The United States Golf Association (USGA), the sport’s domestic governing body, has compiled a national list of best public courses. Fifteen of them are right in our own backyard.

If the mention of public golf conjures images of divot-pitted fairways, pockmarked greens, and boorish players, the stereotype is unfounded. The USGA finds that many of them provide excellent surroundings for all abilities, from amateurs to scratch golfers (those who finish a round exactly on par).

The analysis considered both course ratings and slope ratings of links nationwide.

Both these evaluations gauge the difficulty of play for golfers of varying abilities. Criteria include the distance between tee and green, the impact of elevations, the presence of rough and bunkers (sand traps), trees, and even psychology.

Slope and course ratings are calculated differently for men and women players.

The top public courses in Bucks County (alphabetical by location) are:

• Heritage Creek Golf Club, Jamison
• Neshaminy Valley Golf Club, Jamison
• The Bucks Club, Jamison
• Middletown Country Club, Langhorne
• Fox Hollow Golf Course, Quakertown
• Northampton Valley Country Club, Richboro
• Five Ponds Golf Club, Warminster
• Fairways Golf Club, Warrington
• Makefield Highlands Golf Club, Yardley

The searchable database from the USGA can provide information on public courses across the U.S.