“I don’t think you can get better than Harbour Town, just different,” my caddie said as we arrived at the tee of the famed 18th hole, lighthouse in the distance, on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.
He had a point, one that got me thinking: What makes something “the best?”
It’s a question we’ve toyed with for years at Fairways + Greens, fashioning all sorts of “best” lists year after year in search of that Holy Grail of the ultimate, definitive collection of golfing Nirvana.
And what I’ve come to realize is the simple truth that there is no One True Best course or list of courses. Like our friend Jeff Wallach, executive editor of TheAPosition.com, so aptly puts it, “I have at least 20, sometimes 30, courses in my Top 10.”
What’s more, each of us brings a different perspective to our list of favorites, our personal “bests” — we’ve traveled to different places, think differently about the game of golf, have different expectation levels. Some of us (like me) haven’t made it to Scotland or Ireland yet; others go every year (and I hate them for it).
So this year, we rendered the idea of creating the Ultimate List useless by showcasing the pieces of the puzzle rather than the overall picture, asking 24 golf-travel experts to tell us everything exceptional they’ve come across in the world of golf and travel, from their nine favorite courses to the nine best places they’ve ever stayed — and, finally, the “bests” they’ve found along the way on their own personal journeys.
It’s far from definitive, and that’s the way we like it. More importantly, we hope you’ll use it as sort of a Bucket List Starter Kit to build your own Best of Everything. Let the dreaming begin.
FAVORITE COURSES
Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
Tiger Woods aficionados might recall this stunning, mostly private 120-year-old course as the site where Gary Wolstenholm took him down in a 1996 Walker Cup match, but for adventurous links lovers, Royal Porthcawl is as good as golf gets anywhere in the United Kingdom. The clubhouse alone — part of which was hauled from Portugal on a barge — is unforgettable in its own cozy, quirky way, but the layout itself is nothing short of magnificent, with the best bunkering you’ll find anywhere. It finally gets its long-awaited major with the Senior Open Championship in 2014, but day to day, Royal Porthcawl is a flawless, thrilling and refreshingly flourish-free example of why old-school links golf is really the only game in any town.
Kapalua Plantation, Kapalua, Maui
Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.
We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), Fort McDowell, Ariz.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, Calif.
Circling Raven, Worley, Idaho
Banyan Golf Club, Hua Hin, Thailand
Cabot Links, Inverness, Nova Scotia
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai
Pronghorn Residence Suites, Bend, Ore.
The Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia
Coeur d’Alene Resort, Idaho
Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, Marana, Ariz.
Westin Ka’anapali, Maui, Hawaii
The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Calif.
The Villas at Nakoma, Clio, Calif.
The notorious golf course has had its share of detractors since opening in 2000 — and its new owner is taking notice with some much-needed softening of greens and shot angles — but where the Dragon ends its assault on the golf senses, these 12 exquisite, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired villas begin to weave mountain magic into a visitor’s soul. Laid out in octagonal splendor with one or two bedrooms in one-level or two-story configurations, they don’t scrimp on quality — just check out the gorgeous shower tile and living area furniture. Nor do they ask anything more of a guest than to give in to their romantic vibe. If the ultra-comfy bed doesn’t do it, the private outdoor hot tub will.
FAVORITE COURSES
Tobacco Road, Sanford, N.C.
Pronghorn (Fazio), Bend, Ore.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Windsor Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya
Beginning in open flatland semi-circled by the striking architecture of the Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, this course moves back into the trees — where the Sykes monkeys scatter from flying Titleists and marching golfers — for the majority of holes before spilling back out into the natural amphitheater for the linkslike culmination of each nine. With views of Mt. Kenya and Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park in the distance and a coffee plantation lining the fairways at times, plus nearly every gorgeous tree you’ll find in these parts — Brachylaenas and Diospyros, among others, according to the locals — this slice of Nairobi is simply magnificent and definitely unforgettable.
Bally Bandon Sheep Ranch, Bandon, Ore.
Bandon Trails, Bandon, Ore.
Fairmont Jasper Park, Alberta, Canada
Caledonia, Pawleys Island, S.C.
Dancing Rabbit (Azaleas), Philadelphia, Miss.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa, French Polynesia
Here’s all you need to know: Island. Ocean. Beauty everywhere. Dazzling sea life. French food. Sunshine. Warm days. Cool nights. White sand. Nicklaus Design golf course with amazing views of the Pacific and main island in the distance. Swimming with sharks. Clothing-optional beaches ... if that sort of thing appeals to you. And there’s no better place from which to experience it all than a premium overwater bungalow at the Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa, where you can literally sit on your couch and look down through the glass coffee table into the coral bed below. Not that you’ll be inside much. Moorea is an outdoor paradise — there’s even a landing just outside your back door for immediate snorkeling access — where experiencing land and sea will keep you both busy and relaxed at the same time.
Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp, Kenya
San Ysidro Ranch, Santa Barbara, Calif.
The Villas at Nakoma, Clio, Calif.
The Balsams Grand Resort, Dixville Notch, N.H.
Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
M Resort, Las Vegas
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, California
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Alberta, Canada
FAVORITE COURSES
Old Macdonald, Bandon, Ore.
