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Just before the turn of the 20th century, a group of wealthy Atlantic City resort owners convened and decided that they needed a place where they could send high rollers for a round of golf. Pooling their resources, they purchased a plot of land in Northfield, N.J., just across the bay from the boardwalk. Work on Atlantic City Country Club soon got underway. 

Not only was the sandy site ideal for golf, but it also occupied a prime location, with end-to-end views of the Atlantic City skyline. The property was serviced by a trolly, which ran between the resorts and the course. Though the trolly itself is no longer in service, the trolly bell that alerted guests of the last train back to town still stands on display outside the clubhouse, a fitting emblem for a course that all but rings with history.

ACCC is one of the oldest golf clubs in the United States, having opened its teeing grounds in 1897. The original course, a nine-holer designed by John Reid, was altered in 1915 by Willie Park Jr., who increased the routing to 27 holes. A few years later, William Flynn and Howard Toomey trimmed the layout back to 18 holes. For nearly three-quarters of a century after that, the course remained virtually untouched, until 1999, when Tom Doak was brought on to redesign it.

In the intervening years, some things transpired. In 1901 Walter Travis won his second U.S. Amateur championship at ACCC. The club’s head pro, John McDermott, found time out from his teaching schedule to win back-to-back U.S. Opens, in 1911 and ’12. In 1948, when ACCC hosted the U.S. Women’s Open, Babe Zaharais claimed the title, the first of her three victories in the event. Future Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez finished tied for second in the 1975 U.S. Women’s Open at ACCC when she was just 17. In 1980, when the Champions Tour was formally established, its very first stop was — you guessed it — ACCC.  

For much of its life, ACCC was a who’s-who hangout: Snead, Hogan and Hagen were all regulars. So was Bob Hope. In the early 1950s, while stationed nearby in the U.S. Coast Guard, Arnold Palmer would swing by to hustle members of the social elite. When Frank Sinatra wasn’t working the crowd at the 500 Club, he could often be found here working on his game.  

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A.W. Tillinghast and Pine Valley founder George Crump played regular rounds here, too.  It was during a match in 1903 at ACCC involving Crump that the term “birdie” came into existence. Only in a state as golf-rich as New Jersey could a course with such a glittery history fall even slightly under the radar today.

If that history isn’t enough to pull you to the Jersey shore, the layout itself most certainly will. ACCC isn’t overly long or difficult. It’s sporty, with just the right amount of quirk and fun. While many courses have altered themselves to accommodate the modern game, ACCC has stayed true to its roots.  

Credit Doak, who did a tremendous job bringing the course back into the spotlight while still preserving vital elements of its past. ACCC is semi-private, with preferred tee times set aside for members. But anyone can play it. So, dust off your hickory clubs and wool knickers and transplant yourself back to the Roaring 20s and experience this timeless masterpiece. 

And keep an ear out for that trolly bell!

Need help unriddling the greens at your next round on the road? Pick up a custom Green Book from our sister company Golf Logix.

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You have golf-travel questions, we have answers! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with your travel queries — on where to play, stay, eat and drink, or how to be a smarter traveler — and we might tackle your topic in an upcoming column. Safe travels!

***

After months of sheltering and playing golf near my home, I’m itching for a golf trip! I know the safety measures I need to take when hitting the road, but what else should I know about planning/booking golf travel in these unpredictable times? — Anthony Simo, via Facebook

Welcome to the club, Anthony! So many golfers like yourself played a bunch in 2020 but kept it mostly local. Travel was limited, to say the least.

Now, though, with a new year underway, and light appearing at the end of the pandemic tunnel, you’re not alone if you’re looking to plan a golf trip. Pent up demand has given way to a torrent of bookings at top golf destinations in this country and across the pond.

During the tightest of last year’s lockdowns, the travel industry bent over backward to accommodate consumers, with forgiving prices and reservation policies on plane tickets, tee times, hotel rooms, group packages and more. With some courses, tour operators and air carriers, that remains the case; there’s still a fair amount of latitude. But the climate has shifted.

“There are some different terms and conditions these days,” says Bill Hogan, CEO of golf tour operator Pioneer Golf. “But some of last summer’s incentives, when the resorts were just reopening and looking for bookings, are now evaporating and mostly getting back to ‘normal.’”

What’s “normal,” of course, can change overnight. And, as Hogan points out, “nobody has a crystal ball.” But while we can’t predict the future, we can provide a snapshot of the present. Here’s a bird’s-eye view of the golf-travel landscape as you plan for an adventurous year ahead.

Air Travel

Roundtrip flights from San Francisco to Honolulu can be had this week for as little as $200 or less, a bargain price that comes with a caveat: proof of a negative Covid test is required prior to boarding in order to bypass a 10-day quarantine upon arrival. Lesson being: No matter where you’re headed, always read the fine print so you’re clear on any restrictions that might apply.

