Europe Doesn’t Have All the Fun

Let’s face it; European golf is dominating the sport of professional golf for the first time in quite some time.  The Official World Golf Rankings are saturated with big names from the European Tour, and it doesn’t appear that anything will be changing anytime soon.  Frankly, I kind of like the European Invasion as of late… but I digress. However, good golf doesn’t have to be limited to European golfers or golf courses.  In fact, there are plenty of great players and golf courses in the United States that any golf enthusiast could appreciate, regardless of whichever “side of the Pond” you reside.  Furthermore, many of these golf courses are open to the public and relatively inexpensive, thus making them the ideal focus for your next golf vacation.

For example, South Carolina is a virtual hotbed of golfing activity on an annual basis, boasting two of the world’s busiest and most heralded golf destinations: Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island.  Hilton Head golf features numerous courses that are both pleasing to the eye and challenging to your game.  Of these courses, you will be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful collection of courses that The Heritage Collection.  Comprised of seven championship courses at four prestigious clubs, this collection includes favorites like Palmetto Hall Plantation Club, Oyster Reef Golf Club, Port Royal Golf Club, and the impressive Shipyard Golf Club.  Of course, one cannot forget about another famous course and frequent stop on the PGA Tour schedule: The Sea Pines Resort, which is located on the Island as well.  Numerous travel and vacation packages are available online by visiting any of the courses’ respective websites or by clicking on the link above.

Looking for a Hawaiian golf adventure in paradise?  Hawaii golf courses offer sights and golf experiences like none other.  Some of the featured courses in our 50^th state include the Kauai Lagoons Club, which has been ranked on the Top 50 courses for Golf World Magazine for two straight years.  This Nicklaus-designed track takes you through a winding course surrounded by mango and guava forests and right up to the ocean’s edge, eventually culminating in an island-green 18^th hole that Nicklaus has deemed “Golden Bear”.  Similar in style and beauty is the Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course in Kahului.  This course was rated as one of Golf Digest’s “Best Kept Secret golf Courses in America” and was designed by Robin Nelson.  This course will challenge every aspect of your game in a unique Hawaiian links-style layout that will remind you of Irish courses halfway across the globe.  As with the South Carolina offerings, many vacation and golfing packages are available by clicking the link above.

So never fear, fellow American hackers and amateurs!  Great golf is still right in your back yard in the United States, even if all the professional accolades are being hogged by our friends in Europe for the moment.  While courses like Carnoustie or St. Andrews will always be top-billed in the minds of all golfers, states like South Carolina and Hawaii offer quite a few hidden gems of their own for golfers of all talent levels.