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Our Golf Vacation Trip to Idaho Golf Courses Last Summer

Idaho may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of world-class golf courses, but the state has a surprising number of high-quality courses that are worth exploring. We had a great time exploring the below Idaho Golf Courses last summer.

From mountain courses with stunning views to lush fairways that wind through rolling hills, Idaho has something for golfers of all skill levels. Below we’ll take a look at some of the top golf courses in Idaho.

Circling Raven Golf Club

Located in the northern part of the state near the city of Worley, Circling Raven Golf Club is consistently ranked as one of the top golf courses in the country. The course was designed by Gene Bates and features 18 holes that wind through beautiful wetlands, prairies, and woodlands. The course is known for its challenging layout and beautiful scenery, and it’s a must-play for any serious golfer visiting Idaho.  Plus, there is a casino!

Whitetail Golf Club

Nestled in the scenic mountain town of McCall, the Whitetail Club is a private golf club that’s open to members and their guests. The course was designed by Roger Packard and features 18 holes that offer breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and forests. The course is known for its fast greens and challenging layout, and it’s a popular destination for golfers who are looking for a true mountain golf experience.  Trust me, this golf course is stunningly beautiful.

Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course

Located in the resort town of Coeur d’Alene, this golf course is famous for its floating green. The 14th hole features a green that’s built on a barge and can be moved around the lake, providing a unique challenge for golfers. The course was designed by Scott Miller and features 18 holes that wind through the beautiful Idaho countryside. In addition to its challenging layout, the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course is also known for its luxurious amenities, including a world-class spa and several high-end restaurants.

BanBury Golf Course

Located in Eagle, just outside of Boise, BanBury Golf Course is a public course that’s known for its challenging layout and stunning views. The course was designed by John Harbottle III and features 18 holes that wind through a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, ponds, and waterfalls. The course is a favorite among local golfers and visitors alike, and it’s a great place to play if you’re looking for a challenging and scenic round of golf.

Sun Valley Resort Golf Course

Located in the beautiful resort town of Sun Valley, this golf course is known for its challenging layout and stunning mountain views. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and features 18 holes that wind through a scenic landscape of mountains and streams. The course is a favorite among golfers who are looking for a true mountain golf experience, and it’s a great place to play if you’re visiting the area.

Idaho may not be as well-known for its golf courses as some other states, but the courses in the state offer a unique and beautiful golfing experience that’s worth exploring. Whether you’re a serious golfer looking for a challenging round or a casual player looking for a fun day on the course, Idaho has something to offer. So pack your clubs, head to Idaho, and experience some of the top golf courses in the state.

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Top Colorado Golf Vacation Adventures – Mountains Part I

Golf Club at Fox Acres

We continue our Colorado golf trip vacation by playing a few great mountain courses.  If you like the forest, rock formations, and a bunch of trees – this article is for you.

Haymaker Golf Course – Steamboat Springs

Haymaker Golf Course

One of the most beautiful mountain towns in Colorado is Steamboat Springs.  With its stunning mountains and less crowded atmosphere, Steamboat is a classic Rockies destination.  You can ski in the winter and golf all summer long.  Haymaker Golf Course is a public course that anyone can play, although that comes at a steep green fee price.  We have been there a couple of times and really enjoy the laid back atmosphere and unbelievable scenery at the course.

From the course:  “Consistently voted among the best golf courses to play in Colorado, Haymaker Golf Course was rated the “#4 Golf Course You Can Play in Colorado, 2019″ by Golfweek Magazine.  Proudly owned by the City of Steamboat Springs, the 233-acre championship golf course features at least four sets of tees per hole, playing from 5,059 to 7,308 yards. It has been heralded as a ‘core layout’ using large greens and gentle undulations, which blend seamlessly with the topography of the region.”

