U.S. Golf Courses with Private Airstrips
On a family vacation in Bend, Ore., years ago, I vividly recall playing the Meadows course at Sunriver Resort and being captivated by not only the breathtaking surrounds—the snow-capped mountains, towering pines, and winding rivers—but by the occasional Cessna that would land at the airstrip adjacent to the course. The small prop planes would then […]
Great Courses of Britain & Ireland: Pennard
Often called the “links in the sky,” this Welsh rarity is a windy test of quirks and curiosities Located close to Swansea, Wales’s second largest city, and stretching westward from the intriguingly named small resort town of Mumbles, is the Gower Peninsula, a wonderfully scenic corner of Great Britain. It is a land of beautiful […]
Gone Fishing: The 10 Best Fish-Themed Golf Courses
A reporter once asked Julius Boros when he planned to retire. “Retire?” said Boros, twice a U.S. Open winner who captured the 1968 PGA Championship at age 48. “All I do now is play golf and fish. What would I do if I retired?” Indeed, as leisurely paced, scenic activities, golf and fishing share a […]
5 of the Planet’s Most Remote Golf Courses
A friend of mine recently sent me an email asking if I knew what the world’s most isolated golf course is. He’s an Australian scientist working on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific, a volcanic outcropping over 1,000 miles from the next closest land—New Zealand or New Caledonia. While jogging around the island one morning, […]
Sea Island Ups Its Game Again
Many resorts took advantage of the stillness that the Covid-19 pandemic imposed upon the world to upgrade their offerings to guests. In late summer 2023, Sea Island Resort unveiled a long list of substantial renovations to The Lodge at Sea Island. What was a five-star corner of the resort to begin with has only gotten […]
America’s Most Noteworthy “South” Courses
Some of the country’s best layouts have been branded with a certain directional moniker. Think of the four main points of a compass, and a familiar golf course should come to mind—whether it’s hosted major championships or simply continues to dazzle its guests. After looking at a handful of the country’s well-known “North” courses, we […]
My Favorite Public Golf Holes in America (Back Nine)
After previously naming my favorite front nine public golf holes in America, the back nine reveals some definite biases. There are only three par fours, which might suggest that while most of the world’s holes are par fours (and two of those listed are among my favorite holes anywhere in the world), it’s the threes […]
Tot Hill Farm: A Mike Strantz Gem is Restored in North Carolina
There’s something about playing a Mike Strantz-designed golf course. As an 18-hole exercise, the experience for golfers routinely borders on surreal, with one abstract hole after the next. And there’s a rareness, certainly, given that the artistic “Maverick” gifted the golf world just seven original designs before tragically passing away at the age of 50 […]
Modern Classics: Wild Horse
Another beauty in the Nebraska Sandhills, but this one is open to the public—and very affordable It’s unlikely any public golfer hoping to get the most bang from their buck will ever find a better option than Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg, Neb. Okay, the fact it’s in Gothenburg—not the easiest place to reach, […]
An Early Look at Big Cedar Lodge’s New Cliffhangers Par-3 Course
Big Cedar Lodge’s golf offerings are getting bigger. The resort in southwest Missouri, founded by Bass Pro Shops owner Johnny Morris, has three 18-hole championship courses and is set to become the first golf destination in the U.S. with three different short courses. Big Cedar has a pristinely manicured 9-hole par-3 course called Top of […]
