If you like golf, you might want to plan your next vacation around the game. The United States is home to some great golf resorts, from the lush Hawaiian Islands to mainland coastal offerings and incredibly scenic desert locales. No matter what you’re looking for and what time of year you’d like to travel, you’ll find outstanding options on this list for golfing fun and much more.
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua - Maui, Hawaii
The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua sits across such immaculate grounds it could easily be mistaken as a golf course itself. Its Plantation Course is highly-rated, and if you stay, you’ll get a good discount to play this 18-hole masterpiece that boasts water views at holes 4 and 5. The resort itself is considered one of the best in Hawaii, renowned for its upscale accommodations and extraordinary service. It features an on-site restaurant, pool and an expansive spa with a yoga studio, treatment rooms and private outdoor shower gardens.
Kaua'i Marriott Resort - Lihue, Hawaii
Kauai Marriott Resort hosts what’s considered by many to be the most beautiful golf course in the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai Lagoons. Escape the cold and visit this warm-weather golf resort, which is lined with palm trees and offers dazzling Pacific Ocean views. Golfers can enjoy the warm weather year-round while surrounded by emerald-hued mountains and waves that crash against the green. Guests at this Marriott property enjoy great access to the course and an elegant stay in one of many rooms that come with balconies and spectacular vistas. There’s also a lavish full-service spa providing a long list of treatments and services, including massages, body scrubs and facials.
Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain - Marana, Arizona
Nestled in the rolling hills of Marana, about 20 miles northwest of Tucson, the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, provides access to the Jack Nicklaus signature design luxury golf course at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain. It features 27 holes with unique challenges, harmoniously blending among the noble saguaros and Tortolita Mountain Range. The luxe resort in Arizona also offers 20 miles of hiking and biking trails and a fantastic spa. The onsite restaurant serves southwestern cuisine with indoor/outdoor seating, while chic rooms come with balconies showcasing mountain or canyon views.
Sea Pines Resort - Hilton Head, South Carolina
Hilton Head is often referred to as Golf Island, making a stay here especially popular among golfing enthusiasts. Sea Pines Resort, in particular, is especially attractive, home to the 18-hole Harbour Town Golf Links, the crowning achievement of Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye that put the island on the map. Guests can take advantage of outstanding golf, scenic trails for biking, gorgeous beaches, a pool, a hot tub, a fitness center and multiple restaurants. The resort offers a wide range of accommodations, too, including luxury villa rentals that sleep up to 12 guests, some with direct beach access.
The Phoenician - Scottsdale, Arizona
The 250-acre Phoenician has been called the “Xanadu” of the resort world. Set at the foot of Camelback Mountain. It’s a paradise for golfers, featuring an 18-hole golf course carved from the beauty of the scenic Sonoran Desert. Tee off while enjoying fantastic desert views, and after a game on the stunning greens, relax at the spa, which offers numerous decadent treatments and massages, or head to the pool complex, which hosts seven pools. The lush grounds are filled with koi ponds, waterfalls, palms and green landscaping, ideal for a stroll, and you’ll find ten different restaurants to choose from for outstanding dining. Rooms come with private balconies, many of which provide jaw-dropping views.
Lodge at Torrey Pines - San Diego, California
The Lodge at Torrey Pines hosts the Torrey Pines Golf Club, one of the premier golf resorts in San Diego. Golfers can enjoy easy access with accommodations right by the course along the bluffs overlooking the ocean. The property also includes a full-service spa, a heated pool with underwater music and poolside cabanas, a whirlpool, a lawn croquet and two restaurants serving cuisine with locally-sourced ingredients. All rooms are luxurious. Some come with ocean views.
Hammock Beach Resort - Palm Coast, Florida
One of the most luxurious and beautiful golf resorts in Florida, Hammock Beach Resort offers two courses, the Conservatory Course and the Ocean Course renowned particularly for its four challenging holes along the coast called “The Bear Claw.” Afterward, come back and relax at the water park which includes five pools, a lazy river and water slide, or hit the spa that has a steam room and sauna. Dining can be enjoyed at one of five restaurants, while accommodations include suites, villas, and vacation rentals.
The Lodge at Bandon Dunes - Bandon, Oregon
The Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is part of The Lodge at Bandon Dunes, located on a breathtaking stretch of the Oregon coast. Often named among the top courses in the country, it was rated No. 1 in Golf Digest magazine’s ranking of the 75 Best Golf Resorts in North America recently. Wildlife in the area is abundant, including gray whales that migrate along the shore and bald eagles soaring through the sky. Accommodation includes everything from traditional lodge rooms with modern amenities like flat-screen TVs to four-bedroom cottages with fireplaces and private patios – some come with golf course, forest or ocean views. There’s also a massage center, sauna, hot tub and three restaurants on-site.
Kiawah Golf Resort - Charleston, South Carolina
Arguably the very best resort in Charleston, the Kiawah Golf Resort is an oceanfront property hosting five championship golf courses, offering everything a golfer could ever want. It sits along ten miles of pristine beach and hosts multiple pools with water slides and an on-site nature center that houses alligators, snakes and birds. It offers a wealth of other desirable features, too, including a spa, restaurants, markets, a fitness center and bike rentals, along with an award-winning tennis complex. Room options are wide-ranging and include everything from one-bedrooms to full-house rentals.
Inn at Spanish Bay - Pebble Beach, California
Part of Pebble Beach Resorts, the Inn at Spanish Bay tends to attract luxury golf enthusiasts. Fronted by a Scottish-style links golf course that’s consistently ranked as one of the best public courses in the country, it lies along one of the world’s most breathtaking stretches of coastline. Rolling fairways meander through and around the picturesque dunes, briefly winding between Monterey Pines, before returning to Spanish Bay Beach with its pristine white sands for an unforgettable finish. The guest rooms are spacious and luxurious, many facing the Pacific – some also feature balconies, fireplaces and Italian marble baths.