Over the past year, airlines have been adjusting on the fly to a fluid situation, modifying not only their prices but also their schedules to match demand. Depending on where you’re going, you might be limited to flying at inconvenient times.

The good news is, change and cancellation policies remain fairly generous at many airlines, with future credits offered at no penalty, even on “non-refundable” fares. But given lingering uncertainties, Hogan says that “it’s more important than ever to consider purchasing travel insurance” for your golf getaway.

In some cases, booking through a tour operator comes with additional safeguards. Take PerryGolf, for instance, a leading tour operator in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company has a contract with British Airways that allows clients to make reservations without ticketing airfare until just before departure, a welcome bit of leeway in case any unexpected snags arise.

Domestic Resorts

Pinehurst. Bandon Dunes. Sand Valley. Kohler. Streamsong. Name your top-tier golf resort and the story is the same: 2021 bookings have been going gangbusters. Discounts are much scarcer than they were last year. If anything, prices are at a premium.

As they have since the start the first lockdowns, reservation policies vary from one property to the next, and are subject to change along with shifts in local public-health mandates, which also influence goings-on at the properties themselves, when it comes to matters such as mask-wearing and indoor dining offerings. Prepare to be flexible on that front, as those policies might shift between the time you book and the time you arrive.

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In recognition of this reality, reservation policies at most resorts remain generous, ranging from full refunds on cancellations to credits for future use, at no penalty. The trickiest part, at some of the most popular destinations, is simply getting a tee time and a room.

At the Kohler properties in Wisconsin, for example, bookings for May 1 through Oct. 31 can be cancelled up to seven days in advance and golf can be cancelled up to four days in advance. “However, given the ongoing pandemic,” a Kohler spokesperson said, “we are continuing to remain flexible with our cancellation policies and 2021 bookings.”

At Streamsong Resort, a 54-hole property in Florida, a spokesperson said the resort will be busy in January and February, but that guests are booking within a closer time frame today than they did in the pre-pandemic era — “usually 45 to 50 days out, as opposed to 90-180 days.”

The UK and Ireland

Tee times at the Old Course are often tough to come by. This year, with cancellations spilling over from 2020, they’re practically impossible to land. The same is true for many of the marquee properties across the pond, including all of the British Open rota courses, which Hogan says, “are basically sold out for 2021.”

Not that there isn’t still great golf to be had. The UK and Ireland are loaded with top-notch courses that don’t always make the pages of glossy magazines. It’s hard to find a town that doesn’t have a local’s playground that’s more than worth your time. Bookings at these places remain largely wide open, and often can be made at the last minute, even on the day of play. It may not be the experience you initially imagined but it underscores an important point. Just as flexibility is crucial in the golf swing, it’s important these days in golf travel.

“As we continue climb out of this pandemic, as quarantines lift, opportunities will exist for great golf trips,” says Gordon Dalgleish, president of PerryGolf. “At that point, it might become a tradeoff of your sheer desire to travel and what compromises you might have to make to do so. And in any event, the prospect of a golf trip might look very appealing compared to sitting at home and watching the four walls.”

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For obvious reasons, this has not been a typical year for golf. In the same vein, this has not been a typical year for golf trips.

Golf buddies trips, the sacred lifeblood of the golf travel industry, took a major hit in 2020 (along with the travel industry as a whole). But even amid the craziness that was 2020, I still managed to sneak in my first-ever destination golf.

Our trip was nothing special. In fact, it was nearly nothing at all. Originally, the plan was for a few college buddies and me to meet in Chicago en route to Wisconsin. From there, we’d play Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run and Erin Hills over three days and nights in Kohler. If we had time on the way back, we’d grab a time at Mammoth Dunes.

But as we grew closer to our departure date, many of us started to get cold feet. Covid restrictions left a tight lid where we could go, and even if we could fly, no one felt fully confident we could travel safely. Ultimately, it was safer (and easier) to cancel.

As we mourned our trip, the New York-based members of our crew started talking about a smaller-scale, local voyage into the state’s capital region. With only three of us in-state, our trio could make sure we properly tested and quarantined prior to embarking.

A few weeks later, we were off with plans to play 54 holes at a trio of courses tucked into the gorgeous fall scenery of the Berkshires. Over two-and-a-half days, we’d play three courses — Winding Brook Country Club, Saratoga National, Taconic Golf Club — of increasing architectural significance.

By the end, we left with the first great golf vacation of our adult lives, however altered from the plans we’d originally made. In truth, our silly, small excursion underscored a fundamental truth about golf trips: the good ones all have a few things in familiar. They are as follows.

The 8 components of every great golf trip

1. Good location

Location, location, location. For us, that meant heading into the outskirts of New England in the heart of the autumn. This was a wise decision. For you, that might mean avoiding Orlando in the middle of July or Wisconsin in February. Or it might mean going to either of those places because it’s the midpoint of those in your foursome. In either case, choose wisely.

