Travel

MAGICAL VIETNAM

With cultural heritage sites, natural landscapes, vibrant cities, warm hospitality, and a boom in golf course development, Vietnam is welcoming increasing numbers of tourists and is quickly becoming a bucket-list golf destination.

For anyone on the fence about traveling to Vietnam, while there are still reminders of the war years, the country is 50 years removed from what was depicted in movies like “Apocalypse Now” or “Good Morning, Vietnam.” This Indochina locale, adjacent the South China Sea, is a reinvigorated, forward-looking country, with glittering skyscrapers, energized night life, world-class cuisine and the friendliest people. It’s also a destination having experienced a steady growth in international tourism, with numbers increasing from around 2 million in 2000 to nearly 18 million in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world started to reopen, Vietnam once again emerged as one of the fastest growing destinations for tourism with golf playing a major role.

Vietnam’s first course was the Dalat Palace Golf Club, constructed in the 1920s under the direction of the country’s last emperor, Bao Dai, an avid golfer. But it wasn’t until the 1990s and early 2000s when golf development started taking off after new economic reforms known as Đổi Mới (“renovation” or “innovation”) came into play, opening Vietnam’s economy to more foreign investment and tourism, leading to new golf venues in popular tourist destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon), Hanoi, Danang, and Nha Trang.

Riding that wave, s-shaped Vietnam now boasts approximately eighty golf courses ranging from coastal links with ocean views to highland courses surrounded by pine forests and mountains and, according to the National Golf Foundation, it is the nation with the most active golf development with more than 50 courses in planning or under construction.

Clearly, that was enough confirmation to end my wavering on globetrotting to Vietnam and discover first-hand about all the hubbub. But as I quickly discovered, even before hitting the fairways, all that buzz was no match to the orchestra of motorbike horns amplifying daily life.

Vietnam’s population sits in the neighborhood of 100 million yet, there are roughly only 2 million cars, leading one to believe the city streets and highways would be driver friendly. Uhhh, not exactly. Far more hazardous are the country’s 50 million motorbikes, many with 2-3 passengers (plus the occasional small child sandwiched between), jostling for position as they synchronously zigzag around drivers navigating non-existent lanes miraculously avoiding bicyclists and pedestrians.

It’s mesmerizing as a foreigner to witness but not even close to being a passenger when I relied on whatever faith I had hanging onto my young female chauffeur with XO Tours steering me on an evening thrill ride for a foodie adventure around Ho Chi Minh City and opening my mouth to edibles I’d never imagine consuming. After being delivered back to the hotel with bones and stomach intact, my driving appetite for some golf quickly shot up a few notches.

READY, SET, TEE IT UP

“I was there to see it all blossom,” says Scott Resch, a golf public relations specialist who worked in Vietnam from 2007-2018, and founded Asia Golf Trips in 2023, to customize luxury trips for exposing golfers and non-golfers to quality golf and cultures in Vietnam. “The courses, designed by renowned architects along the 2,000-mile coastline, are much like what we’re used to seeing in places like Scotland but the difference being you’re not going to get 38 degrees and rain blowing up your nose and having to wear seven layers of clothes.”

Resch, who personally guided our group, was spot on about the climate as I sweated through an unusually hot and humid period in April. Fortunately, much of that discomfort was offset by the mandatory caddies (predominantly female) at my side with cold towels, a sun-shielding umbrella, and plenty of water. For future trip planning, winter is the ideal time to be in Vietnam.

The Danang region in Vietnam’s central coast is considered the country’s premier golf destination with its concentration of high-quality courses, luxury resorts and coastal scenery. Not to mention its proximity to cultural and historical sites such as Hoi An and Hue. It has already attracted the likes of Sir Nick Faldo (Laguna Lang Co), Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus (Legend Danang Golf Resort) and Robert Trent Jones Jr. (Hoiana Shores GC).

The opening of Hoiana Shores GC in 2019 definitely raised the bar for future courses. Situated within a 2,500-acre site south of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site known as The City of Lanterns, every pin flag is, fittingly, adorned with a lantern logo.

Known for its beachfront, sand-based layout, Trent Jones Jr. designed a course with firm playing surfaces and artistic, yet strategic bunkering, both characteristic of true links-style golf lending itself to a fun ground game. The large rolling greens are typical Trent Jones Jr. and, depending on pin position, it can encourage a golfer’s risk/reward decision on the approach shot.

As a bonus, each hole is a photo opportunity so, good luck maintaining concentration.

Thirty minutes north along the coastline and with views of the Marble Mountains, East Sea and Cham Islands, both Nicklaus and Norman are the featured designers at Legend Danang Golf Resort. The Shark arrived first with his links-style layout in 2010 and in 2020, the Golden Bear introduced his 18 holes, several of which play adjacent to the Coco River with views of the surrounding villages.

Norman’s first project in Vietnam, surely inspired by the natural sand-based landscape, is accented by undulating fairways, large greens, and well-positioned bunkers. For history buffs, the course is planted directly on the beach the American’s used for their first landing during the 1960’s conflict. Stirring the memory is a weathered war-era pillbox remaining adjacent the tee box of the par-3 16th hole backdropped by South China Sea.

Central Vietnam’s sandy environment also attracted Sir Nick Faldo to create the Laguna Lang Co course, the centerpiece of a beachfront luxury resort next to Chan May Bay, halfway between Danang and the former Vietnamese capital of Hue. The property is a considerable distance off the beaten path but worth every effort to get there.

While plotting your way around the 18 holes, skillfully designed to preserve roughly seven acres of rice paddies and streams, you’ll encounter a mix of links-style holes (only one hole approaches the ocean), and massive amounts of bunkering, which seem to cover half the golf site surrounded by mountains, creeks, and dense forest.

Departing Vietnam’s hotbed of golf along the relaxed Central Coast to the frenzied pace of a cosmopolitan city can be a shock to your system. But the country’s multicultural capital of Hanoi, rich in history, allows for opportunities to combine a round of golf with visits to the city’s notable sites and street markets in the Old Quarter, where you can chow down a fresh banh mi and a beer for under three dollars. Yes, the American dollar is your friend in Vietnam.

On the outskirts of Hanoi (45-minute drive) lies the 54-hole Kings Island Golf Resort. Since the entire golf property is on an island, guests need to board a small motor boat for a 5-minute ride on Dong Mo Lake to the landing dock and a warm welcome by caddies ready to unload clubs.

The Kings Course (2018) is the newest 18 at Kings Island. Jack Nicklaus II was the primary designer but by all means reflects his dad’s signature design philosophy featuring wide fairways, intricate bunker complexes characterizing each hole, and large, undulating greens requiring precise approach shots and careful putting.

After playing golf on an island, Hanoi is also a leaping off point for another island adventure on board Ambassador Cruise’s floating hotel around one of the world’s most exotic geological formation of limestone islands popping out of Lan Ha Bay, the lesser-known (and less crowded), but no less spectacular neighbor of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 19^th hole bonus proved to be the best medicine for closing the curtain on an epic Vietnam golf junket.

WHERE TO STAY:

From luxury resorts to boutique hotels, those provided by Asia Golf Trips are not just places to rest but are key to the overall journey.

In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the 5-star Caravelle Hotel overlooks the historic Saigon Opera House and within walking distance of major attractions like Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market, and the Reunification Palace. During the Vietnam War, the Caravelle was a gathering place for journalists and foreign correspondents who would gather at the rooftop’s Saigon Saigon Bar to exchange news and enjoy a drink and panoramic views of the city.

Anantara Hoi An Resort is a luxurious retreat located in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of Hoi An on the Central Coast. Known for its colonial-style architecture and peaceful setting along the Thu Bon River, the resort offers a perfect blend of modern luxury and traditional Vietnamese charm and just minutes by foot to the town’s lively markets and ancient temples.

