Which Iconic Courses Could The PGA Tour Use For Major Market Push?

There was a lot of promise of change but few firm details from Brian Rolapp's press conference as he set out his future vision for the PGA Tour.

It was more setting out themes rather than plans as Rolapp revealed the future would involve a two-tier system with more Signature Events, full-field ones with promotion and relegation to be involved.

A shorter season and later start we already knew about, while what seems certain now is that the PGA Tour want to get more involved in the major TV markets across America.

But where will these big events be played and why the big change in target areas? Let's take a look at some of the venues we could see on the all-new PGA Tour.

The 'why?' is the easy part as it's a pure numbers game. More fans through the gates means more revenue, more hospitality and aesthetically the look is much better with more fans packed around greens to create those iconic winning moments.

Then there's a larger local TV audience and also bigger local companies as potential sponsors and purchasers of hospitality.

And on the golfing side, which obviously should be the most important, there's some iconic courses near these major cities that could be used, either on rotation or as a permanent home of a big new event.

What are the top US TV markets the PGA Tour want?

"Today the PGA Tour competes in only four of the top 10 largest US media markets. That is an opportunity," said Rolapp, before naming some targets.

"We are evaluating markets like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, and many others, places where there is a strong fan demand for our sport, and a chance to reach new fans."

Those big cities mentioned include three of the top five US TV markets as reported by the Sports Business Journal so it's understandable why the PGA Tour would want to switch events from the likes of St Louis, Memphis, Greensboro and Detroit to New York, Chicago and Philadelphia to fulfil their ambition to "own the summer" as has been touted.

Rolapp did not mention Los Angeles in his press conference with the Genesis Invitational at Riviera already on the schedule - that's likely to move from February to later in the year according to Tiger Woods.

It's safe to say Pebble Beach will remain and Torrey Pines should continue as a West Coast event, but Rolapp did mention San Francisco so maybe they're after an event closer to the big city, so we'll include that in our big six target areas.

Let us know what you think of our choices and which courses you'd like to see on the new PGA Tour schedule in the future by joining the conversation below...

Top 10 US TV Markets from 2024-2025

1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. Dallas-Fort Worth
5. Philadelphia
6. Atlanta
7. Houston
8. Washington
9. Boston
10. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

Where could the PGA Tour play in the future?

So taking Rolapp at his word, here's some possible venues for his six big target markets to attack for the PGA Tour's future.

New York

The Big Apple has a big selection of iconic courses nearby so take your pick! The US Open this year is off to Shinnecock Hills out on Long Island, not far from Ryder Cup host Bethpage Black, while another Major venue Winged Foot is just 25 miles north of Times Square and is a course packed with history.

The National Golf Links of America is a stunning course always highly rated in the area, while on a similar theme Ballys Golf Links at Ferry Point, formerly owned by Donald Trump, is set to re-open in April 2026 under new management.

For views though it's hard to beat Liberty National in New Jersey, barely a long drive from the Statue of Liberty and with truly iconic vistas of the Big Apple. And it's also a previous stop on the PGA Tour having hosted The Barclays (later known as the Northern Trust) and also a Presidents Cup.

Chicago

For proximity to downtown Chicago, course history, quality and ease of access it's hard to look anywhere other than Medinah - a Major venue and scene of that incredible 2012 Ryder Cup comeback.

Olympia Fields has staged two US Opens and two PGA Championships and also the BMW Championship so would be an easy fit for the PGA Tour just south of Chicago.

Rich Harvest Farms has most recently hosted LIV Golf Chicago but also previously the Solheim Cup while Chicago Golf Club is another course steeped in history as the first 18-hole course built in the USA and Conway Farms has hosted the BMW Championship recently.

Philadelphia

The 2026 PGA Championship is at Aronimink on the outskirts of Philly, which surprisingly is just the second time it will host a men's Major as it's consistently ranked highly and is thought of as such a tough test of golf.

Just a few miles closer to downtown is five-time US Open host Merion Golf Club, of the baskets instead of flags fame, and that would be another iconic name to add to the PGA Tour rota.

Philadelphia Cricket Club held the Signature Event Truist Championship last year, while Philadelphia Country Club is one of the first six members of the USGA and although the highly-rated Pine Valley is in New Jersey it's only 20 miles from downtown.

Washington DC

Trump National will stage a LIV Golf event this year and since the US President is also hosting the PGA Tour in Miami then he'd no doubt snap up the chance of adding another event to his CV.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Club was a regular home of the Presidents Cup, hosting it four times along with the 2024 Solheim Cup and also Tiger Woods' Quicken Loans National on the PGA Tour so would be an easy fit.

Congressional might be tough to beat though. It's close to the city and is a brute of a course with Major championship history and plenty of PGA Tour previous.

Boston

TPC Boston has held 17 PGA Tour tournaments including 13 in the FedEx Cup Playoffs so you'd have to believe it'd be top of the list for Rolapp to put down some permanent roots in the area.

The Country Club at Brookline would be hard to beat though for a regular PGA Tour tournament host with a huge history of hosting Majors, USGA amateur championships and also one infamous Ryder Cup.

Balmont Country Club has also hosted USGA events and is well thought of so could be an outsider here.

San Francisco

Pebble Beach will remain on the rota but the PGA Tour seems to want an event nearer to the city of San Francisco itself, which would help with attendances and sponsorship opportunities.

The Olympic Club is a stunning venue with a bagful of Majors having been held there so it's a course than can play really tough, but can also present some iconic views of San Francisco that would help to sell the event on TV.

TPC Harding Park is just a stone's throw away from Olympic Club so offers the same benefits, but as part of the PGA Tour's TPC brand it would be the natural fit for a regular tournament.

Collin Morikawa won the 2020 PGA Championship here and it's also held the WGC-Cadillac Championship and Presidents Cup.