Shining Mountain Golf Course – Woodland Park

Shining Mountain Golf Course

Set in a Colorado forest, Shining Mountain Golf Course is not only relatively inexpensive – but a blast to play.  It is located about 45 minutes west of Colorado Springs with all the wildlife you can handle.  What is so unique about this course is that, on a number of holes, the rough is literally the tall pines.  Don’t lose your ball too far back in the trees or you will be stuck there for awhile.

The golf course tells the story:  “Here at Shining Mountain Golf Course, we pride ourselves on the high quality of championship golf, striking views and outstanding service that we offer our valued guests. We have worked hard over the years to become a vital part of the community, and in the process, we have earned recognition as one of the premier golf experiences in the region.”

See all of our golf trip blog here

Evergreen Golf Course – Evergreen

Evergreen Golf Course

We love golfing in the forest!  Evergreen Golf Course sits in the mountains just west of Denver and provides breathtaking views of both mountain peaks and the city.  The most notable hole includes a huge rock formation dividing the fairway.  You either have to go left or right, but whatever you do don’t get stuck behind it.  A reasonably priced municipal course sure to test golfers of all skill levels.

Evergreen Golf Course is Denver’s mountain jewel.  At 7,220 feet, this 18-hole executive course sits along Bear Creek.  Rolling hills and fairways lined with pine trees make this an affordable mountain golf experience just a short drive from the city.  Elk and other wildlife sightings are frequent on the course, and after golf, you can enjoy delicious food and drinks on the patio at Keys On The Green.”

The Golf Club at Fox Acres – Red Feather Lakes

Golf Club at Fox Acres

This semi-private course allows public play at certain times.  Golf Now seems to have a few tee times during off hours.  We have played this course a couple of times and love the feeling of a round of golf both in the forest and amongst the red rock formations.  There is a drivable par 4 over a lake if your confidence is high.

The Golf Club at Fox Acres describes things this way:  “Designed by John Cochran, Fox Acres is one of Colorado’s truly breathtaking golf courses. At 8,300 ft. above sea level and just shy of 6,500 yards from the tips, there’s enough peace and quiet around to allow for a good think.

There’s also a scenic driving range, 460 acres of pristine nature and holes with names like “Moose Crossing,” “Sleeping Elephants,” “Black Bear,” and “Fox Den.” And with several elevation changes, 15 shimmering lakes and over 100 sand traps, the course is designed to challenge your mind and sharpen your game.”

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Top Colorado Golf Vacation Adventures – Front Range

Colorado is a beautiful place filled with amazing golf courses.  If you have never had the chance to visit Colorado and play the great golf courses you are missing out.  From snowcapped peaks year-around in the summer to lovely fall colors, the golf courses in Colorado are stunning.  We start with the golf courses on the Colorado front range before heading to the best golf courses in the Colorado Rockies.  We tend to stick with public courses that anyone can play in our travels, with a few exceptions.  If you missed any of our golf vacation recap articles please click here.

Our recap of the best golf courses on the Colorado front range:

Arrowhead Golf Course

Arrowhead Golf Course

If you have never been to Arrowhead golf course you need to go immediately.  Make sure you bring a camera to capture the incredible red rock views.  In fact, the golf course is not far from Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  This 100% public course if far from inexpensive, but trust us, it is worth the money.  Every single hole has spectacular vistas.   Do yourself a favor and do not miss the opportunity to play a round at Arrowhead.

The Broadmoor (East Course)

From the Broadmoor:  “The Broadmoor’s East Course is known for its wide, tree-lined fairways and expansive greens. With its challenging terrain and amazing mountain vistas, The East Course is ranked among the best golf courses in the country. Since the large trees can alter your shots and the putting greens difficult to read, the best tip we can offer for those taking on this open course is to remember that putts break away from the mountains.”

Although anyone can play on the Broadmoor East golf course, you want to take a cart because the holes meander up the side of Cheyenne Mountain.  While we have never played this one, we did attend a wedding reception on the side of the mountain overlooking the course.  We can also recommend a stay at this 5 star resort, although that damaged our pocket book quite a lot.

