The courses that justify building a full trip around — and what to know before you book.
Articles › Top Golf Resorts in the US Worth Traveling For
Not every golf trip needs to be a bucket-list pilgrimage. But some courses justify the flight, the hotel, and the planning. The resorts on this list deliver something you can't replicate closer to home — whether that's world-class course design, a setting that's genuinely unlike anything else, or a full resort experience that makes the non-golfers in your group just as happy as the golfers.
Here are the golf resort destinations in the US that consistently earn their reputation.
Pebble Beach Golf Links is the most iconic public course in the country, and the setting — cliffside holes above the Pacific along the 17-Mile Drive — is genuinely unmatched. Playing it once is a legitimate bucket-list item. The resort itself (The Lodge at Pebble Beach) is excellent, with multiple courses on property including Spyglass Hill and Cypress Point adjacent.
What to know: tee times book months in advance for Pebble Beach Golf Links, and greens fees are steep. Book well ahead. The surrounding Carmel-Monterey area has great restaurants and coastal scenery that make this one of the best golf trips for mixed groups where not everyone plays.
Pinehurst Resort has nine courses and a long history of hosting major championships — Pinehurst No. 2 has hosted the US Open multiple times and remains one of the best-conditioned courses in the country. The resort village itself has the feel of an old-school golf destination: walkable, low-key, and entirely oriented around the game.
What to know: Pinehurst is more affordable than the California resorts and easier to book. A four-night package playing multiple courses is one of the best-value golf trips in the country. The Sandhills region of North Carolina is specifically worth visiting in spring and fall — the weather in August is brutal.
Bandon Dunes is the golf purist's destination. Five courses on the Oregon coast, designed in the links tradition, with no motorized carts — you walk, and the wind is part of the experience. The setting is dramatic: wild coastline, sea grass, and very little else.
What to know: this is a golf-focused trip, not a mixed group trip. The resort is comfortable but not luxurious, and the nearest town is a 30-minute drive. If everyone in your group plays and wants to play 36 holes a day in serious golf conditions, Bandon is extraordinary. If anyone doesn't golf, look elsewhere.
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island hosted the 2021 PGA Championship and is consistently ranked among the top public courses in the US. The resort (The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island) is a full-service luxury property with five courses, excellent beach access, and spa and dining options that make it one of the few true golf resorts where non-golfers are equally well served.
What to know: Kiawah is the best option for mixed groups — golfers and non-golfers alike tend to love it. The Ocean Course is demanding and should be approached accordingly; beginners are better served by Osprey Point or one of the other resort courses. Spring and fall are the best times to visit.
Scottsdale has more golf courses per capita than almost anywhere in the country. The Phoenician, Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North, and The Boulders all anchor strong resort golf experiences. Troon North, Whisper Rock, and We-Ko-Pa are among the best course options in the state.
What to know: Scottsdale is at its best from October through April. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F and make golf genuinely dangerous. For a group trip with a mix of golf and non-golf activities — spas, restaurants, hiking, desert scenery — Scottsdale is one of the most versatile options on this list.
The best golf resort isn't necessarily the one with the highest-ranked course — it's the one that fits your group. Bandon is for serious golfers. Kiawah and Pebble Beach work for mixed groups. Scottsdale is ideal for a trip that's partly golf, partly something else entirely.
Golf resort trips benefit more than most travel from planning ahead — tee times at the top courses book out months in advance, and room availability at peak properties fills quickly. A travel advisor with connections to these resorts can often access preferred tee times and accommodations that aren't available through standard booking channels.
CxC Travel specializes in golf travel and can help you build a full itinerary — course selection, accommodations, and any additional activities — so you show up and play.
Preferred tee times, resort accommodations, and a full itinerary — handled for you.