Cruden Bay, Scotland
Enniscrone, Northwest Ireland
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
Kingsbarns, St. Andrews, Scotland
Valderrama, Prov de Cadiz, Spain
Bandon Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
Jade Mountain Snow Dragon, China
When you get invited on a trip like this from travel company PerryGolf, you don’t say no, especially when it includes possibly the remotest championship golf course on the planet: Jade Mountain, Snow Dragon, located at an altitude above 10,000 feet at the base of the Himalayas near Lijiang in Yunnan Province. The course plays to a nearly incomprehensible 8,548 yards, but your shots travel farther — in my case, farther sideways. This is the only time I will ever use the entirely empty adjective “breathtaking” to describe a golf course — because the carts come equipped with oxygen tanks. Just removing your putter cover at that altitude can leave you gasping. As do the views.
Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Texas
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Pousada Convento da Graca, Portugal
Evason Hideaway and Spa, Vietnam
Banyan Tree, Lijiang, China
The Sea Cloud, Kalos Golf cruises
The best hotel room I’ve ever stayed in was one that traveled with us through the Mediterranean along the French Riviera, across to Corsica and Sardinia, and eventually to Rome. The room was aboard the Sea Cloud, a ship that hosts Kalos Golf’s unparalleled Riviera golf cruise. Each day we climbed off the ship for golf — or cultural tours to castles and wineries — and then reboarded in time for cocktails and set sail to cover the distance to our next destination while dining in grand style on the teak decks or in the formal dining room. Our guestroom on board featured a marble bathroom and a fireplace, and yes, those traveled with us everywhere we went, too.
Reid’s Palace, Madeira, Portugal
The Grove, England
Old Course Hotel, Scotland
The Empress, Victoria, British Columbia
Kokopelli’s Cave, New Mexico
FAVORITE COURSES
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
Ballybunion (Old Course), Ireland
Fairmont Jasper Park, Alberta, Canada
Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii
Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, Calif.
Teeth of the Dog, Dominican Republic
Located at Casa de Campo Resort, this is Pete Dye’s first true masterpiece, the course by which all other golf venues in the Caribbean are measured. With seven holes right on the ocean, the views never stop coming. But more than that, four decades ago, Dye built a course that both challenges the best players and mesmerizes the golf tourist. Dye said building Teeth was a “once in a lifetime experience.” The course was more carved than it was built. At nearly 7,500 yards, Teeth is all you can handle, yet most people don’t complain if they shoot a high number; they just remember their favorite holes. The 3-pars are exceptional, three of which cross parts of the ocean. And No. 5, at 176 yards, is one of the most photographed in the world.
Edgewood Tahoe, Stateline, Nev.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Calif.
The Boulders, Carefree, Ariz.
Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, California
La Costa, Carlsbad, Calif.
St. Regis Punta Mita, Mexico
The Inn at Laurel Point, Victoria, B.C.
This place is all about location, comfort and ambience. Situated on the Inner Harbour of Victoria, one of the prettiest cities in the world, this newly renovated hotel gives up great views of both the harbor and the capital of British Columbia. The hotel and rooms have a cool contemporary feel with glass walls and balconies, simple but functional furnishings and an elegant simplicity. Dining follows the same theme, except the chef throws in such creative twists as smoked salmon in a martini glass. But location is the biggest plus, with seaplanes buzzing the harbor during the day, and all the incredible sites of Victoria within an easy stroll. You’ll find everything within easy walking distance – microbrews, great restaurants, historic homes and government buildings and plenty of great shopping.
Carmel Valley Ranch, California
PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
FAVORITE COURSES
Cabo del Sol (Ocean), Baja California
El Tamarindo, Mexico
Lahinch, Ireland
Nefyn, Wales
Highlands Links, Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia
Sperone, Corsica
On the extreme south tip of Corsica, this Robert Trent Jones Sr. design is a ravishing drama queen. Turquoise waters, limestone cliffs and views of Sardinia all vie for your attention. The front nine plays over an undulating terrain with sneak previews of the coast, but the series of fairways from holes 11 to 16 clinging to cliffs and running parallel to the impossibly blue sea have earned Sperone the moniker of “The Pebble Beach of Europe.” And then it gets even better: Sperone’s signature par-five No. 16 tees off in front of an abandoned lighthouse over white cliffs to a serpentine fairway that winds its way along the cliffs to another seaside green.
The Challenge at Manele, Lanai, Hawaii
Royal Portrush, Ireland
Big Sky, Pemberton, British Columbia
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
El Tamarindo, Mexico
Located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, this resort rates a 20 on a scale of 1 to 10! My husband and I had our own thatched beach casita, one of 29 set in the 2,040-acre resort hideaway about an hour north of Manzanillo. We weren’t exactly roughing it — private plunge pool, Jacuzzi, hammock, outdoor living room and a beach we shared with almost no one. And with an average of 12 players per day, it was like owning a private golf course. Some say holes 6 through 9 might be the best string in the world. No. 9, a breathtaking 3-par, plays from a precipitous perch down to a postage-stamp green jutting over a rousing range of untamed, rocky coastline with crashing surf. When my time comes, this is where I want my ashes sprinkled.