Nestled between the East Sea and the Truong Son mountain range, Angsana Lang Co is a luxurious secluded beachfront resort approximately 1.5 hours from Da Nang International Airport. It is part of the expansive Laguna Lang Co integrated resort complex, which includes Faldo’s Laguna Lang Co GC, spa, and multiple dining options. From garden view rooms to two-bedroom lofts, the resort is designed with a contemporary style that incorporate traditional Vietnamese elements

Showcasing French colonial architecture and timeless elegance in Vietnam’s capital, the iconic 5-star Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi oozes history since opening in 1901. One of Southeast Asia’s most renowned hotels, it’s hosted numerous dignitaries and celebrities over the years, including Charlie Chaplin, Jane Fonda and U.S Presidents. The central location is prime for exploring Hanoi’s cultural landmarks, such as the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, and the infamous Train Street where you can feel the vibration of trains passing by on tracks wedged between houses, cafes and onlookers.

IDEAL FALL GOLF DESTINATIONS

There’s no better time than now to start planning a fall golf getaway. Especially for golfers who will see their courses go into hibernation for another winter. Many golf destinations, whether in the south, out west in the Scottsdale or Las Vegas desert, or the Caribbean, offer great temps and colorful foliage to enhance a fantastic end-of-season golf trip. In partnership with the pros at Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR, Golf Tips highlights the following itineraries to get into the fall swing!

SCOTTSDALE

Imagine playing in front of 20,000 rollicking fans on a par-3? As the site of the PGA Tour’s WMPO, the grandstands surrounding the 16^th hole at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course are left year-round for golfers to get a full dose of that experience – minus the 20,000 fans! That aside, golfers will be faced with challenging greens throughout the course and a memorable risk-reward finish.

A pair of Tom Weiskopf-designed courses at Troon North are top-10 members of Golf Digest’s best public courses in Arizona. The Monument Course, known for having the best back nine in Scottsdale, features breathtaking elevation changes with dramatic rock formations guarding the rolling fairways. The Pinnacle Course is highlighted with wide fairways and small greens. Balls hit off the fairway will find the cactus and other desert foliage.

Another top-tier 36-hole facility resides at Grayhawk Golf Club. Both the David Graham/Gary Panks-designed Talon and Tom Fazio-designed Raptor courses provide generous fairways, sweeping undulations, deep bunkers, and generous views of the McDowell Mountain and the Sonoran Desert landscape.

Owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club presents 36 holes east of Scottsdale with sweeping mountain views and not a home in sight. The Cholla Course is a true desert golf experience with fairways meandering through ridges and arroyos. The Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw-designed Saguaro Course provides wider fairways making this an enjoyable player-friendly walking course.

SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, designed by Keith Foster, unfolds around the rugged ridges and shady canyons unique to the desert mountains that divide Fountain Hills from Scottsdale. It is best known for a challenging closing six-hole stretch known as the “Wicked Six.”

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

ORLANDO

There’s no shortage of history at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, with its ties to Palmer’s and Tiger Woods’ eight wins at the annual PGA Tour stop—which make it the perfect place to kick off an Orlando golf trip. As it does for the pros, Bay Hill will offer a stern test, with strategically placed bunkers, deep rough, and imposing lakes all lurking.

Orange County National has served as a longtime Q-school host. The Panther Lake course, with elevation changes of up to 60 feet and no housing developments, winds through rolling meadows, native pines, and wetlands, immersing golfers in the natural landscape. Crooked Cat offers more of a links-style experience, with native heather framing the wide fairways.

A trip to Orlando wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Disney area, where you’ll find the Magnolia Course, which hosted a PGA Tour event for decades and features wide fairways guarded by water, which lurks on 11 of the 18 holes.

Just outside Orlando is Mission Hills Resort with two courses having hosted numerous amateur and professional events, including PGA Tour Latinoamerica Q-school last fall. The El Campeon course is situated on steep hills with elevation changes of over 85 feet, and water comes into play on most holes. The Las Colinas course has less water but the large, undulating greens provide an intriguing test. Trees closely guard many fairways on the back nine, placing a premium on accuracy off the tee.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

MYRTLE BEACH

Do you want a respite from the frenzy of city life? Sun-drenched Myrtle Beach is home to more than 70 courses to suit your handicap level and a wide variety of accommodations fit your budget.

Bordering the natural white sands of the Carolina Bays, Barefoot Resort boasts four courses designed by notable architects. The Dye Course, the longest at 7,343 yards, presents large waste areas and intimidating bunkering. The routing of the Fazio Course constantly changes direction and with an ever-present wind, challenging players to hit a variety of shots. The Love course is a bomber’s paradise, with large landing areas and subtle doglegs and the Norman course is highlighted by seven holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway.

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is a recent entrant into the World Top 100 lists and a challenging Mark Strantz design, with water snaking throughout the natural low-country scenery.

A Myrtle Beach favorite, TPC Myrtle Beach is a Fazio design with challenging features like tight fairways and sloping greens and highlighted by the par-3 17th hole, with a peninsula green surrounded by water and bunkers.

The Kings North Course at Myrtle Beach is one of three Arnold Palmer designs onsite and considered one of the top courses in the area, including the par-3 12th hole as, perhaps, the signature hole for all of Myrtle Beach, playing 140 yards off the tips onto an iconic island green that has two bunkers shaped in an ‘S’ and a ‘C’, symbolizing the state of South Carolina.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

ROBERT TRENT JONES TRAIL, ALABAMA

Alabama may elicit images of amazing gulf coast beaches, college football, and southern hospitality. However, for golf travelers, The Robert Trent Jones Trail, with 26 courses across 11 sites was referred to by the Wall Street Journal as, perhaps, “the biggest bargain in the country.”

The Capitol Hill Golf Club features three courses (Judge, Senator, and Legislator), plus a high-tech driving range. At an impressive 7,813 yards, the Judge Course is a stiff challenge with water hazards lurking on nearly every hole. The signature first hole, with its breathtaking views make it the most famous hole across the entire RTJ Trail.

Near Auburn lies the Grand National Golf Club, a former PGA TOUR site with two championship courses: The Lake Course, known for its par-3 collection, and the Links Course with what might be the toughest finishing hole on the Trail, a par-4 requiring two separate carries over water.

The newest addition to the RTJ Trail, and also the longest at 8,200 yards, is Ross Bridge Golf Club carved into the rolling terrain of Shannon Valley outside Birmingham. Symbolic of an old parkland-style course, 10 holes play along the banks of two significant lakes connected by a spectacular waterfall dropping 80 feet between the 9th and 18th greens.

Oxmoor Valley Golf Club (outside Birmingham) is home to two 18-hole courses plus a 18-hole short course. The Valley Course, renovated in 2021, features rolling fairways and several lakes as you play through the slender valley. The Ridge Course encounters more elevation change and dense woodlands, with beautiful scenery throughout making it one of the most photographed courses on the RTJ Trail.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

LAS VEGAS

The entertainment capital of the world sets the stage for a number of courses in the desert with lush green fairways, spectacular mountain views, and easily accessed from the Strip for year-round play.

TPC Las Vegas, with the stunning Red Rock Canyon as a backdrop, was designed by Bobby Weed and Raymond Floyd and has played host to many PGA TOUR events over the years. The 7,000-yard course combines traditional holes with plenty of desert wasteland coming into play.

Just outside Las Vegas in Boulder City, Cascata Golf Club is a stunning design by Rees Jones which quickly became one of Vegas’ premier destinations when opened in 2000. With no real estate around the course, this tranquil setting with lots of elevation change presents tight, sloping fairways and firm, fast greens that require players to think about each shot.

Legendary architect Pete Dye is on full display with three championship courses situated at Paiute Golf Resort, 25 minutes north of the Strip. Each offering a slightly different test of golf, Snow Mountain, Sun Mountain, and the Wolf Course are all carved beautifully into the desert landscape and provide a sense of isolation.

