Ultimate Fall Golf Trip Guide

The cold? It just isn’t for everyone. And with fall right around the corner, golfers everywhere are scrambling to plan one more trip before the winter chill settles in. So, for those looking to keep the hand warmers and sweaters stowed away for another month or two, we’ve found the top fall golf trip destinations to take right now.

 

6 Fall Golf Getaways You Can’t Pass Up

1. A Great Lake Getaway: Michigan

While summer in Michigan is one of the best times to tee it up, fall brings even more magic. With pristine course conditions and incredible fall foliage, a fall golf trip to Michigan is a must.

Best Overall

Often regarded as one of the top golf courses in the world, Crystal Downs Country Club has changed little since opening for play in the late 1920s. The course was designed by Alister MacKenzie, the same brain behind the designs at Cypress Point and Augusta National, and occupies a stunning piece of property located between Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake.

Arcadia Bluffs is another top destination with two stellar courses and luxurious accommodations nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan. 

Best 36-Hole Combo

3 resorts. 10 golf courses. Infinite fun. For a fall golf trip with some emphasis on the “golf,” BOYNE Golf is sure to deliver. Separated by a quick drive around Little Traverse Bay, rounds at Bay Harbor Golf Club and the Heather at BOYNE Highlands are a must for your two-round day of golf. 

Bay Harbor has long been regarded as one of the top courses in the state, with a subtle elegance and impressive course design. And the Heather, BOYNE’s first golf course, has remained a fan favorite (and one of ours) since its initial opening in 1966.

Best Value

For those looking to experience a fall golf trip that’s easy on the wallet, Grand Traverse Resort & Spa is the place to go. A wide array of golf packages allow you to affordably enjoy the resort’s three courses and experience all that Michigan’s lower peninsula has to offer. Packages include rounds of golf, accommodations, range balls, and even credits to be used at nearby casinos.

2. The Beach Retreat: South Carolina

Mornings spent beachside and afternoons spent link-side? It’s no wonder golf vacations at the beach are so popular. With its casual atmosphere, warmer weather, and fewer tourists, the autumn season continues to afford more reasons to head to the coast on your fall golf trip.

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Regarded as one of the most iconic courses on the eastern seaboard, all 18 holes at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort hug the coastline – making for breathtaking vistas from any part of the golf course. 

Just a short drive up the coast is another masterpiece: Yeamans Hall Club. The exclusive club boasts exquisitely restored greens, coastal marshland, and fairways bordered by live oaks and towering pines.

Last, but certainly not least, is Harbour Town Golf Links – home of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage. With native marshland and waterfront fairways, Harbour Town remains one of the most celebrated and most beautiful designs in the southeast and a top destination for your fall golf trip. 

Best 36-Hole Combo

Located in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, True Blue Golf Club and Caledonia Golf & Fish Club are the best spots to squeeze in award-winning golf in record time on your fall golf trip.

Featuring the genius designs of Mike Strantz, the sister courses, located just 3 minutes apart, couldn’t appear less related. With stunning marshland views and an unforgettable entrance (a half-mile-long oak tree tunnel), Caledonia often receives high marks. While True Blue may receive less notoriety, the course design is equally as impressive with wide fairways, ingenious green complexes, and, for some added fun, bunkers you can drive through! 

Best Value

Teeing it up in Myrtle Beach, the golf capital of the world, can certainly cost a pretty penny. But the price tag for world-class golf at the Legends Golf Resort on your fall golf trip is just too good to pass up. The resort offers five championship designs and is most known for its superb stay & play packages – most of which include rounds of golf and accommodations along with complimentary breakfast, lunch, and two beverages during your round. 

3. West Coast, Best Coast: Oregon

From the rocky shores of the Pacific coast to the desert landscape in the central and eastern parts of the state, Oregon is the ultimate destination for your fall golf trip.

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When “golf” and “Oregon” are mentioned in the same sentence, there’s no doubt Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is part of the conversation. Carved into the cliffs of the Oregon coastline, the resort’s first course was designed by David McLay Kidd with windswept fairways and sweeping ocean views. Today, the resort offers six authentic links-style golf courses along with a par-3 course to enjoy on your fall golf trip.

Another Kidd design that opened roughly a decade after Bandon is Tetherow Golf Club. While Bandon boasts more links-style designs, Tethrow features a routing seamlessly integrated with the landscape of the high desert with beautiful views of the Cascade Mountains. 

Pronghorn Resort is yet another Oregon gem boasting two championship-level golf courses. The courses continue to receive top ranks among the most acclaimed publications, including a recent rank at No. 38 on Golf Magazine’s list of “Top 100 Courses You Can Play.”

