Play PGA TOUR venues, tick-off bucket-list courses and experience some of the most luxurious resorts in the world on your next domestic golf trip.
Ryan Del Vecchio ~ GolfBreaks.com
From coastal settings both east and west to desert landscapes in Palm Springs and Scottsdale, not to mention the lush green fairways of Florida, the US has an unbelievable variety when it comes to choosing your next golf vacation.
Below we have picked out 10 of our favorite destinations which make up the best US golf trips, including some of the courses and accommodations that our clients return to time and time again.
1. Scottsdale, AZ
If you are looking to play some great golf in a unique setting, then Scottsdale is for you. The desert landscape and mountain ranges make every day on the course like no other and the choice of accommodations is vast. Stay in the Old Town to be right in the middle of the shops, restaurants and nightlife, or choose one of the many high-end luxury golf resorts such as The Westin Kierland Resort, Boulders Resort & Spa or the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale.
Saguaro Course, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
When it comes to golf, there’s plenty to consider. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is probably the most famous in the area and its sibling, the Champion Course, also receives much praise. Spend a day at Troon North and tackle the equally impressive Monument and Pinnacle courses or head to We-Ko-Pa, another popular 36-hole facility with a casino and hotel on-site.
The list of courses is endless, Grayhawk Golf Club is another big name and then there’s Sundridge Canyon, Raven Golf Club, AK-Chin Southern Dunes and Ocotillo as less expensive options. There’s so much to enjoy, which is the reason customers head back to Scottsdale year after year.
2. Pebble Beach®, CA
Set on the Monterey Peninsula, the views out to the Pacific Ocean are breathtaking, the accommodations are five-star+, and the golf is exceptional. A stay-&-play experience at Pebble Beach is the ultimate in bucket-list golf experiences. Choose from The Lodge at Pebble Beach™, The Inn at Spanish Bay™ or Casa Palmero™ as your base and then start building your golf schedule.
Pebble Beach Golf Links
The Del Monte™ Golf Course is rich in history as the birthplace of the California State Amateur Championship and is a great first-day experience to get you warmed up. The Links at Spanish Bay™ and Spyglass Hill® are next to consider, before tackling one of the most famous and stunning courses in the world – Pebble Beach Golf Links™.
Home to the PGA TOUR’s annual AT&T Pro-Am and multiple U.S. Opens, Pebble Beach Golf Links is a must-play (at least once) for every discerning golfer. From the famous par-3 7th hole to the spectacular par-5 18th, a round at Pebble Beach Golf Links lives long in the memory.
3. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, SC
Drive an hour south of Charleston and you find Kiawah Island Golf Resort, which simply put is a golfer’s paradise. With numerous villas, larger rental homes and the five-star Sanctuary Hotel, it has something for every group. Add countless recreation activities, miles of white sand beach and five golf courses, and it’s easy to see why it is the ideal choice for a golf vacation.
Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Designers such as Nicklaus, Palmer and Fazio have all put their mark down at Kiawah Island in the creation of Turtle Point, Osprey Point, Cougar Point and Oak Point – all of which are excellent tests of golf. However, it is Pete Dye’s Ocean Course that steals the show. Built for the 1991 Ryder Cup and more recently the scene of Phil Mickelson’s PGA Championship victory in 2021, this Pete Dye masterpiece is a stunning golf course in an equally impressive setting, that must be enjoyed by all avid golfers.
4. Jacksonville, FL
Just south of Jacksonville is the impressive TPC Sawgrass, the home of THE PLAYERS Championship. As a guest at the Sawgrass Marriott (just minutes from the golf club) you have access to play both THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and Dye’s Valley (both Pete Dye designs). As golf trips go, this is as good as it gets. Enjoy luxury at the Marriott hotel and then enjoy the finest of service at TPC Sawgrass. It is safe to say you’ll feel like one of the professionals (even if you don’t play like one).
The experience in the clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass is second-to-none, full of memorabilia and history of the tournament, and it is definitely worth taking the official tour before stepping onto the first tee. Playing The Stadium Course is an unbelievable treat, the course conditions are impeccable, and the finish is very special with holes 16, 17 and 18 full of danger – especially the world-famous par-3 17th.
THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, TPC Sawgrass
A little further south is the World Golf Village where you’ll find the World Golf Hall of Fame, more accommodations and 36 holes of golf at the impressive Slammer & Squire and King & Bear courses. Combining the two areas over an extended stay or taking a day out from your time at Sawgrass to visit the World Golf Village is a great way to experience some of the best golf in this part of north Florida.
5. Las Vegas, NV
Known around the world for its casinos, entertainment and nightlife, Las Vegas also has an abundance of excellent golf that’s cut through the desert landscape. Take your pick hotels on the strip from the MGM Grand to the Bellagio, or base yourself in a more tranquil environment at The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa which is 17 miles to the east.
There is plenty of golf to consider, from Bali Hai which is just off the Las Vegas Strip to the Paiute Resort, 30 minutes to the north-west, which is home to three Pete Dye courses created in an unbelievable desert environment. TPC Las Vegas is just 20 minutes to the west of the strip and is certainly well-placed on any Las Vegas golf tour (as part of the TPC collection you can expect the best of course conditions and service).
SouthShore Country Club
The list goes on and on, from the high-end Cascata Golf Club to SouthShore Country Club near to The Westin Hotel, and some less expensive options such as Desert Pines, Chimera and Revere Golf Club.
A Las Vegas golf trip can be designed to meet all budgets and is a great alternative to Scottsdale and Palm Springs when looking for a desert golf experience.