CommonGround Golf Course

CommonGround Golf Course

From the course:  “Through the use of ‘width that matters’ and strategic placement of features, this Tom Doak design delivers an outstanding experience to all levels of golfers. From the raw beginner, to the most skilled player, CommonGround Golf Course has been designed to maximize the enjoyment of the game for everyone. Although located in the heart of the city, the urban sprawl surrounding the course is unnoticeable, and the breathtaking views of the majestic front range of Colorado are a site to behold.”

We have yet to play this golf course either, but have heard great things.  It is reasonably priced and geared toward all golfer skill levels.

TPC Colorado

TPC Colorado

“TPC Colorado is proud to call picturesque Berthoud, Colorado home. Situated along the Little Thompson River, approximately halfway between Fort Collins, Colorado and Denver, Colorado, Berthoud provides the perfect small town charm for past and present generations.”

The TPC Colorado is a very new course.  In fact, this is the golf course that Will Zalatoris won his first tournament on.

Mad Russian Golf Course

Mad Russian Golf Course

Some history from its website:  “October 1986 Bob Ehrlich purchased an abandoned golf course name Jack Rabbit Trail along with clubhouse and a round rotating residence located just north of Milliken, Colorado.  These unique structures and course had once been owned by a Russian farmer named Ted Blehm, who was known in the area for being a little ornery and always up for a challenge.  As the story goes, Ted was not allowed to join a local golf club so he decided he would go out and build his own, bigger and better golf club.”

The Mad Russian Golf Course is one of our all-time favorites.  It is a sloped 18 hole golf course providing great mountain view.  Inexpensive to play, always in great condition, and even allows an 11 hole option.

Saddle Rock Golf Course

Saddle Rock Golf Course

“Former home of the Colorado Open and numerous statewide amateur and professional events, Saddle Rock has become a preferred destination for a higher-end golf experience in the metro area. The high-plains, links style course combines extensive native areas with significant elevation changes to create a memorable round of golf.  Multiple tee options allow golfers to choose the level of difficulty that best fits their game.”

For a municipal course just outside of Denver you can’t help but love Saddle Rock Golf Course.  Due to its location a bit east it is usually easy to get a good tee time.

Check out our other golf trip vacation recaps

 

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Golf Trip Vacation to Montana

Buffalo Hill Golf Club

Our golf vacation to Montana was surreal indeed.  The majestic peaks of Glacier National Park provided an unreal backdrop for a great game of golf.  I even picked up a couple of golf hats!

Glacier View Golf Club

First up was Glacier View Golf Club in West Glacier, Montana.  This golf course was incredible.  Although we got hit with some rain throughout our round, the clubhouse provided a quite hiding spot.

Glacier View Golf Club

Meadow Lake Golf Course

Next up was a trip down the mountain for a game at one of the best public golf courses in Montana.  We are talking about Meadow Lake Golf Course in Columbia Falls, Montana.  This is by far the most difficult golf course we have ever played.  The golf greens are like glass!  A challenging golf course for sure.

Meadow Lake Golf Course

Buffalo Hill Golf Club

From Meadow Lake we continued down through the Flathead Valley to Kalispell, Montana.  After the wet weather the day prior up by Glacier National Park, I needed a couple new golf shirts.  We ended up first at Buffalo Hill Golf Club.  This resort had both an 18 hole and 9 hole course to try, so we did both!  Playing through the forest on the Championship Golf Course had us wishing for some new golf balls.

Buffalo Hill Golf Club

Check out our golf course trip adventure blog here.

Old Works Golf Course

We thought it was a dream at our next golf trip location over in Anaconda, Montana.  That right, we are talking about the famed Jack Nicklaus designed Old Works Golf Course.  This was easily the most incredible golf course we played based on the unique scenery alone.  It is true, the sand traps are made out of old smelter and will turn your golf clubs a copper or rust color – even though they look black.

Old Works Golf Course

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Golfing the Black Hills in South Dakota

Our summer golf vacation trip concluded in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota.  We golfed at four amazing courses in the area while trying to avoid gambling in Deadwood.  The views are out of this world!

