Alaska Golf Association
OurHistory
Over six decades of keeping golf alive in America's Last Frontier — through long summers, short seasons, and an unshakeable love of the game.
1959
Present
1959
Year Founded
65+
Years of Alaska Golf
The Alaska Golf Association has been the backbone of organized golf in Alaska since 1959 — the same year Hawaii became a state. For over six decades, the AGA has administered handicaps, rated courses, run championships, and worked tirelessly to make the game accessible to every Alaskan golfer, from Juneau to Fairbanks.
Golf in Alaska is unlike anywhere else in the world. Courses carved through birch and spruce forests. Fairways lit by the Midnight Sun. Mountain backdrops that make Palmer Golf Course one of the most dramatic tournament venues in amateur golf. A season packed into five months that forces Alaska's golfers to love the game intensely in the time they have.
The AGA has been there for all of it — as an allied golf association of the USGA, as the certifying body for course ratings, as the organizer of the Alaska State Amateur Championship, and as the association that has handed out more hole-in-one certificates than you'd expect from a state with 14 golf courses and a very short season.
Timeline
Six Decades of Alaska Golf
1946
Pre-AGA
Course
Fairbanks Golf & Country Club Established
Alaska's oldest golf club is founded in Fairbanks, establishing the first organized golf community in Interior Alaska. The nine-hole semi-private club remains in operation today — a founding piece of Alaska golf history.
1952
Pre-AGA
Course
Moose Run Hill Course Opens
Built by the Army Corps of Engineers at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Moose Run Hill Course becomes Alaska's first 18-hole golf course. It opens seven years before the AGA is even founded — a testament to how much Alaska's military community valued the game.
1959
Founding
Founding Year
The Alaska Golf Association Is Founded
The same year Alaska became America's 49th state, the Alaska Golf Association is established as the official governing body for amateur golf in the state and becomes an allied golf association of the USGA. The AGA's founding mission — developing and expanding golf throughout Alaska — remains unchanged to this day.
1962
1960s
Course
Chena Bend & North Star Open in Fairbanks
Both Chena Bend Golf Course (Fort Wainwright) and North Star Golf Club open in Fairbanks in 1962, establishing Interior Alaska as a genuine golf destination. North Star becomes America's northernmost USGA-rated golf course — a distinction it holds to this day.
1972
1970s
Course
Eagleglen Opens — Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Eagleglen Golf Course opens at Elmendorf Air Force Base, designed by legendary architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. One of the most architecturally significant courses ever built in Alaska, Eagleglen brings world-class golf design to the state for the first time.
1973
1970s
Course
Birch Ridge Opens in Soldotna
Birch Ridge Golf Course opens on the Kenai Peninsula near the famous Kenai River, bringing organized golf to Southcentral Alaska outside of Anchorage. The nine-hole course with separate tee boxes for front and back nines continues to serve the Soldotna community.
1978
1970s
Course
Settlers Bay Opens — Alaska's First Residential Golf Community
Designed by Ted Locke, Settlers Bay Golf Course opens in Wasilla on the shores of Knik Arm — becoming Alaska's only residential golf community. The course will go on to host the AGA Spring Jackpot and State Match Play Championship annually.
1986
1980s
Course
Kenai Golf Course & Mendenhall Open
Kenai Golf Course opens on the Kenai Peninsula, earning one of the highest slope ratings in North America at 132 — extraordinary for a course of its length. Mendenhall Golf Course opens in Juneau the same year, bringing an executive par-3 course to Alaska's capital city within sight of the Mendenhall Glacier.
1987
1980s
Course
Anchorage Golf Course Opens
Designed by Bill Newcomb and opening in 1987, Anchorage Golf Course becomes Anchorage's premier public 18-hole layout — carved through the birch and spruce forests of South Anchorage with views of the Chugach Mountains. It becomes one of the AGA's most important championship venues, hosting USGA Senior Women's Amateur Qualifying.
1990
1990s
Landmark
Palmer Golf Course Opens
Designed by William Overdorf and opening in 1990, Palmer Golf Course quickly establishes itself as Alaska's premier championship venue. Set against views of Pioneer Peak and Knik Glacier, Palmer will go on to host the AGA State Amateur & Senior Championship, Fall Jackpot, USGA U.S. Open Local Qualifying, Senior Amateur Qualifying, and Mid-Amateur Qualifying — more AGA events than any other course in the state.
1998
1990s
Course
Muskeg Meadows Opens in Wrangell
Muskeg Meadows Golf Course opens in Wrangell, Southeast Alaska — accessible only by ferry or float plane, making it one of the most remote golf courses in the United States. Designed by Tom Hanna, Muskeg Meadows becomes a bucket-list destination for golfers seeking a truly unique Alaskan experience.
2000
2000s
Landmark
Moose Run Creek Course Opens
Designed by Robin Nelson and Neil Haworth, Moose Run Creek Course opens at JBER and immediately becomes Alaska's most challenging and celebrated course. With a Course Rating of 78.0 and Slope of 142 — the highest in the state — and a par-5 11th hole at 640 yards (Alaska's longest hole), Moose Run Creek raises the bar for competitive golf in Alaska and becomes the permanent home of the AGA Best Ball Championship.
2020
Modern
System
World Handicap System Adopted
The AGA transitions all Alaska members to the new USGA World Handicap System — unifying six previously separate global handicap systems into one universal standard. Every Alaska AGA member's Handicap Index is now valid and recognized on any rated course in the world.
2025
New Era
New Era
New Leadership & the AGA Begins a New Chapter
New leadership takes the helm of the AGA. Jeff Ranf becomes President, bringing an energized Board of Directors and a bold vision for the association's future. A partnership with WA Golf is established, the AGA office moves to Fox Hollow Golf and Sports Dome, and an ambitious new strategic direction is set.
2026
Today
Today
The Most Ambitious AGA Season in Years
The AGA launches its most comprehensive tournament season in recent memory — nine events including four USGA qualifiers, a redesigned website, the first-ever five-year tournament venue rotation, expanded junior and women's golf programs, and a renewed commitment to being visible and engaged in the Alaskan golf community every single day of the season.
Course History
Alaska's Golf Courses by Year
1946
Fairbanks G&CC
Fairbanks
1952
Moose Run Hill
Anchorage (JBER)
1962
Chena Bend
Fairbanks
1962
North Star GC
Fairbanks
1972
Eagleglen
Anchorage
1973
Birch Ridge
Soldotna
1978
Settlers Bay
Wasilla
1986
Kenai GC
Kenai
1986
Mendenhall
Juneau
1987
Anchorage GC
Anchorage
1990
Palmer GC
Palmer
1990
Sleepy Hollow
Wasilla
1998
Muskeg Meadows
Wrangell
2000
Moose Run Creek
Anchorage (JBER)
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Since 1959, the AGA has been committed to the development and expansion of golf throughout Alaska — and we are proud to present robust tournament schedules each year.
Alaska Golf Association · Official Mission Statement
Sixty-five years later, that commitment is stronger than ever. New leadership, a new strategic direction, and the most active tournament season in recent AGA history are proof that the best chapters of Alaska golf are still being written.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
The AGA has been growing Alaska golf since 1959. Join today and help write the next page of that history.