One&Only Palmilla, Mexico
Villa d’Este Lake Como, Italy
Pangkor Laut, Malaysia
Palazzo Sasso, Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.
Four Seasons George V, Paris
Four Seasons Terre Blanche, France
Dromoland Castle, Ireland
FAVORITE COURSES
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
West Links at North Berwick, Scotland
Oh how I love North Berwick. For 190 years, this beguiling, eccentric Scottish course under the gaze of the North Sea’s Bass Rock has charmed and vexed with its knobs, burns, hollows, swales and dunes providing a dandy encounter with the ancient Scottish game. The proceedings have a charming unpredictability with blind shots, constant surprises and even a stone wall meandering throughout that must be negotiated. The headliner is “Redan” — its 15th hole and probably the world’s most copied 3-par — with a ridge of frightening bunkers on the left flank looking as dangerous as a fire-breathing dragon protecting its lair. Throw in the wild green on the 16th with an undulation so pronounced your opponent could be laying down on the putting surface sight unseen. North Berwick is glorious.
Royal Dornoch, Scotland
Ballybunion (Old Course), Ireland
Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
County Louth, Ireland
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Club de Golf del Uruguay
Cruden Bay, Scotland
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Campervan in New Zealand
Renting a campervan was the best decision I made during my global golf odyssey for Around the World in 80 Rounds. With nightly shelter and transportation taken care of, I’d pull into a club parking lot, set up camp and then grab my sticks to play one fantastic course after another. New Zealand is golf heaven. From the tiptop of the North Island all the down way to Stewart Island, I played such jewels as Kaitaia, Mangawhai, Paraparaumu, Christchurch Golf Club at Shirley, Kelvin Heights and Chisholm Links. After the round and a visit to the always welcoming clubhouse, my comfy campervan would be kindly awaiting our journey down the roads of the most beautiful country on Earth.
India Pacific Railroad (first class), Australia
The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Calif.
On the Grand Canal, Venice
Celtic Manor, Wales
Hwange National Park safari tent, Zimbabwe
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Overnight sleeper buses, South America
Any B&B on The Scores, St. Andrews
FAVORITE COURSES
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Old Macdonald, Bandon, Ore.
Prestwick, Scotland
Oakhurst Links, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Why would a nine-hole layout of 35 acres be on the list of my favorite courses? Easy. The minute I drove up the road to the clubhouse of Oakhurst Links some 10 years ago, I somehow felt like I was coming home. And with good reason. Oakhurst actually is, in fact, home to the American game. The first organized golf club in America, Oakhurst was built in 1894, and today, thanks to various keepers of the Oakhurst game, you can time-travel and experience golf the way it was played among the beautiful hills back in the day. The whole sweep of history in one swing of a hickory play-club, hitting a gutta-percha off a sand tee over a grazing flock of sheep to a shaggy fairway. It was a truly hypnotic experience for me — and a reminder of the joys of the original game. For American golfers, this should be a mandatory pilgrimage.
Harbour Town, Hilton Head, S.C.
Royal Dornoch, Scotland
Waikoloa (Beach), Big Island, Hawaii
Caledonia, Pawleys Island, S.C.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Anywhere in St. Andrews, Scotland
The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Calif.
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Big Island, Hawaii
La Quinta Resort, Palm Springs area, Calif.
L’Hotel, Paris
All Sunsets & Surf, Bandon, Ore.
The Holly Inn, Pinehurst, N.C.
Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii
Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
As commentator for ESPN’s Championship Billiards, I’ve had the chance to stay at some of the best casino-resorts. But none has a better combo of hotel (34 stories, 1,200 rooms); dining (from one-of-a-kind Native American seasonal fare to restaurants by Todd English and Bobby Flay); entertainment (a 10,000-seat arena for national tours and the WNBA); gaming (three gorgeous casinos and a state-of-the-art Poker Room); and relaxation (a 10,000-square-foot indoor pool and workout facility next to a luxurious 20,000-square-foot world-class spa). All of it done in the most magnificent, detailed interior design and filtered through customer service that should be copied by all resorts.
FAVORITE COURSES
Bandon Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Pinehurst (No. 2), North Carolina
Drop your clubs and bags, park your car and stay and play for a few days — or a few weeks — without needing the car again. Pinehurst is my kind of place. In addition to the eight courses (of course, the famous No. 2 has to be on your play list, but the others are great as well), Pinehurst has several historic hotels and affiliated and independent shops and restaurants, all within walking distance. If you’ve visited New England, you’ll know what James Walker Tufts was after when he founded Pinehurst more than 100 years ago. Because there, in North Carolina, is a cute village that looks like it was plucked out of Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Vermont.
Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland
Torrey Pines (South), La Jolla, Calif.
Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, Calif.
Bethpage (Black), Farmingdale, N.Y.
Old Macdonald, Bandon, Ore.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews, Scotland
The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island, S.C.
The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Calif.
The Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.
The Lodge at Bandon Dunes, Oregon
The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Calif.
CordeValle, San Martin, Calif.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia
Stevinson Ranch, Stevinson, Calif.
