First Peek: The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort
High-end golf is opening in the Motor City for the first time in more than 20 years Golfers researching a vacation to Michigan should take the state’s most populous city into consideration before automatically looking west toward Lake Michigan or north to the Upper Peninsula. Saint John’s Resort in the Metro-Detroit suburb of Plymouth, Mich., […]
Top 10 “Old” Courses You Can Play
When Old Barnwell in Aiken, S.C., opened in 2023, it got me wondering about the very best “Old” courses in golf—that is, courses ancient or modern that feature “Old” in the course name. While it’s true that some of these layouts go back many years, others are of considerably newer vintage. Old Barnwell is completely […]
Top 10 Southern California Courses You Can Play
Pick any major golf destination in Southern California and you’re bound to run into a celebrity or two. There are plenty of golf course stars in the region as well. Perhaps Northern California has more five-star public spreads, but for diversity (ocean, mountains, desert, parkland), perfect weather, and a fair bit of PGA Tour cachet, […]
Top 10 Courses: Northern Ireland
Here’s our list of the top 10 courses across the Atlantic in Northern Ireland 1. ROYAL COUNTY DOWN (CHAMPIONSHIP), County Down This postcard-perfect beauty, nestled between the Irish Sea and the Mountains of Mourne, can also be a beast, as blind tee shots, punishing rough, and deep bunkers conspire to create an unrelenting challenge. 2. […]
Golf’s Most Intimate Layouts
Small wonder: Merion (East) is golf’s most intimate championship layout Unquestionably, the freedom to smash drives all over the yard is liberating. On occasion, however, it’s cathartic not to have to swing out of your shoes. Sometimes it’s fun to play small ball, to place thoughtful shots in the proper spots aboard a course with […]
Underrated Sibling Courses at Pebble Beach Resorts
The ultimate American public-access tee time for history, drama, and scenery, Pebble Beach Golf Links never fails to enchant our senses. Every red-blooded golfer alive yearns to play Pebble—but high demand and a special occasion green fee mean that not everybody can. Fortunately, Pebble Beach Resorts serves up a collection of sibling courses that are […]
5 of America’s Top Golf Course Landmarks
When one thinks of golf course features, chances are that fearsome bunkers, lurking water hazards, and unique green complexes come to mind first. But sometimes a golf facility has a manmade landmark that’s instantly recognizable, eminently memorable, and—for many golfers—obligatorily Instagram-able. Outside the U.S., there may be no better example than the Swilcan Bridge at […]
Where to Play Golf and See the Northern Lights
I’m sometimes told that “man does not live by golf alone.” Granted, the people who say that aren’t the rabid golfer that I am, but it’s true that including other activities in a golf trip can make it an even more rewarding adventure. Seeing the Northern Lights (a.k.a. the Aurora Borealis) is a bucket-list experience […]
Notable Regulation Courses Under Par-70 in the U.S.
When the newest course at Sand Valley Golf Resort opens this year, it will be very different from the other offerings at the Central Wisconsin destination. Unlike the wider corridors at Sand Valley and especially Mammoth Dunes, Sedge Valley is tighter and shorter, a par-68 layout designed by Tom Doak on an intimate piece of […]
7 Exceptional Golf Destinations Celebrating 25 Years in 2024
Inspired by memorable rounds of golf played at Royal Dornoch, Ballybunion, and other courses in the British Isles, Mike Keiser set out decades ago to build a championship-caliber 18-hole layout on the windswept shores of southwestern Oregon. As he embarked on that venture, Keiser had a single objective: to create an honest and pure golfing […]