Information
Landmark: Bully Pulpit Golf CourseCity: Medora
Country: USA North Dakota
Continent: North America
Bully Pulpit Golf Course, Medora, USA North Dakota, North America
Overview
Hidden deep in the rugged Badlands just south of Medora, the Bully Pulpit Golf Course delivers a round that’s as breathtaking as it is demanding, with fairways winding between rust-colored cliffs and open sky, consequently built to draw players into the wild majesty of Theodore Roosevelt’s favorite landscape, the course twists through rocky river valleys, quiet meadows, and sun‑baked buttes carved over millions of years by wind and rain.Since opening in 2004, this public 18-hole course has earned national praise for its stunning scenery, smart layout, and strong connection to the land-it’s golf played where cliffs catch the wind and every swing feels part of the view, to boot the course gets its name from President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous phrase “bully pulpit,” his way of describing the presidency as a spot to speak out, spark ideas, and lead with conviction-like striking a match in a dim room.It feels right-Roosevelt spent his early years ranching near Medora in the 1880s, where the wind and the raw silence of the Badlands gave him a deep sense of renewal, equally important bully Pulpit celebrates his bold spirit and deep love of nature, giving golfers a chance to stroll through the same wild landscape-wind in the grass, sky wide and open-that inspired his passion for conservation, occasionally Bully Pulpit’s layout came from acclaimed architect Dr, as a result michael Hurdzan, who’s known for weaving environmental care into bold, strategic designs-think greens tucked beside wind-carved cliffs.The layout spans more than 400 acres, sweeping through three unique landscapes, each with its own personality and test: The River Holes (1–5), where the first fairways follow the twisting Little Missouri River, bordered by tall cottonwoods and whispering native grasses, after that at sunrise, mist lifts from the river and blurs the hills, turning them into gentle washes of gold and blue.Holes 6–12, known as the Meadow, open onto wide, rolling prairie where every long drive meets the wind and demands a careful plan, while wildflowers spill across the rough, and now and then an antelope or a mule deer steps out of the brush at the fairway’s edge.The Badlands Holes (13–18): This last stretch winds up into the buttes, where narrow ridges and high tees cut through the pale, wind-sculpted rock, along with perched high above the valley, the signature 15th hole drops nearly 200 feet from tee to fairway, opening into a sweep of hills that seem to roll on for miles.Every hole is shaped to showcase the landscape around it, letting the hills and trees take the spotlight instead of fighting for attention, meanwhile the course weaves through native grasses, needs little watering, and follows the land’s own curves, so it feels like it’s grown straight out of the earth itself.The clubhouse, built in rustic Western style, stands near the course entrance and instantly feels welcoming-its wide porch looks out over the quiet, sunlit river valley, as well as with a full-service pro shop, a cozy restaurant, and a breezy patio lounge, it’s the perfect spot to relax with a chilly sample before or after your round.The course includes practice greens, a driving range, and rental carts with GPS yardage systems that show crisp aerial maps of every hole, after that playing at Bully Pulpit feels like a workout and a calm breath-it’s a rhythm of motion and focus, the soft thud of a ball steadying your thoughts.In the Badlands, silence holds steady until a drive snaps through the air, the prairie wind stirs dry grass, and a lone hawk cries somewhere high above, after that even people who’ve never swung a club come just to wander the fairways and pause at the overlooks near the upper holes, where the wind smells faintly of pine and fresh-cut grass.Since it opened, Bully Pulpit has drawn glowing reviews from national golf magazines, its rugged fairways often singled out for their wind‑carved beauty, furthermore it’s made Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Public Courses in America” and Golfweek’s “Best Courses You Can Play,” with reviewers praising its rugged beauty and how each hole winds through the Badlands, challenging every swing without feeling punishing.Only three miles south of Medora, the course rests beside the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where golfers often trade their clubs for hiking boots, scenic drives, or an evening at the Medora Musical under the stars, furthermore the course runs under the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, making sure its care and daily management respect the land’s natural beauty and the area’s proud local heritage, slightly often At its heart, the Bully Pulpit Golf Course isn’t just a challenge of skill-it’s a quiet conversation with the land, where the wind brushes past your sleeves and answers back, what’s more each tee and green opens to a fresh view of the Badlands’ carved ridges, and every swing reminds you how the wind and stone shape the game, in some ways For golfers chasing a course that blends challenge, quiet, and the sweeping beauty of the American West, Bully Pulpit stays with you-it’s where each swing feels like a meander through Roosevelt’s rugged, wind-carved wilderness.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-11-06