2. GREAT golf

Incredible things happen when you pair the right place at the right time. We could hardly keep our jaws attached to our mouths rolling through the foliage-swept fairways at Saratoga and Taconic. One member of our trio made the observation that it felt as though we were playing the courses “as the architect had imagined them to play.” With both tracks in impeccable, firm shape, it was hard to argue with him.

Saratoga is a penal brute, but it proved the perfect precursor to quirky, undulating Taconic. And our opening round sipping beers through the meadows — erhm, fairways — at Winding Brook was the finest happy hour of my year.

You don’t have to play seven top 100 courses in seven days, but take some time to research the tracks at your destination. Look for variety, for history, and of course, for quality. Some balance of all three will provide you with the kind of golf fulfillment you deserve for your pilgrimage.

3. TERRIBLE golf

I’m sorry to say it, but it’s a law of the universe: you aren’t on a golf trip until someone in the group has recorded a 10 or broken a club. I know it’s true, you know it’s true. I don’t make the rules.

4. Your own clubs

If you can avoid it paying for rentals, do. You’ll play better golf. You’ll enjoy yourself more. And if you’re like me, you’ll use your bag as the perfect tripod mount for your group photo.

5. Good company

It’s a golf buddies trip. Don’t invite people you don’t like just for the sake of completing the foursome. Take it from me, you won’t lose much by playing with three as opposed to four.

6. A cold drink

If you’re heading to a municipal course, I’m pro-cooler. But irrespective of where you are, stop and smell the hops (or rye). There are few indulgences in life sweeter than the mid-round libation, and one of them is the mid-round, mid-vacation libation. I can feel my serotonin levels spiking just thinking about it.

7. Golf games!

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Everybody will lose some money over the course of the trip, but it’ll be worth it when you’re throwing a Tiger-esque fist pump after closing out on the 18th green. (Wolf, Split Sixes and Bingo, Bango, Bongo were the favorites of our trio for the weekend.)

8. A souvenir budget

I’m what some people like to call a “manic planner.” Of course, there’s always wiggle room (particularly when last call comes early), but I like to keep the majority of my finances in check when I head on vacation. For golf trips, this quality takes on added meaning: the souvenir budget.

I have sub-zero self-control when it comes time to head into the pro shop. Like, none at all. But the key isn’t in convincing myself I’ll be better, it’s in forcing myself to improve my behavior.

Before your next trip, set some money aside in a souvenir budget and convert it into cash before you leave. When it comes time to head into the pro shop, use only the cash you have. No cards, no loans, just green. You’ll still wind up with something you love and you’ll skip the vicious credit card bill. It’s a win-win.

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Buckle up, folks, and welcome to the sixth and final installment of America’s Best Golf Road Trips, a GOLF.com series in which our well-traveled writers are guiding you through some of the most thrilling itineraries for golfers with a nose for the open road. Each journey has been built around golf but we’ve also sprinkled in a few other sights and stops along the way. Bon voyage!

Previous installments: Lake Michigan Loop | Appalachian Mountains Trail | Carolina Lowcountry | Golden Coast | Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

***

I moved to Seattle this past summer, which makes me the resident expert on all things Pacific Northwest — and boy, is there a lot that falls under my jurisdiction! While the word is out on Bandon Dunes, in neighboring Oregon, Washington State has quietly accumulated an incredible slate of public-access courses. You’ll see why with this breathtaking week in the Evergreen State.

Start point: Spokane International Airport, Spokane, Wash.

End point: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Days: 6

Courses: 8

Miles: 808

Day 1: Eastern Washington

There’s no better way to begin a road trip than touching down in a small, friendly airport. Welcome to Spokane International! One terminal, three concourses, unlimited possibilities ahead.

Course No. 1: Palouse Ridge Golf Club, Pullman, Wash.

Milepost: 80

After a morning flight, trek some 90 minutes south to the pride of Pullman: Palouse Ridge Golf Club. Set on the edge of Washington State’s campus, Palouse Ridge has been discussed as one of the premier college courses in the country. In the country! So, it’s time to study up for what’s sure to be an action-packed week of golf.

Architect John Harbottle was a lifelong admirer of golf in Scotland; at Palouse Ridge he focused on fun and made a big, playable golf layout. The course measures 7,300 yards from the tips, boasts expansive fairways and is playable through the air or on the ground. It’s beautiful, too, set against a backdrop of rolling hills, pines and farmland. Who knew a trip to Pullman was just what you needed?

Day 2: Wine Country

Well, it’s all wine country around here — but we don’t hear you complaining.

Course No. 2: Wine Valley Golf Club, Walla Walla, Wash.