Elkhorn Ridge Golf Club

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Elkhorn Ridge golf course is somewhat fascinating as it is located just outside of Spearfish, South Dakota.  The interstate highway cuts right through the middle of it will some long tunnels to get you back and forth.   Very easy to lose golf balls on this track, just avoid the cars.  In reality, the back nine plays above the highway and back in some canyons.  It’s beautiful!

Golf Club at Red Rock

Golf Club at Red Rock

The Golf Club at Red Rock is about 15 minutes from Rapid City, South Dakota.  With stunning red rock formation, you would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful golf course in the Black Hills.  It is a moderately difficult course with many sets of tees for all golfer abilities.  Just watch out for the red rocks or you may need to buy a new golf polo shirt.

Check out our golf trip adventure blog here.

Rocky Knolls Golf Course

Rocky Knolls Golf Course

Of all the vacation golf courses we visited Rocky Knolls Golf Course in Custer, South Dakota is definitely a favorite.  Located just a short drive from both Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, this nine hole golf course has crazy views of the Black Hills.

Southern Hills Golf Course

Southern Hills Golf Course

Wow!  There are a number of great golf courses in Western South Dakota and Hot Springs is home to something special.  The rates are very reasonable and you get a different view of the Black Hills from the south.  Lots of elevation changes and trees at this classic golf course.

 

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Our Golf Vacation to Idaho and Wyoming

For the first few days of the golf course adventure trip we played at a few golf courses in Wyoming and Idaho.  We started off with a couple of 9 hole courses before venturing over to Boise to one of the best foothills golf courses in the country.

Fossil Island Golf Course

Our first stop was at Fossil Island Golf Course in Western Wyoming.  The track challenged the bag with an island putting green on two of the nine holes.  Reasonably priced course with a very friendly staff.

Fossil Island Golf Course

Y Knot Winery Golf Course

Our next golf course stop on our epic golf adventure was a couple of courses in Idaho.  The Y Knot Winery has a great 9 hole golf course in Glenns Ferry, Idaho.  Although a very compact golf course, we made our way around quickly and enjoyed the golf course winery after.

Y Knot Winery Golf Course

Quail Hollow Golf Course

Our last stop in Idaho was at Quail Hollow Golf Course in Boise, Idaho.  Talk about a great municipal golf course!  It was slightly windy in the canyon that the course runs through, but we didn’t lose our golf hat.  We may have lost our shirt with a friendly wager, however.

Quail Hollow Golf Course

This was a great start to our golf trip adventure, but Montana really took the cake.  Read about our Montana golf course vacation trip here.

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Top 25 Golf Destinations in the United States

Old Works Golf Course

The United States has a number of golf vacations which would enchant all golf lovers. Wanted to share this list of Top 25 United States golf visits by a friend of ours. We have yet to visit all of these, but you can see our golf trip recaps on our golf vacation blog.

Here are the top 25 golf vacations:

1. Myrtle Beach

This location is referred to as the Miniature Golf Course Capitol of the world. There are about sixty accommodations, eighty-five golf courses and four golf schools in Myrtle Beach. This is one perfect place for a golf vacation for all the golf lovers. There are two alternatives for accommodation: rent a condo or check in to a hotel. One hotel that I would recommend is the Holiday Inn as it has a lovely beach front view. It has five pools and you may also get free continental breakfast. Majority of the people in the country come to this location to relax and play golf.

2. Palm Beach

Palm Beach is one of the locations that have first class golf courses like the TPC at Heron Bay and PGA National Courses. This is the location that is not only famous for golf courses but also shopping and lovely beaches. The West Palm Beach resort is the place to stay when you are in Palm Beach. The Breakers West Palm Beach golf course is well-known golf course in Palm Beach. Palm Beach is a home to an excellent art museum, Professional Golfers Associations and excellent Japanese garden.

