Want to play the greatest courses and stay in the most lavish hotels and inns? These legendary destinations have names that are synonymous with the game of golf. The following resorts are our favorites and some of western America’s greatest links with numerous courses that offer something different for every golfer and vacation experience, in no ranking order.
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
For Beginners
Take your next golf vacation at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, which boasts an on-site par-3 golf course. Since 1960, the 9-hole “Hyatt Newport Back Bay” course has been delighting travelers. This California gem features 645 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 27. The course rating is 45 and it has a slope rating of 80. Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Golf Course Golf Club has an onsite driving range with 1 practice tees. The course is also know as Back Bay.
For after you’ve hit the links, the Lobby Lounge Bar is the perfect place to gather for coffee or refreshing cocktails. After a full calendar of activities, retire in the comfort of a lovely room, with some rooms offering breathtaking views of Newport Bay. The resort’s awesome location also allows you to enjoy popular destinations. Disneyland is only 24 kilometers (14.9 miles) away and there a number of other golf courses nearby.
Black Desert Resort
Ivins, Utah
Seamlessly integrated with the landscape of Utah, the Black Desert Resort Golf Course offers convenience and fun to entice both expert and novice golfers. Experiencing all that Greater Zion has to offer in an expansive extraordinary retreat, Black Desert offers a charming fusion of manmade and natural artistry. The 19-hole, 7,200-yard desert golf course was designed by a legendary pro golfer and course architect chosen for his iconic work among Hawaii’s lava fields.
Black Desert Resort Golf Course opened in late May and was the last course designed by Tom Weiskopf, who passed away in 2022. Designed for maximum playability, golf here is about fun for all—with fair greens, undemanding fairways, and 70- to 100-yard landing areas for beginners, yet plenty of risk and reward elements to challenge the most die-hard golfers at the back tees. Black Desert was the site of the October PGA Tour 2024 and the 2025 LGPA Tour.
The Inn at Entrada—Snow Canyon
St. George, Utah
Set amidst Utah’s Dixie red hills, The Inn offers access to the private Entrada at Snow Canyon and the nearby public Sand Hollow, both with spectacular cliff-hanging holes.
Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club’s award-winning golf course in St. George, Utah has undergone a $7 million dollar renovation project led by Scottish golf course designer David McLay Kidd. This 18-month project re-opened April 2022 for members of the private club and guests of The Inn.
Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Gorgeous lake views on nearly every hole lie ahead, with every feature from hole design to deluxe carts and custom-tailored forecaddie service are all expertly curated and attended to. Touted as “America’s Most Beautiful Resort Golf Course” by Golf Digest, golfing, you experience a thrilling high-speed ride in a sleek mahogany boat, whisking you across Lake Coeur d’Alene to a land of carefully manicured fairways—and that’s just the start. The Floating Green, an award-winning, expertly designed course balance the experience. Former PGA Tour Professional, Chip Beck, called The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course one of the finest he has ever seen, lauding it as “a course playable and fun for families, yet challenging enough to test the pros.”
The world’s only Floating Green, and resort co-founders, Duane Hagadone and Jerry Jaeger’s vision developed into one of the most memorable golf course experiences in the western United States. Golf course designer Scott Miller’s inspiration was a course offering a stimulating round of golf, immersing players in a immaculate park-like environment. The result is fairways, playing from tee to green on a lush carpet of bentgrass.
Lakefront Practice Tees
Lakefront over-water practice tee using floating golf balls, 2,400 sq. ft. putting green, 3,500 sq. ft. chipping green and practice sand bunkers. Certified PGA Professionals are available by reservation to assist with golf instruction and group clinics. The Resort Spa provides complimentary pre-round warm-up sports massages on the practice tee.
- 6,803 Yards in length, spanning 200 Acres
- Bunkered restrooms beneath 7 & 10 Tees
- Approximately 1,500 wildflowers, 4,000 petunias, 25,000 junipers and 30,000 geraniums
Cheyenne Mountain Resort, a Dolce by Wyndham
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Cheyenne Mountain Resort, a Dolce by Wyndham is in the heart of gorgeous Colorado Springs, just a short drive from popular attractions like Pikes Peak, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Garden of the Gods Park, and the Olympic Training Center. Surrounded by stunning views of the Rocky Mountains, this 217-acre resort is the ideal destination for golfers. Settle into comfortable accommodations that blend modern amenities with charming rustic décor and enjoy easy access to a plethora of spectacular resort features.
Play 18 holes on the championship-caliber golf course designed by Pete Dye. If the season is right, soak up the sun at the 35-acre private lake, featuring boat rentals and beach volleyball. Swim laps in the Olympic-size pool and delight in everything the Aquatics Center has to offer, including an adult pool, children’s pool, and splash pad. Easily accessible to all travelers, the resort is located minutes from Colorado Springs Airport (COS) and I-25, right off Highway 115.
