Tag Archives: golf vacation destinations

Vista Verde Golf Club

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The Sonoran Desert holds so many wonderful things in its midst, and some of it remain a secret that only a privileged few get to discover and enjoy. Within and around its many red canyons, golden mountains, and huge thousand-years old boulders, the Sonoran Desert nestles Arizona’s best golf vacation destinations. One of those that is yet to be discovered is the Vista Verde Golf Club in Rio Verde, AZ. The newest of the three courses in the Verdes Complex, Vista Verde brings out the best features of the desert and the best experience anyone can have in his game of golf.

The 18-hole, par-72 regulation course stretches out 7,219 yards from the longest tees and has five sets of tees to accommodate players of various handicaps. Its designer, the renowned Ken Kavanaugh of the Pinehurst #2 fame designed the golf course to follow the dictates of the natural desert terrain as its own. The result is a premiere golf course of gently rolling fairways that carries an attitude of making the game challenging for the low handicap player, but very fun for the average one. That and the picturesque quality of Vista Verde Golf Club makes golf trips enjoyable for just about everyone.

Anyone who gets to spend their golf vacations at the Vista Verde Golf Club know why it is a prized discovery. It has all the beautiful elements of desert golf: from the many Mesquite and Palo Verde trees to the giant cacti all over the course, to the breathtaking views of the Sonoran Desert and the Four Peaks and Mazatzal Mountains. Vista Verde might exactly be the best kept secret of Arizona golf, and it’s just waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.

Sedona Golf Resort

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Sedona Golf Resort is one great place to spend a lasting taste of a golf getaway. Blending the challenging golf course with the natural beauty of Red Rock of Sedona, this golf course features elevations ranging from 3,960 up to 4,260 feet. A golf trip to Sedona offers players with a mixture of perfect scenery and a challenging round of golf full of elevated tees, raised greens, and challenging approach spots.

 Each hole presents its own unique set of circumstances to make it challenging. Players will surely find something new to the place’s surprises. Sedona Golf Resort is located in the heart of Arizona , a unique destination known for its spectacular scenery. The course winds around the astonishing red rock cliffs and spires of Sedona. It makes for a picturesque scene of emerald greens set amid towering crimson sentinels. The Gary Panks-designed course is surrounded with terrific hotels where guests can spend their rest time comfortably. Consistently rated four starts by Golf Digest, this rare red-and-green golf course is a must-visit. This makes for the ideal golf trip for golfers who want to play in the Grand Canyon.

 This thrilling 6,646 yard, par-71 golf course is widely considered to be one of the world’s most unforgettable golf vacation destinations. The wide array of world class spa treatments, lap pool, and spa therapy makes it more interesting. Sedona Golf Resort , with its extraordinary beauty, can be compared to the seven wonders of the world – a perfect vacation destination where guests could feel one with nature while enjoying their favorite sport.

Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia

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Golf Digest is one of the most trusted, most prestigious golf publications, not just in the United States but in the world. So when Golf Digest gives a high ranking and a very good review about a golf course, more likely than not, the golf course is excellent. Golf Digest’s highest ranking given is 5 out of 5 stars and the course must be “Superb. Golf at its absolute best”, where fees are of no issue as long as the course delivers the best game of golf possible. It has only given 24 5-star rankings in North America and only one golf vacation destination in Arizona received this high a ranking: TRILOGY GOLF CLUB AT VISTANCIA.

A Gary Panks creation, the 18-hole par-72 Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia has five different sets of tees and stretches from 5,573-yards to 7,258 yards. There is not much water to battle at the Trilogy, characteristic of desert layouts, but the bunkers are anything but easy. 70 prominent bunkers dot the course and they could make or break any game. Experts advice golfers to take it slow in here and not to get all too excited – it requires careful planning and an even better execution to come out of here unscathed. Golf trips here are even made more beautiful by the pristine views of the Sonoran desert surrounding it and its signature saguaro cacti.

