Is there anything more exciting than planning that special golf trip you’ve always wanted to take? Well, besides actually taking the trip, we mean. Whether it’s a group getaway with best friends, a family vacation or even a business trip with a day or two built in for personal recreation, there’s not much that sparks the imagination more than mapping out the details to visit a primo golf destination.
Almost every golfer has a Bucket List of places they want to visit and courses they want to play. Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterrey, Calif., long has been the standard for golfers’ vacation daydreams. For good reason, too. It’s one of the most famous courses in the world, for starters, and one that offers jaw-dropping views and scenery, as well as historically memorable holes. People who have been there often say it’s the only course in the world where a six-hour round isn’t a bad thing. It’s so beautiful and thrilling you just don’t want the day to end.
In the past 15 years or so, Bandon Dunes Resort in coastal Oregon has become another Bucket List staple. With four award-winning courses set against the Pacific Ocean’s rugged coastline, Bandon Dunes has established itself as one of the best golf resorts in the world. It’s truly a golf purist’s haven. There are no carts – everybody walks – and the predominantly links-style courses are as authentic as anything you’ll find in the United Kingdom.
Now that spring has arrived in Texas – and golf fever rises in step with the temperatures – it’s a good time to start thinking about your summer vacation. If this is the year you’ve decided to cross off one of those Bucket List courses, now is the perfect opportunity to consider a trip to Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Whistling Straits or a number of other worthy golf meccas. In the next several pages, we’ve presented an array of exciting possibilities. The lineup includes several usual suspects and some lesser-known, yet oh-so-worthy spots for your consideration.
Finally, we cap off our travel section with a story for those who plan to work in some new golf experiences here at home. Our “Road Tripping, Texas-Style” piece takes you across the state via two-lane highways with stops in smaller markets that have entertaining attractions, as well as can’t-miss golf courses.
Buckle up, and enjoy the ride!
