Queenstown Harbor Golf Course – Lakes Course

It’s a royal engagement! At the greens that is. At the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course, there is always a place and time – tee time – for great golfing fit for a queen (and king!). Its two courses are amongst Maryland’s most famous; not so much for being so exquisite but for being able to grant the quality of game that even the most noble of citizens would look up to. As to what makes this golf vacation destination so grand, the Lakes Course is a good place to start.

The Lakes Course measures more than 6,500 yards from the longest tees, par 71, with four sets of tees. This 18-hole beauty has a great variety of holes to make such a dynamic layout. There’s the peninsular green on 6th that is just about as beautiful as it is challenging. There’s also the bunker-laden par-4 18th that couldn’t get more room for anything else other than accuracy. But on the overall, this course has more room for a lot of other things too – fun things – that make golf vacations extra exciting.

These things include picturesque views of the nearby Chesapeake Bay and a well-preserved wildlife sanctuary surrounding it. It is well preserved that, in fact, it has received a most prestigious recognition: A certified sanctuary from the Audubon International. That makes a roomful of beautiful things all packed in the same Lakes Course. Guests must expect that at the end of their golf trips here, the engagement will have been consummated and sealed in eternal bond: a royal wedding!

The Rookery Golf Club

One of the marks of a great golf vacation destination is its overall quality. A golf course must be able to take care of its guests pre-, during, and post-game. The facilities and amenities for each of these stages must come in good enough quantities so as to compliment – and not drown out – each other. The Rookery Golf Club in Milton, Delaware, though often understated, is one fine example.

This golf course, the result of the collaboration of two golf greats Pete Oakley and Chris Adkins, takes care of the pre-game needs at their natural putting and chipping areas. The game per se is made fun, exciting with the right kick of challenging thanks to the 12 water holes present in the golf course. All 6,400 plus yards of the Rookery Golf Club has an equal distribution of water in its 18 holes – a factor that boosts the challenge to an otherwise fair game. A combination of natural and man-made features make this golf vacation favorite even more challenging.

The post-game delights are well taken cared of, thanks to a very impressive grille, the Blue Heron Grille. Golfers are treated here to what could only be described as proper pampering, whether to relax or fill in oneself with some well-deserved gastronomic indulgence. Although, this post-game implement is questionable as a post-game. Others get on it head-on, even before the game starts! But that does not matter, though. That just further proves that at the Rookery Golf Club, golf trips are at its most best – every second of it!

Nutter’s Crossing Golf Club

Never mistake shortness for shortage. Length, or the lack of it, does not fully define the excellence of a golf course. Sure, it does say something, but it does not bear everything. Nutter’s Crossing Golf Club, for example, is not necessarily long at just more than 6,100 yards, par 70. But golfers will attest that this golf vacation destination is not running short on fun, excitement, or the elements that make for a great and challenging day on the greens.

 This golf course in Salisbury, MD is located 50 miles off of Ocean City. And Ocean City area being itself, water is an indispensable part of golf course layouts. Thus, what Nutter’s Crossing Golf Club lacks in length, it makes up for in water hazards. There are 8 water hazards here that play mostly on more than 12 of the 18 holes, especially playing from the longest tees. To compliment this feature, the design group behind this layout added at least 50 bunkers of various shapes and sizes. For a small course, it surely is packed. That says a lot about what to expect about golf trips here: packed.

To top it off, the Nutter’s Crossing Golf Club has impeccably maintained bermuda grass greens and lush, rolling fairways. And there’s no shortage on off-greens amenities too – it begins with a beautiful colonial brick clubhouse to delight players, post game. With a course that’s as interesting as it sounds, any golfer would go on a golf vacation here even on a short notice. And they won’t go home shortchanged. In short, it’s fun and worth the trip.

Eagle’s Landing Golf Club

This is one golf vacation destination that cares – for its environment, for its guests, and for the game of golf itself. There might just be nowhere else in Maryland, or the entire United States that gives as much value for money and game as the Eagle’s Landing Golf Club. This golf course gives more than what is expected of it.

 The Eagle’s Landing Golf Club is the first Maryland golf course to have been granted the Audubon Sanctuary certification. It has as much regard to its environment as to its golf. It could perhaps be because of the fact that it has an unparalleled postcard view of the Sinepuxent Bay and the Assateage Island National Seashore. And as is proven by the Audubon status, the natural wildlife remains untouched at the least, improved at the best. And the golf isn’t too shabby either. The Michael Hurdzan creation stretches to 7,003 yards of links-style layout playing from a variety of textures – wetlands, marshlands, saltwater marshes and Bermuda greens accentuated by an array of water holes, large sand traps and contoured greens. And all that excellent golf played at the most affordable price possible for its caliber. Budget-friendly golf vacations have never been friendlier and more enjoyable than this.

All these combined features have contributed to the list of merits listed under its belt.  These merits include an elusive Best New Public Golf Course from Golf Digest. With a resume quite as impressive, guests are assured of a jolly good time at the Eagle’s Landing Golf Club. It cares so much as to take the cares off of anyone’s golf trips.