The course of rolling terrains and stunning native grasses give the Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia an edgy attitude – makes for variety in game, not to mention the different sets of tees that players of all handicaps can get to enjoy. Golf vacations here are easy and pleasant, with its many wonderful amenities and accessibility, being only 25 minutes from downtown Phoenix. This not only proves Golf Digest’s judgment. Experiencing it firsthand proves the credibility of Golf Digest as well – it knows beauty right at the first glance.

Raven Golf Club at Verrado

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 The Raven Golf Club at Verrado is perhaps one of those golf courses that can lure one into thinking that it is an easy, relaxing course. True, the views of the White Tank Mountains is breathtaking and a delight to the senses, but this shouldn’t fool anybody. This championship golf course 25 miles outside of downtown Phoenix goes beyond the pretty little course it appears to be. It has some of the most dramatic elevation changes and the most unforgiving bunkers among all the other golf vacation destinations in Arizona.

Half of the Raven Golf Club at Verrado plays on mostly level terrain while the other half gives a heart wrenching twist to an otherwise ordinary golf trip as it sits on the slopes of the White Tank Mountains giving the course highly dramatic elevation changes. The fairways are wide and friendly, but the bunkers are a make or break and requires the golfer to carefully plan a shot when a bunker is nearby. Some of the greens are easy, but the others are not, thus the entire play at the Raven necessitates versatile plays – perfect for players of all handicaps to find their own level of challenge.

To complete the golf vacation, the Raven Golf Club at Verrado offers services fit for royalty. They have some of the most excellent golf resort amenities and staff including the gastronomic indulgence offered at their western-inspired Cocina Grille. This is where the atmosphere is easiest at the course, when the guests can relax and breathe after an exciting, heart pounding round of golf. And that, perhaps is the best way to cap off a day at the Raven Golf Club.

The Boulders South Course

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The Sonoran desert is beautiful, there’s not an iota of doubt in the truthfulness of that. Many of Arizona’s top golf vacation destinations have parts of the Sonoran desert in the picture. In the high desert, where millions of years old boulder formations surround, one golf course stands majestically – a rare breed of ruggedness and beauty that is now known as one of the best, most scenic courses in Western United States – The Boulders South Course.

The Boulders South Course is one of the two world-class Jay Moorish designed courses in the Boulders Golf Resort. The 18-hole par-72 championship golf trip spot’s signature shot is the 5th hole that requires a shot over an enormous rock formation. Getting past it definitely takes off a boulder-like lump in any golfer’s throat, all the while anticipating the coming shots that may be the same or even more difficult than that. All the challenging layout of Moorish’s design, plus all the drama of the naturally rough desert terrain, set against even more beautiful Sonoran desert views will surely take any golfer’s play to the next level.

There is no doubt, therefore, as to why the Boulders South Course has bagged such honors as a Platinum Medal from Golf Magazine, one of the “Top 25 US Resorts” by Golf Digest and “Top Five – Best in the West” by the Links. It has all the classical elements and definitions of desert golf in all of its 18 memorable holes. Not to mention, the Boulders Resort offers the best amenities and services including a top of its kind spa treatments at the Golden Door Resort making the best golf vacations better than it can possibly be.

Golf in Jamaica

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The Caribbean Sea is home to some of the world’s most beautiful island paradises. These islands are blessed with beautiful cerulean waters crashing fine powder beaches, and a rich ancestry, history and culture that make them truly unique. One of the Caribbean’s precious gems is Jamaica.

Jamaica literally means “Land of Wood and Water”. It has a long history of colonization and slavery from the Spanish and English invaders. The invasions and the trafficking and importing of slaves from Africa and Asia, have helped mold Jamaica into the culturally diverse island nation that it is today. It is now the seat of reggae music, and the home of famous athletes, world-class natural tourist destinations and some of the world’s best and most beautiful golf courses.

Montego Bay on the northern coast is the second largest city in Jamaica, next to Kingston, the capital. The sight and sounds of Montego Bay are a perfect breed of nature, culture, and history. Here tourists will find centuries-old homes, new amenities, and world-class golf courses. The best golf courses here are designed by equally renowned artists and the designs are hailed by the golfing community for its breathtaking Caribbean scenery and challenging but fun golf offerings. Three of the most notable golf courses on Montego Bay are: Cinnamon Hill Golf Club, Half Moon Golf Club, and the tale-filled White Witch Golf Course.