Milepost: 203

Welcome to Walla Walla, the city so nice they named it twice! Wine Valley GC, like Palouse Ridge, is only a decade old and represents some of the best of creative 2000s architecture. Dan Hixson is responsible for the “inland links” design, which will win you over with its open terrain, challenging greens and firm, fast conditions in an open, epic setting. The rugged bunkering, fescue grasses and windswept terrain only add to the effect. Wine Valley is a blast, and because you’re still in remote eastern Washington, you’ll pay a fraction of the green fee you’d pay near some bustling metropolis. And the post-round Cab Sauv is fresher, too.

Day 3: Whoa.

We’d recommend an early start from Walla Walla, because this is the single longest drive of the trip.

Course No. 3: Gamble Sands, Brewster, Wash.

Course No. 3.5: QuickSands

Milepost: 405

Planning a road trip requires some difficult decision-making, and once you’ve arrived at Gamble Sands you’re going to be facing a serious dilemma. Do you play the brand-new David McLay Kidd short course QuickSands — which has holes ranging from 70-130 yards — as a warm-up to your round on the big course, or do you treat it as an evening dessert? With any luck, you can do both.

Regardless, the anchor of the property is the Sands Course, a rollicking course on an epic property designed by McLay Kidd, a delightful sequel to his work at Bandon Dunes. (Yeah, the original Bandon Dunes. That was his course!) You’re in the midst of Washington’s high desert but the course overlooks the Columbia River, which only adds to the sensation you’re having an authentic links experience. A bucket-list round. Spend the night delighting in the rustic-chic lodging and rest up; there’s plenty still to go.

Day 4: Suncadia!

The “Seattle” road signs will give you the unmistakable sensation that you’re driving toward civilization, but you’re not there just yet.

Course No. 4: Prospector Course, Suncadia Resort, Cle Elum, Wash.

Course No. 4.5: Rope Rider Course (Suncadia)

Milepost: 555

Suncadia Resort is enormous; it’s a sprawling, 6,400-acre property that serves as a retreat from the city for Seattleites and adventurers alike. It can be a challenge to build a golf course with any soul inside the confines of a massive resort property, but this Arnold Palmer design does an effective job of helping you escape into nature. Like the rest of the courses thus far this trip, this is a post-millennium course that’s designed for your enjoyment. If you’re looking for a double, add the Rope Rider course for 36 holes of delightful, scenic resort golf.

Day 5: The USGA Experience

We’re skirting south of Seattle proper, but there’s no doubt that you’re closer to a population center now. One great bit of news about that: The golf courses are closer together.

Course No. 5: The Home Course, DuPont, Wash.

Course No. 6: Chambers Bay Golf Course, University Place, Wash.

Mileposts: 668 and 680

You’re in for a day. First, snag a morning tee time at The Home, a Mike Asmundson design that opened in 2007, just in time to help co-host the 2010 U.S. Amateur. The tournament was particularly significant because it was the first time it had been held at a public course — and in fact it was held at two public courses when you include The Home. Soak in the views of the Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and Mt. Rainier, and enjoy walking the same fairways as Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and eventual winner Peter Uihlein.

Head over to Chambers Bay, where you’ll grab lunch and sit on the patio as you admire the adventure that awaits. You already likely know about Chambers: it’s a former mine that has been transformed into a new-age super-muni. The course was sensational as the 2015 U.S. Open host site (with the exception of the greens, which weren’t great but have been completely redone) and there are few golf courses you’d rather be on when the sun is setting. Time your afternoon up right and you can enjoy the day’s waning hours as you play along the train tracks overlooking the Puget Sound before turning inland. Chambers rules.

Day 6: The Grand Finale

Let’s finish strong!

Course No. 7: Gold Mountain Golf Club, Bremerton, Wash.

Course No. 8: Salish Cliffs, Shelton, Wash.

Mileposts: 710 and 749

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better one-two muni punch than Chambers Bay and Gold Mountain. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a starker contrast between two nearby courses. Where Chambers is treeless, Gold Mountain is hewn from the Pacific Northwest’s characteristic pines. While it’s just 25 miles from downtown Seattle, there’s no direct route (the most direct involves a ferry) so you remain a world away as you trek the Olympic Course. One strange side note: Even though the course opened in 1996 (designed by John Harbottle, the same guy behind Palouse Ridge) it’s actually the oldest course on this trek. How many states have pumped out more top-notch public courses than Washington since 2000?

In the afternoon, you’ll conclude with a trip to Salish Cliffs, which opened in 2011 and instantly became one of the country’s greatest (and most scenic) casino courses. Any course that can include “cliffs” in its name and has the views to back it up is worthy of praise, and Salish Cliffs walks the walk.

When you hole out on No. 18, you have three options. You can head straight to the SeaTac Airport, just an hour away. You can take the rest of your unspent budget to the tables at the adjacent casino, reflecting on the week’s adventures over some dinner and blackjack. Or you can start looking at real estate, realizing that you’ve been sleeping on Washington this entire time.

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Are you itching for a golf adventure? PGA Tour pros aren’t the only ones who get to crisscross the country, making thrill-filled stops at world-class courses.

