The Open champions take center stage on this edition of Best Lessons Ever. Learn from the biggest names in The Open history including Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Gary Player, and Tom Watson.
If you travel just North of Bandon Dunes you will reach the mystical land of the Sheep Ranch. Matt Ginella takes you on an exclusive look with Phil Friedmann, co-owner of Sheep Ranch.
The Open champions take center stage on this edition of Best Lessons Ever. Learn from the biggest names in The Open history including Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Gary Player, and Tom Watson.
How do you move beyond the chatter and noise inside your head during a round of golf? Cameron McCormick gives you three keys to get out of your own way in Hole 8 of Breaking Par.
Feherty travels to Houston, Texas, to meet 2-time major champion Jackie Burke, Jr. At 94-years-old, Mr. Burke gives Feherty the lay of the land and even a lesson at Champions Golf Club.
Martin Hall demonstrates the effects of the ball being above your feet with a lofted club. What changes do you need to make to hit it close from a lie where the ball is above your feet?
When you get a bad lie, you need to change your setup. Martin shows you how to approach hitting your ball when it's in a divot, which requires you to make the divot even bigger!
Where you tee the ball matters. Every golfer has tendencies when they strike the ball, so depending on whether you usually fade or draw, Martin offers tips on where you should place it in the tee box.
Located in the West Valley near Phoenix-Scottsdale is one of Arizona's most historic golf resorts, Wigwam. Set on 440 acres, this village-style resort features three 18-hole golf courses, including two designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., most notably the famous Gold Course. The resort features 331 casitas and suites with large private patios and…
CordeValle lies hidden in the hilly countryside south of Silicon Valley. When guests aren't relaxing in their bungalows or villas, they're playing golf on a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design that has hosted the PGA Tour, swimming, hiking, playing tennis, dining in one of multiple restaurants or enjoying the Sense spa. The Clos LaChance winery is an…
Scottsdale's Orange Tree Resort provides condominium-style accommodations geared for families and groups. It is also home to its own 18-hole parkland golf course, Orange Tree Golf Club. The resort features 160 large suites with patios or terraces and barbecue pits, multiple pools and hot tubs, badminton courts, horseshoe pits and a community…
Historic JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn dates back to 1936 and is set on 125 acres at the base of Camelback Mountain. This 425-room and suite property in a pueblo-style features a spa, tennis courts, heated outdoor pools, garden terraces and desert hiking trails. Camelback Golf Club features two 18-hole courses, the Padre (designed by Arthur…
Pine Dunes Resort & Golf Club is located in Frankston, about a 40-minute drive south of Tyler in East Texas. The Jay and Carter Morrish design opened in 2001, and it has become known as one of the better "hidden gem" golf getaways in the south, featuring a secluded sandy and forested setting. Accommodations here are onside two-bedroom condos…
The Desert Oasis by Welk Resorts capitalizes on year-round sunshine with pools (an adult-only lap pool and resort pool) and the adjacent Cathedral Canyon Golf and Tennis Club. The one-bedroom villas come with a sleeper sofa for a family of four and a patio/balcony. A fitness center, activities center for kids and spa all impress. The course…
Located just north of downtown San Antonio off the Highway 1604 loop is the La Cantera Resort, home to The Resort Course, designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf. It is a former host of the PGA Tour's Texas Open, featuring incredible elevation changes and sweeping views of San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country. La Cantera Resort features…
The Inn at Eagle Mountain is a small, 37-suite boutique hotel in Fountain Hills, set in the East Valley of Phoenix-Scottsdale. This property is located adjacent to Eagle Mountain Golf Club, a Scott Miller-designed golf course that opened in 1996. There are three suite types, but each features a small fireplace with sitting area, patio or balcony…
Tucked into the Carmel Valley, the charming Quail Lodge & Golf Club is a maze of covered outdoor walkways, all beautifully landscaped with flowers, that leads to 93 guestrooms, a nine-hole putting course, bocce ball, tennis and pickleball courts and a heated swimming pool. Its scenic course, redesigned by Todd Echenrode in 2015, is a short walk up…
The Rancho Bernardo Inn takes pride in its golf, spa facilities, service and exceptional cuisine. The 265-acre resort features 287 guestrooms, three pools, a top spa and wellness center, multiple restaurants and spacious meeting and event facilities. The course has hosted both the LPGA and PGA Tour.