Horseshoe Bay Resort
Horseshoe Bay, Texas
Three Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses Apple Rock, Slick Rock and Ram Rock—are the best part of this newly renovated golf resort in the Texas Hill Country. More than $7.5 million was invested into upgrading the three resort courses in 2016, and lodging and amenities upgrades add to the resort’s offerings. The members-only Jack Nicklaus Summit Rock course, which opened in 2012, is another added bonus for those who can access the course. An 18-hole par-72 putting course includes lights for night-time play, 56 bunkers and is laid out over 142 acres.
Apple Rock is renowned as one of the most scenic courses in Texas. Designed by the celebrated Robert Trent Jones, Sr., this course offers a welcome challenge with dramatic water changes and water coming into play on seven holes.
Pebble Beach Resorts—The Inn at Spanish Bay
Pebble Beach, California
On Nov. 5, 1987, an abandoned sand mine was gloriously reformed into the luxurious Inn and stunning Links at Spanish Bay. Situated among stately Monterey pines and a Scottish-style links golf course that borders some of the most amazing coastline in the world, The Inn at Spanish Bay is a delightful retreat. The Monterey Peninsula has long been the premium meeting of land and sea. Play a round on five golf courses, highlighted by The Links at Spanish Bay and Pebble Beach. There’s access to resort-owned courses Spyglass Hill and Del Monte with The Hay. The Hay (replacing the old Peter Hay course) is the nine-hole par-3 course recently redesigned by Tiger Woods’ design team, TGR Design.
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am—January – February – The world’s best golfers compete alongside popular celebrities in this exciting PGA Tour.
- Live Music at the Inn at Spanish Bay – Every Thursday through Saturday from 7:00pm – 10:00pm – Enjoy live jazz music by the fireplace at The Inn at Spanish Bay
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
La Jolla, California
Above the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Torrey Pines is one of California’s most iconic golfing destinations. Torrey Pines offers two 18-hole golf courses (North and South. This 170-room AAA Five Diamond property is situated on a thrilling setting overlooking Torrey Pines State beach. The famed South course is the site of the annual Farmers Insurance Open and the U.S. Open. La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Cove. Lawn bowling, hang gliding and surfing – there’s plenty to do in La Jolla. Black’s Beach in La Jolla is clothing-optional, where nudists bathe in the sun and play volleyball au natural.
Packages
Farmer’s Insurance Open – January
Experience the unforgettable Farmers Insurance Open like never before! For the first time in over two decades, guest rooms are available during the January tournament, providing a unique opportunity for golf fans to join in the excitement. Indulge in the chance to rub shoulders with golf legends.
Play Where The Pros Play
Stay four nights and play one of two world-renowned courses on us with the Play Where the Pros Play package. “Where the Pros Play” typically refers to PGA Tour courses, both those that host tournaments and those frequented by professional golfers for practice. Book a four-night stay at The Lodge at Torrey Pines and receive a complimentary round of golf at the legendary Torrey Pines Golf Course.
PGA West
Palm Springs, California
Steeped in a fascinating history, this legendary resort is located at the base of the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains. Enjoy teeing off on an 18-hole masterpiece set against a spectacular panorama of blue skies and rugged mountains. Hitting an approach shot on holes that have seen the greatest moments in golf history. Experiencing the exhilarating joys and challenges of playing golf in scenic Palm Desert area of California.
PGA West, a Palm Springs golf resort that is home to nine iconic golf courses designed by the game’s greatest visionaries. Recognized for more than three decades as the “Western Home of Golf in America,” PGA West offers an unequaled experience featuring resort play, private club golf and a wide array of amenities in the Greater Palm Springs area.
The Retreat Links and Spa at Silvie’s Valley Ranch
Seneca, Oregon
The luxurious wilderness retreat, sitting on 140,000 acres, is unlike any other golf resort in North America. You might’ve heard about the resort’s goat caddies, equipped with custom leather backpacks to hold enough clubs, balls and tees for a loop around the resort’s seven-hole short course, McVeigh’s Gauntlet. Also innovative are the resort’s reversible 18-hole courses, the Craddock and Hankins were designed by Dan Hixson.
- Five golf courses ranging from a standard 18-hole course to a 9-hole par-3 option
- A Native American-inspired spa equipped with a variety of wellness options
- Outdoor activities including mountain biking, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, and more
The Hankins Course is for golfers looking for a traditional round is played on odd-numbered days.
The Craddock Course is played on even-numbered days.
The Chief Egan Course, which is a 9-hole experience and 875 yards, is perfect for families and is completely powered by solar panels and fed by water from a local spring.