Anyone can do it, and without a private jet.

All it takes is a car, gas money and gumption.

So, hop in, and off we go.

We’ll start in the Sandhills of North Carolina, at Pinehurst Resort, known as the cradle of American golf. There are 10 courses here, including a par-3 layout called, yep, The Cradle. But the centerpiece of the property is Pinehurst No. 2, all sandy wastes and native grasses and greens about as daunting as any you have seen. This Donald Ross gem has hosted three U.S. Opens, a Ryder Cup, a PGA Championship and on and on. We’d have to put a long pause on our trip to run down all the history here.

Instead, let’s beeline west toward Tennessee and Sweetens Cove, a quirky, nine-hole charmer with humpbacked greens and a huge fan club. It’s the darling of everyone from Instagram tastemakers to old-school architecture buffs.

With a tent that doubles as its clubhouse, Sweetens Cove is a barebones kind of place. Which makes it very different from Big Cedar Lodge, in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, where Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris has built one of the game’s fastest growing meccas. The five courses at Big Cedar showcase the work of such marquee names as Fazio, Nicklaus, Player, Coore and Crenshaw. The newest of the layouts has this distinction. It’s the first public-access track in the United States designed by Tiger Woods.

Because no road trip is complete without a detour, we’ll make a hard turn right, up through the cornfields of Illinois and into the heart of the Badger State, Wisconsin. Whistling Straits. Erin Hills. Lawsonia Links. So many courses, so little time. And you’ll want to set aside at least a few days for Sand Valley, with three rollicking layouts — and more to come — that make it the Bandon Dunes of the Midwest.

Some people call this region flyover country. Nonsense, we say. Not when there’s so much to soak up on the ground. In Iowa alone, the roadside attractions include a giant garden gnome, a giant frying pan and a giant sphere that is not a golf ball. Roughly eight feet in diameter and weighing in at more than 9,000 pounds, it is — you guessed it — the largest popcorn ball in the world.

Back in the car now, and back to golf. We’re breezing through Nebraska toward the Prairie Club. It’s all open spaces here, big skies and broad fairways, like the kind that you take aim at on the Dunes Course, the most alluring of the Prairie Club’s three fine layouts. Designed by Tom Lehman, it ranks 82nd on GOLF’s new list of Top 100 Courses in the United States.

From the prairies to the mountains, we move on to the Broadmoor, the iconic resort in the Colorado Rockies where Jack Nicklaus won the U.S. Amateur in 1959 — a victory he later called the most important of his record-shattering career. Two states later, we’ll still be in thin air when we arrive at Edgewood, in Nevada, a stunning property, set hard beside Lake Tahoe, that hosts a popular celebrity pro-am. Charles Barkley shows up once a year here to horrify spectators with his swing.

Down the western flanks of the Sierras, we motor through the flatlands of California and make our way to Pebble Beach. We’ve seen this fabled course a thousand times in pictures. But it’s even prettier in person. The same is true of the route we follow next. Up seaside highway 1 to San Francisco, where we gawk at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate, then north along the craggy coastline.

Through redwood forests. Past ocean inlets. And on to Bandon Dunes, with five 18-holers and a sweet par-3 course — a constellation that has earned it recognition as the finest golf resort in the United States. We’re in southern Oregon, but it feels like Scotland. Rugged. Windswept. Classic linksland. Golf as it was meant to be, the Bandon slogan goes.

We could keep on driving. But it’s hard to see it getting any better than this.

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The post The Great American Golf Road Trip appeared first on Golf.

PGA Tour pros aren’t the only ones who get to crisscross the country, playing world-class courses. Anyone can do it, and without a private jet. Here’s how.

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The post America’s Best Golf Road Trips, Part V: The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, from Mobile to Auburn appeared first on Golf.

The post America’s Best Golf Road Trips, Part V: The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, from Mobile to Auburn appeared first on Golf.

Buckle up, folks, and welcome to the fourth installment of America’s Best Golf Road Trips, a six-part GOLF.com series in which our well-traveled writers will guide you through some of the most thrilling itineraries for golfers with a nose for the open road. Each journey will be built around golf but we’ll also sprinkle in a few other sights and stops along the way. Bon voyage!

Previous installments: Lake Michigan Loop | Appalachian Mountains Trail | Carolina Lowcountry | Golden Coast

***

When you think of golf road trips, Alabama might not be the first destination that comes to mind. But with a plethora of terrific public-access courses, the state has routes that stack up with some of the best drives in golf. From the Gulf Shores heading north, this journey features a stunning and diverse set of courses, and attractions for everyone from sports fans to history buffs. The best part? It can all be done on a single tank of gas. So, pack your golf shoes and your driving gloves, and get ready to hit the trail — the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, that is.

Start point: RTJ Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove, Mobile, Ala.

End point: RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National, Auburn, Ala.