Near downtown Scottsdale, The Phoenician, A Luxury Collection Resort, is a five-star golf resort that underwent significant renovations in 2017-2018. This large resort features over 600 guest rooms and also includes a fractional ownership program. Guest rooms are 600 square feet and suites are one or two-bedrooms starting at 1,200 square feet.…
The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage features stunning Coachella Valley views throughout the property. Luxury exudes from the Edge Steakhouse to the holistic spa and comfortable rooms. Two swimming pools and a fitness center are part of the amenities. Golfers can take advantage of access to the Ted Robinson designs at the JW Marriott Desert Springs…
Flying L Guest Ranch is a family-friendly getaway full of outdoor activities located northwest of San Antonio. The former dude ranch has a long aviation history, purchased by Colonel John H. Lapham from Polish settlers, and the resort's opening was featured in Life Magazine. Today, highlights of this sprawling, family-owned property are the many…
In the East Valley of Phoenix-Scottsdale, We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, located on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation tribal land, features 246 guest rooms adjacent to We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, one of the best 36-hole golf clubs in Arizona. The resort features a large conference center and casino with live table games, plus an outdoor pool, fitness center and…
The former Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort was rebranded and renamed The Oasis at Death Valley after $100 million was pumped into the historic desert outpost located in the Death Valley National Park in 2018. The property includes a luxurious 66-room inn and the more family-friendly 224-room ranch adjacent to the the Furnace Creek golf course a…
One of the most remarkable Texas golf properties can be found, way, way west, in the border town of Lajitas and Big Bend National Park. Lajitas Golf Resort features a breathtaking 18-hole golf course, Black Jack's Crossing, overlooking the Rio Grande River bordering Mexico. This old-west outpost, which earned fame in the 1980s for electing to…
The Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, inspired by a Spanish colonial hacienda, indulges guests with 49 private casitas with private patios and fireplaces. The Forbes five-star resort and spa aims to rejuvenate with wellness, fitness and pampering. Two signature restaurants, Veladora and The Pony Room, serve distinctive Coastal Ranch cuisines. Tennis…
The 54-room Inn at Pasatiempo sits just outside the gatehouse of the Pasatiempo Golf Club, the famous Dr. Alister MacKenzie design, and four miles from the boardwalk and beaches of Santa Cruz. A heated pool is onsite. The Back Nine Grill and Bar also delivers room service. Packages for ziplining, golf and whale watching are available.
The new 42-room lodge at Nakoma Resort is complemented by Altitude, a 12,000-square-foot recreation center with a teen game room, bar, small gym with a climbing wall, a children's center, fitness room, 24-seat movie theater and outdoor lap pool and jacuzzi. It's open to lodge guests and residents of the still developing golf community. The…
Omni Tucson National Resort is one of Arizona's most historic golf resorts, having formerly hosted the PGA Tour. The resort has just 128 guest rooms and suites, making it a more boutique experience compared to some of the larger Tucson golf resorts. There are two very different, 18-hole golf courses onsite. The original Catalina Course opened in…
Edinburgh is Scotland's compact, hilly capital. It has a medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town with gardens and neoclassical buildings. Looming over the city is Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland’s crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish rulers. Arthur’s Seat is an imposing peak in Holyrood Park with sweeping views, and Calton Hill is topped with monuments and memorials.
Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland's western Lowlands. It's famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city's 18th–20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it's a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland, as well as acclaimed museums and a thriving music scene.
Cardiff is a port city on the south coast of Wales, where the River Taff meets the Severn Estuary. It was proclaimed the nation’s capital in 1955. The revitalized waterfront at Cardiff Bay includes the Wales Millennium Centre, home of the national opera, orchestra, theater and dance companies, plus shops at Mermaid Quay. Architect Richard Rogers’ strikingly modern Senedd building houses the Welsh National Assembly.
Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its historic buildings include Dublin Castle, dating to the 13th century, and imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. City parks include landscaped St Stephen’s Green and huge Phoenix Park, containing Dublin Zoo. The National Museum of Ireland explores Irish heritage and culture.
Belfast is Northern Ireland’s capital. It was the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, which famously struck an iceberg and sunk in 1912. This legacy is recalled in the renovated dockyards' Titanic Quarter, which includes the Titanic Belfast, an aluminium-clad museum reminiscent of a ship’s hull, as well as shipbuilder Harland & Wolff’s Drawing Offices and the Titanic Slipways, which now host open-air concerts.
Gulf Shores is a city on Alabama's Gulf Coast. Its Gulf State Park has beaches, trails and a pier, plus a golf course and a zip line over the dunes. To the west, sea turtles and migratory birds thrive among the coastal habitats of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Farther west, 19th-century Fort Morgan guards Mobile Bay. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo offers hands-on encounters with lemurs, kangaroos and sloths.
Michigan's state capital, Lansing is an excellent golf town and especially for public golf. Bordered by East Lansing, the home of Michigan State University, it is a festive metro area of just under 500,000 residents and 51 courses within 30 miles.
Oahu is the most populated Hawaiian Island, and the most popular one for tourists visiting the 50th state. Honolulu is a hub of commerce in the middle of the Pacific. Snarling traffic can clog up the highways surrounding the city, just like tourists crowd the famed Waikiki Beach. There’s much to see and do on the island beyond downtown – hiking Diamond Head, surfing the north shore, paying tribute to fallen heroes at Pearl Harbor. That includes playing golf.
It's pretty difficult to visit Green Bay and not notice that it's the home of the Packers. The "cheeseheads" are pretty rabid about the fan-owned team founded in 1919 that has more championships than any team in the NFL. Not bad for a city of just over 100,000 residents, the smallest to host an NFL team. But there's much more than football in this city that has long been a seat of Great Lakes shipping and paper mills. Fox River runs through downtown and empties into Green Bay, an ideal place from which to pull bass, whitefish and muskie. Other draws include Oneida Bingo and Casino, the National Railroad Museum with 70 locomotives and railcars on display, and the NEW Zoo. Close to town are several golf courses, most which have a supper club or restaurant attached. Plan your Friday round so you can finish in time for the weekly fish fry. Courses range from Royal Scot Golf Course, which claims to have the best conditioned greens in the area, to Royal St. Patrick's Golf Course that says "you deserve this golf" on its 500-acre British-style course that opened in 2003. Don't overlook Brown County Golf Course, a feisty muni set in woodlands with water hazards on 10 holes, some narrow fairways and quick greens. The Oneida Legends course at Thornberry Creek has 72 sand bunkers and 11 water hazards to pose many risk-reward choices. The city's northern position lends itself to a lot of daylight on summer days, so you can "pack" in a lot, maybe even a couple of rounds. Summer afternoons occasionally get a little steamy, but more often than not, the temperatures are comfortable. But to say you've been to Green Bay, even on a golf trip, you have to visit the Packer Hall of Fame where you can see tributes to legendary coach Vince Lombardi, team founders Curly Lambeau and George Calhoun, and franchise quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Peek into the outdoor Lambeau Field, named twice by Sports Illustrated as the "best stadium experience" and known for hosting a few playoff games in blizzard-like conditions. But you can only dream about having season tickets. The waiting list has 80,000 names on it. Wrap up your day with a meal at one of Green Bay's many landmark restaurants, from the four stages of chili at Chili John's that opened in 1913 to the anything-but-a-burger-and-a-beer Hinterland Brewery and Restaurant. Its upscale menu features marinated pheasant goat cheese pound cake, all enjoyed with the sounds of jazz drifting from the upstairs jazz bar. Kroll's (East or West) has been around since in the 1930s and is on the dining map for its broasted chicken. Of course, it is northern Wisconsin, so there are plenty of pubs, brewhouses and dive bars to cap your evening, too. Oh, and if just for the night, we suggest you claim to be a Packers fan.