Rio Secco Golf Club, an 18-hole Rees Jones course, has been praised for both its playability and difficulty in years past. Located in a picturesque environment just south of Las Vegas (downtown is visible) features a 37,000 sq. ft. clubhouse and 6,992 layout incorporating tight rolling fairways surrounded by the desert landscape and deep canyons, emphasizing accuracy from the tee.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

JAMAICA

A golfer’s paradise, Jamaica offers stunning scenery with courses overlooking the Caribbean Sea or nestled in the foothills, all with a friendly atmosphere, and a rich cultural experience off the course. It’s no surprise that golf vacations in Jamaica are so popular.

Situated in the rolling countryside of Jamaica’s historic Rose Hall Plantation, White Witch Golf Course earned its name from wicked 19th century plantation mistress, Annee Palmer. Designed by Robert Von Hagge and Rick Baril features five tee boxes on every hole and magnificent views of the Caribbean Sea on 16 of the holes.

Adjacent to White Witch and redesigned by Robert Von Hagge and Rick Baril in 2001, Cinnamon Golf Course is parkland course with two holes along the ocean and scatterings of historic ruins to contrast with the modern design. The 17th hole tee shot sits 350 feet above the Caribbean Sea

In the foothills just outside Montego Bay, the Half Moon Golf Course, described as Jamaica’s Augusta due to its immaculate fairways and tranquil setting, has hosted numerous international golf tournaments. With a reputation as one of the best walking courses in the Caribbean, the course winds its way through lush tropical landscape, lined with royal palm trees, where golfers can enjoy the test of well-placed bunkers and large undulating greens.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

BERMUDA

With year-round sunny weather, breathtaking coastlines, and pristine beaches, the remote island of Bermuda in North Atlantic Ocean is renowned for its world-class golf courses, each uniquely designed by notable course architects. Combined with luxurious amenities and a wide range of activities, Bermuda is the ideal golf destination.

In picturesque Tucker’s Town, the crown jewel at Mid Ocean Club (a private members club) is the renowned Charles Blair McDonald-designed (1921) golf course. Natural contours create an enjoyable course with plenty of breathtaking greenery, numerous tees, and the Atlantic Ocean backdrop.

Port Royal Golf Course, host of the annual PGA TOUR’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, is one of Bermuda’s top public golf courses with sweeping views of the azure blue waters from nearly every hole. Spread over 6,842 perfectly manicured yards, Port Royal Golf Course allows every golf enthusiast to play like a pro. Be ready for the signature 16th hole, which is beautifully situated above jagged cliffs with a glorious view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Located on the northeast part of Bermuda adjacent to Mid Ocean Club sits Tucker’s Point Golf Club dating back to the 1930s and redesigned in 2002, by Roger Rulewich. Resting atop some of the highest points on the island, Tucker’s Point offers sweeping views of Castle Harbour on one side and Harrington Sound on the other. Its fairways are narrow, greens are tricky, and the natural hazards will test even the most accurate golfers.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

As the superstar of golf destinations in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic showcases stunning white sand beaches, lush evergreen forests, and world-class courses designed by golf’s most notable architects. With iconic resorts like Casa de Campo, The Westin Punta Cana Resort & Club, and Barceló Bávaro Palace it’s no wonder golf packages in the Dominican Republic have become increasingly popular.

The Lakes Barceló Golf Course at the “Adults Only” Barceló Bávaro Palace is an inland course highlighted with fairways lined with mangroves, meaning accuracy is absolutely vital to score well. Pete Dye designed this course to make use and show off the beautiful inland features of the island with no less than 25 lakes protecting aspects of this course.

The Teeth of the Dog, one of three Pete Dye-designed courses at Casa de Campo, is the main attraction as the highest-ranked course in the Caribbean with some of the Dominican Republic’s best views and most iconic holes. Pete Dye even said “I created 11 holes and God created seven.” The Dye Fore Course is a spectacular layout with seven cliff-top holes lying 300-feet above the Chavón River and The Links is a beautiful inland course.

The golf offering at Puntacana Resort & Club is very strong with two golf courses available to resort guests. The Tom Fazio-designed Corales Golf Club is a dramatic 18-hole course with six oceanside holes. Built along the cliffs, bays, ocean coves and the inland lakes and Coralina quarries, holes 16 to 18 make a stunning finish at a stretch known as the ‘Devil’s Elbow’. P.B Dye’s La Cana Golf Club has 27 holes to offer, with the latest 9 completed in 2012.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

CANCUN

As one of the Caribbean’s leading tourist destinations on the Mexican coast, Cancún is renowned for phenomenal weather, beautiful landscapes, and a wealth of exciting leisure facilities, including world-class golf.

Winding through the coastal jungle landscape of Playa del Carmen, the Nick Price-designed Gran Coyote Golf Course presents relatively wide fairways, however, the wind can play a factor both off the tee and with your approach into the greens as it is known to whip in off the nearby ocean. The par-3 5th hole measuring 148-yards may appear easy, however, the undulated green is protected both left and right by bunkers and a large water hazard.

Playa Paraiso Golf Club is situated between Cancun to the north and Playa del Carmen to the south. Part of the Iberostar Resort complex, it makes a great option if staying at one of the Iberostar properties or if travelling from the Playa del Carmen area, particularly as the golf club includes round-trip transportation with the green fee. It is one of P.B. Dye’s more challenging layouts with brutal rough at times as well as numerous water hazards and well-defended greens

The stunning Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed PGA Riviera Maya Golf Club was carved out dense Mayan jungle and limestone quarry and enhanced by freshwater caves, cenotes (sink holes) and lakes. The front-nine is tight and the back-nine is where you find most of the water hazards, so straight hitting is required. With five teeing options, all visitors can choose a course length suitable to their game. The 9-hole par 3 executive course provides a great opportunity to warm up before tackling the championship course.

The El Camaleon Golf Course made history in 2007, when it hosted the inaugural Mayakoba Golf Classic, the first PGA TOUR event to be played outside of the US and Canada. Designed by Greg Norman within the Mayakoba Resort, the 7,024-yard layout meanders through three distinct ecosystems: the tropical Mayan jungle, mangrove wetlands and the Mexican Caribbean Sea coastline.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

Spring golf tripping to play where the pros play

When planning your dream golf vacation, who wouldn’t want to play where the pros play every year? From Pebble Beach to TPC Scottsdale to Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Golf Club, these bucket list courses and others that host PGA Tour events are, typically, all accessible for Joe Golfer to play. In addition to these great venues, each destination also features other notable courses to help build a solid lineup of golf outings. In partnership with the pros at Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR, Golf Tips has compiled the following itineraries at PGA Tour destinations so, now is the time to start planning!

SCOTTSDALE

Would you like to imagine playing in front of 20,000 rollicking fans on a par-3? As the site of the PGA Tour’s WMPO, the grandstands surrounding the 16^th hole at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course are left year-round for golfers to get a full dose of that experience – minus the 20,000 fans! All that’s needed are speakers to pump in the noise. That aside, golfers will be faced with challenging greens throughout the course and a memorable risk-reward finish.

TPC Scottsdale’s Champions Course, with its tree-lined fairways meandering through ravines, make this venue a strong 1-2 punch but with over 200 courses in this desert region, there is no lacking of quality golf courses to add to your itinerary.

A pair of Tom Weiskopf-designed courses at Troon North are top-10 members of Golf Digest’s best public courses in Arizona. The acclaimed Monument Course, known for having the best back nine in Scottsdale, features breathtaking elevation changes with dramatic rock formations guarding the rolling fairways. The Pinnacle Course is highlighted with wide fairways and small greens. Balls hit off the fairway will find the cactus and other desert foliage.

A quick 16-mile drive from downtown Scottsdale will transport you to another top-tier 36-hole facility at Grayhawk Golf Club. Both the David Graham/Gary Panks-designed Talon and Tom Fazio-designed Raptor courses provide generous fairways, sweeping undulations, deep bunkers, and generous views of the McDowell Mountain. The Raptor is the only other Scottsdale course to have hosted a PGA Tour event (currently known as the Fortinet Championship) from 2007-2009. Beautifully crafted from the natural Sonoran Desert landscape, the Talon has been described as one of the ‘most exciting and dramatic’ desert layouts in the Southwest.

Owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, presents 36 holes east of Scottsdale with sweeping mountain views and not a home in sight. The Cholla Course was first on the scene in 2001, and offers a true desert golf experience with fairways meandering through ridges and arroyos. The Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw-designed Saguaro Course provides wider fairways making this an enjoyable player-friendly walking course.

Nearby We-Ko-Pa is SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, designed by Keith Foster, unfolds around the rugged ridges and shady canyons unique to the desert mountains that divide Fountain Hills from Scottsdale. It is best known for a challenging closing six-hole stretch known as the “Wicked Six.”

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

MONTEREY/PEBBLE BEACH

Heading down the 17-Mile Drive to play Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of the most sought-after experiences on any golfer’s bucket list. Home to the annual PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and six U.S. Opens (#7 coming in 2027), securing a tee time at this perennial No. 1 Public Course in the Country does come at a high price but you’ll be assured the round of a lifetime. The Hay, Pebble’s redesigned short course by Tiger Woods, is also a must-play.

To continue with the Pebble Beach Resorts’ golf experience, Spyglass Hill and The Links at Spanish Bay are ranked on Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest Courses. Perhaps, Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s greatest work, the first five holes at Spyglass Hill take golfers through a daring dunescape with sweeping ocean views before heading to weaving airways through the majestic Monterey pines. The Links at Spanish Bay traverses throughout coastal sand dunes with some of the most spectacular seaside views in Pebble Beach and where a twilight round is punctuated by bagpipers. Although not within the Monterey Forest, Del Monte Golf Course is the most affordable of Pebble’s courses and is the oldest course (1897) in continuous operation west of the Mississippi.

Resting 200 feet above sea level within the forest, Poppy Hills Golf Course is owned and operated by the Northern California Golf Association. A one-time co-host of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (1991-2009), it underwent a major renovation in 2013 by Robert Trent Jones Jr. (original designer) and Bruce Charlton.

Just outside the 17-Mile Drive gate, Pacific Grove Golf Links lives up to its billing as the “poor man’s Pebble Beach.” The front nine offers glimpses of Monterey Bay on fairways framed by Cypress trees, and an ocean-side back nine cuts through dunes reminiscent of a traditional Scottish links.

A ten-mile drive inland from Carmel Beach will bring you to Pete Dye’s only design in Northern California at Carmel Valley Ranch that enjoys a unique microclimate of 300 days of sunshine per year. With dramatic elevation changes, the tight fairways wind through vineyards, lavender fields, ponds, and oak groves.

To round out an unforgettable Monterey golf trip, Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Club is situated along the Pacific Coast Highway. Built on the land of an old U.S. Army training facility overlooking Monterey Bay, Bayonet (1954) was designed as a left-handed slicer’s dream with holes 11-15 known as “combat corner.” To compliment this 18-hole layout, the Black Horse Course opened in 1964, with slightly wider fairways and less penal bunkers.

SAN ANTONIO

Texas has vaulted into a top-tier golf destination with extensive natural landscapes and an ideal climate. With a collection of excellent public golf courses, including the renowned TPC San Antonio, site of the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open, the opportunities to build a memorable golf trip to the Lone Star State is becoming increasingly popular amongst traveling golfers.

The Oaks course, where the tournament is played, is a Greg Norman design (with an assist from Sergio Garcia) that incorporates some rocky terrain and native grasses nicely in the routing. The facility’s Canyons course, designed by Pete Dye along a rolling ridgetop, hosted a PGA Tour Champions event from 2011-2015 and offers views of a 700-acre nature preserve.

To help bolster a golf trip to San Antonio, there are plenty other quality public golf options. Keith Foster’s design at The Quarry Golf Course utilizes rock formations that were part of the old Alamo Quarry dating back to 1908. La Cantera Resort & Spa is highlighted with thrilling elevation changes and scenic vistas of Texas Hill Country. Brackenridge Park, or “Brack” to the locals, is an A.W. Tillinghast original design (1916) that is the heart of the Alamo City Golf Trail. It is also home to the Texas Golf Hall of Fame.

As an extension to a San Antonio golf trip, Austin is approximately an hour and a half away and worth the visit to play any of the three public 18-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. at Horseshoe Bay Resorton the edge of Lake Lyndon B. Johnson. Ram Rock includes 62 deep bunkers and ten water hazards amongst narrow fairways and swift elevation changes. Apple Rock at Horseshoe Bay is a scenic Hill Country course with Bermuda fairways and bentgrass greens situated on rocky terrain. Slick Rock GC, renovated in 2016, challenges with 71 bunkers and 12 water hazards creating a classic RTJ design of “hard par, easy bogey.”

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Hilton Head Island, a 12-mile stretch of land bordering the Atlantic less than an hour from Savanah, GA, boasts 24 public courses, from oceanfront to traditional parkland layouts, complemented by Southern hospitality and favorable year-round weather. Renowned architects such as Robert Trent Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Pete Dye have made their stamp at a destination that has hosted premier golf events, including the annual PGA TOUR RBC Heritage.

As the first resort on Hilton Head, the five-star Sea Pines Resort remains the marquee property with three of the top courses on the island. With its hosting of the RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links is the most recognizable with the red-and-white lighthouse behind the 18^th green. Except for the 17^th and 18^th holes, the course plays inland with narrow fairways winding through natural woodland.

Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III is a complete reconstruction of the Ocean Course, the first course on Hilton Head Island. Restored natural sand dunes, along with the addition of thousands of indigenous plants, benefit Atlantic Dunes both visually and strategically. The par-3 15th is one of only two holes on the entire island to border the Atlantic Ocean.

Rounding out the resort’s trio of courses, Heron Point, recently redesigned and reconstructed by Pete Dye is very player friendly with a variety of risk-reward shots throughout the layout with rolling fairways and strategically placed bunkers.

Situated in the heart of Hilton Head Island along three miles of white sand beaches, Palmetto Dunes Resortrepresents an ideal golf getaway with three on-site courses, each named for its architect.

The Low Country classic Robert Trent Jones features 11 holes playing through the lagoon and the second hole, the par-5 10th playing straight toward the ocean, on the entire island that borders the Atlantic. The parkland-style George Fazio Course maintains a reputation as the toughest courses on the island with its tight fairways and small greens. Lastly, the Arthur Hills GC with narrow fairways, rolling hills, and sea breezes adding to the challenge. It is also home to the Historic Leamington Lighthouse, situated right behind the 15th green.

Ready to book? Click here for your customized golf trip with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR or call (843) 779-7143

Oklahoma’s Lakefront Shangri-La Resort

If I didn’t know better, I could assume my playing partner might be having an existential crisis right here in the ninth fairway. “I know where we are. It’s Shangri-La. But, seriously, where are we, exactly?” he asks without a speck of irony.

I try to be helpful. “We’re in Northeast Oklahoma. Picture the edge of the Southeast meeting the edge of Midwest.”

Like in Ozark?

“Not far off. A guy in the clubhouse said we’re three hours from Branson and Big Cedar Lodge by car or 17 minutes by private plane. You saw how it’s an easy 90 minutes from Tulsa, and we’re also not far from Bentonville, Arkansas and Springfield, Missouri.”

I feel like we’re explorers who found some hidden treasure or secret land.

I totally get his curiosity and sudden sense of wonder. Afton, Oklahoma’s Shangri-La Resort, nestled along the shores of vast Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, in a nook called Monkey Island, northeast Oklahoma is a hidden gem that might just be America’s next great golf destination.