The Homestead Resort – Lower Cascades

Low profile is not exactly low quality. The Lower Cascades Course of the Homestead Resort could prove that. This Robert Trent Jones Jr creation in the famed golf vacation destination in Virginia may have kept itself under the shadows of its more famous William Flynn sibling course, The Cascades, and may lack the experience of its classic counterpart Old Course, but that is not saying it isn’t quite a statement in itself. Au contraire. This golf course is actually known among the higher-skilled golfers for being challenging.

Although the Lower Cascades Course shares the same rolling, mountain terrain and dramatic elevation changes of the Cascades, this course is actually a little more open. This makes this course notoriously deceptive – appearing to be a less difficult for being challenging on many parts of the game. Golfers tend to forget the fact that this is an Robert Trent Jones creation – apart from the signature wide fairways and large greens, it also bears his penchant for risk reward play. The higher the risk, the bigger the rewards. That makes for golf trips that are anything but simple and ordinary.

Just as it is – open, wide, challenging and no doubt beautiful, the Lower Cascades Course is reaping its own merits. And many followers too. It is a beautiful cornucopia of nature’s features – including a beautiful stream that helps shape the course – and human genius that brings only the best quality golf vacations anyone could ever ask for. It may have easily been passed up for its siblings, but it is too much a loss to do so.

The Homestead Resort – Cascades Course

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.

Nicklaus North Golf Course

Jack Nicklaus could never have been more sure of his creation than the Nicklaus North Golf Course in British Columbia. This is one of the very few golf courses in the world that bears his name, one of those few chosen ones that risk everything that Nicklaus has worked for most of his life. But the risk was worth taking. Only a golf vacation destination of this caliber could carry not only the name, but the prestige and excellence that is Jack Nicklaus.

The Nicklaus North Golf Course is located right in the most beautiful part of Whistler, BC, Canada. It enjoys magnificent mountain vistas and features, to which Nicklaus weaved his signature course features all too perfectly. His trademark par 3s and bunkering are well placed around ancient firs, glacier fed streams, and the beautiful Green Lake. The course was designed to test out every golfers’ skill while optimizing the natural setting of the property – to make it work well with the layout and the play and go beyond the aesthetics. Views, layout playability – these are enough to call the course a true golfers’ haven. The on-course amenities only do so much as to cement this course into the golf vacation heaven status.

With a top-rated restaurant and grill, The Den, plus a fully-stocked Pro Shop, full service practice facilities and driving range, the pre- and post-game needs are surely covered. With close to 7000 yards of golf from the longest tees, par 71, and five sets of tees, golf trips are assuredly one for everyone. With Jack Nicklaus bringing everything into the table, there is not enough a reason to not believe that the Nicklaus North Golf Course is among his best works to date.

Big Sky Golf Club

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.

Mayfair Lakes Golf and Country Club

There is nothing too simple or fairly good about the Mayfair Lakes Golf and Country Club. If anything, this favored golf vacation destination just minutes from Vancouver has most everything in excess: beauty, playability, and challenge. And in all fairness to it, there is nothing excessive about that claim.

The Mayfair Lakes Golf and Country Club is a Les Furber design, measuring a good 6.641 yards from the longest tees for a par of 72. What is most noticeable about this course, as is apparent in its name, are the lakes. There are several lakes on the property that are connected by a canal. This allows for water play on 13 of its 18 holes. That is topped only by the presence of a total of 90 bunkers – and that combination only spells one thing: H-A-Z-A-R-D. Not to mention, breeze coming in from the Pacific makes its presence known in a manner that could never be mistaken as discreet. And it surely is felt on the scorecards as well. The course is further defined by very fast greens and some lush fairways. And since it has taken to heart its being excessive in excellence, golf vacations here are never just defined by the golf features. Mother Nature has her hand on this, to which the designer and the developers happily obliged.

Where scenery is concerned, the towering North Shore Mountain and surrounding Coast Mountain Ranges will take over. They make for a most stunning and most refreshing backdrop for the Mayfair Lakes Golf and Country Club. With a course that is a little too much of everything – everything good, that is – it would only be fair to say that golf trips here come in excess too; never stopping with firsts or seconds!

Fairmont Chateau Whistler

There is such a superstar appeal to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. This premier Canadian golf vacation destination has so much drama in it that it might as well pass up in Hollywood.

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler is twice a masterpiece – legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones Jr carved it out of the face of one of British Columbia’s most beautiful mountains, Coast Mountain Ranges. With Jones making the most of what nature has gifted it with, golfers are in for a delight both in playability and scenery. All Jones did here was make sure his hazards and holes are placed where the natural mountain features are exposed just right. And with something as beautiful as this, nothing is ever too much. Hazards include crystal clear mountain streams and deep ravines; breathtaking views of the surrounding valley are a two-faced feature: they could be a treat to the senses or a distraction. With features as varied and as dynamic as that, not to mention beautiful, golf vacations here are pretty much an emotional roller coaster – ranging between awe and heartbreak and satisfaction.

And speak of satisfaction, it seems like golfers are not the only ones satisfies at how the Fairmont Chateau Whistler looks and plays. Golf Digest gave it four and a half stars and rated it a ‘must play’; the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine hailed it the No. 1 Golf Resort in North America; and Canada’s Score Golf called it the Best Resort Course in British Columbia. But not only is this an award-winning spectacle; this superstar is its own blockbuster hit – the number of happy golf trips here are a testament. And there is nothing dramatic about it – that’s all fact.