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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
The experience at the newest golf course in Michigan is unlike anything you'll play in the Jack Nicklaus portfolio.
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It's 2020 and data-driven golf apps are here to assist with every shot you take in a round of golf. The relationship can get weird.
Brandon Tucker shares his ten best value golf destinations, where you can find great golf on a budget, from Myrtle Beach to San Diego.
From GPS and shot tracking to strokes gained data, app makers are stepping up their game for the world's most popular wearable.
Articles by Brandon Tucker
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February 12, 2010
Thailand is Asia's most popular golf destination for its great value, royal hospitality and exciting cultural attractions and nightlife. Golf in Thailand is well developed and abundant, with more than 300 golf courses in the country, and many of them of high, international standard, in many cases as good if not better than clubs in the west, including top conditions to service and clubhouse facilities.
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February 11, 2010
The Fairmont Mayakoba isn't like your common, Mexican beachfront high-rise resort. While there are some beachfront luxury villas, the majority of the 401 units are luxury casitas set along canals. They boast marble floors, both shower and bath and private balconies overlooking the canals. What's more, canals, thick mangrove forest, cenotes and two beachfront holes make for 18 holes with many faces at PGA-worthy El Camaleon Golf Club.
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February 10, 2010
With names not as familiar as Tom Fazio and Pete Dye, another group of talented course designers offer plenty to the Myrtle Beach golf scene. Their golf courses, abundant on the Grand Strand, functional and exciting, attract savvy golfers to this South Carolina hot spot again and again, Brandon Tucker writes.
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February 9, 2010
Outside Scottsdale and into the Sonoran Desert, the bright hotel lights fade into beautiful mountain and boulder formations that fill the horizon. You'll find plenty of culture contrast in the Valley of the Sun, from dive bars and Wild West attractions to luxurious resorts and world-class golf courses. And you can mix it all in one visit, writes Brandon Tucker.
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February 9, 2010
Yes, there are places to escape Orlando's theme-park screams. Rest assured, luxury golf courses for the vacationer exist here, too. If you're willing to pay a premium for quiet, high-end accommodations and, of course, the best golf, Orlando has a handful of upscale options as good as anywhere in Florida.
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February 8, 2010
There's nothing quite like springtime in the Carolinas, teeing it up on a coastal course where the saltwater fills the air. And while the Grand Strand doesn't have any bonafide "ocean" tracks, there are a collection of saltwater golf courses thanks to the Shallotte River, Waccamaw River and Intracoastal Waterway among others. Here are five of the best Myrtle Beach marsh courses.
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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December 28, 2009
Plenty of Scotland's links gems could never host an Open because of issues related to location or size. And that's exactly what makes them even better clubs, in some cases, for the traveling golfer to experience. Here are five of the best non-Open rota, historic links golf courses in Scotland, plus another worthy and affordable course nearby each ...
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December 16, 2009
The Plantation Course and the Old Course at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand offer uniquely designed layouts built around top-shelf facilities. Chances are, your golf group won't agree on the better of the two courses. Stick around for a while in this beach city, a two-hour drive from Bangkok, and play both.
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December 10, 2009
Listen up, masters of the putting game who visit the Grand Strand for your annual golf vacation: You may have been taken to the cleaners by your long-driving buddies on some of the Myrtle Beach courses that don't test the short game as much as you'd have liked. Now its time for payback. Book your group at a track where the greens are the real show, and take no prisoners.
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December 4, 2009
The Old Course at Ballybunion emerged as an icon in 1957 when it hosted the Irish Professional Championship and remains a necessarily pilgrimage spot for throngs of links enthusiasts. The links are maintained firm and fast and the green complexes - full of humps, dips and pot bunkers - especially shine, Brandon Tucker writes. It's the kind of course, in fact, on which you'd be happy to play your last round.
3 Min Read
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December 2, 2009
Thailand ranks as Southeast Asia's most popular golf destination, thanks to its exotic sights and hundreds of beautiful courses, from the highlands of the North to Phuket in the South and areas around Bangkok, Hua Hin and Pattaya. To help plan your trip, consider these answers to some frequently asked golf and travel questions ...
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December 1, 2009
Southwest Ireland's two most famous 19th-century links, Ballybunion and Lahinch, hold tight as the region's top draws. But closely behind stands Tralee Golf Club, which holds the distinction as a 19th-century club with a relatively new location outside of town. And it boasts as many "wow" moments as its nearby rivals, if not more.
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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November 23, 2009
If ever there existed a golfing spot worthy of travel to the other side of the world, it's Thailand. The nation's golf culture blends an established environment with an exotic, "we're not in Kansas anymore" feel. What's more, some destinations require restraint, or you'll be broke after the first day. Not in Thailand. Here, you'll spoil yourself silly on most budgets.
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November 23, 2009
Heading out of the country for golf travel always requires a little more planning than a domestic trip. And when it's to an exotic destination on the other side of the world like Thailand, a little extra time should be spent in preparation. Brandon Tucker offers a few tips on how to pack for a Thailand golf vacation, and what to expect when you get there.
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November 19, 2009
Thailand's female caddies are a big reason why the country is such a popular golf destination - one with a higher repeat-visitor rate than anywhere else in the region. Your caddie experience in Thailand will be far different - and far less expensive - than anywhere in the Western world of golf. The round will come with a bushel full of foreign nuances you won't come close to enjoying back home, so enjoy the ride.