For more than a decade, owner Eddy Gibbs has been breathing new life and vision into this lush lakefront find, first opened in 1969, and has transformed the property into a must-visit vacation attraction for golfers, lake lovers, and fun seekers from anywhere in the country. The setting is serene and rapturous with the Grand Lake all around, and now with Gibbs’ commitment and project-after-project to make Shangri-La a premier resort destination, this place is ready for its close-up and droves of bookings for buddies trips, bachelorette parties, weddings, family getaways and semi-large business groups.

Gibbs and his team have transformed the resort into the pride of Northeast Oklahoma and put the lakefront vacation oasis on the map nationally with an investment of more than $100 million into the property’s accommodations and upscale leisure amenities since taking it over in 2010.

In addition to the brand-new 119-room resort hotel, an indoor pool, 6,500 square-foot outdoor resort pool with splash pad and tanning ledge, luxury spa, full-service marina on gleaming, 46,500-acre Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees, and six distinct dining and cocktails venues culminate in an unforgettable getaway for golfers, families, groups, corporate and association retreats, and weddings.

45 HOLES OF PRIMETIME GOLF
Surrounded by the waters of Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees on three sides, the revered 27-hole championship Shangri-La golf course meanders through rolling parkland landscapes with elevated Bentgrass greens and clever bunkering along with more open, flowing fairways accented by ponds, streams and the breathtaking lakefront. Frequently ranked among the state’s Top Five golf courses – Shangri-La’s 27 holes and is made up of the Legends, Champions, and Heritage nines. The course challenges golfers of any skill level, with five tee boxes on each hole. The signature hole is Legends Nine, which features two separate greens complexes separated by a dramatic and spectacular waterfall. Known as “The Mickey Mantle Hole,” it’s named after the New York Yankees legend who hosted his Mickey Mantle Golf Classic charity tournament at Shangri-La from 1991 until his death in 1995. Mickey once holed an albatross on the challenging par five. The third hole on the Champions Course plays right along the edge of the vast lake and is one of the most dramatic holes on the property. In all, the golf experience here is satisfying and cerebral with plentiful natural beauty.

A PAR 3 COURSE THAT BLOWS AWAY ALL EXPECTATIONS
The addition of the dazzling par-54 short course, The Battlefield in June 2023 makes Shangri-La one of the few golf resorts offering 45 holes to members, guests and the general public in a lakefront setting. Built in honor of WWII veterans, each hole at The Battlefield is named after an Oklahoma WWII hero. Additional veterans are honored with weekly displays in The Battlefield Clubhouse.

The Tom Clark and Kevin Atkinson-designed, 3,000-yard Battlefield layout is a short course of creative, articulated scale and vision, constructed on an exceptional piece of land that features more than 100 feet of elevation change across its acreage. The scenic, strategic course was completed for $15 million with each hole named in honor of an Oklahoma veteran of WWII.

It’s a memorable, immersive playing experience from any of the five sets of tee boxes, plus up-close “Felix Tees” for beginners, youngsters or those wanting to work on their short game. This short course also has a 165-yard warm-up area and 10,000-square-foot putting green, and there’s also a practice range and short-game facility at the main clubhouse. Calling The Battlefield a par-3 course doesn’t really do it justice. The shot values are tremendous. Each green complex and hole design is an intriguing puzzle unto itself. Then there’s the natural beauty. It’s the kind of setting you don’t want to leave. The first thought the crosses your mind when you putt out on the 18^th is going back around this course, maybe from another set of tees. The Battlefield sets new standards in short course experiences. It sounds grandiose, but, in time, people might just start booking trips to Shangri-La just to play The Battlefield. That’s no knock on the excellent championship golf. The Battlefield is just that special.

This enjoyable, accessible par-54 course which features holes from 110 to 245 yards, joins the acclaimed 27 championship holes at Shangri-La, the Legends, Heritage and Champions courses (framed elegantly on the shores of the expansive Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees) to present an extraordinary 45-hole golfer’s paradise that buddies’ trip groups and golf aficionados from all over the country will want to add to their bucket list.

OFF-COURSE FUN IN THE SUN
The Anchor, a two-year-old, six-acre indoor/outdoor activity park has basketball, tennis, pickleball, cornhole, and a unique “Mini-Fenway” WIFFLE®Ball park, as well as a catch-and-release fishing pond for children under 12. The Anchor’s 11,000 square-foot indoor space offers traditional arcade games plus virtual reality games, a LaserShot shooting simulator, and Trackman Golf simulators.

A popular spot for drinks and dining, the Sports Bar at The Anchor features dozens of sports screens including two giant video walls, along with ping-pong, pool, shuffleboard, darts, and foosball.

Shangri-La offers various dining rooms, ranging from the fine dining of The Summit Restaurant in the main clubhouse, to Eddy’s Lakeside Bar offering seasonal al fresco dining and cocktails at Shangri-La Marina. Doc’s Bar & Grill, in the hotel, offers food service for all three meals, 365 days a year. The Canteen at The Battlefield Clubhouse and the Pool Bar at the resort pool also offer food and beverage service. The staff is personable and fun – and many are solid karaoke singers. They make the stay extra special.

The resort’s full-service marina offers permanent rental slips and courtesy docks for those who visit the resort by water and is replete with a ship store that even sells gasoline and diesel. Boat and personal watercraft rentals are available, along with yacht charters and Oklahoma’s only parasailing adventures.

There’s always something new at Shangri-La. If a day of golf, followed by an evening of boating and great food and maybe a little karaoke thrown in sounds like the perfect getaway, you’re starting to see why Shangri-La is now on the map of essential golf resorts to include in your upcoming travel planning. Learn more at https://shangrilaok.com.

Hitting The High Life in British Columbia

Golf or skiing? Why not both? Whether scoring a high from watching your golf ball soar through the air for extra yardage at higher elevations or feeling the adrenaline rush while spraying waves of fresh white powder through virgin ski tracks, both adventures epitomize a perfect pairing at many premier mountain resorts where either physical activity can induce elevated levels of exhilaration.

During winter months, many snow-covered fairways are perfectly suited for cross-country skiing and from late spring to early fall the gondolas and chairlifts can transport mountain bikers and hikers up to the mountain trails. And depending upon when the white stuff melts to make fairways accessible there may be a transitional weather window of opportunity for the two-sport athlete to double-dip.

If venturing across the USA border to the western Canadian province of British Columbia, there are no two better qualified – and contrasted – representations of high-altitude resort getaways satisfying both interests than what exists northeast of Vancouver.

Flanked by skyscraping mountains, one of the world’s most scenic drives known as the Sea to Sky Highway leads directly to the village of Whistler in two hours. As host to the alpine, Nordic and sliding events for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler is consistently ranked as North America’s top-rated ski resorts on the strength of having the largest area of skiing terrain in North America at 8,171 acres (over fifty percent larger than the second largest at Vail, CO).

On the flip side, once the snow evaporates, Whistler transforms into a summertime recreational arena highlighted by mountain bikers shooting across single tracks and not one, not two, but four diverse golf course experiences from four of the world’s top designers to validate the resort as Canada’s No. 1 golf destination.

Regardless of season or sport of choice, Whistler’s popularity is strengthened by its central hub offering a variety of accommodations, dining options and trendy boutique shops to ensure visitors are treated to a carefree party atmosphere all year-round.

The first 18-hole entry at Whistler was established in 1983, when Arnold Palmer stamped his first Canadian design at the base of the village’s valley floor where Whistler GC’s fairways meander through strands of ancient cedars, nine lakes, two creeks and snow-capped mountain views on both sides.

This walkable 6,722-yard layout challenge typically, hosts the most rounds per season of Whistler’s four courses but one look at the scorecard cover photo of a playful black bear toying with a pin flag is a stark reminder the course, as well as the entire region, is also their playground.

A five-minute drive from the village lies the course that generally receives the most attention – Nicklaus North. Opened in 1995, the 6,961-yard, exquisitely manicured layout hosted the Telus Skins Game (1997) and Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf (1998) and remains one – and the first – of a handful of the 300-plus courses designed by the Golden Bear that he agreed to attach his name. Deservedly so.

