Thirty-seven premier resorts earned Gold Medal status in 2016. Among the old-line properties that engineered dramatic makeovers are Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico and Trump National Doral Miami. The most exciting newcomer is clearly Canada’s Cabot Links.
The Boulders Resort
Carefree, Ariz.
theboulders.com; 480-488-9009
BOYNE Golf
Petosky, Mich.
boynegolf.com; 855-688-7025
Cabot Links NEW
Inverness, N.S., Canada
cabotlinks.com; 855-652-2268
Casa de Campo
La Romana, Dominican Republic
casadecampo.com.do; 855-877-3643
CordeValle
San Martin, Calif.
cordevallegolf.com; 408-695-4558
Dorado Beach NEW
Dorado, P.R.
doradobeach.com; 787-626-1001
Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff, Alberta, Canada
fairmont.com/banff-springs; 866-540-4406
Fairmont Chateau Whistler NEW
Whistler, B.C.
Canada fairmont.com/whistler; 800-606-8244
Fairmont Grand Del Mar
San Diego, Calif.
fairmont.com/san-diego; 855-314-2030
Four Seasons Resort Lanai
Lanai City, Lanai, Hawaii
fourseasons.com/lanai; 808-565-2000
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Wailea, Maui, Hawaii
fourseasons.com/maui; 808-874-8000
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita NEW
Nayarit, Mexico
fourseasons.com/puntamita; 52 (329) 291-6000
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
Scottsdale, Ariz.
fourseasons.com/scottsdale; 480-515-5700
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
San Antonio, Tex.
jwsanantonio.com; 210-276-2500
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Farmington, Pa.
nemacolin.com; 866-344-6957
The Omni Homestead Resort
Hot Springs, Va.
omnihotels.com/hotels/homestead-virginia; 800-838-1766
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, Calif.
omnihotels.com/hotels/san-diego-la-costa; 760-438-9111
(MORE: GOLF Gold’s 2016-17 Premier Resort Platinum Winners)
Pine Needles Lodge / Mid Pines Inn
Southern Pines, N.C.
pineneedles-midpines.com; 800-747-7272
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
pontevedra.com; 888-839-9145
Primland Resort
Meadows of Dan, Va.
primland.com; 866-960-7746
Puntacana Resort & Club
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
puntacana.com; 888-442-2262
Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa
Birmingham, Ala.
rossbridgeresort.com; 205-916-7677
The Resort at Pelican Hill
Newport Coast, Calif.
pelicanhill.com; 855-315-8214
Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay, Calif.
ritzcarlton.com; 650-712-7000
Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii
ritzcarlton.com; 808-669-6200
Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Orlando, Fla.
ritzcarlton.com; 407-206-2400
Ritz-Carlton, Naples/Tiburon
Naples, Fla.
ritzcarlton.com/naples; 239-598-3300
St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort
Dana Point, Calif.
stregismb.com; 949-234-3200
St. Regis Princeville
Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
stregisprinceville.com; 808-826-9644
(MORE: 2016-17 GOLF Gold Category Winners, the Best Golf, Food & Value)
Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
sawgrassmarriott.com; 904-285-7777
Sunriver Resort
Sunriver, Ore.
sunriver-resort.com; 855-420-8206
Trump National Doral Miami NEW
Miami, Fla.
trumphotelcollection.com; 305-592-2000
Turning Stone Resort & Casino
Verona, N.Y.
turningstone.com; 800-771-7711
Villas of Grand Cypress
Orlando, Fla.
grandcypress.com; 407-239-4700
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Orlando, Fla.
waldorfastoriaorlando.com; 407-597-5500
Williamsburg Inn
Williamsburg, Va.
colonialwilliamsburg.com; 757-220-7978
Wynn Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nev.
wynnlasvegas.com; 877-321-9966
Seventy-five premier resorts earned Silver Medal status in 2016. Among the most promising new entries is Missouri’s Big Cedar Lodge, which hosts a PGA Champions Tour event and has more golf on the way from Gary Player and Coore/Crenshaw, and Mexico’s Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta, where a Greg Norman course will soon pair with the resort’s existing Jack Nicklaus creation.
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge
Orlando, Fla.
bayhill.com; 888-422-9445
Barnsley Resort
Adairsville, Ga.
barnsleyresort.com: 877-773-2447
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino/Fallen Oak
Biloxi, Miss.
beaurivage.com; 228-386-7444
Big Cedar Lodge NEW
Ridgedale, Mo.
bigcedar.com; 800-225-6343
The Breakers
Palm Beach, Fla.
thebreakers.com; 888-273-2537
Cabo del Sol Beach & Golf Resort
Los Cabos, BCS, Mexico
cabodelsol.com; 877-703-4394
Coeur d’Alene Resort
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
cdaresort.com; 855-999-7998
Eagle Ridge Golf Resort & Spa NEW
Galena, Ill.
eagleridge.com; 815-777-5000
The Equinox NEW
Manchester Village, Vt.
equinoxresort.com; 802-362-4700
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Jasper, Alberta, Canada
fairmont.com/jasper; 866-540-4454
Fairmont Kea Lani NEW
Maui, Hawaii
fairmont.com/kea-lani-maui; 808-875-4100
Fairmont Mayakoba NEW
Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico
fairmont.com/mayakoba; 800-540-6088
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Scottsdale, Ariz.
fairmont.com/scottsdale; 480-585-4848
Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas
Irving, Tex.
fourseasons.com/dallas; 972-717-0700
Foxwoods Resort & Casino/Lake of Isles
Mashantucket, Conn.
