Bethpage State Park - Red golf course
On Long Island, New York, Bethpage State Park's Red Course is almost as stunning as its more famous sister, the Black Course, and costs less than half as much to play.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Palmilla Beach Golf Resort
At Palmilla Beach Golf Club & Resort near Corpus Christi, Texas, you can play a links-like course with plenty of views of the Gulf.
Courtesy of Palmilla Beach Golf Club & Resort
Bear Mountain Resort - Mountain golf course
The Jack Nicklaus-designed Mountain Course at Bear Mountain Resort sits high above the capital city of Victoria, British Columbia.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Black Mesa Golf Club
Near Santa Fe, N.M., Black Mesa remains one of the prettiest and most fun golf courses I've ever played. Pictured is the par-5
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Wickenburg Ranch Golf Club
After seven years of grow-in, Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club northwest of Phoenix, opened to rave reviews and has been a bargain to play with rates far less than its Scottsdale counterparts.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Dragon at Nakoma golf course
The Dragon at Nakoma Resort is one of the most beautiful and difficult golf courses in the Graegle region of California, and it's priced below most of its counterparts.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Streamsong Resort - Blue golf course
Streamsong Resort, located between Tampa and Orlando, Fla., has been referred to as the "Bandon Dunes of the East." For now, at least, it's pretty affordable, especially in the off-peak seasons.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Purgatory Golf Club
This great photo of the fourth hole at Purgatory Golf Club near Indianapolis, really brings out the beauty in this outstanding Ron Kern design with no homes on it.
Courtesy of Tenna Merchent/Purgatory G.C.
Pinnacle Point Golf Club
At Pinnacle Point Golf Club in South Africa the views of the Indian Ocean can be found on every hole and you can play it for less than $60 with a cart.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Sand Hollow Championship Course
Here's a typical view on the Sand Hollow Championship Course in St. George, Utah. While it's one of the most expensive courses in the area, at around $100 during peak season, it's still a bargain.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
10 Images
Many of the world's most scenic golf courses play host to big events or are at exclusive resorts. Course like Pebble Beach, Chambers Bay, Kiawah Island's Ocean Course or the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii certainly come to mind, and we've all seen the images.
But what about courses that fly under the radar? Ah, those are the real finds.
So to make this list, the courses can't be hosts of a major or a PGA of LPGA Tour event, and they can't normally charge green fees over $200. That eliminates many of the world's most stunning courses, but leaves plenty that are either somewhat affordable or downright bargains.
Here then, are 10 of the most scenic courses I've played in the last couple of years, with the requirement that they don't appear on TV or require valet parking.
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On Long Island, New York, Bethpage State Park's Red Course is almost as stunning as its more famous sister, the Black Course, and costs less than half as much to play. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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At Palmilla Beach Golf Club & Resort near Corpus Christi, Texas, you can play a links-like course with plenty of views of the Gulf. Courtesy of Palmilla Beach Golf Club & Resort
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The Jack Nicklaus-designed Mountain Course at Bear Mountain Resort sits high above the capital city of Victoria, British Columbia. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Near Santa Fe, N.M., Black Mesa remains one of the prettiest and most fun golf courses I've ever played. Pictured is the par-5 Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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After seven years of grow-in, Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club northwest of Phoenix, opened to rave reviews and has been a bargain to play with rates far less than its Scottsdale counterparts. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
-
The Dragon at Nakoma Resort is one of the most beautiful and difficult golf courses in the Graegle region of California, and it's priced below most of its counterparts. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
-
Streamsong Resort, located between Tampa and Orlando, Fla., has been referred to as the "Bandon Dunes of the East." For now, at least, it's pretty affordable, especially in the off-peak seasons. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
-
This great photo of the fourth hole at Purgatory Golf Club near Indianapolis, really brings out the beauty in this outstanding Ron Kern design with no homes on it. Courtesy of Tenna Merchent/Purgatory G.C.
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At Pinnacle Point Golf Club in South Africa the views of the Indian Ocean can be found on every hole and you can play it for less than $60 with a cart. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Here's a typical view on the Sand Hollow Championship Course in St. George, Utah. While it's one of the most expensive courses in the area, at around $100 during peak season, it's still a bargain. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Mike Bailey is a former Golf Advisor senior staff writer based in Houston. Focusing primarily on golf in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America with an occasional trip to Europe and beyond, he contributes course reviews, travel stories and features as well as the occasional equipment review. An award-winning writer and past president of Texas Golf Writers Association, he has more than 25 years in the golf industry. He has also been on staff at PGA Magazine, The Golfweek Group and AvidGolfer Magazine. Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeBaileyGA and Instagram at @MikeStefanBailey.
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