Adjacent to the glacier-fed Green Lake, Nicklaus deliberately designed the 18 holes to be fun, with roomy fairways and enormous undulating greens, yet, beware of the course’s 50 bunkers and water on 15 holes. The five par 3s are solid, especially the signature 17th guarded by Green Lake and the 12th that resembles No. 12 at Augusta National, including a replica of the famed Hogan Bridge.

The 19th hole, aka, Table Nineteen, is a primo patio venue overlooking Green Lake and for watching float planes land and take off from the Harbour Air dock.

If you want to take your game up the slopes, Fairmont Chateau Whistler GC, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, is the ticket to Whistler’s only true mountain course. The 6,635 yards, highlighted by tight fairways, doglegs, and plenty of uneven lies, can be deceiving with the opening holes traversing 400 feet up Blackcomb Mountain. On the bright side, any misfired shots are offset by the majestic views of Whistler Valley.

Rounding out Whistler’s course quartet is Big Sky GC, approximately 20 minutes north of the resort village in Pemberton. Designed by Robert Cupp at the base of snow-capped Mount Currie, the links-like design built on rolling terrain is the destination’s longest at 7,001 yards and features seven lakes with a creek winding through.

While it would be tough to argue that Whistler is the reigning king of British Columbia’s mountain resorts, approximately 4.5 hours northwest near Kamloops lies the queen – Sun Peaks Resort. Relatively unknown outside Canada, the European-inspired pedestrian village with a stellar variety of locally-owned shops, restaurants and accommodations is a scaled-down mountain experience of BC’s more reputable resort, yet offers all the same outdoor four-season activities.

In winter, it lays claim to the second-largest ski area in Canada with 4,270 acres of skiable terrain, including cross-country on the back nine of Canada’s highest elevated golf course situated at 3,938 feet.

Adjacent the village hub golfers will cross a quaint wooden covered bridge to the first tee of an 18-hole course under the shadows of three mountains—Tod, Sundance, and Morrisey – with numerous ski trails in sight. Designed by noted Canadian golf architect, Graham Cooke, the layout that winds through the forested valley floor is a tale of two courses.

The front nine (constructed in 1996) requires delicate accuracy to handle the narrow fairways with thick trees on both sides that will encourage the smart player to keep the driver in the bag. Too many hooks and slices will, undoubtedly, require the more aggressive player to call the pro shop to deliver some extra golf balls.

With far more forgiving fairways and better scoring opportunities, the back nine, completed in late 2005, is a welcome complement to the challenges of the front. The only exception could be the course’s most difficult hole at the dogleg right 430-yard, par 4, No. 12. Hit the ball too far off the tee and watch it find the lake but if it stays dry, you’ll then be faced with a daunting approach shot to the green.

The back nine also treats golfers to the signature hole at No. 16 with Mt. Morrisey facing you along with terrific views of homes and the village below. Being a relatively short par 4 situated at 4,353 feet elevation, this 364-yard will tempt long hitters to drive the putting surface.

Sun Peaks can easily be classified as a hidden gem compared to the notoriety of Whistler but with the resort continuing to expand to strengthen its bid of joining Whistler as a host for the 2030 Winter Olympics, the secret is being revealed. Whichever resort you choose to experience, there are just not enough ‘O’s in OMG.

“Serenity Now” at CordeValle

by Robert Kaufman

Long before Silicon Valley became the epicenter of the chip universe, a popular song begged the question, “Do you know the way to San Jose? I’m going back to find some peace of mind.”

Nowadays, if you’re determined to discover a slice of serenity, it would be best to continue driving to San Martin, an agricultural community 20 miles south of downtown San Jose, where CordeValle rests on a tranquil, secluded 1,700-acre landscape covered with golden wild grasses and twisted oak trees in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, between the high-stakes tech world and the coveted bucket-list golf destination at Pebble Beach.

Upon arrival at CordeValle (Spanish for “heart of the valley”) following a ten-minute drive from the fast lanes of Highway 101, an understated guarded entrance opens to an intimate playground retreat highlighted by a Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course created at the height of the dot-com boom in 1999, to meet the demands and lifestyle for the sultans of tech. Soon after a tech-bubble burst in 2001, the club opened its private doors to outside guests with the addition of upscale accommodations. Now, nearly a quarter century later, while the championship 18 holes has garnered most of the attention from hosting of the PGA Tour (Frys.com Open, 2010-15) and 2016 U.S. Women’s Open, if you’re one of the fortunate CordeValle members or your name appears on the guest list, you can pass “go” to start rejuvenating with a luxuriant line-up of premium amenities.

From the time I received the green light to enter, parked my car, and arrived at check-in where I was welcomed with a glass of wine, five employees had already greeted me by my name. With such flawless customer service, I took that as my cue to make myself right at home upon being handed the key to my Craftsman-style bungalow adjacent the 9^th fairway and with a private open-air patio for gazing at golfers by day and stars by night.

At the 5-star boutique resort, all 45 rooms, consisting of bungalows, villa suites, and fairway homes, have recently been renovated and curated with original artwork from the private collection of Cordevalle’s owner, Hasso Plattner (founder of SAP and owner of the NHL San Jose Sharks), flat-screen TVs, wet bar, fireplace, oversized bathrooms with garden baths and even high-powered binoculars for spying on local wildlife wandering the surrounding hillsides.

CENTERPIECE TROPHY

As one of the crown jewels on the Northern California golf landscape, the 7,360-yard layout is quintessential Jones Jr. snaking seamlessly through the valley and rolling hills with dramatic elevation changes. The impeccably maintained routing presents challenges for players to maneuver creeks, ancient oaks, sycamores and skillfully-placed bunkers regardless what set of tees are chosen to play from. As such, these factors, not to mention the soothing scenery, clearly sets the stage for an impressive variety of strategies and club selection options. Not to fear. Caddies (or forecaddie) are at your beck and call to do anything – except hit the ball – to assist with navigating your game.

The front nine starts with a par four, par three, and a long par five that sets up as a three-shot hole requiring players to carry a meandering creek on the second shot followed by a short iron to the green’s front edge to avoid trouble.

After putting out at the 6^th green and maybe in need of an attitude improvement, the Clos LaChance Winery is a mere lob wedge away. So, perhaps, consider which direction to go before stepping up to the next tee on the downhill par three and the drivable par four 8th hole that lures long hitters to carry the pond fronting the green.

When playing the U.S. Women’s Open, the current No. 3 women’s player in the world, Lydia Ko, attested, “CordeValle is not suited for just one type of play. It’s not fitted for long hitter or a straight hitter, so it balances out.”

On the strong second half, holes No. 13-17 provide an uphill/downhill adventure including a risk-reward par five at the 15th with seven bunkers (most on any one hole) staring at you along the way. Just as you’re closing in on the 19th hole, the final stretch presents one last challenge with a par five guarded by water down the entire left side (and a crossing creek to catch long tee shots) of the fairway and green.

After one last putt and a tip of the cap to my forecaddie for saving me a few strokes, I made a beeline for libations and snacks at Lion’s Peak Grill, an alfresco eatery with a patio setting located just outside the clubhouse. Other dining options include One Iron Bar, a communal gathering spot adjoining the resort lobby serving a California-inspired menu and a more sophisticated dining atmosphere at Il Vignetto featuring an extensive wine collection from around the world.

No question golf is the main attraction at CordeValle but it’s not without a solid supporting cast of activities including the tennis and pickleball center run by former ATP Tour player and Tour Manager Benjy Robins, bocce ball, a state-of-the-art fitness center, spa, year-round heated outdoor pool, or a 2.3-mile trail loop around the property hillsides to get the lungs working.

Regardless how you fill the day during your pleasure getaway or business retreat, CordeValle showcases a harmonious experience where the saddest scene is the gatehouse in your rear-view mirror exiting the property.

