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Brandon Tucker
Former Sr. Managing Editor
Brandon Tucker was the Sr. Managing Editor for GolfPass from 2019-2021 and was the founding editor of Golf Advisor in 2014, which he ran until 2020 when Golf Advisor's editorial staff and community golf course reviews became part of GolfPass. Tucker helped drive community engagement to the site in the form of course reviews by everyday golfers and was the creator of Golf Advisor's annual Best-Of lists, later called Golfers' Choice. Prior to Golf Advisor, he was the travel editor for Golf Channel Travel and oversaw the WorldGolf network of golf travel websites. From the time he was part of WorldGolf.com in 2006 until departing GolfPass in 2021, he played golf in over two dozen countries and at over 600 courses around the world. As a youth, Tucker spent his summer on the municipal courses of Ann Arbor Michigan and was a co-captain of the state finalist high school golf team. He may have played everywhere from Pebble Beach to St. Andrews, but Tucker's favorite way to play the game will always be on a fun and welcoming public course in under three hours, and ideally somewhere in his home state of Michigan. Brandon can be found on Twitter at @BrandonTucker and on Instagram at btuck34.
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Popular articles
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Articles by Brandon Tucker
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February 3, 2011
Royal Ka'anapali dates back long before many of Maui's championship golf courses opened, and it continues to pass the test of time. The Robert Trent Jones Sr. design is the most consistent blend of championship-caliber, resort friendly golf that can be found in Maui, Brandon Tucker writes from Hawaii.
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January 27, 2011
The Kai course at Ka'anapali Golf Resort in Lahaina, Hawaii serves up the same top quality conditions and scenery as Royal Ka'anapali, it just comes in a bit shorter and at a slightly lower price tag. While lower handicaps can still get their fix of good hole variety and some tough shots, the Kai is meant to be enjoyed by those who don't want big numbers to ruin their day in paradise. The Kai is every bit as scenic as the Royal but presents some unique characteristics, like the Sugar Cane Train tracks.
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January 10, 2011
Mountains or ocean? Summer or winter? Resort or municipal? In Hawaii, you don't have to choose. Each of the four main islands offer a golfer's paradise, from Oahu's big-city bustle to the serenity of the Big Island, beauty of Kauai and luxury of Maui. Chances are, you can't visit each island on your Hawaii golf trip, so Brandon Tucker and Mike Bailey offer a guide to help determine which slice of paradise is right for you.
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January 7, 2011
Taking your girlfriend or spouse on a golf vacation to Maui is a win-win for the both of you. She gets to enjoy a little fun in the sun. And you won't have fine china hurled at your head when you walk out the door for the airport alone. When selecting courses to play, forget how they would rank on a top 100 list. Instead, consider how playable they are for her and whether the atmosphere of the club is intimidating or not. If both of you can walk off the 18th green and a smile is still on her face, it's a successful afternoon. And that's easy to find on Maui.
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January 6, 2011
Golf travelers all over the world have already started making plans for a 2011 golf vacation to St. Andrews and Scotland. But even if you haven't booked your St. Andrews times yet for 2011 and miss out on a guaranteed time, there are still advantages to planning now. Like what? Brandon Tucker explains.
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December 31, 2010
Brandon Tucker traveled to about 100 golf courses and 100,000 miles in the air in 2010. Here is his best from the year, from King Kamehameha Golf Club on Maui to Tom Fazio's Mountain Course at Ventana Canyon Golf Club in Tucson, Ariz.
Renewed Golf Gets Rave Reviews! Come Play at Saddlebrook's two Arnold Palmer signature 18-hole golf courses and enjoy deluxe accommodations, award-winning dining, and much more!
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December 20, 2010
Finally, there's golf in the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland along Australia's Great Barrier Reef. After 20 years of planning, the Oatley family, well known Australian wine moguls, teamed with former five-time British Open champion Peter Thomson to make this dream a reality on the otherwise-deserted Dent Island. Hamilton Island Golf Club opened in 2009, offering natural splendor, blind tee shots and hidden hazards amid an island-getaway setting that worth's a look, Brandon Tucker writes.
