PGA West – Greg Norman Golf Course

This is where the best of nature meets the best of golfing genius. California’s desert magnificence and stunning terra cotta mountains are the location and backdrop of the Greg Norman Golf Course of the PGA West fame. PGA West, known to be the centerpiece of Palm Springs, CA golfing scene does prove why it is the ultimate golf vacation destination in the West. This Greg Norman signature course best fits the role of a justification.

The Greg Norman Golf Course sits amidst everything good and beautiful imaginable. From the desert terrain that Norman used too well, to the impeccable landscaping of the most beautiful hues of flowers, to just about everything, no detail was missed out. The golf vacation favorite is the newest of the five championship courses on location and is famous for its fair but unforgettable challenge. Of course, that’s on top of being very, very attractive. The course features lush greens, some 102 white crushed marble bunkers, and pristine blue waters playing on 9 holes, breaking the monotony that is the desert.

Utilizing its natural desert terrain, golfers are treated to this ‘outback’ golfing experience. Different kinds of grasses add more color and texture the golf trip haven, while the limited and tight fairways give games here kicks a little harder in the gut. That is, if the golfer remains careless. Otherwise, the thinking golfer will be rewarded with relief from engaging in a tough physical and mental game. The Greg Norman Golf Course measures close to 7,200 yards from the tournament tees, and plays for a par of 72.

La Quinta Golf Resort – Mountain Course

In any competition, anything new always has a tendency to be hyped up. Things may not always be as good as they appear or pretend to be, but because of all the attention it gets, everyone is scrambling up to see what it is. In the long run, under too much scrutiny, the tiny imperfections will give it away. And only the truly excellent shall remain. Such was the case of the Mountain Course of the La Quinta Golf Resort. After many years, it went through the many stages of hype and attention, but it has remained in the top. This is one golf vacation destination that is able to justify its accolades – words are not needed.

Playing a single round at the Mountain Course will answer questions why this is among the Top 100 Courses in America. Out of the tens of thousands of courses in the US, with several thousands in the state of California alone, it emerged as amongst the 100 best. Thanks to the beauty nature has endowed this part of the planet, the golf vacation favorite enjoys what it enjoys today. Thanks, too, to the genius that is Pete Dye, every inch of the beautiful Santa Rosa mountains that it utilized was made to full use, bringing out its perfection.

And golf trips are laid out to perfection as well. Games here consist of playing through well-shaped bunkers carved out in the desert mountain, perfectly manicured greens, and the most unusual and natural rock formations. And it does not end there. The beautiful scenery surrounding the Mountain Course is yet a different story. Together they make more than 6,700 yards of golf heaven. No hype. No exaggeration. This is golf at its finest, and only a game here can justify that.

PGA West – TPC Stadium Course

It would be too hard for any golfer to resist playing the TPC Stadium Course. Apart from a very beautiful reputation, the golf course is able to live up to it. Famous for both vacations and top tournaments, this golf vacation destination brings Pete Dye’s name to the Best of all Times list over and over and over.

The TPC Stadium Course is located in La Quinta, California, and is only one of the five championship courses on the facility. But this is deemed the best. Always has been, always will. The golf course boasts of multiple inclusions in many Top 100 in the US and Top 100 in the World lists by countless big names in golf publication. And who would not want to put it among the best? The island par 3s are nothing like anything the world has seen; the bunkers are almost monstrous at the least, and the undulations are never predictable. This course is so tough it went on to becoming one of America’s 50 Toughest Courses, and the scariest for pros. It was so scary that after the first Bob Hope Chrysler Classic was played here, many pro golfers signed a petition requesting for the tournaments to not be played here. But that should not stop anybody from taking golf trips here.

And it did not. The TPC Stadium Course has long continued to become a classic favorite for tournaments – a favorite for both the players and even more so the spectators. Why, this Scottish-style layout would not be called the ‘Stadium’ for nothing! So whether on a golf vacation here as a player or a spectator or both, there’s no reason to resist coming over. Neither is there the will power to do it.

Normandy Shores Golf Club

Nothing is too much an overnight success. The greatest things come from simple beginnings and endured years and years of hardship and hard work to become something so glorious. Such was the case of on of Miami Beach’s best kept secret, the Normandy Shores Golf Club. This golf vacation destination has a very long history to its name – a history so rich and colorful – that there is nothing less to expect of it but only an even better and brighter future ahead.