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3. Tucson

Tucson is the 32nd largest city that is located in Arizona. Tucson is the right place for you to spend your golf vacation because it has bright sunshine and excellent golf. Playing golf in Tucson would be different because it would be a play in a desert. Some good resorts are JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa, the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, etc. Of course the most expensive of all would be the Cany Ranch Resort.

4. Traverse City

The Traverse City golf is located amidst the hill, water and woods. It is one great place to play golf. Traverse City is where many people head to when they are looking for a golf vacation as well as a place to relax. Park Place Hotel is a good place to stay when you are in Traverse City. Some excellent golf courses here are Antrim Dells Golf, High Pointe Golf Club, etc.

5. Scottsdale

There is huge number of golf courses in Arizona. Scottsdale in Arizona is one perfect place for golf vacation. It has lovely blue sky, light and mild breeze that makes Scottsdale a perfect place to play golf. Private as well as public courses are scattered around Scottsdale. Some hotels which you can check out are the Hilton Scottsdale Arizona Hotel, Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, etc.

6. San Diego

San Diego is truly one golf vacation which you should not miss. It has fifty private, fifty semi-private courses and more than fifty public courses to its name. This place is perfect for playing golf but it is not limited to golf courses only. There are other places to check out like the Seaworld, San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. There’s even a beach close by and that is the Mission Beach. The hotels you can stay at are Hilton Hotel, Park Manor Suites, etc. It is one great place to go to when vacationing with your grandchildren.

7. Saint George

The location near Las Vegas has 11 golf courses which are near to one another. Saint George has bright sunlight, blue sky and colorful settings which makes this town a perfect place for golfing. It only has one private golf course but a number of golf courses in this town have been granted esteemed awards. Crystal Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard by Marriot is few hotels which you can stay at while in this town.

Check out our visit to Idaho and Wyoming golf courses here.

8. Renditions in Davidsonville

The Renditions in Davidsonville is a very well-known Golf course because of the eighteen holes there which are the exact copy of a golf course where quite a few important championships have been held. It started in the end of the year 2001 as a public golf course. Davidsonville may only have one golf course but visiting this place is worth it. Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, Springhill Suites are few hotels which you can check in to when in Davidsonville.

9. Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen

These are the small towns that have more than forty well-known and classy golf courses. They have a perfect setting for playing golf as the sky is blue and the surrounding is colorful with a lot of greenery. This location has been renowned as a first class golf course location. The courses here are public as well as private. Some courses are part of the resorts. Whispering woods, Anderson creek, and Legacy are few well-known courses. You can stay at the Residence Inn by Marriot when you are in the area.

Pinehurst #2 is our favorite.  Grab a vintage Pinehurst golf hat here.

10. Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach in California is a place where tournament action first took place in the late 1920s. A huge number of tournaments have taken place in the golf course of Pebble Beach. The US Open has taken place in this location four times. The 18th Hole of Pebble Beach is very popular among the Golfers. Places where you can stay are The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay, etc.  Our favorite US Open was at Oakmont in 2016.

11. Palm Springs

You will find more than a hundred golf courses at Coachella Valley in Palm Springs. This location has spectacular desert landscape, low humidity and plenty of sunshine. Few well-known golf courses in Palm Springs consist of Westin Mission Hills, Tahquitz Creek, Shadow Mountain, Marriot Desert Springs, LaQuinta Resort, Landmark, Golf center at Palm Desert Cathedral Canyon, etc. L’Horizon, Villa Royale Inn, Hyatt Regency Suites are some of the hotels where you can put up your family and yourself in when you are at Palm Springs.

12. Orlando

Orlando in Florida is considered as the Golf Capital of the World. There are excellent golf courses on the suburbs of Orlando Metro region. It has approximate a hundred and fifty golf courses. This location has more to it than just golf courses. There are Sea World, Disney World, Universal Studios, EPCOT and MGM Studios in Orlando. Some popular examples are North Shore, Mission, Champions Gate, etc. The hotels where you can stay at are Marriot Orlando, Westin grand Bohemian, etc. So this is one perfect place to go to with your family.

