The arrival of spring has signified a return to the golf course for many across the Chicago District. While some die-hard golfers have already scheduled out their next golf trip, picking up a club for the first time in 2026 may scratch the itch to get something on the calendar. Back at the 2026 Chicago Golf Show®, CDGATV sat down with two of the Association’s partners - Traverse City and Alabama Tourism - to discuss the appeal of the lesser-known, but equally robust, locales.
Traverse City, Michigan
Travel Time - Five-hour drive from Downtown Chicago
The closest of the options, Traverse City sits atop the “pinky finger” region of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The Cherry Capital of the World offers striking water views of Lake Michigan, along with a growing food and craft beverage scene and a host of golf resorts. Crystal Mountain, a ski resort during the winter months, features 36 holes - the Mountain Ridge and Betsie Valley Courses - with significant elevation changes and forgiving fairways. The Grand Traverse Resort & Spa is a family-focused destination boasting three golf courses - The Bear, designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Wolverine, laid out by Gary Player, and Spruce Run, which overlooks the Grand Traverse Bay. Further North lies A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort, with 72 holes well worth a Stay & Play package. To learn more about the region, click the button below or watch the video below for an interview with Trevor Tkach of Traverse City Tourism.
The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
Travel Time - Two-Hour Flight from O’Hare to Birmingham, Alabama
Those familiar with golf architecture will surely recognize the name Robert Trent Jones Sr. The prolific designer worked on courses across the country and abroad, but today might be more well-known for his work in the state of Alabama. When the state looked to diversify the assets of its pension fund to help itself economically, as well as promote tourism, Jones Sr. was brought in to help with designs in 1993. The largest golf construction project ever at the time, seven original locations have blossomed into 11 sites with more than 25 golf courses across the state to make up the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Through its partnership with the CDGA, the Association recently ventured on a Member Trip to the Trail earlier this month, centered around the Birmingham area. Although that trip has come and gone, CDGA members can build their own experience by clicking the button below or learning more from Alabama Tourism’s Pam Shaheen.