Best 36-Hole Combo

Now, back to Bandon. In case you missed it above, the resort features six golf courses. Yes, six! While the most popular duo seems to be Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes, there are several 36-hole combinations to enjoy and you can’t go wrong with any of them on your fall golf trip.

Best Value

For your fall golf trip, what place could sound more appropriate than Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club? Nestled on stunning farmland with beautiful views of the Tualatin Hills, Pumpkin Ridge offers two outstanding golf courses. Witch Hollow, the more acclaimed of the two, was even voted the second-best private course in the nation by Golf Digest in the early 90s. And with the Pumpkin Pass, you can enjoy discounted rates on golf, merchandise, and food throughout fall and the remainder of the year, too. 

4. Fun In The Sun: Florida

It doesn’t take a travel expert to know why Florida (in any part of the state) is a hotspot for fall golf. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or just teeing it up for the thrill of it, Florida is the perfect destination for your fall golf trip. 

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With tons of tour stops throughout the state, it’s difficult to pick just a few that rank as our best overall. But, we’ll start with Streamsong Resort – a popular fall golf trip destination offering three, award-winning, Scottish-inspired designs. With undulating fairways and some treacherous bunkering, a round at any of Streamsong’s courses is sure to be unforgettable. 

Another top spot is TPC Sawgrass, host of the annual PLAYERS Championship and the world-famous island green.

Best 36-Hole Combo

Just a short drive from downtown Orlando, Orange County National Golf Center is an excellent spot for a golf-filled day followed by great eats and entertainment. Orange County boasts two championship designs with links features, contoured greens, rolling fairways, and elevation changes for an exciting round. It also features the nation’s largest driving range and a nine-hole course for even more golf to enjoy.

Best Value

With a mix of links-style golf and traditional Florida design, a visit to the World Golf Village is one of the most affordable and sought-after fall golf trips in the south. Design collaborations by Palmer, Nicklaus, Snead and Sarazen at the King & Bear and Slammer & Squire courses have solidified the World Golf Village in the top ranks of Floridian courses. The area is also home to the World Golf Hall of Fame (a must-visit for all golfers!). And as if a fall golf trip here couldn’t get any better, half a dozen packages await you, too, allowing you to save additional dollars.

5. Sandhill Sabbatical: North Carolina

Pine-lined streets, quaint villages, and great golf – the subtle joys of a fall golf vacation to North Carolina are truly endless. While the state offers sensational golf from east to west, we’ll focus on one specific region for our purposes: the Sandhills.

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The staple of North Carolina golf and a must-play on your fall golf trip is Pinehurst Resort. The “home of American golf” boasts nine incredible designs, highlighted by Nos. 2, 4, and an infamous nine-hole, par-3 course named the Cradle. 

Another top design, just a short drive away, is Tobacco Road Golf Club, named after the plant that once inhabited the land. Designed by Mike Strantz, the course is renowned for its impeccably manicured fairways contrasted by sandy waste areas and deep bunkers.

Best 36-Hole Combo

While it may cost a pretty penny, there’s no better day of golf than Pinehurst Resort’s Nos. 2 & 4. Recent upgrades to No. 2 and a complete redesign of No. 4 have breathed new life into the resort’s two premier courses.

Best Value

Built in 1906, Southern Pines Golf Club is one of North Carolina’s foremost designs. It’s one of Donald Ross’s earliest courses and one of the most authentic sandhill tracks in the region. The club offers a number of golf packages for your fall golf trip, too, with various combinations of golf, accommodations, meals, and more. 

6. Desert Retreat: Arizona

Westward bound for your fall golf trip? With more than 300 courses across the state of Arizona, there’s a place to tee it up around almost every canyon. 

Best Overall

The rugged, desert landscape is the perfect backdrop for the incredible designs at Troon North Golf Club and TPC Scottsdale – two of the best spots to tee it up on your fall golf trip. Located in the High Sonoran Desert, Troon North offers 36 holes of championship golf with rolling fairways and contoured greens. But, you can’t take a fall golf trip to the Grand Canyon state and not play at the area’s most famous track: TPC Scottsdale. While the club does offer two stellar designs, you’ll have to play the Stadium Course to experience the iconic par-3, 16th hole. 

Best 36-Hole Combo

Known for its reliable sunshine and comfortable fall climate, you can’t go wrong with a fall golf trip to We-Ko-Pa Golf Club. Located in Fort McDowell, the resort boasts two, award-winning tracks that weave through the stunning Sonoran Desert. 

Best Value

If you’re planning to include your buddies on your fall golf trip, Grayhawk Golf Club is the place to be. The staff specializes in perfecting your golf experience, complete with two fantastic, desert-style designs. 

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