The United States is not short on amazing golf resorts. And with the new norm making many travel options out of play, spending several hours outdoors on the links is one of the few luxury activities currently available. Additionally, many top U.S. golf resorts have reopened, with new safety and social-distancing measures in place. What follows is a list of 10 of the best U.S. golf resorts (in alphabetical order), selected for both the reputation of courses available and for the quality of accommodations, so you can remain socially distant on and off the links.
Bandon Dunes, Oregon
With five world-class 18-hole golf courses, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is a self-contained golfers paradise on the Oregon coast. Each course is distinct, with craggy cliffs, rough grasses, and rolling fairways that are reminiscent of iconic Scottish links. The resort also offers five different inns and lodges on the sprawling property, with views of either the ocean, courses, on-site lake, or adjacent forest.
Big Cedar Lodge, Missouri
The five golf courses at Big Cedar Lodge—designed by the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer—are among the best in the Midwest and immerse players in the natural beauty of the Ozarks. There are also a ton of family activities and attractions on property, like mini golf and a lazy river. Among the resort’s myriad accommodations are fully private cottages and cabins surrounded by trees or on the shores of the property’s beautiful lake.
The Broadmoor, Colorado
Beyond its two enticing 18-hole golf courses, designed by Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (with an Arnold Palmer–designed course nearby), the Broadmoor is a mountain destination offering loads of adventure activities, from fly fishing to waterfall hikes to zip lining to a mountain peak railway tour. The resort itself is among the best in Colorado (and in the country), as are the golf courses, which offer stunning mountain vistas and each course plays very differently.
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, Arizona
The Four Seasons brand speaks for itself when it comes to accommodations, but the two 18-hole golf courses available at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North are spectacular and widely considered the best courses in the Arizona desert. Dry creek beds, rocky edifices, and plenty of cacti make Troon North’s courses, the Monument and the Pinnacle, fun but sticky challenges.
The Greenbrier, West Virginia
The Greenbrier is a massive 11,000-acre National Historic Landmark with a lineage going back to the early days of America and set amid the scenic mountains of West Virginia. The resort offers a plethora of restaurants, activities, retail stores, and even a casino, as well as more than 700 rooms, including standalone estates and cottages separated from the main building. But the biggest draw is the golf, with four legendary courses, among them the Meadows and Old White courses, which opened in 1911 and 1914, respectively.
Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina
Set along a 10-mile stretch of pristine oceanfront, replete with beaches, maritime forests, and saltwater marshes, Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a sanctuary of East Coast luxury. Beyond the main hotel, the property offers villas and cottages for a more private experience. Its five courses are among the best in the country, with designs by Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Clyde Johnston, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player.
La Quinta Resort & Club, California
Managed by Waldorf Astoria since 2013, La Quinta Resort & Club near Southern California’s Palm Springs and Coachella Valley is a luxury oasis in the desert. The sprawling property is like a village of standalone casitas and villas, with five nearby courses (including three PGA courses) that beautifully incorporate the desert and mountain landscape.
Pebble Beach, California
One of California’s (and the world’s) premier golf destinations, Pebble Beach needs little introduction. Two of its three resorts are open during the pandemic, as are its three best-known courses, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, and Spanish Bay. The coastal views are stunning and the play is challenging but rewarding.
Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina
The 125-year-old Pinehurst Resort is home to nine (yes, nine) amazing golf courses, including the storied No. 2 course, the Donald Ross–designed masterpiece that has hosted dozens of opens and championship tournaments. Golfers may want to use the other eight courses for practice rounds before playing No. 2, which challenges with its famously complex and undulating greens. For accommodations, the property offers three hotels, plus standalone villas and condos.
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Hawaii
With the Princeville Resort on the island of Kauai closed for renovations (scheduled to reopen in late 2021 under its new 1 Hotels branding), the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on Maui made this list as our requisite Hawaiian selection. To be expected from the stalwart hospitality brand, the hotel ears its five stars and its two golfing options, the Plantation Course and Bay Course, are nothing short of bucket-list worthy.
