South Dakota is second to North Dakota with more golf courses per capita than any other state, but is dominated by an agricultural economy for much of the eastern and central areas. It does feature numerous recreational and cultural attractions along the Missouri River, carved through the middle of the state from north to south, and the Black Hills and the Badlands to the west.

The best public golf courses in South Dakota are concentrated in the Spearfish to Rapid City corridor in the Black Hills with Mount Rushmore nearby and include Red Rock, Hart Ranch, and Meadowbrook with Southern Hills in Hot Springs to the south, a worthwhile journey. There's a plethora of 9-hole golf courses scattered about the small towns and villages in South Dakota, some of which are profiled in this guide as well as numerous scenic golf courses along the Missouri River as it makes it way along to North Sioux City.