The Cinnamon Hill Golf Club The Cinnamon Hill Golf Club is cradled between the lush Jamaican Mountains on one side and the crystal blue Caribbean waters on the other. It sits on 400 sprawling acres at the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club. This 18-hole championship course was designed by Robert Von Hagge for the resort player, with the equally relaxing and challenging plays of the wind and traps giving that perfectly satisfying play. The caddies at Cinnamon Hill Golf Club are ranked as one of “The Best in the World” by Golfer Magazine.

Half Moon Golf Club An original Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design, the Half Moon Golf Club was recently renovated under Roger Rulewich’s watchful eye. How good it was in its original design has just gotten better with the new improvements on the course. It still has the same elements of challenge and fun in every hole for both the beginner and the advanced golfer, that has made it famous for the last 25 years, only better. It is named the Best Caribbean Golf Resort by Caribbean World Magazine, and is a member of the Jack Nicklaus “Great Golf Resorts of the World”.

White Witch Golf Course  The White Witch could perhaps be one of the most interesting courses on Montego Bay. It is named after the famous tale derived from the life and death of a rather infamous Jamaican character, Annie Palmer or “The White Witch”. Stories has it that Annie Palmer has murdered so many of her husbands and brutalized her slaves until she was murdered.

The site of the White Witch Golf Course is the site of Annie Palmer’s sugar plantation, thus the course’s creators, Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril, thought of naming the course after her. The 18-hole par-71 course features a view of the Caribbean from 16-18 holes and an even more challenging play of the wind and its mountainous terrain on 6,859 yards.

The Caribbean waters are so blessed with an undeniable and unequalled natural beauty, made more beautiful by the beauty of its people. No wonder the even more beautiful golf courses belong here as if it were made along with everything else.

Arizona Grand Golf Course

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Arizona is home to many fine golf courses, some of which rank among the best in the country. The desert terrain, scenic mountains, and the glaring Arizona sun provide some of the best setting for premiere golf vacation destinations. On the top list’s top list, the Arizona Grand Golf Course holds ground. For two decades now, the golf course has been known to provide challenging games and excellent resort services.

The Arizona Grand Golf Course is situated in the luxurious Arizona Grand Resort, right in the protected natural desert preserve of South Mountain Park. Designed by Forrest Richardson, the course features links style set on desert landscape. The result is a challenging course layout of many twists and turns, and an escalating challenge that is only revealed one hole after another. Golfers of all handicaps can enjoy the 6,331 yards of golf and its rolling fairways and dramatic elevation changes. This 18-hole par-71 golf vacation favorite offers the most scenic views of the mountains surrounding it and of the Sonoran desert.

Coupled with excellent service and world-class amenities, these superb playing conditions of the golf course make the Arizona Grand Golf Course a favorite among its counterparts. Players and golf publications alike all praise the golf trip haven in unison, as is proven by the following awards: “Greens of Distinction” & “Golden Links Award” from Corporate Incentive Travel Magazine; Gold Tee Award from Meetings & Conventions; “Top 35 Courses in Arizona”, “Best Golf Hole”, & “Best Service in Golf” from The Arizona Republic; and named among the nations Top 50 “Great Service” facilities by Golf Digest. It also holds 4 diamonds from AAA, and 4-stars from Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play”, and an “Excellent” rating from the Zagat Survey. Justifying its rank won’t be so hard to do. A single visit to the course is all it needs and no trace of doubt shall remain: this is definitely among the best.

Grayhawk Golf Club – Talon Course

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The Talon Course of the Grayhawk Golf Club is a most fitting example of perfect combinations. Every single element – from its creators down to the smallest detail of the course – is made of many different combinations that worked perfectly alongside each other thus creating one of the best and most beautiful golf vacation destinations in Arizona, and perhaps, in all of the United States.

