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Picking the right summer vacation is tough for golfers, especially those with young families.
Do you have enough time off, and enough of a wallet, to pull off a golf vacation and a family vacation at separate times, or will you need to combine the two?
Some of the best golf resorts in America do cater to families, but not all of them. Do they have a pool or a beach for children to swim? Is there a nice spa to let your spouse relax, while the kids are terrorizing the employees running the childcare program? These are the key questions you need to answer before booking.
For this story on 10 great summer golf resorts, we decided to selfishly skew more toward the needs of golfers. We didn't worry which resort had the coolest pools or best beach. We could have considered year-round resorts like Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia or Pebble Beach in California, but we wanted to spotlight the resorts where summer is their peak season. Only the resorts with at least two full-size courses were considered.
The good news is most of these selections will make everyone happy, no matter their age or interest in golf. Be sure to click on our resort guide page to learn more about each property.
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The American Club - Kohler, Wisc.
The par-5 eighth hole on the Straits course at Whistling Straits runs along Lake Michigan. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass What more praise can we heap upon The American Club and Destination Kohler? It's home to the only five-star golf accommodations and spa in the Midwest. The Blackwolf Run complex, featuring two tough courses plus a short course, would be the star at any other property, except that Whistling Straits boastas two linksy courses right on Lake Michigan, plus the pedigree of hosting a Ryder Cup and three PGA Championships. Families feel welcome, too.
![Meadow Valleys @ Blackwolf Run: #14]()
The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin, is the Midwest’s premier luxury golf resort. It has hosted multiple PGA Championships, U.S. Women’s Opens and the 2021 Ryder Cup. Owner Herb Kohler hired Pete Dye to design four challenging and beautiful courses, two at Blackwolf Run and two linksy layouts at Whistling Straits. The American Club, built in…What multi-course resort have you visited in summer that blew your family or foursome away? Let us know in the comments below.
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Boyne Golf - Northern Michigan
![Teeing on 13th on Hills at Boyne Highlands]()
There are many elevated tees in Northern Michigan, but none more spectacular than the 13th on the Hills Course at The Highlands at Harbor Springs. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor Boyne isn't a single resort. It's three multi-course resorts you can choose from within an hour of one another just north of the aforementioned Traverse City. Golfers flock to the 72-hole The Highlands at Harbor Springs, while families have the indoor water park at the 36-hole Boyne Mountain in Boyne City to enjoy. The Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey serves up luxury right on Lake Michigan, featuring 27 dramatic holes along the coast, roaming through forest and snaking through an old quarry, plus Crooked Tree across the street.
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Sand Valley Golf Resort - Nekoosa, Wisc.
Sand Valley's par-5 7th rolls downhill to a perfectly situated green. Tim Gavrich/GolfPass Sand Valley has grown from nothing into something in a hurry since its first Coore & Crenshaw opened in 2017, followed by Mammoth Dunes and the short course Sandbox. Coming soon are The Lido and Sedge Valley. Although Sand Valley doesn't attract many families, there are 15 grass tennis courts, hiking trails, three lakes for fishing, bocce and a 24-hour fitness center.
![Sand Valley Golf Resort: #12]()
Sand Valley has burst onto the Midwest scene in short order, becoming Mike Keiser's inland answer to Bandon Dunes. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw built the original Sand Valley course in 2017 and followed up in 2018 with the Sandbox, a 17-hole short course. Later in summer 2018, David McLay Kidd's Mammoth Dunes became a favorite of many, riding a… -
Sunriver Resort - Bend, Ore.
No. 45: In central Oregon, The Crosswater Course at Sunriver was designed by the late Bob Cupp. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor With a dry summer climate, Bend's high desert has matured into one of the West Coast's hottest tourist destinations. Golfers can leave their families behind at Sunriver Resort and never worry about anybody not having fun. The Cove pool is a popular spot. The Crosswater Course, a former PGA Tour Champions venue designed by Bob Cupp, is the headliner, complimented by the Meadows and Woodlands courses, plus a nine-hole executive course, the Caldera Links. Tubing or whitewater rafting down the Deuschutes River lets visitors cool off. Bend's many breweries help, too.
Located in Central Oregon, Sunriver Resort, a Destination Hotels property, is one of Oregon's largest golf resorts in the summertime. The 3,300-acre community and resort development is located 15 miles south of Bend, Oregon. Accommodations include 212 Lodge Village guest rooms and suites, 33 spacious River Lodge guest rooms and a wide array of… -
The Greenbrier - White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
The 14th at The Old White TPC, "Narrows", is one of the most heavily-bunkered holes on the course. Tim Gavrich/GolfPass The Greenbrier is one of golf's iconic places. Presidents and celebrities have graced its fairways and hallways for more than two centuries (since 1778). Every guest will find something worth exploring from the more than 50 activities offered by the resort, including gambling in an underground casino and entertainment venue. Golfers can tee it up at the Old White (a former Tour venue), The Meadows Course, The Greenbrier Course (a former Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup venue that's now nine holes) and the 9-hole Ashford Short Course.
