Bring Your Passion for Golf On Vacation

Planning a golf vacation should be as easy as picking a course you want to go to, packing your clubs and your spikes, and going. We all know that isn’t how it works though, don’t we? Even just taking the weather and time of year into account can completely change your plans. Unless you’re traveling by yourself, you’ll also need to know how and when to compromise with your travel partner.

You know your travel partners better than anyone, so the best golf destination will vary depending on your group’s needs. Are you traveling with people who want to golf in the Vegas sun and play at the casinos at night but are equally happy to play the best online casinos if unseasonable weather forces you all into the clubhouse? Or are you traveling with the wife and kids and need some family friendly activities nearby to keep everyone entertained?

No matter what kind of group you’re traveling with, here are some of our top destinations for a balanced golf vacation.

Coeur d’Alene Golf Resort - Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

This is the ideal course for anyone who wants to play a truly unique and adventurous hole. The Coeur d’Alene Golf Resort is home to The Floating Green. This hole is on a small artificial island that is moved on a daily basis, so that no one ever gets too comfortable playing it. Once you’ve landed a ball on the Floating Green, you get to take a small boat out to the green to finish off the hole.

Like all the courses in the Pacific Northwest, this course is best enjoyed during the late spring or summer when the weather is more consistently favorable. For people who enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, this is a good location to visit. Coeur d’Alene is a gateway for exploring the national and state parks of the Idaho panhandle.

Diamante Dunes Golf Course - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

If you’ve ever dreamed of playing golf at the beach, then Diamante Dunes Golf Course is for you. The course is built into the white sand dunes that hug the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is a staggeringly beautiful location. This course may not be perfectly suited for beginners, as the combination of the dunes and the wind off the ocean can increase the difficulty of judging which clubs to use and how hard to swing.

The resort is located just outside of Cabo San Lucas, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. When you’re done with golf for the day, there is much more to do. The beaches are great for surfing, swimming and scuba diving, while the city offers top dining experiences and great shopping. If you prefer to stay on the resort property, the Crystal Lagoon is a 10-acre saltwater pool for guests to enjoy.

Boyne Highlands Resort - Harbor Spring, Michigan

As much as we would all love to be able to visit every course on our bucket lists, time and budget constraints limit most of us to visiting just one or two new courses each year. Playing the Donald Ross Memorial course at Boyne Highlands Resort is like taking a tour of some of the best golf courses in the world. Donald Ross designed some of the most iconic courses and each hole here replicates one of his most famous creations. 

A visit to Boyne Highlands Resort is certainly limited by the seasons. During the winter, it is one of the top skiing destinations in Michigan. This is a good place to visit for families, as there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep everyone busy. Plus, with four golf courses on the property, even the most fickle golfer can find a course to enjoy.

The Ocean Course - Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Sometimes, all you want is a challenge to test your skills to see just what you’re capable of achieving in unforgiving conditions. When that’s the case, The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island is happy to oblige. The course was created specifically for the 1991 Ryder Cup and has been described as "diabolical". Many of the fairways are perched on unsheltered plateaus, exposing them to the fierce ocean winds. Pockets of sawgrass and shifting slopes add to the difficulty of each hole.

For those looking to relax in a private, classic environment, Kiawah Island delivers. There is a hotel with a spa attached to the course. However, there are also cottages and resort villas available to rent for a truly exclusive feel.