Tucson, Arizona
While Scottsdale dominates the Arizona golf scene, Tucson, surrounded by stunning Sonoran Desert terrain, has a more low key vibe and over 40 golf courses. Ventana Canyon’s Mountain and Canyon courses, Sewailo Golf Club, and Starr Pass offer challenging layouts dotted with cacti amid rugged terrain. Arizona National is a local favorite for its desert beauty. Tucson has five Municipal courses with greens fees in the $30 to $60 range (Dell Urich, Randolph Golf Complex, Silverbell, Fred Enke and El Rio).
Branson, Missouri
Live music capital Branson, Missouri (50 miles from the Springfield-Branson National Airport), has quietly become a phenomenal place to play golf. Its Who’s Who list of course designers like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Tom Fazio and Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore is absolutely amazing. There are 10 golf courses in Branson with headliners like the Tiger Woods designed Payne’s Valley, Buffalo Ridge Springs and Ozarks National at Big Cedar Lodge, Branson Hills Golf Club and Ledgestone Country Club. Not to be missed, too, is one of the world’s best par-3 courses, the super scenic Top of the Rock, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course overlooking Table Rock Lake (see picture above).
Puerto Rico
Yeah, Yeah, I now P.R. is not a state, but it IS a U.S.A. territory. There are 18 public-access courses throughout the island with a variety of settings ranging from oceanfront to some with mountain and rainforest panoramas. According to Golf Digest’s latest rankings, the top places to play are TPC Dorado Beach East, Bahia Beach Golf Club, Royal Isabela Golf Club & Resort, El Conquistador Golf Club and Palmas Athletic Club Palm Course. One of the great things about Puerto Rico is the hassle-free aspect of traveling to and staying there. American citizens don’t need a passport to enter, the U.S. dollar is its currency and you don’t have a language barrier as the island is bilingual. Getting there is easy, too. There are numerous non-stop flights from major cities in North America, particularly along the Eastern Seaboard.
Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Trail
The granddaddy of all golf trails, this collection of 468 holes (26 courses) at 11 locations offers golfers wonderfully designed layouts at great prices. Greens fees start at $65 and you can save by booking a package through their website rtjgolf.com The Trail also has affordably priced resorts such as the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa and Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel & Conference Center at Grand National.
Polk County, Florida
Situated about 60 miles west of Orlando (pretty much about midway from Tampa to O-Town), Polk County is indeed on the golf map because of one spectacular golf resort, Streamsong, home to three award-winning courses designed separately by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Tom Doak and Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. Step onto the back terrace of the Streamsong clubhouse and the scene in front of you doesn’t look like Florida. The wild, exotic sand mounds– some as high as 75 feet– conjure up images of Ballybunion in Ireland or the somewhat bizarre Tobacco Road in Pinehurst. The unusual terrain looks ominous, but it’s definitely an inviting setting for golfers. Other solid (and cheaper options) in Polk County include Southern Dunes, Highlands Reserve and The Club at Eaglebrooke.
Other destinations to consider
Traverse City, Michigan
With 18 golf courses within a 15-mile radius of the city, Traverse City has a great menu of places to tee up. The Grand Traverse Resort & Spa features The Bear, The Wolverine and Spruce Run layouts. Best bets for affordable public golf are Elmbrook and The Crown.
St. George, Utah
With postcard beautiful terrain dominated by red sandstone cliffs, buttes, canyons and rolling hills, this region about 30 miles from Zion National Park has an impressive menu of golf courses that are both challenging and picturesque. Headlining the menu of 12 public access courses are Black Desert, Sand Hollow, The Ledges, Coral Canyon, Sunbrook and Copper Rock.
New Mexico
There are more than 100 golf courses in the Land of Enchantment, including 25 very affordable municipal courses. The settings are never boring, ranging from mountain to desert and even a few links style layouts. Some of its best courses include Paa-Ko Ridge, Twin Warriors GC, Rainmakers, Black Mesa GC, Sandia GC and the Championship Golf Course at the University of Mexico.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
A family-oriented beach destination on the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Shores has 9 golf courses. Some of the top plays include Cotton Creek at Craft Farm and Cypress Bend at Craft Farms, a pair of exceptionally maintained and lush Arnold Palmer designed layouts; Kiva Dunes, a “Top 100 Course in America” by Golf Digest that was designed by former U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate and the Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club, a 27-hole complex surrounded by the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve.
Brainerd, Minnesota
There are 25 places to tee up in this beautiful part of central Minnesota. The headliner is Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake with 45 holes of golf.
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