Iron Horse Golf Club is only a par 70, which is like playing a 7,000-yard, par-72 course. And beyond that, most of the holes at Iron Horse require placement over length. This really is a challenging course that plays much more difficult than its yardage. The shorter holes can be among the most difficult because of the tight windows off the tee. But the best part about Iron Horse really is the overall atmosphere.
Rees Jones constructed a layout that is undeniably difficult but eminently fair at Quintero Golf Club, which despite having numerous elevation change seems to play uphill on every hole except for the four par 3s. And the four par 3s are unforgettable and unmatched anywhere in Arizona, Scott Bordow writes.
Once again, the city of Dallas has produced another gem with the Luna Vista Golf Course. Like Stevens Park and Tenison Highlands before it, Dallas-area golfers have been presented with another terrific golf course at a bargain price. The former L.B. Houston Golf Course was recently renovated and renamed. The golf course project, which totaled about $3.1 million, is a minor miracle.
If you’re an average golfer and you have a chance to play a course built in a retirement community like Frisco Lakes Golf Club, go play it. It’s almost always guaranteed fun. Excellent conditions, including terrific MiniVerde greens, combined with the fact that you won’t be looking for many balls, make for a pleasant and fairly quick round.
The Wizard Golf Club and the Witch Golf Club won’t be confused with Pinehurst No. 2, but that doesn’t stop Claude Pardue from drawing inspiration from that great course. In fact, the one thing you can say about Mystical Golf, which owns a trio of golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area that also includes Man O’ War, is that it never stands pat.
Some golf courses in Naples try to break you down the stretch, while others want you to go home happy. The final three holes can make or break your round, and Jeff Berlinicke offers up some of the best finishing stretches in Naples.
King’s North, the signature of the three designs at Myrtle Beach National, has long been considered one of the Grand Strand’s best golf courses. The biggest challenge over the past 25 years has been the greens, but King’s North reopened in September with new ones. Mike Bailey has more from South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
Muskoka, the cottage country destination two hours north of Toronto, is home to 1,600 lakes -- big and small -- and, most important to golfers, some of the best golf courses in Canada. With more than 20 courses, Muskoka states a strong case as the best golf destination in the country, Jason Scott Deegan writes from Huntsville.
Any idea that Hapuna Golf Course is just the other venue at Mauna Kea resort on the Big Island is quickly dismissed once you start playing it. It may not be as hard as its big-brother course -- Mauna Kea, on the other side of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway -- but it’s almost as pretty. And it’s probably more fun, too, because it’s not as difficult, Mike Bailey writes.
The first thing you notice about Jacksonville Beach Golf Club is how many people are walking the course. They do this mostly because it’s not that difficult. The combination of timing and limited land has led to a course that’s easy to walk. But while that might be the case, it’s anything but easy, especially for those who like to try to overpower a golf course.
The one-of-a-kind scenery is spectacular enough you might think you’re in some remote, national park. But don’t adjust your GPS, Arrowhead Golf Club is in Denver’s backyard and makes for one of Colorado’s most dramatic plays. Set in the Rockies foothills of Roxborough State Park just south of Denver, the course continues to attract a worldwide audience of tourists visiting Colorado’s great outdoors.
The AT&T Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio is a little easier than it used to be -- just a little. In response to some ‘suggestions’ from PGA Tour players, the course underwent some modifications. However, the Greg Norman design that opened in 2010 and plays host to the Valero Texas Open is still pretty difficult and will continue to rank among the toughest courses on the PGA Tour.
Located just a few miles from the famed Sherwood Country Club in southern California, the Los Robles Greens Golf Course is one of the most popular municipal courses in the area. Many golfers, in fact, have said they will drive 90 minutes or more to play Los Robles Greens.
The town of Manor broke its water contract with ShadowGlen Golf Club during the summer drought of 2011, and the course baked. The city and ShadowGlen reached a settlement in the spring of 2012, so the course reopened March 15. And ShadowGlen is well on its way of regaining its place among the best public golf courses in the Austin area.
Located in the hills of San Clemente, set above the ‘Spanish Village by the Sea,’ Talega Golf Club is a picturesque course in a very pleasant setting. If you like great conditions, generous fairways and nice scenery, then Talega is a good choice. Its bentgrass greens roll true, no two holes are alike and the course features a terrific finishing stretch.
Golf and business meetings have gone together since the dawn of the game. Some golf facilities, however, are more conducive to doing business than others. Fortunately for Houstonians and those visiting the Bayou City, there are an abundance of such venues. Mike Bailey offers up 10, which are all open to the public.
The Golf Club at South Hampton had always been a popular track in the northeast Florida area, but now with new owners, better conditioning and a family atmosphere, play is picking up even more. From the time you check in to the starter, everyone seems to know your name. And with wide fairways and only forced carries for the low handicap players, the golf course is pretty friendly as well.
Playing golf in Houston, compared to the rest of the country, is cheap. In fact, when it comes to big markets, you won’t find more affordable golf. And here’s the kicker: It’s a true 12-month season. The average high during the winter months is in the 60s. And while the summer months are little hot and humid, it’s nothing you can’t handle, especially considering the number of quality affordable courses, which is well more than 100 in the area.
The modern player has expectations and appetites that go beyond a tee-to-green experience. A stellar meal, a sound deal and the feel of personalized service are just as important to most golfers (especially vacationers) as the condition of a club’s greens. To experience the full flavors of a Palm Springs-area golf day (or eve), here are four on-course dining establishments that are highly recommended pairings with your round.
It’s a shock that Bermuda isn’t an A-list golf destination in the winter. It’s an affluent place, one that isn’t plagued by the Third-World vibe of some Caribbean destinations. The 1-to-1 exchange on the U.S. dollar and the chance to clear customs on the island before the return flight are major reasons to choose Bermuda first.
Deer Creek Golf Club, located in the far southwestern fringes of Metro Denver, has a wealth of scenery and geography to keep one busy on an 18-hole journey that traverses protected wetlands, creek beds, rolling terrain, impressive conditioning and some tiered greens.
Grey Silo Golf Club in Waterloo, Ontario will host a new LPGA Tour event in 2012, but the course’s greatest attribute is that it feels like a solid mid-level public or private club even though it’s municipally owned. The course is run well, kept in good shape and is worth a visit, Peter Robinson writes.
As you move northeast along Interstate 80 past Sacramento, the transition from farmland to foothills seems to happen in an instant. From a golf architect’s point of view it is land redolent with possibilities and famous architects like Robert Trent Jones Jr. have laid some of their best work here. Ted Johnson has more.
Composed of the Ontario, Riverside and San Bernardino areas, the Inland Empire is the fifth largest urban area in the state of California and quickly becoming one of the most diverse.