I love Stevinson Ranch’s Tour-quality layout, where the greens can often run at 12-13 on the Stimpmeter and the closely-mown fairways are fast, firm and pure. I also love the practice area, where I could spend hours at the short-game area. And word is that the new state-of-the art golf school opening in 2012 will be one of the best in the West. But what I love most about Stevinson is that for all I just described, it’s anything but pretentious. If you’re not willing to laugh at your bad shots and relax and enjoy the excellent service, you’ve come to the wrong place. And for the cost of one round at Pebble Beach, you can play and stay in the low-key cozy Cottages at Stevinson for several days. Bring your friends!
FAVORITE COURSES
Tokatee, McKenzie Bridge, Ore.
Whitehawk Ranch, Clio, Calif.
Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
Bally Bandon Sheep Ranch, Bandon, Ore.
Imagine the seductive secrecy of this place, which is really a golf experience like no other. You can’t believe how liberating it is to play golf without par, without distances, without a scorecard, without people, without any expectations for an 18-hole round because you don’t even know how many holes you’ve played or might play. Just up the coast from Bandon Dunes on a mile-long plateau above the Pacific, the Sheep Ranch has 12 Tom Doak-designed greens — not holes — that are lettered, not numbered. Anyone can play it (call Bandon Golf Supply), but only one group is allowed on the course at a time. In our game, we had the winner of one hole select the next, wherever it might take us.
Ardglass, Northern Ireland
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Ballybunion (Old Course), Ireland
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Bushmills Inn, Northern Ireland
For me, so much of golf is the romance of the game, and no place seemed more about where we were and what we were doing than the Bushmills Inn on the wind-scraped coast of Northern Ireland. The Inn apparently dates back to the 1600s and a time when Bushmills was granted the first license to distill whiskey. Just a block from the distillery, the Inn was at one point a stage-coach stop. It has been redone and expanded to 41 rooms but still treasures its surprises, a loft here and a library there. I loved the smell of the place — a peat-and-coal fire burning on a cold May day — and the obvious connection with the distillery. A glass of Black Bush in the bar after a round at nearby Royal Portrush where Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell play is just about perfect.
The Lodge at Bandon Dunes, Oregon
Two Bunch Palms, Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
Inn at Suncadia, Cle Elum, Wash.
Slieve Donard Hotel, Northern Ireland
St. Brides, Wales
Celtic Manor, Wales
Caddisfly, McKenzie Bridge, Ore.
Chalet View Lodge, Clio, Calif.
FAVORITE COURSES
Pinehurst (No. 8), North Carolina
Paa-Ko Ridge, Albuquerque, N.M.
You know you’ve played a great course when you can replay every hole in your mind later. No two holes are alike. Virtually no hole is visible from another. Ken Dye’s design traverses a piñon and juniper forest with fairways so pristine you’d swear they’re vacuumed at night. You want a bipolar 3-par? Try No. 4, where pin placement on a 100-yard-deep green can turn a pussycat into a man-eater. Paa-Ko offers 27 holes, named 1-18 and 19-27, to distinguish the original 18 built in 2000 from a newer nine. Now 12 years old, Ko still ranks on the two major golf magazines’ Top 100 You Can Play lists. Considering how many “hot” courses have come along since, that’s saying something.
We-Ko-Pa (Cholla), Fort McDowell, Ariz.
Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland
Whistling Straits (Irish), Kohler, Wis.
County Sligo at Rosses Point, Ireland
Gold Canyon (Dinosaur Mountain), Arizona
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Windsor Court, New Orleans
Turnberry, Scotland
Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews, Scotland
The Willard, Washington, D.C.
London Hilton, England
Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix
Hyatt Regency Tamaya, Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.
Win-win is the game here. You play great golf next door at Twin Warriors Golf Club or at her sister course, Santa Ana Golf Club, a five-minute shuttle ride away, while your partner luxuriates in Native American-themed wellness at the Tamaya Mist Spa. It’s so peaceful, you’d think you’re in the boonies even though you’re just 20 miles north of the Albuquerque airport. On-site activities include cooking classes, hot-air balloon rides and horseback riding through a cottonwood forest along the Rio Grande. The Corn Maiden and Prairie Star restaurants feature innovative New Mexico cuisine built around buffalo, lamb, seafood and quail. Spring for an east-facing room and your reward is a dynamite view of the Rio Grande and the Sandia Mountains towering in the distance.
FAVORITE COURSES
Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
St. Andrews (New Course), Scotland
West Links at North Berwick, Scotland
Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
National Golf Club (Moonah), Australia
Dunbar East Links, Scotland
Cabot Links, Inverness, Nova Scotia
Brattleboro Country Club, Vermont
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The Lodge at Doonbeg, Ireland
Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews, Scotland
CordeValle, San Martin, Calif.
The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Calif.
Anantara, Hua Hin, Thailand
Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada
Masseria San Domenico, Italy
Hotel Caruso, Amalfi Coast, Italy
Las Brisas Acapulco, Mexico
FAVORITE COURSES
Pinehurst (No. 2), North Carolina
Kiawah Island (Ocean), South Carolina
Bethpage (Black), Farmingdale, N.Y.
Whistling Straits (Straits), Kohler, Wis.
TPC Sawgrass (Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Kingsbarns, St. Andrews, Scotland
Cascata, Boulder City, Nev.
Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Princeville (Prince), Kauai, Hawaii
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island, S.C.
The Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.
Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Delafield Hotel, Wisconsin
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, California
Casa Velas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
JW Marriott, San Antonio, Texas
Four Seasons at Las Colinas, Dallas
FAVORITE COURSES
Fairmont Jasper Park, Alberta, Canada
Pennard, Wales
We-Ko-Pa (Cholla), Fort McDowell, Ariz.
Kiawah Island (Ocean), South Carolina
Pinehurst (No. 8), North Carolina
Anyone who tells you this is a girlie course just because it has bird houses and signs to tell you about things like the pitcher plant in the gully on No. 6 (which eats insects but happily not golf balls) is obviously delusional. Pinehurst No. 8 is a smorgasbord of good things. With a deep curtsy to nature, Fazio worked his fairways around sprawling wetlands and wildlife habitats. Ross-like subtle undulations in the fairways, serious swales around greens, patches of sandy wire grass and huge waste bunkers are beautifully orchestrated, while greens and tees are close enough together so you can walk it. No. 8 is not condescending to women nor wimpy for those fired up for a challenge. No way.
Saunton (East), Devon, England
Portmarnock, Ireland
Lahinch, Ireland
Raptor Bay, Bonita Springs, Fla.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The Boulders, Carefree, Ariz.
Inn at Sawmill Farm, West Dover, Vt.
Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, England
MalaMala Safari Camps, South Africa
Turnberry, Scotland
Domaine des Hauts de Loire, France
Auberge du Soleil, Napa, Calif.
The Lodge at Doonbeg, Ireland
I’m sitting by a tall leaded window in my suite, playing chess with a pal. The pawns, knights and other pieces of the set are antique; the carved armoire is very old; the massive king bed is covered with a goosedown duvet; and the fireplace is softly glowing while views go out to the 18th green and wind-lashed sea. Sure Doonbeg is ultra exclusive — you can imagine Elizabethan knights and ladies coming here for a feast. But what I really love is I can visualize settling in here, for days, maybe even years, because it is way too comfortable — why, Darby’s Bar is just down the hall. Doonbeg may be a new golf resort, but it has an old soul. And old bones, as well — the timber beams are from 19th century Charleston buildings.
FAVORITE COURSES
Walton Heath (Old), Surrey, England
Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
Kingston Heath, Australia
Playa Grande, Dominican Republic
It’s easy enough to find a great golf experience in the Caribbean; what’s much less common is a “discovery,” a really good course that’s remained under the radar. But that’s what it felt like to stumble upon Playa Grande on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Having visited the island’s standard roster of very good resort layouts — Casa de Campo, Punta Cana, Guavaberry — I’d been admonished by one of the local pros not to miss Playa Grande, despite its remoteness. Reached via taxi driver who was told simply to stick to the coastal road and drive until we spotted a flagstick, bunker or other semiotic indicator, Playa Grande turned out to be a late-career (1997) Robert Trent Jones Sr. design with 10 seaside holes on a spectacular site — government-owned at the time and simply under-promoted.
Taconic, Williamstown, Mass.
Fairmont Jasper Park, Alberta, Canada
Kauri Cliffs, New Zealand
Mountain Lake, Lake Wales, Fla.
West Links at North Berwick, Scotland
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Ashford Castle, Ireland
The unassuming warmth and earthiness of your typical Irish host makes it easy to forget that the Emerald Isle is also home to some of the most elegant castle hotels and resorts anywhere. Just over an hour’s drive from Shannon, Ashford Castle is situated in the — sorry — incongruously named town of Cong, County Mayo. The original buildings date to 1228 and the entire estate — including extensive gardens, equestrian sports, falconry, fishing, skeet shooting and a nine-hole golf course designed by Irish icon Eddie Hackett — reeks of history and opulence. Like many of the rooms, my suite had a canopied bed, fireplace, decanter of port and a huge, claw foot bathtub.
Kauri Cliffs, New Zealand
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec
Hotel Plaça de Madremanya, Spain
Grand Hotel Europe, Russia
Turnberry, Scotland
The Nam Hai, Vietnam
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
The Grove, England
FAVORITE COURSES
Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
A series of ridges jutting toward the edges of 500-foot dramatic cliffs plunging into the Pacific Ocean on the eastern tip of New Zealand’s North Island afforded architect Tom Doak a dream canvas to create 18 golf holes not be duplicated anywhere else in the world. The jaw-dropping experience provides spectacular ocean views at every turn plus finger-like fairways as narrow as bowling alleys where gutter balls are swallowed up by Hawkes Bay. With the spare-no-expense backing of hedge fund billionaire Julian Robertson, known as the “Wizard of Wall Street” in the 1990s, the 7,119-yard, par-71 Cape Kidnappers was built on his 6,000-acre sheep and cattle farm and became an instant highly-prized notch on any globetrotting golfer’s scorecard.
Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, Calif.
Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
Kauri Cliffs, New Zealand
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Princeville (Prince), Kauai, Hawaii
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Huka Lodge, New Zealand
Turnberry, Scotland
Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii [a]
Built atop a 5,000-year-old bed of lava landscape along the Kohala Coast, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel set the gold standard for Hawaiian resorts when opened in July 1965, at a then-record cost of $15 million. After an extensive renovation in 2007, at a price tag 10 times that amount, this property is celebrated for its open-air architecture nestled between two volcanic mountains towering more than 13,000 feet, and the white sand crescent Kauna’oa Beach remains a landmark of luxury. Planted in the center of the 258-room resort hotel is the Mauna Kea Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and christened by the “Big Three” — Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player — when it opened a year before the hotel.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Alberta, Canada
Four Seasons Punta Mita, Mexico
Four Seasons Scottsdale, Arizona
The Boulders, Carefree, Ariz.
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii
Veranda Chaing Mai, Thailand
FAVORITE COURSES
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
Shadow Creek, North Las Vegas
Shadow Creek is the epitome of Las Vegas without actually looking, feeling or acting like Las Vegas. The golf experience begins by whisking you away in a required limousine ride from any MGM Resorts property and immediately sets the tone for what awaits — one of those rounds that might even cause loss of sleep as you wait for it to arrive (fortunately, in Las Vegas, you most likely wouldn’t be sleeping much the night before anyway). Imagine complete seclusion and an away-from-it-all serenity amongst the electrified concrete jungle of Vegas. Add in white jump-suited caddies, top-notch service and arguably Tom Fazio’s finest golf creation anywhere on the globe. Seriously, if you want to experience the best-of-the-best golf has to offer the public (albeit for a hefty price), look no further then Shadow Creek.
Prestwick, Scotland
Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Kingsbarns, St. Andrews, Scotland
Old Macdonald, Bandon, Ore.
Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland
Greywalls, Marquette, Mich.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii
Best Western Scores Hotel, Scotland
All Sunsets & Surf, Bandon, Ore.
Turnberry, Scotland
Dancing Rabbit, Philadelphia, Miss.
Sometimes the middle of nowhere can be a good thing. In the case of Dancing Rabbit, located in the middle of Mississippi, it’s a very good thing. Not only are the 36 holes of Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate golf superb, but the classic, Southern plantation-style clubhouse offers eight well-appointed guestrooms upstairs from the golf shop, replete with creaking hardwood floors, gorgeous accompanying woodwork, warm-hearted Southern hospitality and rustic charm. I particularly enjoyed the peaceful feeling of sipping coffee the second-floor veranda overlooking the famed Azaleas course, knowing my round was only minutes away.
CordeValle, San Martin, Calif.
Inn at Entrada, St. George, Utah
FAVORITE COURSES
St Enodoc, England
Everyone has their favorite golf coastline, be it Fife or Ayrshire in Scotland; Kerry or Ulster in Ireland; Oregon, Long Island or the Monterey Peninsula in the U.S.; Kent, Norfolk or Lancashire in England. Personally, I’d be happy drifting up, down and around the Cornish coast for the rest of my days. The craggy shoreline surrounding England’s southwestern-most county has never hosted an Open Championship but has made welcome a vast number of vacationing golfers. On the northern side, you’ll find Bude and North Cornwall, Perranporth, Newquay and Trevose — none of them Top 100 but all profoundly enjoyable with a stout breeze sweeping across the dunes and a crusty old member who knows the course like the back of his old English Sheepdog, and who stands the first round at the bar whether he won or lost. Then there’s St Enodoc near the village of Rock on the Camel Estuary. With an exquisite collection of holes (except for the 13th and 14th, which have never measured up), James Braid’s masterpiece is Cornwall’s crown jewel and my favorite course on Earth.
Black Mesa, La Mesilla, N.M.
Kingston Heath, Australia
Narin and Portnoo, Ireland
West Links at North Berwick, Scotland
West Sussex, England
Fairmont Jasper Park, Alberta, Canada
Mullion, England
Askernish, Scotland
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii
Culloden House, Scotland
Unlike the proverbial picture which says 1,000 words, the image of Culloden House today, covered in autumn ivy, evokes just one: lovely. More than 250 years after the Battle of Culloden, the House is now a world-class hotel, the perfect resting place for travelers who come to explore the Highlands and go in search of the Loch Ness Monster, and golfers on their way to Dornoch who wisely make a detour to the superb Gil Hanse-designed Castle Stuart course.
Myella Farmstay, Australia
Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada
Elephant Hills, Zimbabwe
Cottages at Old Waverly, West Point, Miss.
Millbrook, Queenstown, New Zealand
Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews, Scotland
Stoke Park, Stoke Poges, England
FAVORITE COURSES
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Bethpage (Black), Farmingdale, N.Y.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
TPC Sawgrass (Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Harbour Town, Hilton Head, S.C.
Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.
Bandon Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
Arcadia Bluffs, Michigan
Known as one of the country’s most beautiful, yet challenging public courses, Arcadia Bluffs has tested the nerves of golfers of all ages and skill levels since opening in 1999. Co-designed by Rick Smith, a former instructor for such golfers as Phil Mickelson and John Daly, the course is located above the shoreline of Lake Michigan, a few miles from Traverse City — one of Michigan’s most frequently visited tourist destinations. Previously ranked No. 10 on the Golf Digest list of “100 Greatest Public Courses,” the 7,300-yard track has also been ranked as high as No. 24 by Golfweek on its list of “100 Best Courses in United States.”
