After more than 30 years of writing about golf and visiting over 200 courses, I have a favorite. Cypress Point Club and Spyglass Hill are both beautiful courses in California. Cabo del Sol and Omni’s Grove Park Inn have some of the most beautiful courses I’ve ever seen. I saw it.
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A great golf course is like a classic piece of sculpture, except that its medium is the earth itself, not just marble or a block of wet clay.
Considering the economic impact of the U.S. golf industry is in the billions of dollars and has reportedly grown 63% over the past 20 years, it’s no wonder there are so many courses to choose from.
I’ve been writing about golf and travel for over 30 years, and I’ve played hundreds of those green jigsaw puzzles. The best architects use the natural flow of the land and native trees and grasses to create routes that are both fair and challenging.
It’s hard to narrow down a favorite course, but these courses stand out for their beauty and enduring appeal to golfers of all levels.
Here are eight of my favorite golf courses.
I’ll never forget Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, California
Cypress Point Club is located on the water. David Madison/Getty Images
I was lucky enough to play golf on an Alistair Mackenzie-designed course during my four years at the University of Michigan. I never thought I’d one day explore the golf course architect’s crowning achievement: Cypress Point Club.
Located along the Pacific Ocean in Pebble Beach, California, it is a beautiful and very exclusive location, with only about 250 CEOs and other elite members as members.
The legendary 16th hole, a par 3 with a daunting tee shot over crashing waves and craggy rocks, will forever live in my heart.
The nearby Spyglass Hill is also amazing
Just below the shores of Cypress Point sits Spyglass Hill, a classic design by Robert Trent Jones Sr., along the Pacific Ocean.
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Given its prime location along Carmel-by-the-Sea and its enduring popularity among golfers, it’s well worth the hefty greens fee (approximately $415).
Spyglass is a three-layered confection. You will climb up and down through dense pine forests and harsh sand dunes, and even have a momentary encounter with the sea.
Northern Michigan’s Forest Dunes Golf Club is one of the Mitten State’s best kept secrets.
Forest Dunes Golf Club has trees, water, and greenery. Evan Schiller
To establish Forest Dunes Golf Club, professional golfer Tom Weiskopf routed 18 holes through sand dunes covered with fragrant pines in the middle of a Michigan farm.
Forest Dunes alone is worth the trek to Roscommon, Michigan. Also, be sure to play its inventive companion course, The Loop.
Tom Doak’s unusual “reversible” design, The Loop features two different 18-hole layouts on the same globe. Play one way on Monday and enjoy a completely different route on Tuesday.
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is located on Oregon’s pristine and spectacular coastline.
Modern golf fans can’t help but admire Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The resort features seven different courses on 2,500 acres of water.
The resort’s first course, named Bandon Dunes, was designed by architect David Macrae Kidd and was an ancient Scottish links course set in a grassy natural area, usually between sea and land. Designed with inspiration from. The course pays homage to his Scottish heritage, with gusty winds and panoramic views across the property.
It’s quite large, so plan on staying at the resort for a week and booking a foot massage when you get back. By the last great hole, you might be able to log 40 miles on your feet.
Gamble Sands in remote Brewster, Washington is a must-see destination
Golfers of all skill levels can enjoy Gamble Sands’ spacious fairways as well as spacious greens. Nothing beats three driveable par 4s overlooking the Columbia River.
You can also stay on-site and play Quicksands, a short 14-hole course, for entertainment between meals.
Additionally, a second Kidd-designed 18-hole course is scheduled to debut here in 2025.
Scottsdale has some of the best courses in Arizona
Some of Arizona’s trails offer spectacular views. Chris Coduto/Getty Images
With more than 200 golf courses, Scottsdale, Arizona is the perfect winter vacation destination for snowbirds from all over the world.
Perhaps the wealthiest people call Desert Mountain, a private, gated community, their second home.
There are six Jack Nicklaus courses on site. The very first Renegade is considered one of his most original designs.
Featuring six double greens and seven tee boxes, it plays from 4,400 yards to more than 8,000 yards and offers picturesque views of the Sonoran Desert sunset.
Omni’s Grove Park Inn course is still popular after 100 years
Omni Grove Park Inn has been around for quite some time. Presented by Omni Grove Park Inn
The Carolinas are known for playing great golf. North Carolina naturally boasts the famous Pinehurst No. 2 course, but don’t miss Omni’s Grove Park Inn course in Asheville.
Surrounded by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, this course is more than a century old and was originally designed by famed architect Donald Ross.
The adjacent Grove Park Inn, with its 43,000 square foot underground spa, is also worth a visit. This historic resort has hosted countless golf legends, including Barack Obama and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Cabo del Sol ranks among the best resorts in Mexico, but it also offers great golf.
Mexico has seen an explosion of new golf courses over the past decade, but Tom Weiskopf’s Cabo del Sol layout in Los Cabos has been a top favorite for more than two decades.
The scenery alone is worth admiring. The sparkling Sea of Cortez is visible from all 18 holes as the course winds through desert washes and sandy beaches.
The course is also undergoing a $20 million renovation, including several stunning new holes and a stylish clubhouse. When you visit, don’t leave without trying the local sea bass tacos.