13. Maui

Maui, an island in Hawaii is home to United States’ finest golf courses. Usually the climate there is very good but sometimes the wind blows a little hard. If you are tired from playing golf then you can relax or take a swim in the beaches in Maui. After all, Hawaii is well known for its beaches. Maui Seaside Hotel, Sunseeker Resort, etc, are places to stay at when in Maui.

14. Las Vegas

We all know Las Vegas to be a city of entertainment and gambling but not everyone knows that it is also a great place to be to play golf. There are number of courses in the city as well as on its suburbs. Most of the courses are resort or public. So a golf vacation in Las Vegas can get you all the fun that one can get as you can have lots of entertainment when in this city. Few hotels that you can book yourself in are Marriott Suites, Venetian Hotel Resort, The Mirage, etc.

15. Kiawah Island

It has been said that Kiawah Island holds some of the best golf courses in the United States. You can try out tennis, beaches, bike trails, etc when you are tired of playing golf. When in Kiawah Island, check out the designs of five contemporary golf course designers. Holiday Inn, The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island Golf and Tennis Resort are few places where you can think of staying when in Kiawah Island.  The 2012 PGA Championship took place at the Ocean Course.  We brought back a brand new 94th PGA Championship golf hat, want one?

16. Hilton Head

Hilton Head is an Island where many families go to for their vacations. It has forty golf courses and as such, you can spend your golf vacation hoping from one golf course to another. Choose from various kinds of resorts ranging from private to public, to semi-private to resort-type courses. The Beaches in Hilton Head are also very clean and safe so when you are done with golfing you can always go to the beaches. Hilton Oceanfront resort is one great place to stay at.

17. Destin

The Jewel of the Emerald Coast is the name that is given to Destin because it has water that is emerald blue in colors and lovely white sandy beaches. It was once a tiny fishing village but now it has become a well-known destination for golf, tennis and beaches. There are four excellent golf courses in the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and they are The Raven, The Links, Burnt Pine and Baytowne. You can consider staying at Days Inn or Emerald towers.

18. Dallas – Fort Worth

Here you will find golf courses that are private, semi-private and public. It is a place where you can expect finest golf courses. Apart from golf courses there are public parks and lakes, museums and different other types of entertainment. You can stay at the Crowne Plaza Suites Arlington.

19. Columbus, Ohio

There are more that 80 public golf courses and 35 private courses in Columbus. According to the Golf Digest in the year 1993, EagleSticks Championship 18 holes course was the top public golf course in Ohio. When in Columbus you can stay at Hyatt Regency, Crowne Plaza Hotel or Hampton Inn and Suites.

20. Colorado Springs

Apart from the Seven Falls, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Garden of Gods, Colorado Springs is also famous for its golf courses. It does not have many golf courses but still, it’s the quality that counts and not the quantity. The scenery in Colorado Springs is excellent and the beauty is there is natural and not artificial. You can stay at The Broadmoor Hotel or Sheraton Colorado Springs Hotel.  Colorado is great, also view our golf travel blog trip to Montana.

21. Coeur d’Alene

It is a town which is considered as the promising location for golf courses. Accommodation at any of the four well-known and excellent resorts would be worth it: Coeur d’Alene Resort, Stoneridge in Blanchard, Hidden Lakes in Sandpoint and Highlands in neighboring Post Falls. The magnificent Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course has been built near the lake, creek and hills. There are lovely lowers, fairways and greenery here. It is one great place to relax too.

22. Chicago

On the suburbs of Chicago there are more than a hundred and ten golf courses. There are also a huge number of championship courses that have 36 or more holes. After playing golf there are other forms of entertainment as the city of Chicago has a huge number of entertainments. The Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites or Hilton Garden Inn are places to stay in if you happen to be on a golf vacation in Chicago.