Whistling Straits (Straits), Kohler, Wis.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla.
Royal Park Hotel, Rochester, Mich.
The Townsend Hotel, Birmingham, Mich.
RT Lodge, Maryville, Tenn.
The Venetian, Las Vegas
Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Florida
Located near Walt Disney World’s renowned Magic Kingdom — and only a few miles from golf courses such as the Palm and Magnolia — the Contemporary Resort is one of Disney’s most historical resorts. Featuring more than 600 spacious guestrooms, the Contemporary is well-known for its gorgeous concourse, marina and highly rated restaurants. From Chef Mickey’s, a popular dining option for children where Disney characters frequent the restaurant, to The California Grill, a common choice for adult diners, all five of the resort’s restaurants are guaranteed to satisfy every type of taste bud. With its “Fantasia Gift Shop,” arcade, spas and more, the Contemporary has been serving Walt Disney World guests since 1971.
Cove Inn, Naples, Fla.
Brazilian Court, Palm Beach, Fla.
Avalon Bed & Breakfast, Key West, Fla.
FAVORITE COURSES
Turnberry (Ailsa), Scotland
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
Half Moon Bay (Ocean), California
Grayhawk (Raptor), Scottsdale, Ariz.
Pronghorn (Fazio), Bend, Ore.
Torrey Pines (South), La Jolla, Calif.
Southerndown, South Wales
Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii
Hawaii’s very first Nicklaus offering has figured out how to translate the island spirit into 18 unique holes along the rugged Kohala Coast. Integral to an enjoyable round in a tropical paradise is the ability to retreat to the 19th hole without feeling defeated. While challenging shot values and acres of black volcanic rock toy with perceptions, Hualalai aims to please most handicaps via safe escape shots throughout. Golfers who play the ball low (like me) are especially rewarded with approach shots to several of Hualalai’s accessible greens. The color contrast of its emerald fairways, Pacific backdrop and age-old black rock make Hualalai one of the most visually stunning tracks I’ve encountered.
Bear Mountain (Mountain), Victoria, B.C.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Pelican Hill, Newport Coast, Calif.
Luxurious linens, marble baths and sensational ocean views aside, Pelican Hill Resort beckons vacationers by way of a Mediterranean ambiance perched high above the Newport Coast. The resort’s piéce de resistance comes in the form of its Coliseum Pool, a million-mosaic-tile masterpiece reminiscent of its famed Roman counterpart. An amphitheater-style pool deck lined with private cabanas allows for entire days to be spent gaining poolside R&R. Pelican Hill completes its sense-of-place experience with several on-site dining options serving Italian-inspired fare. In fact, Pelican Hill is so well-versed in Italian culinary arts that every pasta dish served on property is born from its in-house, temperature-controlled pasta room — an amenity that’ll make you wonder how you ever lived without.
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, California
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia
Four Seasons Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii
The Arrabelle at Vail Square, Colorado
Pronghorn Residence Suites, Bend, Ore.
Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Calif.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Arizona
FAVORITE COURSES
Bethpage (Black), Farmingdale, N.Y.
Bandon Trails, Bandon, Ore.
Certainly I’m in the minority, but most visionaries are. Bandon Trails is my favorite of the three Bandon Dunes course I’ve played thus far. To be fair, I haven’t see Old Macdonald yet, so the jury must remain out until I again journey to the West. What I like most about Bandon Trails are the risks that Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw took with their short holes, the best at the resort. No. 2 recalls Ireland’s finest dells, while No. 5 is a breathtaking pitch across a barranca to a green dug from the side of a hill. No. 12 is a wonderful par 31/2 into a wide meadow that demands an accurate strike with a longer club. Finally, No. 17 is a downhill mid-iron to a putting surface framed by Mother Nature.
Whistling Straits (Straits), Kohler, Wis.
Arcadia Bluffs, Michigan
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Leatherstocking, Cooperstown, N.Y.
Currituck Club, Corolla, N.C.
Tobacco Road, Sanford, N.C.
Golden Horseshoe (Gold), Williamsburg, Va.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The American Club, Kohler, Wis.
My stay at The American Club was brief, over a Memorial Day weekend some five years ago, but I recall it easily at every turn. I remember the mattress, both soft and firm, that comforted my worn-out limbs after two days of 36 holes. I recollect the pillows that cradled a head laden with thoughts of ancient links and modern courses. I reminisce about the fitness facility, where one can tone, strengthen, stretch and massage every inch of tired or energized physique, before or after (or even during) a long day of memorable golf. I revive the taste of the ice cream served in the Craverie Chocolatier Café with an enormous smile on my face. Although the days I spent at Koehler were rainy and cool, the images and sensations that return to me are warm and heartening.
Turning Stone Resort, Verona, N.Y.
Wyndham Governor’s Green, Virginia
The Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.
Bristol Harbour, Canandaigua, N.Y.
Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville, Mich.
Bandon Inn, Bandon, Ore.
Shanty Creek, Bellaire, Mich.
Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs, Mich.
FAVORITE COURSES
Wolf Creek, Mesquite, Nev.
Whistling Straits (Straits), Kohler, Wis.
