The Homestead Resort has three superb courses in it. But of the three, one of them stands out as its prized jewel – Virginia’s beloved classic Cascades Course. This spectacle of a golf vacation destination has a history of 80 glorious and colorful years – one that began as an original William Flynn design, later remodeled by Robert Trent Jones in the 60’s. And, just recently, it faced another renovation, this time to restore the original 1920’s design with a flair of modern. And through all that – remodeling and restoration – it still remained Virginia’s top; the only course in the state to be included in Golf Magazine’s elite lists of America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses (#48) and the Top 100 in the World. That is, on top of being the consistent No. 1 Course in Virginia.

That shouldn’t be surprising. The Cascades Course sits in the stunning Allegheny Mountains – enough an assurance of a picture-perfect golf vacation. It is so beautiful that in fact, it is considered the most beautiful mountain course in the country. But it doesn’t stop there. The mountain’s natural topography has been the foremost influence in any game played here. Not so much as dictate, but influence in a way challenging to the better golfers and very generous to the handicap-challenged ones. In layout quality and beauty, this course is a definite topnotcher.

Thus, it is not surprising too that the Cascades Course has honed the careers of some of the world’s best. Topping the list of best golfers is the legendary Sam Snead who honed his championship skills in these very same greens. And with a very long and beautiful record as this, no wonder it is also topping the lists for America’s most favorite for golf trips.

Some courses are only big on size and lacking in quality. Others are the opposite – big fun, small size. Others have it all on scenic quality. Thankfully, there are those rare ones who are as big as their talk. And the Big Sky Golf Club in Whistler, BC, Canada is a most perfect example. This golf vacation destination is listed as a favorite among local and visiting golfers alike. And the reasons are quite clear.

The Big Sky Golf Club is big in size. At 7,001 yards playing for a par of 72, there is so much to do in this land overshadowed by the snow capped Mt. Currie. It would be hard to single out the most scenic part here when crystal clear natural water features, large native trees, and an overcast of a mountain straight out of an oil painting are in the choices. And just as big on the looks, golfers are also in for a massive challenge. Let the same stunning water features tell the tale. Its designer, Robert Cupp, was big on using the natural attributes of the property in coming up with this piece. On top of that, he has filled the course with best quality grass and sand for the greens, fairways, and the bunkers well shaped to define the course’s attitude. All that presented on four sets of tees make this course perfect for the biggest golf trips.

Because of its big qualities, it does not come off as a surprise that the Big Sky Golf Club is granted 4 ½ stars by Golf Digest’s Places to Play. It is also as natural that it has granted the golf vacation haven the Best Course in BC. No wonder this course is also big on happiness.

The Meadow Valleys Course of the Blackwolf Run Golf Club in Wisconsin is perhaps the best image of how Mother Nature would have created a golf course herself. This is the most unfazed natural Wisconsin terrain that a golf course could have, and it so good at being good it comes naturally. And there should not be anything surprising about its being excellent; it is a Pete Dye creation. Can a golf vacation destination be any less than best if it is a Dye?

Although mostly overshadowed by its more famous sibling course, the Meadow Valleys Course has its own set of merits. This golf vacation haven winds through natural valleys and deep ravines, as well as tall-grassed meadows all playing out the role of a hazard. And all that are natural – thereby giving the most exciting, most interesting changes in elevation that no other man-made facility could ever copy. On this particular course, Dye was being kind with the opening hole being a little kind and considerate, only to be countered rather surprisingly at the back nine of mostly wooded area. And when a golfer thinks the 18^th hole is his reprieve for a most heartwrenching first 17 holes, the 18^th will make a perfect culmination to the round. And it is something that no one could ever forget.

This superb quality of play that the Meadow Valleys Course offers is, just as naturally, recognized. The 7,142-yard, par 72 course ranked 60^th in Golf Digest’s List of America’s 100 Greatest. And its unforgettable 18^th hole was ranked among the world’s Top 500 holes. Well, if that is the case, golf trips here would feel like Mother Nature prepared it herself.

It’s nothing like its sibling course, The Straits. There are none of the excessive elite status of the more famous course, but the Irish Course of the Whistling Straits Golf Club has its own merits that even its more ‘fabulous’ sibling could not topple. And that is its being well loved for playability and its undeniable versatility. When the Straits become too overrated to create a leisurely golf vacation, the discreet one is the best choice for a Wisconsin vacationer. And the surprises just keep pouring.

The Irish Course, like the Straits, is a Pete Dye marvel. Whilst the world is dying to try on the Straits for its PGA Championships reputation, this humble golf vacation destination just is not as simple as it presents itself. More critics actually find this a more interesting course – an inland layout of varying difficulty from one hole to another. The sand dunes and waste bunkers, among the must-watch-out-for features of a Dye course – are maintained rather minimally, to create a time-and-weather shaped hazard. And from the looks of it, and the reviews of it as well, everything they have done and have been doing with the course is effective.

When the Straits make use of the lake for its natural hazards, the Irish Course uses the ponds, deep ravines and little streams to give its punch more power. And power it is – it has created a name for itself as one of the favorite sites for golf trips. And with its length of 7,201 yards from the longest tees, par 72, the course is not merely as overwhelming as the Straits. Rising up to its own merits, this course will most easily pass up a rival for its own sibling course – in beauty, challenge, and fame.

It does not exactly change its colors, that would be freaky. But this golf vacation destination was named after the chameleon for itsmore obvious and less scary feature: dynamic and diverse. The El Camaleon Golf Course would feel like playing many different courses on the same course at the same time.

The El Camaleon Golf Course is a cornucopia of different natural features. Golfers would be treated to the play along or through mangroves, tropical jungles and the golden shorelines of the Caribbean Sea surrounding the area. Its designer, Greg Norman worked on this course according to his design philosophy of creating the least intervention on nature in coming up with a tournament quality course. And this was achieved all too neatly. It wasn’t too hard, though. He didn’t do much on making it beautiful, it is beautiful in itself. What, with scenic, natural subterranean rivers that have been preserved well and acting as natural hazards, and the beautiful Carribean Sea making a lasting impression, there really is nothing more that any designer could do to make it more beautiful. What Norman had to do was bring a high-caliber golf course. It would be such an understatement to say that this goal was achieved. As a matter of fact, this chameleon changes faces from being a golf vacation haven into a top tournament facility.

And by top, it means the PGA Tour-quality kind of top. The El Camaleon Golf Course is the first golf course outside of the US and Canada to have hosted a PGA Tour, and it will keep on doing so in the coming years annually. Guests on golf trips here would effortlessly transition from being mere golfers to ‘happy golfers’, and there’s no going back from there!