West Virginia, known as the Mountain State, becomes readily obvious when traveling most of the highways or byways throughout the state save for the small Eastern Panhandle bordering Maryland and Virginia beginning at Harpers Ferry. Consequently, it's either uphill or downhill unless you're along the level terrain bordering the many river valleys in the state. Golf in West Virginia is genetically linked to the immigration of its early residents from Ireland and Scotland in the late 1700s with most of the golf courses of the “Highland” nature rather than links.

The best public golf courses you can play in West Virginia are dispersed throughout the state in a variety of settings including the four season resorts of Greenbrier, Glade Springs, Oglebay Park, Stonewall, and the Raven at Snowshoe. There's also a host of gems tucked away in one of the many hollers accessible only by twisting, two lane roads of the state and found in this guide to the top public golf courses in West Virginia.