The Normandy Shores Golf Club was a vision and a project that began in 1928. It took a lot of manual work to create the man made Normandy Shores Isle, especially that this was a time before the heavy machinery. When the new 18-hole paradise was kicking off so well, the war broke out and the place was then transformed from an elite golf vacation haven into a military barracks. Fast forward a few more years and the original layout has been replaced with a Mark Mahannah handiwork, and then just lately, the renowned Arthur Hills laid his hands on the course for its most recent renovation. And the result was one golf course that brings affront the glory and beauty that has had all these decades.

Today, the Normandy Shores Golf Club is the pristine golf trip paradise with the Biscayne Bay for backdrop. The greens are fast and well protected, the fairways are rolling and heavily bunkered, and water comes into play on all but 6 holes. It stretches to a good 6,800 yards from the tips, par 72 with three sets of tees to choose from.

Miami Beach Golf Club

Miami holds a reputation for being one of the most favored vacation destinations in America. Why, the weather is almost always perfect, and the city always has something wonderful to offer its guests. From the beaches to the party sites to just about anywhere, everything under the Miami sun and sky are wonderful for vacations. Yes, that includes golf vacations. One look at the course that bears the name of the city, the Miami Beach Golf Club, is enough a peek to what the city holds for golfers.

The Miami Beach Golf Club holds a long history that dates back to the early 1920s. It has gone from being part of a massive golf vacation destination project to a military training ground to what it is today: a well-loved golf course holding outings and tournaments and daily rounds. Golfers local and visiting alike enjoy the lush 128 acres of golfing goodness. The original 1920s layout has long since been renovated by the Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and associates design group. The result is an elegant golf course backdropped by the awe-inspiring white sand Miami beach. There is a lot water and wind on the course, with fast greens and a few undulated greens.

Apart from making it more beautiful and fun to play, the Miami Beach Golf Club was also made more environmentally friendly on its renovation. The greens and irrigation/drainage system was changed to put the natural aspects of the course at the best position. This golf trip favorite measures 6,800 yards from the longest tees, par 72. But the kind of happiness it offers is immeasurable. golf trip

The Biltmore Golf Course

The Biltmore Golf Course is a true classic. It is a very fine Miami wine, a golf vacation destination that has aged gracefully and has not grown outdated. Generations after generations and champions after champions and never once falling short of amazing even in the face of new golf courses.

Sitting on the wide acreage surrounding the legendary Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel, the Biltmore Golf Course has been in the Miami golfing scene since the mid-1920’s. It was an original Donald Ross creation that has seen the best and worst of times. Over time, it has been fully restored to its classic perfection. As with most every Florida course, there is a lot of water on this layout, with significant but not overwhelming mounding to give just the right amount of challenge and grit. The result is and has always been a very entertaining and highly pleasurable course, perfect for golf vacations of stellar proportions.

And stellar they are. The Biltmore Golf Course has long since been the host of many of the biggest celebrities from different fields. From movie stars to dignitaries to athletes of different sports, this golf course has been able to attract them all with its undeniable charm and even more obvious excellence. The entertainment quality never gets old that golf trips hereabouts never stop with the first. Just as this course grows better and more beautiful overtime, so does every game here. It always grows better and better and better. Thankfully, the hotel and the rest of the course offer the best accommodations and even incomparably great services.

Turnberry Isle Miami – Soffer Course

Longer. Tougher. Better. Prettier. Soffer. Thankfully, the Soffer Course is not as it sounds – golfers do not suffer on their golf vacations here. Not at all. On the contrary. One of the two Turnberry Isle Resort courses in Miami was making waves when it first opened more than thirty years ago; even more so now with its now face, new everything.

The Soffer Course was, like its sibling course the Miller, an original Robert Trent Jones Sr creation and went through an extensive overhaul in 2007 under the genius of renowned contemporary designer Raymond Floyd. What was once a typical Florida course of flat, watery layout was transformed into one of very impressive and exciting movements on the elevation. The water remains a traditional Florida layout – plenty, but now with more work done on the landscaping to make it even more beautiful that it already is. The best thing about this golf vacation destination is the part where it paris its remarkable beauty with astonishing play quality.