New Golf Travel Company Tees Up First Trips

PARK CITY, Utah (Oct. 17, 2023) — As the days get shorter and temperatures begin to drop all over the U.S., one golf-and-travel-industry veteran is hoping the promise of world-class golf in a warm-weather climate will appeal to links lovers with a desire to swing before spring.

Only instead of the places where a lot of Americans go to tee it up in winter, Scott Resch’s new company is focusing on a golf destination he believes has more game than any other on earth: Asia.

The owner of Asia Golf Trips has walked the fairways of more than 60 courses in Asia, where he lived between 2007-’10 and visited quarterly from 2011-’18 while working for a media relations firm that represented luxury hospitality interests in that part of the world.

Owner: Scott Resch

But he has also played everywhere from Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach and the Hawaiian islands to Scotland, South Africa and Australia’s Sandbelt. His opinion therefore takes into consideration all the spots most golfers have on their bucket lists.

“I don’t dislike any of the places most golfers have on a pedestal,” said Resch, a former golf writer and Golf Digest course rater. “But the fact is, none hold a candle to Asia when you acknowledge the entire picture — the golf, the accommodations, the food, and all there is to see and do off the course.”

Those seeking proof of the quality of Asia’s tourism assets needn’t look any further than Asia Golf Trips’ website, Resch said. In addition to a page highlighting recent feature stories on the region by renowned media, the resource is packed with images “of the people, places and properties that allow us to provide high-end golf tours that just hit different,” he added.

“So many of the courses over there are nothing short of exceptional,” Resch said. “In fact, a lot of them look as if they’ve been airlifted from Scotland or Ireland or Bandon. I’m talking right on the ocean, and designed by some of the biggest names in the game such as (Jack) Nicklaus and (Nick) Faldo and (Greg) Norman. Only there you don’t have to worry about how many layers you packed.”

The website is also where curious minds can learn why Vietnam is the focal point of Asia Golf Trip’s debut season (2024), why winter is the best time of year to go, and what the dates are for the first few trips.

“The beauty of going this season is that the trips that will only go up (in price) from here,” said Resch, who will also guide the trips. “It’s an incredible deal for a high-end, hassle-free, boutique experience. Everything is five-star and meticulously planned so you can just enjoy what is sure to be the trip of a lifetime.”

Resch’s understanding of golf in Asia started in 2006, two years after moving to Utah from Seattle. While working as a golf magazine editor for a national publishing group with offices in Park City, he participated in a 10-day press trip to Vietnam.

Shortly thereafter, Resch joined the agency that put the trip together — and went on to organize and lead dozens of trips for journalists on assignment for outlets ranging from Golf Digest and Conde Nast Traveler to The New York Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.

“That type of job was never on my radar,” said Resch, who transitioned straight into editorial positions at ESPN.com and Microsoft in Seattle after graduating from the University of Washington in 1997. “But I’m glad the opportunity came my way. It changed my life.”

To learn more about Resch and Asia Golf Trips, including what the late Anthony Bourdain has to do with the Vietnam itinerary and how many spots are still available in 2024, visit www.asiagolftrips.com.

Champion Hills Ranks Among Golfweek’s Best Private Courses

Champion Hills, Western North Carolina’s premier golf community nestled amid the Blue Ridge Mountains, announces its Tom Fazio-designed course is ranked 11th in North Carolina in Golfweek’s prestigious list of the “Best Private Courses” in each state.

Widely considered one of Fazio’s seminal works of mountain golf course architecture, Champion Hills was ranked 13^th in 2021 and has moved up over the past two years via its commitment to design integrity and conditioning. Golfweek’s elite team of more than 850 course evaluators determine the annual selection of the country’s best private layouts. Each year, the raters survey over 3,600 facilities, grading each following Golfweek’s 10 strict evaluation standards.

The magazine ranks the best classic, modern, resort and residential courses nationally and the best private and public courses in each state. Earlier this year, Champion Hills ranked 54th in Golfweek’s 2023 list of the Top 200 Residential Golf Courses (up 10 spots from 2021). It’s also rated as the 151^st Best Modern course in the U.S.

“We have a deep respect for Golfweek and are honored that raters continue to appreciate the design, construction and maintenance pedigree of our Tom Fazio Mountain Masterpiece,” says Champion Hills General Manager Alan Deck, CCM, PGA. “Our members enjoy golf here year-round in the stunning southern stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains and our mild four-season climate and bentgrass make for optimal conditions.”

An industry veteran who has worked all over the U.S., Deck is acutely aware of just how competitive the Old North State is in all categories of golf courses. North Carolina is one of the most golf-rich states in the country, with more than 600 18-hole equivalent facilities and dozens of noteworthy private clubs, including storied Wade Hampton Club, Quail Hollow (home of the PGA TOUR’s Wells Fargo Championship), Grandfather Golf and Country Club’s Championship Course and the Old Town Club.

Champion Hills is Fazio’s hometown course and club, and the legendary golf course architect devised a brilliant routing through the heavily forested hills, deep ravines and cool mountain streams of its Blue Ridge Mountain setting. He and his team of shapers pulled ridges into valleys and filled hollows to create “playing platforms” providing golfers with level lies amid 350-feet of elevation change.

Said Fazio about his mountain masterpiece: “Six holes play slightly uphill on the entire course, but only six. Overall, the majority of holes play downhill. We did it through grading and do it through transition areas from the green to the next tee.”

Delicately balancing strategy and playability, Champion Hills features five sets of tees, including three rated for women. Additionally, “combo tees” placed 15 to 30 yards in front of forced carries eliminate stressful shots for higher handicap golfers or those with slower swing speeds. Members are treated to inspiring elevation changes on several holes, including a 125-foot drop from tee to green on the par-3 ninth hole.

Champion Hills is a private boutique club in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, situated just south of the acclaimed “Main Street Town” of Hendersonville and 45 minutes from burgeoning Asheville. Its Tom Fazio-designed “Mountain Masterpiece” is ranked among the top private courses in the state and country by numerous media outlets and rating services. Champion Hills is managed by Troon Privé, the private club operations division of Troon, the world’s largest golf management company.

Resident-members enjoy a balanced and relaxed lifestyle steeped in golf, tennis, fitness, hiking and swimming, all surrounded by the recreation, entertainment and culture of Western North Carolina. Unlike many private, seasonal mountain communities, Champion Hills offers year-round golf and activities, as well as casual and fine dining options.

Four Golf Markets to Watch in 2023 and Beyond

If the housing market over the past three years was a golf scorecard, it would read something like birdie, eagle, bogey, and double bogey. As for the remainder of 2023 and beyond, the only thing the experts tend to agree on is that we won’t be anywhere near the birdie-eagle run of 2021. We need economic experts for many things, but this prediction isn’t exactly a revelation. But hey, we’re talking golf in this space. So good news always awaits. Here are four golf real estate markets that should fare just fine, no matter how the balance of 2023 shakes out.

1. Southwest, Fla.

The Southwest Florida golf real estate market effectively runs from Fort Myers south to Naples. And as one local real estate agent put it, “Residential real estate has cooled, but the fire’s still burning.” Winter temps in the 70s, sunny days and lush palms still outweigh the threat of hurricanes, summer heat and seasonal traffic. Always have and always will. When it comes to private golf course demand, Naples is still by far and away the leader in the clubhouse.

“The Naples real estate market has been on the rise in recent years despite the economic challenges faced elsewhere in the country,” says Jason Becker, CEO of Naples-based Golf Life Navigators, an online service that helps match golfers to private courses and communities across the U.S. “Our area’s population continues to grow, which is driving demand for both housing and golf.”

This is certainly the case at The Club at Olde Cypress, a 540-acre gated community just minutes from Naples’ famous beaches, world-class shopping on 5th Avenue, and the Southwest Florida International Airport. Olde Cypress features a P.B. Dye-designed course – a rarity for the region – practice facility, tennis courts, swimming pool and recently reimagined clubhouse that’s become the “place to hang” for members of all ages all week long.