Lake Geneva is less than 90 minutes from Chicago and even closer to Milwaukee, but it's a world away. The 9-mile-long lake is surrounded by a historic town, some of the best golf courses in Wisconsin, a four-star resort that began as a Playboy Club resort, and a string of enormous summer mansions built ín the 1800s by Americas most famous industrialists.
Golfers have long seen Milwaukee as little more than a waypoint between home and Destination Kohler, the legendary modern golf resort an hour north of town that is home to Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits. But Cream City is more than just a travel hub. With a metro-area population of more than 1.5 million, it is a vibrant city with plenty to do both on and off the course.
Considered one of the country's prettiest capital cities, Madison, Wisconsin weaves around five lakes circled by miles of bike paths, parks and waterfront restaurants. Providing plenty of reasons for a golf trip are the city's four municipal courses and the renown collegiate course, University Ridge, the Robert Trent Jones II design that is home of the University of Wisconsin Badgers.
The newest university course to open, the latest on two new projects in California, the status of golf in Cabo and a new member-for-a-day auction offering private clubs access.
Imagine the plains as they once were when American settlers drove through riding wagon trains. There are large stretches of the drive to The Prairie Club in Nebraska that still look and feel the same. Sometimes, it's not the destination but the journey that makes a trip memorable. The Prairie Club delivers on both accounts, Jason Deegan writes.
GolfTEC, a company that began in 1995 under the name Driving Obsession, has made a profound impact in a short amount of time, blossoming into the worldwide leader in lessons given and the top employer of PGA Professionals. Plans call for another 25 GolfTECs to open in the next year with long-term goals of moving into China, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Hitting the fairway isn't just the recommended way to play the Coyote Creek Golf Club -- a fine city-owned municipal course northeast of Denver -- it's the only way. The rough feels more than lush. It will turn your game to mush. It plays like U.S. Open rough for amateurs. Unless your ball is sitting up, don't bother pulling any club shorter than a 7-iron. The grass will twist the clubface and send the ball shooting in any direction.
Award-winning Devil's Thumb Golf Club in Delta, Colorado was built on an ashen clay backdrop -- a stark contrast from the mountain, coniferous golf you find on the I-70 golf corridor in places like Keystone, Breckenridge or Silverthorne. Devil's Thumb is bizarrely beautiful, with solitude and pure boondocks golf, David R. Holland writes.
Attracting more Americans than any other Irish golf club, Ballybunion has mastered the art of making overseas visitors feel welcome and providing them with first-class facilities. And the club has accomplished this without sacrificing any of the charm, warmth and friendliness that makes golfing in Ireland such a treat. But what puts Ballybunion right on the top of most discerning golfer's wish list are the two spectacular courses, the Old and the Cashen.
Montrose, Colorado is a secret gem of the Rocky Mountains, and The Bridges Golf & Country Club is its signature golf experience. The Jack Nicklaus design opened in 2005 and is full of diverse and interesting holes that are challenging yet fair. David R. Holland has more on The Bridges in this course review.
Black Mesa Golf Club is a stunning golf course laid out among natural red rocky terrain surrounded by mountains in northern New Mexico. The state has some pretty good golf, but nobody would bat an eye if you told them you thought Black Mesa was the best golf club in New Mexico. In every sense, it is a truly memorable golf experience.
King's North, the signature of the three designs at Myrtle Beach National, has long been considered one of the Grand Strand's best golf courses. The biggest challenge over the past 25 years has been the greens, but King's North reopened in September 2012 with new ones. Mike Bailey has more from South Carolina's Lowcountry.
The first thing you notice about Jacksonville Beach Golf Club is how many people are walking the course. They do this mostly because it's not that difficult. The combination of timing and limited land has led to a course that's easy to walk. But while that might be the case, it's anything but easy, especially for those who like to try to overpower a golf course.