Days: 4

Courses: 4

Miles: 263

Day 1 (morning): RTJ Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove

Milepost: 1

The morning and afternoon of your first day can be easily interchanged, but for our purposes, we’ll have you starting at the Crossings Course at Magnolia Grove, a multiple-time host for the LPGA Tour. With a routing that meanders through pines and marshlands, this serene layout isn’t short on scenery, and recent renovations have added waste areas of crushed oyster shells for even more ambiance. Your round here is a worthy kickoff to the journey that awaits.

Day 1 (afternoon): RTJ Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove

Milepost: 1

No need to travel for your afternoon festivities, as your next destination sits on the same property as your morning 18. After lunch to recharge, head out for some hit-and-giggle fun on Magnolia Grove’s Short Course, which was named one of GOLF’s 25-best par-3 courses in the world. Recent renovations have only enhanced it. A mixture of challenging tee shots and cleverly placed pins will require your A-game if you want to end your first day on the winning end of skins.

Day 2 (morning): RTJ Golf Trail at Cambrian Ridge

Milepost: 131

A short drive up Interstate 65 takes you to Cambrian Ridge. This 36-hole facility is one of the most challenging stops on the Trail, and you won’t be disappointed by the views either. Mix and match between the Canyon, Loblolly and Sherling nines for some of the most breathtaking scenery in Butler County. If you want to keep driver in the bag, swing by the short course for nine holes of leisurely play.

Day 2 (afternoon): U.S. Civil Rights Trail

Milepost: 187

After your morning at Cambrian Ridge, it’s on to Montgomery for an afternoon of education. The state capital holds a significant place in civil rights history, as the Alabama Capitol Building was the endpoint for the third march for voting rights, which began in Selma. Other local landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement include Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor; the site of Rosa Parks’ arrest; and the courthouse of Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr., whose pivotal rulings helped end legal segregation in the South. All three of these towering figures spent significant portions of their lives in Montgomery, and their legacies are preserved in the capital city. Time spent learning about those who risked everything for their principles — and for the wellbeing of others — is time well spent.

Day 3 (morning): RTJ Golf Trail at Capitol Hill

Milepost: 198

A quick drive northwest of the city sets you up for a round at one of Capitol Hill’s three championship courses, Judge, Legislator and Senator. Each has a look and personality all its own, and there’s no wrong whichever you choose. The Judge has amazing views along the Alabama River, while the Legislator weaves in and out of pine trees and marshland for a more traditional feel. The Senator can satisfy your craving for a links-style layout, and the test will be stern. As the host of several Korn Ferry Tour events — most recently in 2019 — it’s a true championship track.

Day 3 (afternoon): Auburn University

Milepost: 255

With the capital city in your rearview mirror, head east to Auburn, and the university that shares the city’s name, to stroll the grounds of a proud SEC school. Head to Toomer’s Corner, at the intersection between downtown Auburn and the Auburn University campus, and then pop into Toomer’s Drugs for some fresh-squeezed lemonade and a bite to eat. If you time your trip correctly, you’re pretty much required to attend a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. A post-game drink at a bustling nearby campus bar is optional, but highly recommended. War Eagle!

Day 4 (morning): RTJ Golf Trail at Grand National

Milepost: 263

As long as your hangover isn’t too severe, make the quick drive over to Grand National for your grand finale. As at the other RTJ Golf Trail properties, you’ll have options. On the Lake Course, more than half of the holes hug Lake Saugahatchee, and the vistas on its routing can’t be beat. The course also plays host to the Symetra Tour, giving you yet another chance to test your game where the pros play. The Links Course is the cornerstone of Grand National and features four par-3s that can befuddle even the most experienced players. Finish the trip off with a drink by the pool at the on-site Marriott Hotel, and make a toast to yourself on a trip well played (and well planned).

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Buckle up, folks, and welcome to the fourth installment of America’s Best Golf Road Trips, a six-part GOLF.com series in which our well-traveled writers will guide you through some of the most thrilling itineraries for golfers with a nose for the open road. Each journey will be built around golf but we’ll also sprinkle in a few other sights and stops along the way. Bon voyage!

Previous installments: Lake Michigan Loop | Appalachian Mountains Trail | Carolina Lowcountry

***

Slip on your shades, slide open the sunroof and stash your sticks in back. A long weekend approaches, and a road trip awaits. We’ll be motoring north on the Pacific Coast Highway, also known as Highway 1, the famously scenic route that hugs the California coast, on our way from Orange County to the Monterey Peninsula. The entire trip will cover roughly 370 miles; you could do it in a day if you really had to. But this is not a journey you want to rush. Though our main purpose is to play a lot of golf, we’ll be pausing now and then to appreciate surroundings that capture the character of coastal California in all its beauty, bounty and occasional bizarreness. The itinerary below isn’t etched in stone. Feel free to modify it to your liking. Off we go, with the world’s largest water hazard looming to our left.

Start point: The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast, Calif.

End point: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, Calif.