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December 7, 2010
The Australian PGA Championship will be held at the Hyatt Regency Coolum Golf Club from Dec. 9-12, and Hyatt's Village will be jumping with many of the pros celebrating the end of the season. But guests at the Hyatt Regency Coolum have plenty of their own space, and Coolum's slower, less developed coast makes for a more down-tempo beach holiday, Brandon Tucker writes.
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November 24, 2010
Got three days to spare? Consider a getaway to Myrtle Beach. There's much more than golf to the Grand Strand, flush with fine restaurants, bars, luxury hotels and entertainment. Of course, the year-round golf can serve as the centerpiece for your trip. Myrtle Beach golf courses won't disappoint, with designs from classic to cutting edge. Brandon Tucker offers a guide to the perfect three-day weekend.
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November 16, 2010
It's a 14-hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney. The journey to Australia's popular vacation state of Queensland affords you the opportunity to taste new foods, hear new sounds and get close to strange new animals. Brandon Tucker recently spent a week playing golf Down Under, and he has 10 new experiences to prove it.
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November 12, 2010
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa isn't so much the pro-style venue at which Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy and David Simms duked it out on the silver screen, as a relaxing walk through a mix of cottonwood trees, villas and ranch land. At this desert facility south of Tucson, Ariz. there's more than meets the eye in the movie. Steeped in Native American history, Tubac combines resort luxury and amenities with small-town charm and 27 holes of solid golf, Brandon Tucker writes.
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October 18, 2010
Northern Ireland has a fantastic one-two punch in Royal Portrush and Royal County Down, which is among the best combination of championship links in any golf destination. After you book your tee times for those two golf courses, there are other plays that can fill out your vacation quite nicely, Brandon Tucker writes.
Carved by time between some of the oldest and newest mountain ranges in North America lies La Quinta Resort & PGA WEST, a world famous golf resort just minutes from Palm Springs and Palm Desert, California. Challenge your game on 90 holes of championship golf designed by three golf legends.
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October 12, 2010
With cliff-top views and farm animals roaming without caution, Pennard Golf Club is one of the game's most unique links courses. Located about 200 feet above the sea on the Gower Peninsula on the south coast of Wales, this golf course is hardly a perfect play - and that's its joy, Brandon Tucker writes.
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October 6, 2010
While many of the top golf resorts in the Tucson, Ariz. area are big properties with up to 400 or 500 rooms, Omni Tucson National Resort delivers all the amenities of the larger resorts on a much smaller scale. Set on 650 acres, the resort has a Mobil four-star spa, stylish pool area with private cabanas and a 36-hole golf club - and it's all right at your doorstep, Brandon Tucker writes.
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September 30, 2010
By anchoring your Myrtle Beach golf vacation on the northern end of the Grand Strand, you can the limit time spent in your car without compromising quality. Between North Myrtle Beach and Brunswick County, some of the Grand Strand's most scenic saltwater and Intracoastal Waterway courses can be played. Also in the neighborhood are a handful of top multi-course resorts that allow for convenient 36-hole days. Here's how to get the best of the North Strand's golf courses in a five-day itinerary.
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September 22, 2010
Frequent Myrtle Beach golf travelers know Pawleys Island, S.C. as the home to True Blue and Caledonia, two classic Mike Strantz designs regularly ranked among the top courses on the Grand Strand. They're also two of the priciest plays on the beach. But just because you might not be up to booking these two courses doesn't shut you out of great golf on the South Strand. Here are some of the top bargains around Pawleys Island, including River Club, Litchfield C.C. and Tradition Golf Club.
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September 21, 2010
Struggling to keep up with all the changes in airline fees and baggage policies? Opportunities exist for you to save money and earn free flights for golf travel by maximizing your mileage. Even those pesky credit-card offers present real benefits. And at your destination, golf-club rentals don't need to cost what you might think. Let TravelGolf.com's Brandon Tucker be your travel guide.
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September 20, 2010
The 2010 Ryder Cup is fast approaching, and Wales is gearing up to showcase its golf courses to the world. But the Celtic Manor Resort, where the Ryder Cup will be held, isn't the only must-see-to-believe play in Wales. Here are some others that might make you decide to skip your net trip to Scotland in favor of Wales.