foxwoods.com; 800-FOXWOODS
French Lick Resort
French Lick, Ind.
frenchlick.com; 888-936-9360
Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort
Biwabik, Minn.
giantsridge.com; 800-688-7669
Grand Geneva Resort & Spa NEW
Lake Geneva, Wisc.
grandgeneva.com; 800-558-3417
Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa
Point Clear, Ala.
marriottgrand.com; 251-928-9201
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa/Poipu Bay
Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii
kauai.grand.hyatt.com; 808-742-1234
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
Acme, Mich.
grandtraverseresort.com; 231-534-6000
Grand Wailea
Wailea, Maui, Hawaii
grandwailea.com; 800-888-6100
Hammock Beach Resort
Palm Coast, Fla.
hammockbeach.com; 866-841-0287
Hershey Resorts
Hershey, Pa.
hersheypa.com; 844-330-1811
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa
San Antonio, Tex.
hillcountry.hyatt.com; 210-647-1234
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa
Indian Wells, Calif.
indianwells.regency.hyatt.com; 760-776-1234
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa/Wolfdancer
Lost Pines, Tex.
lostpines.regency.hyatt.com; 512-308-1234
Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf and Spa Resort
Palm Harbor, Fla.
innisbrookgolfresort.com; 888-794-8627
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa NEW
Scottsdale, Ariz.
marriott.com; 480-948-1700
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
Phoenix, Ariz.
jwdesertridgeresort.com; 480-293-5000
Kauai Marriott Resort
Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii
kauaimarriott.com; 800-245-5050
Keswick Hall and Golf Club NEW
Charlottesville, Va.
keswick.com; 434-979-3440
Kingsmill Resort
Williamsburg, Va.
kingsmill.com; 800-832-5665
La Cantera Hill Country Resort
San Antonio, Tex.
destinationhotels.com/la-cantera-resort-and-spa; 210-558-6500
LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort NEW
Naples, Fla.
laplayaresort.com; 239-597-3123
La Quinta Resort & Club
La Quinta, Calif.
laquintaresort.com; 760-564-4111
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
La Jolla, Calif.
lodgetorreypines.com; 858-453-4420
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
Tucson, Ariz.
loewshotels.com/ventana-canyon; 520-299-2020
Madden’s on Gull Lake
Brainerd, Minn.
maddens.com; 800-642-5363
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
princeresortshawaii.com; 808-882-7222
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows
Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
maunalani.com; 808-885-6622
Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grand Dunes NEW
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
marriott.com; 843-449-8880
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Ojai, Calif.
ojairesort.com; 855-697-8780
Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort NEW
Amelia Island, Fla.
omnihotels.com; 904-261-6161
Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa
Austin, Tex.
bartoncreek.com; 512-329-4000
Omni Grove Park Inn
Asheville, N.C.
omnihotels.com; 800-438-5800
Omni Mount Washington Resort
Bretton Woods, N.H.
omnihotels.com/mtwashington; 603-278-1000
Omni Tucson National Resort NEW
Tucson, Ariz.
omnihotels.com/hotels/tucson-national; 520-297-2271
One&Only Ocean Club/Atlantis
Paradise Island, Bahamas
oneandonlyresorts.com; 888-528-7157
One&Only Palmilla
Los Cabos, BCS, Mexico
oneandonlyresorts.com; 866-829-2977
The Otesaga Resort Hotel
Cooperstown, N.Y.
otesaga.com; 607-547-9931
Park Hyatt Aviara
Carlsbad, Calif.
aviara.park.hyatt.com; 760-448-1234
Pearl River Resort/Dancing Rabbit
Choctaw, Miss.
pearlriverresort.com; 866-447-3275
PGA National Resort & Spa
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
pgaresort.com; 800-863-2819
The Phoenician
Scottsdale, Ariz.
thephoenician.com; 480-941-8200
Pronghorn
Bend, Ore.
pronghornresort.com; 866-320-5024
Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa
Indian Wells, Calif.
marriott.com; 760-773-4444
Reunion Resort
Orlando, Fla.
reunionresort.com; 866-880-8563
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Marana, Ariz.
ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain; 520-572-3000
Rosewood Tucker’s Point NEW
Hamilton, Bermuda
rosewoodhotels.com/en/tuckers-point-bermuda; 441-298-4000
Royal Isabela NEW
Isabela, Puerto Rico
royalisabela.com; 855-609-5888
The Sagamore Resort NEW
Bolton Landing, N.Y.
thesagamore.com; 518-644-9400
Salishan Spa & Golf Resort
Gleneden Beach. Ore.
salishan.com; 800-452-2300
Samoset Resort
Rockport, Me.
samosetresort.com; 207-594-2511
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort NEW
Destin, Fla.
sandestin.com; 850-267-8000
Silverado Resort & Spa
Napa, Calif.
silveradoresort.com; 707-257-0200
Turnberry Isle Miami
Aventura, Fla.
turnberryislemiami.com; 866-612-7739
Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta NEW
Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico
vidanta.com; 800-292-9446
Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
disneyworld.com; 407-939-5277
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
Scottsdale, Ariz.
kierlandresort.com; 480-624-1000
Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa NEW
Tucson, Ariz.
westinlapalomaresort.com; 520-742-6000
Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa
Savannah, Ga.
westinsavannah.com; 912-201-2000
The Wigwam NEW
Litchfield Park, Ariz.
wigwamarizona.com; 623-935-3811
World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort
St. Augustine, Fla.
worldgolfrenaissance.com; 904-940-8000