Golf Courses Near Missoula, MT

Home to the University of Montana, Missoula, a city of 80,000 in the western part of the state, is one of the best college towns in the country. When looking for a tee time in Missoula, you can start at the University of Montana Golf Course, the oldest course in town. Built in 1924, the updated, treelined 9-hole layout is located a mile off campus and features gorgeous views of Mount Sentinel. Larchmont Golf Club, a popular county-owned layout on flat ground with elevated tee and greens, can play as long as 7,300 yards. The Canyon River surrounds Canyon River Golf Club, a layout that serves up scenic views as it winds through an upscale residential community. Missoula also has two other nine-hole layouts: the par-29, executive-style Linda Vista Golf Course and Highlands Golf Club, a shotmaker’s course overlooking the Missoula Valley that offers a second set of tee boxes to approximate an 18-hole layout.

Missoula embodies the postcard image of Montana with its wide open spaces and surrounding mountains. The city became famous as a world-class trout fishing destination thanks to the movie “A River Runs Through it.” Three rivers actually run through Missoula. Everyone seems to hike here. Lolo Forest, which surrounds the city and includes Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, is an excellent hiking spot, as is the challenging “M” Trail on Mount Sentinel, so named because the University of Montana is at the base of the trail. The university, which boasts one of America’s most beautiful campuses, adds vibrant culture to the town. Downtown is full of historic architecture and art galleries, chic boutiques, intriguing restaurants, a live music scene, and the Wilma Theater, a Missoula landmark since 1921 that hosts headlining performances. One of Missoula’s other unique attractions is the U.S. Forest Service’s Smokejumper Visitor Center, where you can learn all about the nation’s largest training center for firefighters who parachute into wildfires.