23. Austin

Apart from being the Live Music Capital of the world, Austin is also one great place to go for a golf vacation. You will find four excellent award winning courses in Austin at the Bartin Creek Golf Resort. These courses are the traditional Crenshar Cliffside, the lovely Palmer lakeside, the latest Fazio Canyons and the high-ranking Fazio Foothills. As for the accommodation, you can stay at Omni Hotel, the Driskill Hotel or the Intercontinental Stephen F Austin Hotel.

24. Augusta

This is one town that will give golfers the feel of pro golf legends and pro golf. Here there are public as well as private golf courses. You can stay at the Marriot Augusta Hotel, Ramada inn and Convention Center or Country Inn and Suites.

25. Atlanta

You will find a huge number of excellent golf courses in Atlanta. Apart from golf there are water parks, theme parks and various historical places.

Swati Banerjee is the owner of Writing Ink that services clients from across the globe. Please take a minute to visit [http://www.writing-ink.com] to experience how the bright young minds here make magic with words!

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A Bucket List Golfing Experience

Andalucia Golf

Golf is a sport that is not only enjoyable, but that is – as most people who have been bitten by the golfing bug will attest to – also rather addictive. Whether you are a regular club player who can’t let a weekend go by without hitting the greens or whether you only manage to get out to enjoy the sport a few times a year, you probably have a bucket list when it comes to different courses around the world.

Check out our golf trip blog here.

Fortunately golf is an international game, and courses have been designed and created in countries all over, with many of them lending themselves perfectly to golf holidays. Spain has several excellent golf clubs, and although many of them may not be as historically intriguing as St Andrew’s in Scotland, for example, or as spectacular as Thracian Cliffs’ stunning scenery, there are some that deserve a second look when you are putting that bucket list together.

One of Europe’s most prestigious golfing experiences has got to be Valderrama in Spain’s Andalucía, which many consider to be one of the finest courses in the world, making it very worthy of a place on any avid golfer’s ‘must play before I die’ list.

History of Valderrama

This high-quality, beautifully conditioned and cleverly designed course wasn’t always the classy collection of holes, greens and fairways it is today. Despite being brought to fruition in 1974 by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the initial course was drastically changed in 1984 when the new owner, Jaime Ortiz Patiño, bought the club and invested generously in its redevelopment, to which he entrusted the original designer.

Now referred to as “The Augusta of Europe”, the club attracts players from all over, many of whom stay in the area on golf holidays. Spain’s Ortiz Patiño devoted time, money and energy into the course, and it shows. In just a few years, the place became the Number 1 Golf Course in mainland Europe, and has held this accolade since. Today it is regarded as one of the top 50 in the world, and that is why there are several specialist companies today that are proud to be using it as the highlight of golf holidays.

Spain’s Valderrama’s Facts and Stats

If you need evidence that a course is worthy of its reputation, take a look at the tournaments it has hosted and you will get an idea of how important it is on the world golfing stage. In 1997, the Ryder Cup was played here, and the Europeans beat the USA by one point, with Seve Ballesteros as Captain of Team Europe. As host to the Volvo Masters from 1988 to 1996 and to the finals of the World Golf Championships in 1999 and 2000, Valderrama’s value and excellence is already affirmed among golfing fans.

If name-dropping tournaments isn’t enough, you might be impressed to discover that none other that His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain visited the club in 2014, elevating its status even more.

This wonderful course has a par of 71, along with fairways that allow the 24-handicap man and 32-handicap lady to play it and enjoy every part of it just as much as the professionals do.

What more could you want from a brilliant course and one that is frequented by plenty of players on different golf holidays? Spain’s Valderrama is a fabulous course to play on, and the reception that you receive is second to none. Bear in mind, however, that you may not play to your handicap; it is a tough challenge!

Author

Steve Frewin is the Managing Director of A Golfing Experience, a company with more than 29 years experience organising bespoke golf holidays and escapes throughout Europe for individuals, societies and groups. If you’re looking for truly great golf holidays, Spain is one of our top destinations. We also operate in all the other major European golf destinations and, if you’d like to explore options further afield, we can arrange holidays to the world’s greatest golf courses in The Caribbean, Mauritius, Bermuda and USA.