“The Naples real estate market has been on the rise in recent years despite the economic challenges faced elsewhere in the country,” says Melissa Hansen, Director of Membership and Marketing at Olde Cypress. “Our area’s population continues to grow, which is driving demand for both housing and golf. Many people from other states are relocating to Florida due to its warm climate, low taxes, and favorable business environment.”

2. Western, N.C.

Those unfamiliar with North Carolina are often shocked to discover it’s more than a nine-hour drive from the mountainous west to the far eastern Outer Banks. The Tar Heel State’s southwestern section has been a hotbed of private community development for the past 30 years, bolstered in part by golf course architect Tom Fazio being based in bucolic Hendersonville. Fazio designed several nationally ranked courses in the area including his “home” club, Champion Hills, in Hendersonville.

“We don’t have the heat or humidity of Florida, nor do we have the snowy winters of the higher elevations, and as many of my formerly seasonal folks point out – no hurricanes,” says Heather Myers, CMP, Director of Membership and Marketing. “Aside from the mild weather, the fact that our club is located just minutes away from all of life’s necessities makes it very easy, convenient, and comfortable to live here year-round.”

Homes are in high demand in the Champion Hills community, as are memberships at the club. According to Myers, this is due to a “perfect storm” combination. Hendersonville is just an hour from Asheville to the north and Greenville, S.C., to the south – two cities that win awards and score media accolades seemingly every month. The region is also known as the “Goldilocks Zone” for not being too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter.

3. Lowcountry, S.C.

Sea Pines Country Club, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Sea Pines has been synonymous with Hilton Head Island since its creation in the 50s by real estate mastermind and master-planning visionary Charles Fraser. Situated on the island’s south end, this 5,000-acre gated community features an incredible mix of residences spanning luxury beachfront and golf course homes to villas and condos.

Golf fans know Sea Pines as the host venue of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage, held annually on Harbour Town Golf Links at The Sea Pines Resort. What they may not know is there’s private, member-owned enclave situated just behind the community’s guard house, Sea Pines Country Club.

Its aptly named Club Course was designed by Arnold Palmer and later updated by local golf course architect Clyde Johnston. Many golf aficionados consider it among the island’s best layouts, a dexterous mix of challenging and fair holes set amid a Lowcountry backdrop that would make Pat Conroy proud.

While the Club Course is its golf calling card, Sea Pines Country Club’s lavish clubhouse, with its resort-style pool and expansive outdoor deck – situated along a vast tidal marsh with views of the Calibogue Sound – is where many members spend most of their time. Especially young families, of which the club has seen an influx this year.

Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, just off the island to the east, are home to even more private clubs and communities than public golf courses. With well over 30 tracks dotting the area, it does tend to get a bit crowded, especially during the summer months when families travel down in droves from points north. For those seeking a more low-key private golf existence, remote Dataw Island is home to two 18-hole Lowcountry courses designed by Fazio and Hills.

4. Treasure Coast, Fla.

When golfers think of Southeast Florida, their minds typically drift to the hotbeds of Palm Beach Gardens, home of PGA National Resort and Spa, and Hobe Sound, where dozens of PGA professionals reside. It’s hard to blame them – this section of the Sunshine State is arguably the golf capital of the world. But those who shift their sights just an hour north will discover the Treasure Coast, home of the quaint city of Stuart with its prime coastal setting and quaint, artsy downtown.

And just a chip shot from downtown, Willoughby Golf Club and Community is home to a vastly underappreciated Arthur Hills-designed course that’s one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Members like to say the layout winds through a blend of the palm-laden Florida coast and towering pines reminiscent of eastern North Carolina. Willoughby is also attracting new members with its 25,000-square-foot clubhouse, Har-Tru tennis courts, pickleball courts, spacious swimming pool and other amenities.

Sailfish Point is a 532-acre luxury, oceanfront community, is just minutes from downtown and is surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian River and St. Lucie Inlet. For those whose love of deep-sea fishing rivals their obsession with golf, this is the place to park the flip-flops. Its Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course meanders through the waterways, wetlands and coastal dunes that define Sailfish Point’s Treasure Coast setting.

Hilton Head Island Couples Packages Feature Incredible Golf, Beaches and Dining

Couples packages for “Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island” feature incredible golf, tennis, pickleball, beaches and dining, and are now available at The Sea Pines Resort, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort and the Heritage Golf Collection to book throughout 2023 at www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com.

All three properties are located directly on the island and are accessible via half- and full-day drives from major metro areas, or flights into Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). And as one of the southernmost points in the state, Hilton Head Island is truly a year-round golf destination graced with Lowcountry palmettos, live oaks and other evergreen vegetation.

Featured couples packages for 2023:

The Sea Pines Resort

The famed host venue of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage is the perfect golf getaway any time of year with its Inn Golf Package. Featuring luxury accommodations at the Forbes Four-Star Inn & Club at Harbour Town, the Inn Golf Package includes a round of golf on Habour Town Golf Links, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III. The Inn’s spacious guest rooms cover 480 square feet and are adorned with an inviting coastal palette that exudes Lowcountry charm. Couples can enjoy fine and casual dining at an array of restaurants including the reimagined Quarterdeck, Links, an American Grill, Coast, Oceanfront Dining, Ocean Lounge, Fraser’s Tavern and Harbourside.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort

Golf getaways for large groups of couples have increased exponentially in popularity over the past three years. Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort has responded to the trend with its Group Golf Stay and Play Couples Retreat for groups of 12 or more. The package includes: four days and three nights accommodations in a two-bedroom condo or villa; three rounds of golf on the Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio and Arthur Hills Courses; two hours of tennis and pickleball court time daily (based on availability); free range balls; and discounts on pro shop merchandise and dining at Big Jim’s, The Dunes House and Alexander’s Restaurant. Complimentary bike rentals are also available, as the streets of Palmetto Dunes are ideal for biking (with over five miles of paths within the resort) while the island at large offers more than 50 miles of paved paths.

Heritage Golf Collection

The Heritage Golf Collection, owners and operators of numerous Hilton Head Island courses, has teamed with Sonesta Resort to offer the Couples Retreat. Starting at $265 per person, per night based on double occupancy, the package includes three nights accommodations in a standard Sonesta Resort guest room, unlimited rounds of golf on Heritage Golf Collection Courses, complimentary range balls and dinner for two at the award-winning, chef-driven LagerHead Tavern at Rees Jones designed Oyster Reef Golf Club. In addition to Oyster Reef, Heritage facilities include Palmetto Hall, Port Royal and Shipyard.

Getting to America’s Golf Island has never been easier. Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) on the island’s north end offers non-stop and one-stop service from multiple hub cities and connections via American Airlines, Delta and United. American offers daily non-stop flights to/from Charlotte and seasonal service to/from Dallas / Ft. Worth, Philadelphia and Washington National (DCA). Delta has daily flights to/from Atlanta and United provides daily non-stop service to/from Newark (EWR) and Washington Dulles (IAD).

Golfers can also utilize Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), with direct flights on eight different airlines from numerous East Coast, Midwest, Texas and Canadian airports on several major and discount airlines. For golfers who prefer to hit the open road, major metro areas in the Carolinas, Georgia and north Florida are under a half day’s drive, while several Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern cities are seven to nine hours away.

Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island is a marketing cooperative of 25 member courses across Beaufort, Bluffton and Jasper counties in South Carolina’s stunning Lowcountry region. Golf enthusiasts relish the region’s Southern hospitality and world-class venues sculpted by vaunted architects Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, George Fazio, Arthur Hills, Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones, Willard Byrd, Davis Love III and Clyde Johnston. Home to the world-renowned Sea Pines Resort, the PGA TOUR makes its only South Carolina stop each April at Harbour Town Golf Links for the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. In conjunction with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor and Conventions Bureau and Chamber of Commerce, the Lowcountry Golf Course Owners Association launched Hilton Head Golf Island to support the island’s thriving golf market through the promotion of golf rounds and packages.

For more information: www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com.