Rory McIlroy’s long-awaited Masters triumph didn’t just make golf history – it also lit up Instagram.
With a jaw-dropping birdie in a playoff against Justin Rose, McIlroy claimed the final piece of his career Grand Slam at the 89th Masters Tournament to finally don the coveted green jacket.
As McIlroy etched his name into the sport’s history by becoming only the sixth player to achieve a career Grand Slam, Augusta National once again found itself at the center of the golf world – and social media.
The roars from Amen Corner echoed far beyond the hallowed course, reaching phones and feeds around the world. As golf fans rushed to celebrate Rory’s win, they also turned their attention – and cameras – to the ultimate setting that played backdrop to his legendary moment.
According to new data crunched by ProfitDuel, who are specialists in all things matched betting, Augusta National has once again cemented its status as the undisputed king of golf courses on Instagram, extending its mammoth amount of geo-tagged posts it features.
With 198,229 geo-tags, the home of the Masters is comfortably ahead of any other course in the United States – and it’s not even close. For perspective, second place goes to Riviera Country Club with 39,233 tags.
It’s no surprise. Augusta National isn’t just a place of dreams for golfers; it’s a visual masterpiece. The azaleas, the perfectly manicured fairways, the towering pines – and now, Rory’s career-defining victory – make it one of the most photogenic places in all of sport.
But how do the other top courses stack up against Augusta’s dominance?
Using Golf.com’s 2024/25 rankings as a guide, the team at ProfitDuel analyzed Instagram geo-tag data for the nation’s 20 highest-rated golf courses.
Here’s how the most iconic names in American golf compare when it comes to social media spotlight:
The Top 20 Most Geo-Tagged Golf Courses in the U.S.
- Augusta National – 198,229
- Riviera – 39,233
- Shinnecock Hills – 23,687
- Pebble Beach – 20,721
- Oakmont – 20,049
- Pacific Dunes – 16,543
- Los Angeles (North) – 15,296
- Cypress Point – 7,433
- Winged Foot (West) – 7,211
- Pinehurst No.2 – 6,466
- Oakland Hills (South) – 6,169
- National Golf Links of America – 5,939
- Pine Valley – 4,552
- Fishers Island – 4,008
- Chicago GC – 3,767
- Friar’s Head – 2,542
- Prairie Dunes – 2,378
- Sand Hills – 1,920
- Seminole – 1,320
- Merion (East) – 987
While Augusta leads the way, other elite courses are also flexing their visual appeal. Riviera, host of the Genesis Invitational, holds strong thanks to its L.A. location and A-list connections. Pebble Beach continues to be a bucket-list dream for golfers and photographers alike, with its coastal cliffs and legendary 18th.
Interestingly, courses like Pine Valley and Merion may rank high in prestige, but they’re far lower on the Instagram scale – likely due to their exclusivity and tight restrictions.
Golf’s Golden Era, Online and On-Course
Rory’s victory adds a fresh layer of energy to a sport already riding a cultural high. With younger audiences embracing the game through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, iconic venues like Augusta are more than just historic – they’re trending.
As the fairways stay pristine and the legends keep building, expect even more geotags, hashtags, and highlight reels. Rory’s green jacket moment might have been years in the making, but its Instagram impact was instant.
And if you’re wondering where to point your camera the next time you’re lucky enough to tee it up – well, the numbers speak for themselves.
