Public

Bully Pulpit Course

Bully Pulpit Golf Course

Medora, ND, USA
406GOLF
nickasta75
stewartverdery
RBOLT GOLF
Bryce Daniel
+10
18 holesPar 727,166 yds75.4/133

About this course

Bully Pulpit Golf Course occupies rugged terrain in the North Dakota Badlands near Medora, designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan and opened in 2003. The course sits within Theodore Roosevelt National Park boundaries, taking its name from Roosevelt's presidency and his deep connection to this landscape, where he ranched in the 1880s and drew inspiration that shaped his conservation legacy. The routing navigates dramatic elevation changes and natural ravines characteristic of Badlands topography, with fairways carved through clay buttes, coulees, and native grasses. The design works with severe land movement uncommon in American public golf, requiring strategic placement and varied club selection across holes that climb and descend through exposed ridgelines. Several holes play along canyon edges or drop significantly from tee to green, emphasizing course management over pure distance. The setting offers expansive views of the Little Missouri River valley and surrounding wilderness, with minimal tree cover and the region's distinctive banded rock formations visible throughout the round. Bully Pulpit serves as the centerpiece golf attraction in southwestern North Dakota, drawing visitors who combine play with exploration of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the historic cattle town of Medora. The facility operates seasonally given the northern climate and remote location. The course represents an unusual example of championship-caliber public golf built in an extreme natural environment, where Hurdzan's routing responds directly to pre-existing landforms rather than manufactured features.

Rankings

Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.

1608

Best in World

1421

Best in USA

4

Best in ND

Quick facts

Location
Medora, ND, USA
Access
Public
Year built
2004
Holes
18
Par
72
Length
7,166 yards
Difficulty
75.4/133
Course Vaults score
7.7

Getting there

The journey to Bully Pulpit Golf Course begins at Bismarck Municipal Airport, roughly two hours east, though many travelers opt for the longer but more direct route from Denver International or Minneapolis-St. Paul. The westward drive across North Dakota's high plains is a study in vastness - endless wheat fields and ranchland gradually giving way to the raw, eroded drama of the Badlands as you approach the Little Missouri River valley. Medora itself appears almost as a mirage at the edge of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a frontier town of barely a hundred souls that serves as the unlikely gateway to one of America's most scenically audacious golf experiences. The final turn off Interstate 94 delivers you into a landscape Roosevelt himself once called "a chaos of peaks, plateaus, and ridges" - and perched atop that chaos, the course awaits.

FAQ

Common questions about Bully Pulpit

Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.

Bully Pulpit has a Course Vaults score of 7.7 out of 10 based on 15 logged golfers.

Bully Pulpit was designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan.

Yes. Bully Pulpit is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.

Par at Bully Pulpit is 72.

Bully Pulpit plays 7,166 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.

The slope rating at Bully Pulpit is 133.

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