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November 11, 2009
So your golf group has finally decided on Ireland for your golf trip next year. Now the real fun begins, deciding between Ireland's top two pockets of links courses: southwest Ireland or Northern Ireland. Both region's top five are as good as you'll find in the British Isles and Ireland. I've done the tour of both now in the last couple years, and the golf experience for the visitor in each is spectacular but a bit different for a variety of reasons.
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November 10, 2009
Like paying for so many other things, finding an affordable golf course in Ireland is simply a matter of shopping around. Thanks to widely varying green fees, Brandon Tucker writes, you can play some fine links golf venues for less than $100 on the Emerald Isle. While these courses are sometimes less trafficked than their more famous counterparts, that doesn't mean you won't find stunning vistas, rich Old World history, and plenty of challenge for your buck.
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November 9, 2009
A golf trip to Scotland doesn't have to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Brandon Tucker has a few helpful, money-saving tips that could see you playing in the land of links as often as you like. Well, maybe not that often, but enough to start developing a taste for haggis.
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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November 3, 2009
Thanks to its variety of golf courses and resorts, plus founding the "golf package," Myrtle Beach, S.C. has made a name for itself as one of America's great value destinations for golf. Plan your trip wisely, and you can save even more. Brandon Tucker offers a few dollar-saving tips to help stretch your golf group's funds.
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November 2, 2009
Trying to choose between Oregon and Scotland for your next golf trip? Brandon Tucker can help. In his latest Planet Putter column, he breaks down play at Bandon Dunes and pits it against the time-tested reputation of favorite Scottish courses. Read for yourself if the Old World vs New World contest really comes down to more than just castles and some sheep.
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October 28, 2009
At True North Golf Club, Jim Engh used the wealth of acreage at his disposal to lay his imaginative shaping, getting the best aesthetic value out of it. He also strategically incorporated trees along certain points of the course, and took advantage of Harbor Springs natural terrain to create challenging uphill shots. While green fees may be considered steep by some, a private course like this opening to public play is good news for north Michigan golfers.
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October 5, 2009
The national spotlight of the Golf Channel's Big Break X series paid off for the host Boyne Highlands in northern Michigan, as the resort is enjoying record play from out-of-state golfers. But Boyne Highlands encompasses less than half of Boyne's golf holes and one third of its resort properties. To ensure you're doing the Boyne that's right for you, here's a selection of golf itineraries to suit any golfer or golf group ...
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October 5, 2009
Golfers at Wooden Sticks Golf Club may have a hard time believing they're on the same course from start to finish. Holes inspired by those on the world's most famous courses - from St. Andrew's to Augusta - are interspersed with architect Ron Garl's originals. Wooden Sticks is part of Greater Toronto's Highland Golf Trail, and offers upscale play on a gently undulating landscape.
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October 2, 2009
The remote stretch of wild dunes along the Pacific Ocean may feel like the end of the world, but travel to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on the southwestern coast of Oregon keeps getting easier. The course's emergence has created enough demand from travelers all over the world to increase access to the region's airport, and new flights are coming.
Nestled in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, Red Sky Golf Club’s Tom Fazio and Greg Norman courses are consistently ranked at the top of their class. Both courses feature dramatic mountain views from greens surrounded by aspen forests, wildflower meadows and sage covered hills. Guests at Beaver Creek and Vail Resort’s lodging properties enjoy coveted access to the courses of Red Sky Golf Club.
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September 10, 2009
While its sister golf course, Pacific Dunes, gets most of the publicity, Bandon Dunes is still a great play, Brandon Tucker writes. Ten years in, the original course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has only gotten better with age.
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September 4, 2009
The USGA's selection of Chambers Bay Golf Course near Tacoma, Wash., is a startling deviation from a "normal" Open host. But Chambers Bay's appeal is clear, Brandon Tucker writes. It will be HDTV eye candy at every turn, wide open with abundant spectator viewing spots. They may even be able to get a record crowd through the turnstiles.
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August 28, 2009
Play only Open Championship rotation courses in Scotland, and you'll get a first-rate links experience. But these links may also burn a hole in your pocket, charging between 125-200 pounds. If you want to experience Scotland's best on a budget, mix a few Open rota courses like the Old Course and Turnberry in with some bargains like Dunbar, Machrihanish and Southerness, Brandon Tucker writes.
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August 27, 2009
All eyes turn to San Francisco as Harding Park Golf Course hosts the 2009 Presidents Cup. Though among America's most storied golf courses, Harding Park withered in the 1970s and 80s. A recent revamp has returned it to championship form, Brandon Tucker writes.
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August 27, 2009
To scratch your mountain golf itch, where you're playing up and down with the mountain goats, you'll want to head to Silvertip Golf Resort in nearby Canmore. With more than 600 feet of elevation change on the property, this modern, Les Furber design is as invigorating as mountain golf gets, Brandon Tucker writes.
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August 26, 2009
Already the top pure links retreat in America in just over 10 years of operation, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort attracts golfers with a special affinity for the game's history, especially the sod. Since Bandon Dunes can't turn the clock back 100 years, they've done the next best thing: building a course inspired by Charles Blair Macdonald, considered by many to be the "Father of American Golf Architecture.
