leilehua and Walter J. Nagorski | 2 | 27 | Army |
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam | Hawaii | Ke’alohi and Mamala | 3 | 45 | Air Force, Navy |
| Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay | Hawaii | Kaneohe Klipper | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Mountain Home Air Force Base | Idaho | Silver Sage Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Station Great Lakes | Illinois | Willow Glen | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Scott Air Force Base | Illinois | Cardinal Creek | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane | Indiana | Eagle View | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Mosul | Iraq | Al-Kindi | 1 | 2 | Army |
| Naval Support Activity Naples | Italy | Carney Park | 1 | 9 | Navy |
| Aviano Air Force Base | Italy | Alpine | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Camp Zama | Japan | Camp Zama | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni | Japan | 1 | 18 | Marines | |
| Naval Air Facility Atsugi | Japan | Atsugi Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Misawa Air Base | Japan | Gosser Memorial | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Yokota Air Base | Japan | Tama Hills | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Kadena Air Force Base | Japan | Banyan Tree Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Marine Corps Community Services Okinawa | Japan | Taiyo | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Fort Leavenworth | Kansas | Trails West | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Riley | Kansas | Custer HIll | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Campbell | Kentucky | Cole Park | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Knox | Kentucky | Lindsey Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Polk | Louisiana | Warrior Hills Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Barksdale Air Force Base | Louisiana | Fox Run | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| United States Naval Academy | Maryland | Naval Academy Golf Club | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Air Station Patuxent River | Maryland | Cedar Point | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head | Maryland | Naval Surface Warefare Center Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Aberdeen Proving Ground | Maryland | Ruggles | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Hanscom Air Force Base | Massachusetts | Patriot Golf Course | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| United States Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod | Massachusetts | Falcon | 1 | 9 | Coast Guard |
| Selfridge Air National Guard Base | Michigan | Selfridge Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Air Station Meridian | Mississippi | Ponta Creek | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Columbus Air Force Base | Mississippi | Whispering Pines | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Keesler Air Force Base | Mississippi | Bay Breeze | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Fort Leonard Wood | Missouri | Piney Valley | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Whiteman Air Force Base | Missouri | Royal Oaks | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Offutt Air Force Base | Nebraska | Willow Lakes | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Nellis Air Force Base | Nevada | Sunrise Vista | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Joint Base McGuire-Fort Dix-Lakehurst | New Jersey | Fountain Green, Falcon Creek, and Pine Ridge | 3 | 45 | Air Force, Army, Navy |
| Picatinny Arsenal | New Jersey | Picatinny Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| White Sands Missile Range | New Mexico | White Sands | 1 | 9 | Army |
| Cannon Air Force Base | New Mexico | Whispering Winds | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Kirtland Air Force Base | New Mexico | Tijeras Arroyo | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Holloman Air Force Base | New Mexico | Apache Mesa | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| United States Military Academy West Point | New York | West Point Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Bragg | North Carolina | Ryder and Stryker | 2 | 36 | Army |
| Seymour Johnson Air Force Base | North Carolina | Three Eagles | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune | North Carolina | Paradise Point Scarlet and Gold | 2 | 36 | Marines |
| Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point | North Carolina | Sound of Freedom | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Pope Air Force Base | North Carolina | Willow Lakes | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Grand Forks Air Force Base | North Dakota | Plainsview | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Minot Air Force Base | North Dakota | Rough Rider | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Defense Supply Center Columbus | Ohio | Eagle Eye | 1 | 9 | Army |
| Wright-Patterson Air Force Base | Ohio | Prairie Trace and Twin Base | 3 | 45 | Air Force |
| Fort Sill | Oklahoma | Fort Sill | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Altus Air Force Base | Oklahoma | Windy Trails | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Tinker Air Force Base | Oklahoma | Tinker Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Carlisle Barracks | Pennsylvania | Carlisle Barracks Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Buchanan | Puerto Rico | Fort Buchanan Golf Club | 1 | 9 | Army |
| Arizona Golf Resort | Saudi Arabia | 1 | 9 | Army | |
| Fort Jackson | South Carolina | Wildcat and Hickory | 2 | 36 | Army |
| Joint Base Charleston | South Carolina | Redbank Plantation and Wrenwoods | 2 | 36 | Air Force, Navy |
| Shaw Air Force Base | South Carolina | Carolina Lakes | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island | South Carolina | The Legends Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Ellsworth Air Force Base | South Dakota | Prarie Ridge | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Camp Walker | South Korea | 1 | 9 | Army | |
| Camp Red Cloud | South Korea | 1 | 9 | Army | |
| Camp Casey | South Korea | 1 | 9 | Army | |
| Yongsam | South Korea | Sung Nam Golf Club | 1 | 18 | Army |
| Camp Bonifas | South Korea | 1 | 1 | Army | |
| Kunsan Air Base | South Korea | West Winds | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Osan Air Base | South Korea | The Lakes | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Naval Station Rota | Spain | Captain Jack Dennis Memorial | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Support Activity Mid-south | Tennessee | Glen Eagles | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Arnold Air Force Base | Tennessee | Arnold Golf course | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Fort Bliss | Texas | Underwood Golf complex, Sunrise and Sunset Courses | 2 | 36 | Army |
| Fort Hood | Texas | Armadillo Hill, Deer Run, and Panther Claw | 3 | 27 | Army |
| Fort Sam Houston | Texas | The La Loma and Salado Del Rio | 2 | 36 | Army |
| Naval Air Station Corpus Christi | Texas | Gulf Winds | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Dyess Air Force Base | Texas | Mesquite Grove | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Lackland Air Force Base | Texas | Gateway Hills | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Laughlin Air Force Base | Texas | Leaning Pine | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Randolph Air Force Base | Texas | Randolph Oaks Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Sheppard Air Force Base | Texas | Wind Creek | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Incirlik Air Force Base | Turkey | Hodja Lakes Golf Course | 1 | 9 | Air Force |
| Dugway Proving Ground | Utah | 1 | 9 | Army | |
| Hill Air Force Base | Utah | Hubbard Memorial Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
| Fort Belvoir | Virginia | Woodlawn and Gunston | 2 | 18 | Army |
| Fort Lee | Virginia | The Cardinal | 3 | 27 | Army |
| Naval Air Station Oceana | Virginia | Hornet and Tomcat | 2 | 18 | Navy |
| Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story | Virginia | Eagle Haven | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Station Norfolk | Virginia | Sewell’s Point | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Naval Weapons Station Yorktown – Cheatham Annex | Virginia | Deer Cove | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Joint Base Langley-Eustis | Virginia | The Pines and Eaglewood | 3 | 45 | Air Force, Army |
| Marine Corps Base Quantico | Virginia | Medal of Honor | 1 | 18 | Marines |
| Naval Air Station Whidbey Island | Washington | NAS Whidbey Gallery Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Navy |
| Joint Base Lewis-McChord | Washington | Eagle’s Pride and Whispering Firs | 3 | 45 | Air Force, Army |
| F.E. Warren Air Force Base | Wyoming | Warren Golf Course | 1 | 18 | Air Force |
