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There comes a certain point in life when you start reflecting on the past more than worrying about the future.
I think I'm there. This is my 25th year writing about golf and travel. As for the next 25? Maybe I'll be playing golf when I'm 77, but I hope I'm not writing about it. Even if writing about golf is the best job in the world, retirement doesn't sound too bad, either.
I'm grateful to reach such an incredible milestone. When I graduated from college in 1995, I didn't even know the job "golf writer" existed. I wanted to be a sports writer covering Super Bowls and Final Fours. I was a casual golfer at best, as I had only been playing this silly game a couple years after taking a job at my college golf course, Eagle Crest, at Eastern Michigan University.
But I caught a lucky break in 1999: My wife found an online ad asking for golf course reviews. I faxed my resume and newspaper golf clips at least three times before I finally heard back. If there's anything I've learned over the years, it's persistence and hard work pays off. Here we are two-plus decades later ... a career where I've played, reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses in 26 countries.
I could attempt to compare and contrast all the courses I've played into some sort of ranking, but what's the fun in that? Everybody does it. I'm doing something different instead - creating 25 short lists that I hope capture the best of what I've experienced while sharing a few nuggets of wisdom for today's traveling golfers looking for advice.
I tried hard not to list a course more than once. For example, since I included Turnberry's Ailsa course among the best golf experiences I've had, I didn't list it among the best links I've played.
I hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing this trip down memory lane. Here goes:
If you have any lists you want me to create, please share your thoughts in the comments below. Five favorite resorts, five most scenic courses, five best family golf trips ... I could go on and on.
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5 best golf course experiences
![Cypress Point Club]()
The Cypress Point Club is one of golf's great shrines. Getty Images 1. Cypress Point Club - That stunning five-hole finishing stretch along the California coast inspired my best game. This mid-handicapper made par on nos. 14-17, including that magical par-3 16th.
2. Cape Wickham Links - The journey to King Island halfway between Australia and Tasmania is worth the time, money and effort it takes to see what I believe is golf's most scenic course.
3. Ailsa Course at Turnberry - After spending the night in the Tom Watson suite, I aced the 11th hole in the shadow of the famous lighthouse the next day in 2013.
4. The Links at Fancourt - A few days after watching hyenas battling lions for a kill on safari in the South African bush, a 2015 round on the famous host of the 2003 Presidents Cup was just as memorable.
5. Sleepy Hollow Golf Club - What a stunning classic course modernized by Gil Hanse. Spending the night in the stately mansion clubhouse felt like the cherry on top of my New York moment. -
5 best golf trips I've taken
The Links of Fancourt was the site of the 2003 Presidents Cup. Mike Bailey/GolfPass 1. Australian Sandbelt/Tasmania/King Island - Starting the trip with 36 holes at Royal Melbourne and finishing with 36 over two days at Cape Wickham completed my ultimate golf journey.
2. New Zealand's North and South Island - Not only did I play Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs, I got to watch Lydia Ko and Bob Charles play together in a true celebration of Kiwi golf at the 2013 New Zealand Open.
3. South Africa - It took 3 different in-country flights to experience the Extreme 19th hole outside Johannesburg, golf and safari at Leopard's Creek, a visit to Fancourt and 3 incredible days in Cape Town, including a humbling tour of Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years protesting against apartheid.
4. St. Andrews, Scotland - Even if you don't play the Old Course, staying in The Home of Golf is a must for any golfer.
5. Northwest Ireland/Northern Ireland - Between the return of The Open to Portrush and the new St. Patrick's Links at Rosapenna, I've toured the northwest of Ireland and Northern Ireland at least 5 times. It's only getting better with age as Portrush's Valley Course, Ardglass and Castlerock continue improving. -
5 best links courses I've played
The par-5 16th hole at Enniscrone Golf Club follows the ocean to a plateau green. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
2. Royal Dornoch, Scotland
3. Enniscrone Golf Club, Ireland
4. Tralee Golf Club, Ireland
5. Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland -
5 best municipal golf courses I've played
![Wailua Municipal Golf Course - hole 1]()
A golfer prepares to hit an approach to the first green at the Wailua Municipal Golf Course. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Chambers Bay, Wa.
2. Olympic Course at Gold Mountain, Wa.
3. Bethpage Black, N.Y.
4. Wailua Municipal Golf Course, Kauai
5. Triggs Memorial Golf Course, R.I. -
5 wildest experiences on the golf course
The Extreme 19th hole at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa was one of golf's most thrilling experiences before it closed during the pandemic. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. A unique 19th hole - Nothing will top taking a helicopter to the top of a mountain to play the Extreme 19th hole at Legend Golf & Safari in South Africa.