Standing in the midst of the golden Sonoran desert in Northern Scottsdale, the Talon Course is only one of the two premiere golf courses at the famed Grayhawk Golf Club, the other being the Tom Fazio-designed Raptor Course. The Talon Course at the Grayhawk Golf Club is the brainchild of US Open and PGA Tour Champion David Graham and architect Gary Panks. They have successfully blended their layout of a stunning landscape and natural desert vegetation with the breathtaking vistas of the desert and the Phoenix and Scottsdale skylines surrounding the area, thereby making the Talon a sight to behold. Golf wise, the designers have come up with just the right amount of difficulty in the shots, narrowness of the fairways and landing areas, as well as the undulation of the greens to make every game and every golf trip at the Raptor as pleasant as it is challenging.

A series of four par 3’s, ten par 4’s and four par 5’s dot the 18-hole par-72 championship golf course. Visitors at the Talon Course of the Grayhawk Golf Club would never regret spending their golf vacations here, as they shall be treated to world-class service from the course’s friendly staff. That, and being conveniently located 40 minutes from the Sky Harbor Airport just makes it even more ideal. The Talon Course is one place that offers a perfect breed of golf all-out goodness – from fun to challenge, to scenery.

Gold Canyon Golf Resort – Sidewinder Course

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The Sidewinder Course at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort is always overshadowed by its more famous sibling Dinosaur course, which winds through the mountain of the same name. A lot of golfers go on ahead to what’s at the top, without so much as discovering the priceless beauty at the base of the mountain. And that’s what they’re missing out on their golf trips.

What the traveling golfers should know is this: the Sidewinder Course at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort is a beautifully-laden, 18-hole championship golf course around the base of the Dinosaur Mountain that breeds challenge with scenery almost perfectly. Being at the base, it winds through the land’s natural arroyos and dry creek beds, providing some of the most challenging desert layout. The landscaping was perfected to match the surrounding vistas to a T. The glistening Sonoran desert, views of the nearby golden desert valleys and the majestic Superstitions Mountains embrace the course of gently rolling fairways, truly rolling greens, dramatic bunkers, and water hazards. Not to mention, the course is part of the Gold Canyon Golf Resort, a world-class facility whose name stands synonymous to “best golf vacations”.

What’s even more amazing about the Sidewinder Course at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort is that, it provides a prestigious play at a friendly price. It is, without a doubt, deserving of its 4-star rating from Golf Digest. It is beautiful, it is challenging, it is affordable, and it is only a mere thirty-minute ride from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport – a classic breed of the most ideal golf vacation destinations. When headed for a game of golf at the Dinosaur Course, it is a must not to miss the wonderful offerings of the Sidewinder.

SunRidge Canyon Golf Club

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The desert sun, the sand, and the golden canyons all contribute to the landscape of one of Arizona’s most scenic golf vacation destinations, the SunRidge Canyon Golf Club. Its designer, Keith Foster, has perfected a bond with the desert around the course that made him work to bring out the best of the Arizona desert and a truly challenging course layout. It almost seems as if the entire golf course was carved out by Mother Nature’s own hands, and all Keith Foster did was decide where the holes would be best.

The par-71, 6,823-yard, 18-hole championship course is one made out dramatic elevation changes that simply follow the dictates of the desert land. Water comes into play on four of its eighteen holes, while arroyos dot the entire course to cause enough distraction and difficulty of the poised game maker. The rolling fairways are wide and surrounded by the glistening sun-kissed desert and the medium-sized greens are undulating. With all these qualities of the SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, it is but natural that golfers prefer it for their epic golf trips.

If that weren’t enough yet, the SunRidge Canyon Club offers the best services and amenities in the valley of the Sun. The clubhouse alone is a striking Spanish hacienda-inspired structure that provides only the best retreats after a long hot game under the sometimes unforgiving desert sun. Almost everything about this golf vacation favorite comes naturally beautiful and excellent – from the challenging plays to the landscapes maintained to perfection to every inch of the desert that hugs it. Falling in love with it is, likewise, a natural reaction for any golfer.