Juneau’s Mendenhall Golf Course is among the most unlikely golf settings in the United States: a short, informal layout in a rainforest capital where the Mendenhall Glacier and Coast Mountains dominate the backdrop. Golf here is not about championship yardage or tour pedigree; it is about playing through Southeast Alaska weather—mist, cool summers, and the occasional clear day that makes the icefield look close enough to touch.
Because Juneau is reachable primarily by air or sea, the golf community is tightly local and deeply seasonal in spirit even when the calendar allows play. Soft turf, mountain light, and the novelty of striking a ball with a glacier in view define the experience. For visitors off a cruise ship or locals grabbing a quick nine, Juneau golf is less a destination circuit than a memorable encounter with place.