2. The wrong kind of birdie - I saw a PGA golf pro smack a tee shot that killed a bird mid-flight. Poor guy.
3. Croc scare - I learned my lesson getting too close to a crocodile for a photo opp in Cancun, Mexico. The croc lunged at me and scared the life out of me.
4. Golf's weirdest course - Willie Nelson's Pedernales Golf Course, a nine-holer outside of Austin, is mostly dirt fairways, but I had the best time joining a six-some of golfers. With music, beers and good people - who needs grass?
5. Near tragedy - The closest I ever came to killing someone on the golf course was a near-tragic cart crash. Driving down a hill of wet grass, the cart spun out of control and almost ran over a playing partner. -
5 most luxurious golf resorts I've stayed in
![Sensei Porcupine Creek - mountain view]()
The views of Sensei Porcupine Creek from the hiking trails above are incredible. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Sensei Porcupine Creek, Calif.
2. Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Mexico
3. Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Hawaii
4. Rosewood Mayakoba, Mexico
5. The Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe, Nev. -
5 most exclusive private clubs
![Garzon Tajamares GC]()
View of a green at Garzon Tajamares Golf Club Garzon Tajamares Golf Club/Rodrigo Guillenea 1. San Francisco Golf Club, Calif.
2. Bodega Garzon Tajamares, Uruguay
3. Whistling Rock, South Korea
4. Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, Scotland
5. Menlo Country Club, Calif. -
5 best golf clubhouses
![Newport Country Club - clubhouse]()
The historic clubhouse at Newport Country Club sits on a high point of the property surrounded by golf holes. Courtesy of Erik Matuszewski 1. Newport Country Club, R.I.
2. Martis Camp, Calif.
3. Mayacama, Calif.
4. Prestwick Golf Club, Scotland
5. Los Angeles Country Club, Calif. -
5 best on-course comfort stations
![Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club - comfort station]()
If you're not eating and drinking at Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club, you're not doing it right. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club, Texas
2. Costa Palmas, Mexico
3. Quivira, Mexico
4. The Cove Club, Mexico
5. Reserve at Moonlight Basin, Mont. -
5 most expensive courses I've played
High rollers covet Tom Fazio's Shadow Creek, which requires a stay at an MGM casino hotel and $1,250 to play. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Shadow Creek, Nev. ($1,250)
2. Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry Resort, Scotland (up to £1,000 in 2025)
3. Porcupine Creek, Calif. ($950)
4. PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Fla. ($920)
5. Pebble Beach Golf Links, Calif. ($675) -
5 best courses under $100 I've played
![Pilgrim's Run GC]()
View of a green at Pilgrim's Run Golf Club Pilgrim's Run Golf Club 1. Pilgrim's Run, Mich. ($99 peak rate)
2. Wild Horse Golf Club, Neb. ($75)
3. Blue Top Ridge, Iowa ($95)
4. Black Mesa, N.M. ($92)
5. Black Lake, Mich. ($88) -
5 best bargain courses I've played
The Manakiki Golf Course, a Donald Ross design, is a headliner course in the Cleveland Metroparks system. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Rochelle Ranch, Wyo. ($54 with cart)
2. Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, Ohio ($47 walking)
3. Wailua Municipal Golf Course, Kauai ($100)
4. Manakiki, Ohio ($47 walking)
5. The Mines, Mich. ($69) -
5 hardest golf courses I've played
Long is better than short on the watery par-3 17th hole on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Ko'olau Golf Club, Oahu (now closed)
2. PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Fla.
3. Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, S.C.
4. Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort, Ind.
5. Oak Hill East, N.Y. -
5 most fun golf courses I've played
![North Berwick West Links - hole 17]()
A 12-foot bunker wall protects the 17th green of North Berwick's West Links. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. North Berwick, Scotland
2. Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley, Wis.
3. Castle Stuart at Cabot Highlands, Scotland
4. Lahinch Golf Club, Ireland
5. Dunes Course at Forest Dunes, Mich. -
5 best courses less than 6,500 yards
Pasatiempo Golf Club is the most acclaimed of the public courses by Dr. Alister MacKenzie. Pictured is the first hole. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Pasatiempo Golf Club, Calif.