The Greenbrier, a National Historic Landmark in West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, is an American classic that's been serving guest since 1778. The 11,000-acre property has hosted generations of guests, including 27 Presidents. It's expansive with 710 rooms, 33 suites and 96 guest and estate homes for rent. There are 10 lobbies, 40-plus meeting… -
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo.
![Broadmoor West Course]()
The 17th hole at Broadmoor West is a mid-length par 4. Brandon Tucker/GolfPass The Broadmoor has been the premier mountain golf destination in Colorado for more than a century. Its West and more celebrated East courses roam the alpine forests in the shadow of the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, torturing golfers with thick and slick - rough and greens, that is. Although it's as luxe as golf resorts get, families will still find plenty to do among the restaurants, pools and outdoor adventures.
![Broadmoor GC]()
Founded in 1918, The Broadmoor is one of the west's great golf hotels and among the Historic Hotels of America. It is located in Colorado Springs, about an hour's drive south of Denver and along the front range of the Rocky Mountains. This expansive property was laid out by the Olmsted Brothers and features gardens, ponds, multiple buildings… -
Cragun's Hotel & Resort, Brainerd, Minn.
![Lehman 18 at Cragun's Resort On Gull Lake - hole 16]()
This epic tee shot over Stephens Lake on no. 16 of the new Lehman 18 remains one of the signature moments at Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass Like northern Michigan, Brainerd (two hours north of the Twin Cities) is another hotbed of large golf resorts, including Madden's and Grand View Lodge. But Cragun's is the one making the most noise - spending millions to revamp its courses in the past 18 months and bring in a PGA Tour Canada event. The new Lehman 18 debuted last year, and the 27 holes of the Dutch course are adding a new nine to become two additional distinct 18-hole routings. A unique reversible nine-hole course is perfect for beginners. Nearby Gull Lake is a haven of beaches and water sports.
![Cragun's Legacy Courses - Lehman 18]()
Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake is one of the best golf resorts in Brainerd three hours north of the Twin Cities. Cragun’s lakeside lodging options include cabins and hotel-style rooms. Five- to 12-bedroom homes can be rented within the Homes at the Legacy community. The marina is popular in summer with boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming. A… -
Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, Mich.
The par-4 ninth hole on The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. Courtesy of Brian Walters/Pure Michigan There are half a dozen large-scale golf resorts worth playing in northern Michigan - check out A-Ga-Ming, Treetops, Forest Dunes and Garland - but we picked the 54-hole retreat in the heart of the action. Traverse City is one of America's booming summer getaways, and Grand Traverse Resort in Acme is just minutes from downtown's breweries, Grand Traverse Bay's beaches, the Leelanau Peninsula's wineries and its sister casino property. The Bear is a legendary tournament track by Jack Nicklaus, while the very good Wolverine and tighter Spruce Run are complimentary.
![Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - The Wolverine: #12]()
The 900-acre Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme became a Michigan landmark in the 1980s on the outskirts of Traverse City as its distinctive 17-floot glass tower was built adjacent to The Bear, a notoriously tough course by Jack Nicklaus. Guests have so many choices among 600 guest rooms and condos, five restaurants and lounges, the Gallery of… -
French Lick Resort, French Lick, Ind.
The par-5 18th hole at French Lick presents a birdie opportunity if you can hit a good drive into the fairway. Brandon Tucker/GolfPass French Lick - yes, the home of Larry Bird - mixes modern and classic tastes as well as any golf resort in America. Golfers can choose between the historic but oh-so-cool West Baden Springs Hotel, the French Lick Springs Hotel or more modern options. The courses couldn't be more polar opposites between the flatter, old-school vibes of the Donald Ross Course and the Pete Dye Course, a rollercoaster of a cart ride cut from a mountain by golf's most demanding architect. The recently-acquired Sultan's Run 30 miles away in Jasper is also very good. A short course, two spas, a casino, horseback riding and kids’ activities are available as well.
![French Lick Resort - The Valley Links]()
The French Lick Resort is one of golf’s most historic, and esteemed, resorts. It embraces the natural beauty of the Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana. Guests will have a tough decision choosing where to stay among the 757 guest rooms and suites of The French Lick Springs Hotel (listed on the National Register of Historic Places), the… -
Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona, N.Y.
![Turning Stone - Shenendoah]()
Upstate New York finally warms up in summer. There are lots of fantastic resorts with 18 holes (Sagamore and Otesaga, for example), but only Turning Stone Resort Casino features enough golf for at least a three-day weekend, if not longer. The splurgiest round comes courtesy of Atunyote, which used to host the PGA Tour. Kaluhyat is the most demanding of the three, while Shenendoah might be the most fun and was renovated a couple years ago. The nine-hole Pleasant Knolls and the nine-hole, par-3 Sandstone Hollow are ideal for family or beginner golf. The casino provides all the necessary amenities (spa, pool, etc.) and entertainment (shows, restaurants, gambling) after dark.
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The Turning Stone Resort Casino has established itself as a four-season resort destination best known for its world-class gaming, dining and golf. Accommodations range from The Sandstone Hollow Inn to luxurious suites at the Lodge and everything in between (including an RV Park). Seven restaurants not only serve good food but great experiences as…
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