Days: 3

Courses: 4

Miles: 372

Day 1 (morning): The Resort at Pelican Hill

Milepost: 1

In preparation for this stunning drive, please turn your attention to this … stunning drive: your opening tee shot at the Resort at Pelican Hill, a luxurious destination just south of Newport Beach. Pelican Hill is home to two top-notch Tom Fazio designs, the South Course and the North Course, sibling layouts shaped over a dramatic landscape of canyons, ridges and beachside bluffs. Each course offers all the challenge and eye-candy you could ask for. If your schedule allows, it’s worth playing both. In a coin toss, though, we’ve booked you on the North Course, where the par-5 opener plays to a broad-shouldered fairway, with the Pacific sparkling in the backdrop. It’s a fitting prelude to a round that affords you ocean views on every hole.

Day 1 (afternoon): The Links at Terranea

Milepost: 57

For more than 30 years, starting in the 1950s, the Palos Verdes Peninsula was home to Marineland of the Pacific, a seaside animal theme park best known for its performing killer whales. Today, the main attraction is an artful nine-hole par-3 course, the Links at Terranea, with shots that range in distance from 100 to 170 yards and an ocean panoramic that seems to stretch forever. The course is the centerpiece of a chic Mediterranean-style resort, a sweet spot for recharging overnight. Trust us, you won’t miss Shamu.

Day 2 (morning): Sandpiper Golf Course

Milepost: 154

Set on sand-strewn bluffs, just north of Santa Barbara, this seaside layout often draws comparisons to Torrey Pines. Both courses were designed by William P. Bell, and there’s a kinship not only in their architecture but also in their wind-kissed coastal locations. One key distinction is that while Torrey is municipally owned, Sandpiper belongs to Ty Warner, the billionaire creator of Beanie Babies, who bought the place in 2003.

Post-Round Points of Interest

Remember Sideways, the Oscar-winning buddy flick about a pair of wayward souls on a weekend getaway? Much of it was filmed in Santa Barbara wine country, the vineyard-latticed region just northeast of town where pretty much everyone recalls the movie. They’re even willing to help you relive it on Sideways-themed tasting tours, with stops to savor acclaimed local wines at spots where the film was shot.  As you may recall, the flick also featured a comedic golf scene. The real-life backdrop for it was the River Course at Alisal, a public layout, roughly 40 miles inland, in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Day 2 (afternoon): The Anti-Hearst Castle in Cambria

Milepost: 268

They say that a man’s home is his castle. That was certainly true of, well, Heart Castle, which sits just eight miles up the road from the seaside village of Cambria. Sometimes, though, a man’s castle is more like a scrap heap, as evidenced by Nitt Witt Ridge, Cambria’s quirkiest claim to fame. In 1928, an eccentric artist named Arthur Harold Beal bought a hillside lot here and began building the dwelling of his dreams out of beer cans, car rims, stove parts and other discarded items, including remnants from Hearst Castle, where Beal is said to have once worked. Beal died in 1992, but his whimsical monument remains open to the visitors for guided tours. You can’t stay overnight in the ramshackle bedrooms here, but no worries. There several boutique hotels in and around Cambria, which leave you well positioned for Sunday morning push to Pebble Beach.

Day 3 (morning): Point Lobos State Park

Milepost: 363

On a highway with no shortage of natural beauty, you have just completed an unrivaled stretch, highlighted by your passage through Big Sur, the rugged expanse of undeveloped coastline where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the sea. You’re now barely 15 minutes from 17-mile Drive, the private toll road that leads to Pebble, but since you’ve got a few hours before your tee time, do yourself a favor and pull off at Point Lobos.  A $10 entrance fee gets you access to a wild, coastal reserve of craggy bluffs and wind-coiffed pines and roiling inlets where otters backstroke in the waves, clacking shellfish like castanets. To get a sense of the grandeur of the setting, picture Cypress Point, without the course.

Day 3 (afternoon): Pebble Beach Golf Links

Milepost: 372

This is it, the course you’ve played a thousand times in daydreams, the layout you’ve admired forever on TV. It’s every bit as good as you imagined. Better, even. Make this one a blowout. Book a caddie. Pause for photo-ops. Shake off any bad shots. Savor all the good ones. You’ll remember this day. Cap off the experience with dinner in the Tap Room, the atmosphere-rich tavern, lined with photographs of famous golfers and other mementos from Pebble’s long, indelible history. Don’t stop there: spend a night at the sumptuous Lodge. You’ve earned it. 

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Buckle up, folks, and welcome to the third installment of America’s Best Golf Road Trips, a six-part GOLF.com series in which our well-traveled writers will guide you through some of the most thrilling itineraries for golfers with a nose for the open road. Part I covered the Lake Michigan Loop, while Part II took you through the Appalachian Mountains Trail. Each journey will be built around golf but we’ll also sprinkle in a few other sights and stops along the way. Next up: a leisurely trek through the Carolina Lowcountry. Bon voyage!

