Best Golf Courses Near Bismarck, ND

Bismarck, a city of 75,000, is not only North Dakota’s state capital, it is its public golf capital as well. Of the seven courses that list a Bismarck or nearby Mandan address, six are public layouts. Bismarck’s three municipal courses–Tom O’Leary Golf Club, Riverwood Golf Course, and the 9-hole, links-style Pebble Creek Golf Club–all rate among the very best courses in the state, while the fame of non-muni Hawktree Golf Club, a stunning Jim Engh design with heaving elevation changes, intriguing green complexes, and black sand bunkers, extends to some top-100 U.S. public course lists. Hawktree is part of the Triple Golf Challenge (along with Bully Pulpit and The Links of North Dakota) created by the North Dakota Tourist Division to bring traveling golfers to the state. Besides golf, Bismarck’s attractions include the North Dakota State Capitol Complex, which consists of the Art-Deco, 21-story State Capitol building, the governor’s mansion and a history museum. The Missouri River runs right through the city. The Lewis & Clark Riverboat offers 90 minutes paddlewheel steamer cruises at the Port of Bismarck. Downtown Bismarck, which features interesting architecture and public art, is the epicenter of the city’s boutique shopping, dining scene, and nightlife.