We already told you that 2024 might be the biggest year ever in the history of Pinehurst Resort (read here). That's saying something, considering this iconic golf resort is almost 130 years old. It's big news that the new USGA facility will open, eventually housing the World Golf Hall of Fame. It's bigger news that Doak's Pinehurst No. 10 will debut. But biggest of all, the U.S. Open returns for the first time in a decade (and fourth time overall). Pinehurst No. 2 enters a new era as an anchor site hosting every 5-6 years (2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047). It will be hard to top 1999, but here's hoping.

What golf vacation looks most appealing to you? Let us know in the comments below.

For a time in the 1990s, World Woods was the place to play golf in Florida. Fast forward three decades and it is once again, reimagined as the new Cabot Citrus Farms, a new stay-and-play golf destination. Three courses are open - Karoo, The Squeeze (9 holes) and The Wedge (11 par-3 holes lit for night-time play) with The Roost coming later this year. Most locals will probably want to play the golf courses this year during "preview" play, which provides a bit of a discount. Once they're all dialed in with a village of villas, high-end traveling golfers will flock into tiny Brooksville, happy to see some sun and pay the higher green fees residents and old-timers are grumbling about on social media. Check out our early review of this new Florida golf resort from January.

6 Min Read

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How Cabot Citrus Farms is (finally) making the best use of one of Florida's best pieces of land

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The two best links in Northern Ireland - and some might say all of Ireland - are gearing up for the biggest stage. Royal County Down, the top course in the world according to Golf Digest, hosts the Amgen Irish Open this September, the first time the famous links has hosted the DP World Tour event since 2015. Attending the tournament or teeing it up before or after would be the perfect excuse to also play the nearby Royal Portrush's Dunluce links, too, before The Open Championship returns in 2025, its third major. And don't forget to add in a round at Ardglass Golf Club, which has undergone major renovation work, including changing several holes (completed in May) and adding sod-wall bunkers. These efforts have unlocked the potential of one of the Emerald Isle's most scenic courses. And since you're likely to be flying in or out of Dublin, a stay at the Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links makes sense to see its redesigned Jameson Golf Links as well.

For decades, The American Club in Kohler on the shores of Lake Michigan was the heartbeat of vacation golf in Wisconsin. That sentiment is starting to shift westward, toward Sand Valley with Tom Doak's Lido debuting last year and Sedge Valley this year. Wisconsin also fared better than most other states in our Golfers' Choice Top 50, landing four public golf courses - Merrill Golf Club (50), Viroqua Hills Golf Course (27), Club at Lac La Belle (25) and St. Croix National Golf Club (19) on the list. Only St. Croix, near the Minnesota border three hours away, isn't in central Wisconsin within driving distance of Sand Valley and numerous other stops, including SentryWorld, fresh off a 2023 U.S. Senior Open. The American Family Century Championship tees it up in June for the final time at University Ridge - the University of Wisconsin's home course - before moving to the newly branded TPC Wisconsin, which reopened in August 2023 after a redesign by native son Steve Stricker. Who could have guessed Central Wisconsin would enter a golf arms race the past five years that has raised the profile of the entire state?

SentryWorld Stay & Play Package

Kohler, Wisconsin

STEVENS POINT, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The Inn at SentryWorld and 2 rounds of golf at SentryWorld Golf Course (site of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open).

The Masters always reigns as the center of the golf universe in April. Regular golfers who can't afford to attend (like me!) will be happy to know there are other reasons to visit the Peach State this year. The biggest news is the opening of a new golf resort hotel (Cloudland) this spring and a new golf course this fall (The Keep) at McLemore Club in Rising Fawn in the mountains of northwest Georgia, 2 1/2 hours from Atlanta near the Tennessee border. The current McLemore Club's Highlands course is already highly regarded for its epic 18th hole. If you're wandering about in the state, Warmouth Sands in Vidalia is a showcase new municipal golf course, while established local favorites like Cateechee Golf Club (18) and Lanier Islands Legacy Golf Course (46) have proven their worth by ranking in the Golfers' Choice 2024 Top 50.

With dozens of quality public golf courses and golf resorts, Myrtle Beach should always be top of mind, especially for East Coast and Midwest golfers who can make the drive for affordable spring and fall golf trips. The Myrtle Beach Classic at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club brings the PGA TOUR to town for the first time in May, adding extra juice to the region. Two local courses - The Founders Club of Pawleys Island (36) and the 27-hole Thistle Golf Club (23) just across state line in Sunset Beach, N.C., cracked our Golfers' Choice 2024 Top 50, giving golfers more reasons to plan a golf trip this year.

Naples qualifies on the prowess of its most popular golf course - Tiburon Gold - which will complete an impressive grand slam this year: Finishing No. 1 in Golfers' Choice 2024 as well as hosting three professional golf tournaments - the Chubb Classic on the PGA TOUR Champions in February, the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on the LPGA Tour in November and the Grant Thornton Invitational, which pairs 16 teams of PGA and LPGA tour pros in December. There's plenty of other golf courses, golf resorts and private country clubs to pair with attending one of these events, including Forest Glen Golf & Country Club, which also fared well in Golfers' Choice 2024 (ranking 26th nationally).

Best of Naples Package

FROM $497 (USD)

NAPLES, FL | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples and 2 rounds of golf at Tiburón Golf Club - Gold Course and Black Course.

It's hard to believe that the remote golf resort that changed virtually everything about the modern golf vacation is turning 25. David McLay Kidd's first course at Bandon Dunes launched Mike Keiser's formula for building the quintessential modern golf resort. His walking-only, caddie-friendly, short-course-loving, mongo-putting-course model grew so quickly that when the new Shorty's par 3 opens later this year, it will be the seventh (!) golf course on property. Bandon Dunes probably deserves to be rated much higher, but unfortunately, availability is low. If you haven't booked already, start planning your 2025 Bandon golf vacation adventure.

Bandon Dunes

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.5337833333

39

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Pacific Dunes

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.5833333333

35

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Bandon Trails

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.5546

31

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Bandon Preserve

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.94445

13

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Old Macdonald

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.0145

24

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Sheep Ranch

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.4286

7

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The Punchbowl

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.4

5

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Charlotte's Par-3 at Bandon Dunes Practice Center

Bandon, Oregon

Resort

4.3333

3

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Like California, The Home of Golf could probably make our list every year. In 2024, St. Andrews edges out the Ayrshire coast - where Royal Troon hosts The Open - because of its sheer popularity and on the strength of two other majors - The Women's British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews and the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie. If you could attend either of those events, and mix in the surrounding golf courses of Fife - Kingsbarns, any St. Andrews Links Trust courses, Crail Golfing Society, Dumbarnie Links, etc. - you'll have lived a spectacular year.

If it seems that I'm biased towards Northern California because I live there, then I'm guilty as charged. But the sheer volume of golf tournaments, events and course renovations makes the region a regular staple of this list. Even for golfers who don't have private club access to play the awesomely renovated Lake Merced Golf Club and The Olympic Club's Lake Course, there's still the restored nine holes (with nine more to come) at Pasatiempo, the completely remodeled San Juan Oaks (opening later this year in Hollister) and the newly revived nine-hole Golden Gate Park short course by Jay Blasi to experience. And Monterey is always worth a visit. The Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival returns this April for the first time after a five-year pandemic hiatus. The fun Quail Lodge Lodge & Club crushed it in Golfers' Choice 2024, finishing 28th in the National Top 50 and Bayonet/Blackhorse is finishing up golf course renovations to enhance the sand dunes that have been hidden for too long. There's no shortage of options for golf courses and golf resorts in NoCal.