Not all links courses in Scotland are hopelessly penal, and some of them can be downright friendly if the winds happen to lie down. An excellent case in point is Castle Stuart Golf Links in Inverness. It is a great place to ease into links golf while at the same time following in the spike marks of the world's greatest golfers.
The nationwide explosion of casino gambling has fueled an interesting side effect -- a nationwide explosion of casino golf courses, often of better quality and at lower prices than their non-casino peers. When it comes to casino golf courses, Vegas is still king. But the rest of the Southwest is no slouch, especially Arizona and New Mexico, packed with world-class golf courses -- most of them dramatic desert layouts -- and urban appeal.
Golfers who appreciate classic "Golden Age" architecture must seek out the Old Course at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, roughly two hours east of Pittsburgh.
Queensland is often called Australia's "Vacation State," where residents from other parts of the country come for holiday and visitors from around the world come to visit such sights as the Great Barrier Reef. There is a lot to discover both on and off the golf course in Queensland. Here are a handful of Brandon Tucker's favorite shots from a recent week spent there.
Fully recovered from a brief closure several years ago, the John Harbottle III/Johnny Miller-designed Ranch Course at Genoa Lakes G.C. splashes water in your face, then climbs to dizzying heights, all with 300 feet of elevation change in between.
If you plopped Lick Creek Golf Course into a major metropolitan area, it could be a hoity-toity private club. But be grateful that it is not, because the muni atmosphere only adds to the fun of this course located in Pekin, just outside Peoria.
Even though there's no regulation-length golf course on property, the Fairmont Southampton resort in Bermuda is a perfect golfer's getaway. The spacious resort features comfortable rooms and all sorts of resort amenities to enjoy off the course. The pink hotel sits on a hillside overlooking the south shore of the island.
With Clear Creek Tahoe, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw delivered an alpine golf course that can be walked. Majestic evergreens line the fairways of the subtly rolling land.
Located just beyond the famous Las Vegas Strip, TPC Las Vegas is a secluded golf course that is not only scenic but also challenging. The layout, especially the back nine, is a true test of your shot-making abilities. Here's a closer look at TPC Las Vegas.
Elevated tees, narrow ribbons of fairways and hardly a flat lie await golfers who take on the 8,000-yard beast that is the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in Indiana.
Also known as "The Hills," Mission Inn Resort and Club's Las Colinas Course was designed by former PGA Tour player Gary Koch. Opened in 1992, the course contrasts with the resort's other course, El Campeon, which is actually hillier and opened in 1917. Las Colinas has six sets of tees and measures 7,230 yards from the tips. Spread out through a development, the course features large greens, plenty of water and sand, and thick trees guarding many of the fairways.
Dating back to 1968, today's Grand Geneva Resort and Spa is family friendly and quite diverse. Golf remains central to the resort's amenities, which include horseback riding, zip-lining, mountain biking, tennis, swimming, skiing, snowmobiling, fine dining, and the luxuriousness of the WELL spa. Kiel Christianson offers a look at Grand Geneva's Brute and Highlands golf courses.
The TPC Scottsdale Champions course plays plenty challenging for tour pros and aspiring area golfers, playing as a par-71 to more than 7,100 yards from the championship tees and three forward sets. There are plenty of risk-reward moments throughout the design, such as a split fairway par-4 fifth hole and a drivable par-4 15th on the back nine. Brandon Tucker has more in this photo gallery.
Situated in the scenic, rolling hills of the far northwest corner of Illinois, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa is unique both as a golf resort and as a vacation spot -- there is simply nothing else like it in the state.
The nine-hole Sharkbite Course at Lansdowne Resort and Spa near Washington D.C. is perfect for every level of golfer who wants to get in a premium golf experience in less than two hours.
Located just outside of Malaysia's largest city, Kuala Lumpur, Saujana Golf & Country Club is home to two of the country's best golf courses: The Palm and the Bunga Raya. And while the Palm course is a host to the European Tour's Maybank Malaysian Open, the Bunga Raya remains a very worthy follow-up.
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