And astonishing as it is, golf trippers are not the only ones who fancy this course. Several tournament organizers have developed a liking to the Soffer Course that they make it the host of their competitions. In this course’s resume are several LPGA Tournaments and the ADT Golf Skills Challenge. There is no suffering here, only happiness. Golf trips here are simply, and without a doubt, better and merrier. The course measures 7,047 yards from the longest tees and plays for a par of 71.

Doral Resort – Red Course

Red in the Red Course at Doral is not red as in fierce, hot and feisty. On the contrary. Red on this golf vacation favorite is love bubbles. This Miami course, despite lacking the domineering and daunting grit its siblings have, is one of the most lovable courses in the famed Doral Resort.

The Red Course could easily be likened to everyone’s favorite cousin. She is not the most famous in the family but rest assured, she will always, always be a delightful company and a reason why vacations are happy. This golf vacation destination is short and is probably the simplest of the courses, measuring only a short 6,146 yards from the tips, par 70, with 5 sets of tees for every golfer. What is most appreciated about this course is the fact that its holes are well balanced – sprinkled equally on the both sides of the course. And these holes are strategically guarded by any of the course’s 68 sand bunkers and water hazards. Most of them are, in fact, playing with water – 14 of the 18 holes to be exact. This golf vacation destination could not get any better, can it?

 That is until one actually plays the course, and only then will things escalate into the best golf experience yet. While this has none of the intimidation of PGA favorite Blue Monster, or the length of the Great White, the Red Course has its own paprika red kick to it. That comes in, ironically, the greens. The Bermuda greens run true and mildly undulating, albeit small in size. All the more challenging, with that much of sand and water and very little greens, shot accuracy is a definite must. That said, falling in love with golf trips here could not get any easier.

Doral Resort – Jim McLean Signature Course

Not a few golf enthusiasts have known The Doral Resort in Miami. With all the buzz it gets every year thanks to the PGA Tour at the Blue Monster, that is not surprising. But these golf lovers know very well that the Doral is not all about the Blue Monster. There are four other championship courses on this golf vacation destination that are equally excellent. One of them is the Jim McLean Signature Course – one that has seen one too many improvements. It’s always surprising that after every renov, the course still comes out better than ever. How these architects outdo each other will remain a mystery – but a very good one.

The Jim McLean Signature Course first opened as a Bruce Devlin/Robert Von Hagge original layout. In 1998, champion Jerry Pate laid hands on this course and just recently, the then Silver Course got its share of Jim McLean’s genius. The course went from one design to another, delicately playing with Florida’s natural environment in the process. Today, the signature course is known for its sixteen water holes and signature series of par 3s, the Bermuda Triangle from the 13th to the 15th holes. Oh, that and what the golf world’s dubbed as “the toughest opening three holes”. A promise like that does get golf vacations here more enticing yes?

And with all the raves it is receiving since opening in 2009, no one else could be any happier than Jim McLean himself. The golf trip favorite was his first full golf course design. An impressive thought the the first timer’s achievement was to outdo that of legends before him. The fair and challenging Jim McLean Signature Course measures 7,105 yards from the tips, par 72, with multiple sets of tees.

Doral Resort – Gold Course

Anything gold is never second best. They are at the top, always the best choice, always preferred. And that is exactly the reason why the Gold Course of the Doral Resort is called as it is. It can never be any less than the best – and that is despite being in a golf vacation destination with four other championship top-ranked courses. While it is not so much the PGA Tour fame that its sibling, the Blue Monster course, is, it has its own gold medal merits.

 The original Robert Von Hagge creation has been recreated by Raymond Floyd, making the once excellent golf course the best it has ever been. The Gold Course now features a beautiful traditional Florida layout, with gently contoured greens, strategically placed bunkers and sixteen of its eighteen holes playing on water. And because being on the top of the list means being excellent at just about everything, this golf vacation favorite went on to become excellent at being challenging and fun. The narrow, tree-lined fairways will take care of that aspect. As for the aesthetics, being in Florida and being in the Doral Resort have that department covered. Naturally.

And while the Blue Monster reaps viewers after viewers and more fans for the PGA Tour fame, the Gold is never to be easily overshadowed by it. It has its own tournament under its belt, the PGA Tour Qualifying School finals which it hosted in 1999. But more importantly, the Gold Course is a topnotch golf trip destination. It is the best and most preferred choice.