2. Leatherstocking Golf Club, N.Y.
3. Quail Lodge & Club, Calif.
4. Bay Course at Seaview, N.J.
5. Ojai Valley Inn, Calif. -
5 best courses with non-traditional hole counts
![Shiskine Golf Club - cliff]()
The coastline cliffs are just one reason why Shiskine Golf Club is one of the most naturally picturesque courses in Ayrshire. Courtesy of 'u3526951' 1. Lost Farm at Barnbougle Dunes, Tasmania (20 holes)
2. Shiskine Golf & Tennis Club, Scotland (12)
3. The European Club, Ireland (20)
4. Payne's Valley at Big Cedar Lodge, Mo. (19)
5. Pacifico at Punta Mita, Mexico (19) -
5 best nine-hole courses I've played
I get more joy out of discovering great courses nobody has heard of like the Bann Nine at Castlerock Golf Club in Northern Ireland than checking off Top 100 courses. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Bann Nine at Castlerock Golf Club, Northern Ireland
2. Cavendish Golf Course, Lanai
3. Musselburgh Links, Scotland
4. Dixie Red Hills, Utah
5. Wawashkamo Golf Club, Mich. -
5 best short courses I've played
![Bougle Run views]()
Bougle Run opened in 2021 at Lost Farm. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Bougle Run at Barnbougle, Tasmania
2. Shorty's at Bandon Dunes, Ore.
3. Bandon Preserve, Ore.
4. Quicksands at Gamble Sands, Wa.
5. The Gravel Pit, Minn. -
5 best putting courses
![Bandon Dunes - Punchbowl]()
The Punchbowl putting course is waves of fun at Bandon Dunes. Courtesy of Bandon Dunes 1. Himalayas at St. Andrews, Scotland
2, The Punchbowl at Bandon Dunes, Ore.
3. Cascade Putting Course at Gamble Sands, Wa.
4. Thistle Dhu at Pinehurst Resort, N.C.
5. The Hay at Pebble Beach, Calif. -
5 best historic golf hotels worth the splurge just to see what's inside
![Omni Homestead Resort - hotel]()
Dusk settles in at the Omni Homestead Resort. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Omni Homestead Resort, Va.
2. The Broadmoor, Colo.
3. West Baden Springs Hotel at French Lick Resort, Ind.
4. Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada
5. The Breakers Palm Beach, Fla. -
5 best college courses that took me to school
![Championship GC At University of New Mexico]()
A sunny day view from Championship Golf Course At University of New Mexico. Championship GC At University of New Mexico 1. University of Michigan Golf Course, Mich.
2. Stanford Golf Course, Calif.
3. Radrick Farms, Mich.
4. Championship Course at University of New Mexico, N.M.
5. Forest Akers West, East Lansing, Mich. -
5 sneaky-good courses I've played that you've probably never heard of but should play anyway
![Fortrose & Rosemarkie GC]()
A view from Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club Fortrose & Rosemarkie GC 1. Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Scotland
2. Copper Rock, Utah
3. San Juan Oaks, Calif.
4. Jug Mountain Ranch, Idaho
5. Mt. Woodson, Calif. -
5 best golf trips I've taken that you've never considered but should
![Costa Navarino - Bay Course - hole 2]()
The par-3 second hole is one of two holes directly on Navarino Bay on the aptly named Bay Course at Costa Navarino. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Greece - The four-course Costa Navarino provides a beautiful beachfront setting for golf and four different hotels to choose from. Touring Athens (just a short flight or four hours by car) or seeing the Greek Isles should be part of your itinerary.
2. Albuquerque, N.M. - Between the desert courses, casinos and spicy food, this might be America's most underrated golf destination.
3. Panama - Watching the canal is cool, and you've got your choice of two nice golf resorts either in the jungle or on the outskirts of the city. (Full disclosure: GolfPass sells a golf package to both).
4. Muskoka, Canada - While the two coasts dominate the attention of golfers looking at visiting Canada - to the west, there's Vancouver Island, Whistler and the Canadian Rockies and to the East, there's Cabot Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island - the lake region north of Toronto called Muskoka too often gets overlooked. It's wonderful, especially if you can get on Bigwin Island.
5. Scottish Highlands - Sure, everybody swings by to play Royal Dornoch and/or Castle Stuart, but only savvy travelers stick around for a week to see Golspie, Brora, Nairn, Tain, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Dornoch's Struie links and the new Tom Doak course at Cabot Highlands (opening in 2025). -
5 favorite courses I've played that are now closed
![Omni Amelia Island Plantation - Ocean Links: #15]()
It's too bad the ocean holes of Ocean Links at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation no longer exist. Omni Amelia Island Plantation 1. Elk Ridge Golf Club, Mich.
2. Yarrow Golf Club, Mich.
3. Great White course at Doral, Fla.
4. Ocean Links at Amelia Island, Fla.
5. Palmer Course at La Cantera, Texas -
My bucket list: 5 courses I really want to play
![Old Course at St. Andrews - hole 1]()
A burn protests the first green of the Old Course at St. Andrews. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass 1. Fishers Island Golf Club, N.Y.
2. National Golf Links of America, N.Y.
3. Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland
4. Friar's Head, N.Y.
5. Tara Iti, New Zealand
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