Coyote Springs, Nevada
The Bull, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms could easily rest on its laurels, being Wisconsin’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature design and having recently (finally) gained the national recognition it has long deserved as one of America’s Top 100 public golf courses. But this staff has loftier expectations. Make the short, 14-mile drive south from Wisconsin’s best course, Whistling Straits, and you’ll find Wisconsin’s second best course. Without a doubt, bypassing “The Bull” — with its impressive design, meticulous conditioning and ridiculous comparative value — would be a costly oversight for any golfer. Ask the thousands of golfers who come 21/2 hours up from Chicago several times a year. They know what I’m talking about.
The Boulders (South), Carefree, Ariz.
Fallen Oak, Saucier, Miss.
Cascata, Boulder City, Nev.
Troy Burne, Hudson, Wis.
We-Ko-Pa (Cholla), Fort McDowell, Ariz.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
The Prairie Club, Valentine, Neb. [c]
Already being (appropriately) mentioned as the “Bandon Dunes of the Midwest” The Prairie Club is an incomparable site for destination golf. This new (2010) and deservingly distinguished golf oasis is surrounded by the vast Nebraska Sand Hills dunes. And yet the grass, appropriately, is as green as their competition’s envy. The Prairie Club provides top-notch accommodations for the few hours you won’t be on its two vastly different 18-hole designs (Dunes and Pines)and nine-hole Horse short course. On my last visit, I overheard someone remark, “It doesn’t get any better than this.” Fortunately, they’re wrong. A third course has been designed, approved, and will soon to be built. Somehow, it’s going to get even better than this.
Loews Lake Las Vegas, Henderson, Nev.
Seagull Beach, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
Madden’s on Gull Lake, Brainerd, Minn.
FarmLinks, Sylacauga, Ala.
Inn at Entrada, St. George, Utah
Beau Rivage, Biloxi, Miss.
Grand Geneva, Lake Geneva, Wis.
YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colo.
FAVORITE COURSES
St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Kingsbarns, St. Andrews, Scotland
Royal Porthcawl, South Wales
The Dunes, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Kiawah Island (Ocean), South Carolina
Treetops (North), Gaylord, Mich.
Cascata, Boulder City, Nev.
San Isidro, Guatemala City
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
The Carolina, Pinehurst, N.C.
West Baden Springs, French Lick, Ind.
Inn at Bay Harbor, Michigan
The Lodge at Turning Stone, Verona, N.Y.
The Glasshouse, Edinburgh, Scotland
Carnoustie Golf Hotel, Scotland
Real Intercontinental Guatemala
Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
FAVORITE COURSES
Kiawah Island (Ocean), South Carolina
Wailea (Emerald), Maui, Hawaii
Pacific Dunes, Bandon, Ore.
Royal Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii
Kapalua (Bay), Maui, Hawaii
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Half Moon Bay (Ocean), California
Wente Vineyards, Livermore, Calif.
Gray’s Crossing, Truckee, Calif.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, Marana, Ariz.
CordeValle, San Martin, Calif.
Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii
The Boulders, Carefree, Ariz.
Planters Inn, Savannah, Ga.
Saddle Creek, Copperopolis, Calif.
Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Calif.
Millennium Knickerbocker, Chicago
FAVORITE COURSES
Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.
Kauri Cliffs, New Zealand
Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Minimalism is hot. Thankfully Alister MacKenzie crafted Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz when minimalism wasn’t a born-again design scheme; it simply was how the great visionaries of the early 20th century went about creating golf courses. Ironically, the course was restored during the last decade by a master of minimalism, Tom Doak, making Pasatiempo even more recognizable as a MacKenzie masterpiece than his more popularly acclaimed works. Pasatiempo can be tough — fitting since prior to taking up design MacKenzie was engaged in the study of wartime defenses and camouflage. If you misplay a drive, your approach to Pasatiempo’s sinuously bunkered, heaving greens becomes that much more exacting. But it’s all for strategic reward, not dastardly consequence. The intent is evocative of another concept from MacKenzie’s time: fairness.
Paa-Ko Ridge, Albuquerque, N.M.
Pebble Beach Golf Links, California
Princeville (Prince), Kauai, Hawaii
Shadow Creek, North Las Vegas
TPC Sawgrass (Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), Fort McDowell, Ariz.
FAVORITE PLACES TO STAY
JW Marriott Camelback Inn, Scottsdale, Ariz.
When it opened during FDR’s first term, Camelback Inn was a retreat way out in the desert, far removed from the upstart and still tiny cities of the Valley of the Sun. Today, Phoenix and Scottsdale have swallowed the inn, and a hell of a lot more of the Sonoran Desert. Refreshingly, Camelback Inn remains a haven, a center of easy Old West hospitality, yet one cast in modern luxury. On chill winter eves, the hacienda lobby invites with crackling fire, and period and native art. The spa brings the holistic treatments of the world to the desert southwest. Camelback Inn is old, new and timely relevant.
Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
Fairmont Turnberry Isle, Aventura, Fla.
Four Seasons Punta Mita, Mexico
Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hawaii
One&Only Palmilla, Mexico
Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Calif.
Trump International, New York
Westward Look, Tucson, Ariz.
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