Whether you're in the spectator gallery or lining up your ball on the tee, your round of golf, golf vacation or outing at a TPC will be unforgettable...
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September 13, 2010
The next time you visit South Carolina's Grand Strand for business, remember it's easier than ever to mix pleasure with your stay near the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and adjoining Sheraton Hotel. In fact, after a morning of meetings, you could ditch the suit and laptop for shorts and golf clubs in minutes. Brandon Tucker offers a guide to golf, food and entertainment near the convention center.
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September 10, 2010
The New York Golf Trail in upstate New York was established in 2008 and features six of the top 20 public courses in the Empire State. The trail features 16 golf courses and five regions. Brandon Tucker hit a few regions on his trip along the New York Golf Trail, and it was a wild ride.
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September 6, 2010
Not every struggling golf course in Michigan is worth saving, but Manitou Passage Golf Club is a destination course that is well deserving of a second life. And Manitou Passage, which was formerly known as King's Challenge Golf Course, is making the most of its second chance, Brandon Tucker writes from Cedar, Mich.
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September 6, 2010
Star power is nothing new to Idaho's Sun Valley Resort. A prestigious getaway for decades, the ski resort upped its golfing profile in 2009 with the addition of the White Clouds course. The tricky, nine-hole layout plays more like a championship venue than a resort golf course. So if you haven't checked on summertime happenings in Sun Valley in recent years, Brandon Tucker writes, it's time to take another look.
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September 3, 2010
Seven Oaks Golf Club, the home course for the Colgate University golf team, was voted among the top 20 public golf courses in New York by Golf Magazine. And if you want to post a good score on this Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, you better be able to handle slick greens, Brandon Tucker writes.
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August 31, 2010
Northern Michigan includes as many notable golf plays as any destination in the world. And many of golf's biggest names have unveiled designs here. The region provides a setting ideal for beautiful, dramatic golf designs, thanks to lots of cheap land, rolling terrain, dense forests and sometimes even hilly courses built adjacent to ski slopes. Brandon Tucker offers your blueprint to Northern Michigan courses designed by the biggest names in the business.
Spring will be here in no time—and our world-class courses, luxury accommodations and fine dining will be waiting! Will you be ready? Plan your golf outings now!
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August 12, 2010
The entrance to The Sagamore Golf Course is understated, but the course -- in the foothills of the Adirondack mountains with a beautiful view of Lake George -- isn't underrated. The Donald Ross design is considered one of New York's finest public golf courses for good reason.
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August 9, 2010
Consider Saratoga National Golf Club, in the heart of New York horse racing country, for the royal treatment after you win a little cash on the ponies. The Roger Rulewich design offers top amenities and a private-club feel at a public venue, rated among the best of its class in the region. It's challenging and scenic, playing through forest and around lots of water, especially on the treacherous back nine. Visit Saratoga National to feel like a high roller for the afternoon, Brandon Tucker writes.
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August 9, 2010
The big news for spa buffs is the debut of Sparkling Hill Resort in the Okanagan Valley, a dazzling property with a must-see-to-believe spa. Sparking Hill was designed in the mold of a European wellness hotel. Guests are encouraged to come for an extended stay. Nearby, Predator Ridge Golf Resort has its own smaller, functional spa and salon, recently remodeled and run by AVEDA.
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July 29, 2010
Sibling rivalry is bound to ensue at Predator Ridge Golf Resort in Vernon, B.C., after the opening this year of the Ridge course. It complements the established Predator course, long an institution on the Canadian scene. The new 18 holes were built with scenery and playability in mind. And architect Doug Carrick added a landmark step to the resort's growth.
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July 26, 2010
If the British Open didn't get your motor running for a golf vacation, maybe the Irish Open will. There is still plenty of time left this summer to plan a golf trip to Ireland. If you looked at Ireland golf vacation prices a few years ago, it's time to look again. Here are some tips to help get your trip started.
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July 12, 2010
A mountain village born of good spirits, Truckee, Calif., sits just north of Lake Tahoe's north shore and earned its reputation as a ski haven. Spectacular in the winter, this part of NoCal's High Sierra, though, provides an idyllic golf escape for a few tantalizing months each summer. A diverse golf scene has emerged, Brandon Tucker writes.