McVeigh’s Gauntlet is a 7-hole challenge featuring goat caddies and a bonus par-2 hole.
Claire’s Courses are complimentary, 18-hole putting course for a more relaxed experience.
The Inn at Gamble Sands
Brewster, Washington
The pride and joy of Brewster, Washington is the Sands and QuickSands Course at Gamble Sands. Located on 115 acres of fine fescue grasses, the high, arid desert of Central Washington is the setting for a David McLay Kidd-designed course that shows off breathtaking views of the wide Columbia River Valley.
The broad, natural holes and tight, lively fescue turf give players the opportunity to take high-risk lines with their drives across fearsome hazards to gain significant advantage and roll, but there’s also extreme room for less assertive play. A number of fetching, short par 4s and par 5s beckon players to make birdie, and the rather modestly contoured greens see more than their share of holed putts.
The Inn at Gamble Sands offers spacious 500-square-foot rooms and 1,000-square-foot suites that overlook the river valley and the wild, 18-hole Cascades putting course, scene of popular late-night competitions.
Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Maui, Hawaii
The oceanfront hotel is separated from ocean cliffs by an ancient Hawaiian burial site. To its south is its resort’s extensive practice facility, complete with three practice holes. On its left is the Arnold Palmer-co-designed Bay Course. A bit farther away to the right is the recently renovated Plantation Course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the long-time home of the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions. The tournament kicks off the season with one of golf’s most exceptional fields, featuring PGA tour winners from the previous year–including fall events–as well as the top 50 qualifiers from the 2022-23 FedEx Cup standings.
It’s considered one of Hawaii’s finest courses and is a must-play for many golfers.
The Plantation Course PGA Tour Season Opener
This course is renowned for its challenging layout, stunning views, and its role as the host of The Sentry, a PGA TOUR event. The prestigious PGA tour season opening tournament returns to the famed Plantation Course honoring the resilient people of Maui. This once-in-a-lifetime experience, exclusive to The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, offers golf fans the perfect warm weather winter escape to cheer on their favorite players.
Bay Course
This player-friendly course, designed by Arnold Palmer and Frances Duane, offers ocean and island views on the 16th and 18th holes. Its 17th hole is also the only in Maui to play over the ocean.
Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Marana, Arizona
Northwest of Tucson, in the Sonoran Desert just below the Tortolito Mountains, the resort is surrounded by 27 Jack Nicklaus-designed holes at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain and also offers privileges at the private 36-hole Gallery Golf Club, both former sites of professional golf’s world match-play event.
The Highlands
The 18-hole ” course at the Dove Mountain facility features 6904 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 72.5 and it has a slope rating of 136. The Highland has an onsite driving range with 6 practice tees. Designed by Arthur Hills of the American Society of Golf Course Architects ASGCA.
Saguaro
Par 36 – 3,894 Yards
Set against the backdrop of a majestic Saguaro cactus forest to the West Saguaro serves as front nine for the Accenture Match Play Championship.
Tortolita
Par 36- 3,955 Yards
The Tortolita course winds along the base of the Tortolita Mountains and serves as back nine for the Accenture Match Play Championship. The Par-3 third hole marks the highest elevation of the course. The Fifth through the eighth holes wander through a secluded canyon with a grassy hillside stadium setting surrounding the ninth green.
Wild Burro
Par 36 – 3,897 Yards,
This was Jack Nicklaus’ favorite nine holes at Dove Mountain. It features incredible vistas of the Tortolita Mountains. The fifth green includes a panoramic view of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain Resort.
The Clubs of Dove Mountain
Two golf clubs, one amazing membership. The Clubs of Dove Mountain are made up of The Gallery Golf Club and The Golf Club at Dove Mountain and sit within the beautiful Dove Mountain community, near Oro Valley and the Tortolita Mountains.
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
Tucson, Arizona
Nestled against the Catalina Mountains in northeast Tucson, the sprawling yet discreet resort provides access to the private Ventana Golf & Racquet Club’s two Tom Fazio designs, the Canyon and Mountain Courses, the latter with its iconic 107-yard par-3 third tucked within the steep walls of a mountain canyon.
- 2 Award-Winning Tom Fazio-designed PGA golf courses
- 4 lighted tennis courts with mountain views
- Lakeside Spa, an Architectural Digest choice for the 8 Most Beautiful Desert Spa Destinations in America (2018)
Mountain Course
The 6,902-yard, par-72 course boasts the most photographed hole west of the Mississippi—#3, a 107-yard par 3 that plays across a plunging ravine to a granite-encased green.
Canyon Course
This 6,836-yard, par-72 course winds through the inspiring beauty of Esperero Canyon and incorporates the massive rock formation known as Whaleback Rock. The par-5 18th hole showcases a partial island green and a steep, cascading waterfall.
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