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The Omni Hotels & Resorts brand has been a significant player in golf travel for decades, but they have leveled up noticeably in recent years.
Among their more than 50 properties in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, a dozen are golf resorts, with 28 total golf courses. I have had the chance to visit a good handful over the years. Omni offers what I would characterize as mid-upscale golf resorts, with a keen focus on general hospitality and a strong culinary program across the properties I have visited. All of those factors make Omni golf resorts a very solid option for family-oriented golf getaways, with an increasing focus on serving buddy golf trip groups as well. As a father of two young daughters, one of whom is old enough to head out for nine holes with me once in a while, I appreciate Omni's support of women's golf initiatives as well.
On the golf course side, Omni has invested heavily in recent years, both in improving existing courses within their portfolio and, in one notable recent case, building new ones. I have played eight golf courses that are part of the Omni portfolio and look forward to seeing more in the future.
For now, here is my ranking.
My favorite Omni resort golf courses, ranked from 1 to 8
1. Omni Homestead Resort & Spa (Cascades)
I have never stayed overnight at the resort (something I hope to remedy someday), but I can vouch for William Flynn's enchanting, ingeniously routed course, which remains a favorite ever since I played it in college. The par-3/par-5/par-5/par-3 finishing stretch is a great deal of fun, as is marveling at the scorecard of the great Sam Snead's course-record round of 60 in the charming clubhouse.
2. Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa (Fields Ranch East)
The 2027 PGA Championship host course has plenty of large-scale drama in the form of eye-catching bunkering, plenty of rolling elevation change and flexible tee areas that could stretch the course past 8,000 yards. There is also a good amount of subtlety thanks to the work of architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, who slipped sly homages to some of their favorite courses into the East, too. If the May weather cooperates, it should be a lot of fun to see who takes down next year's second major championship.
3. Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa (Oak Marsh)
Beau Welling's renovation of a 1972 Pete Dye original goes its own way in certain respects, but the finished product is a charming, cozy journey through coastal forest and marshlands. It's highly walkable and, at just 6,400 yards, manageable for any golfer to play and easy to clock a round of no longer than four hours. Those are all big pluses in my book.
4. Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa (Fields Ranch West)
Welling's more resort-style layout at Omni PGA Frisco is an enjoyable counterpoint to the more championship-oriented East. It has some fun Golden Age-interpretive features like a Biarritz-like trench across one green and some other highly entertaining putting surfaces.
5. Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate (International)
This Greg Norman design has been refined over the years, with some of its original 300-plus pot bunkers joined together into more manageable and maintainable hazards. Still the links-pastiche look is a fun contrast to most of the rest of the golf on offer in central Florida.
6. Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (South)
This longtime second-fiddle course to what is now known as the North was pleasant when I played it in 2019, if not overwhelmingly memorable. With the North Course maturing in the wake of its renovation, the South is likely next up for some refreshment.
7. Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa (Little Sandy)
It has been fascinating to see the growth of short courses as a golf resort amenity over recent years, and Little Sandy is one of the better ones I have seen, with a clockwise routing that skirts a lake. Its location in the heart of Amelia Island's main shopping and dining district is a big advantage, too; it feels well-integrated into the greater life of the resort.
8. Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate (National)
This Greg Norman design has been rerouted in places over the years to accommodate new real estate development. It still has several compelling holes, including a fun par 3 on the back that plays into a scenic wetland area.
Omni golf course wish list: Top 5
It would be great to experience the full breadth of Omni's portfolio of golf courses eventually. Here are the five at the top of my list, based on my research and their reputation:
1. Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (North)
Having stayed at the resort and played what is now known as the South course a few years ago, I know that La Costa has an enjoyable vibe. Watching the last few NCAA Championships in both men's and women's golf on TV has whetted my appetite to see this golf course for myself and take stock of architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner's reinterpretation of a midcentury Dick Wilson design.
2. Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa
I love old hotels and old golf courses, and Bedford Springs serves up both in spades. This course's throwback aesthetic and parkland environs look like the perfect place for a peaceful walk with my clubs.
3. Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa
Vacationing at the now-closed Balsams resort when I was young got me interested in grandiose, classic hotels. The Balsams closed years ago, leaving Mount Washington as New Hampshire's old-line golf resort of record. I would love to check it out and play its Donald Ross-designed course, restored by architect Brian Silva.
4. Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa
An interest in golf course architecture has led to an interest in building architecture, and Grove Park's unique look captivated me when I stopped by while passing through Asheville a few summers ago. Next time, I'll grab my clubs and tee it up on its sporty Donald Ross-designed golf course.
5. Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Fazio Canyons)
I logged several virtual rounds on this resort's Fazio Foothills course on the old Links LS computer game, but the Canyons layout is of interest as it debuts on the PGA Tour in 2026, hosting the inaugural Good Good Classic.
Comments (1)
Cool rankings. The Palmetto Dunes Arthur Hills course just outside the Hilton Head Omni is a great fun layout. Variety of cool holes!
Cool rankings. The Palmetto Dunes Arthur Hills course just outside the Hilton Head Omni is a great fun layout. Variety of cool holes!