***

A road trip through the Carolina Lowcountry and its quilt work of loblolly pines, saw palmettos and marsh grasses is a feast for the senses — and the drive time is just as laidback as the countryside, with no leg of the journey exceeding two-and-a-half hours of on-the-road time.

This particular loop starts at the Raleigh-Durham airport. Your first destination is Pinehurst, one of the bastions of American golf. You’ll then head south to Myrtle Beach, before continuing along the coast to Kiawah Island and Harbour Town. You’ll enjoy the history and beauty of the Atlantic shoreline and the antebellum South — as well as a handful of Top 100 courses and resorts along the way. So put the pedal to the metal — y’all have an epic trip in store.

Start point: Raleigh-Durham International Airport

End point: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.

Days: 5-7

Courses: 5+

Miles: 448

Day 1: Pinehurst No. 2 (North Carolina)

Milepost: 72

Your trip starts with a bang — a visit to not only one of the most historic courses in the country, but also the onsite resort, ranked No. 2 on GOLF’s recent list of the best buddy-trip resorts in North America. You’ll be happy to have a decadent place to rest your head for the night, because Pinehurst No. 2 presents a stern test. The host of six U.S. Opens (and future “anchor site” of our national championship starting in 2024, when the U.S. Open will retun every six years), Pinehurst is everything you could ask for in a golf experience.

The best part? It’s just an hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from the airport, so you could easily play an afternoon round on No. 2 or any of the resort’s other eight (yes, eight) tracks. Regardless of where you decide to tee it up, make sure to carve out some time for a quick spin around Thistle Dhu, Pinehurst’s 18-hole putting course, and cap the experience with a pint at the Ryder Cup Lounge in the Carolina Hotel, which is drenched in history from the biennial event staged at Pinehurst in 1951.

Day 2 and 3: Myrtle Beach (South Carolina)

Milepost: 201

Two-and-a-half hours south of Pinehurst and you’re in Golf Mecca, also known as Myrtle Beach. With more than 80 courses to choose from, you could spend years visiting and fail to play them all. Our advice? Knock off several of the finest in one stop. Barefoot Resort, another GOLF Top 100 Resort in North America, is a great choice, and home to four courses designed by names you just might recognize: Greg Norman, Davis Love, Pete Dye and Tom Fazio.

Two other multi-course locations that are well worth your time are Legends Golf Resort, home to five championship courses as well as on-site accommodation, and Mystical Resort, which boasts three courses,  all of which feature newly rebuilt bunkers after a recent $750,000 renovation. No matter where you play, make room on your itinerary for a stop at Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar and Grill. It has a tropical, divey vibe that befits its name, but, oh my, the oysters are out of this world.

Day 4: Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (South Carolina)

Milepost: 233

Your next stop is a half-hour drive south of Myrtle Beach into Pawley’s Island, S.C. The Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is a stunner: quiet and gorgeously manicured with just a touch of quirk. The experience begins with a long driveway entry through an arcade of giant oaks, dripping with Spanish moss, a majestic corridor that evokes a thrilling tingle of anticipation. It’s the Lowcountry’s Magnolia-Lane feels. Word to the wise: Before you hit the first tee, take a seat in one of the rockers on the wraparound clubhouse porch and you’ll feel transported to another time.

The late, great Mike Strantz designed Caledonia as his first solo project in 1994, and ever since, the course has gained a cult following of appreciative players. The routing meanders through towering oaks and serene streams, and there is nary a home to be found on any of its 18 holes, further enhancing its uniquely unencumbered atmosphere.

Day 5: Kiawah Island (South Carolina)

Milepost: 330

Hop back in the car for an easy two-hour ride south to Kiawah Island, home to yet another Top 100 resort, Kiawah Island Golf Resort, and five courses, including the famous Ocean Course. You can’t go wrong with any of the Kiawah courses, but since you’ve come all this way, it would be criminal to miss out on Pete Dye’s iconic Ocean Course, featuring 10 eye-popping holes along the Atlantic and up to eight clubs in wind variance, depending on the day.

Water is in play on nearly every hole, making the course both visually stunning and, in typical Pete-Dye fashion, ultra-treacherous. One of the few courses to host both the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, the Ocean Course will be back in the spotlight in May for its second major-championship go-around, the 2021 PGA.

Note: If you have some pull, do yourself a favor and plan a lunch at the private Kiawah Island Club where you can indulge in the house-specialty Shem Creek Shrimp Rolls. You won’t be disappointed!

Day 6: Harbour Town (South Carolina)

Milepost: 448

The final leg of your journey is a two-and-a-half hour shot south to Hilton Head Island, home of Sea Pines Resort (another Top 100 gem), and three fantastic courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links, host of the PGA Tour’s annual RBC Heritage.

There’s no beating the spectacular setting: 5,000 acres of oceanfront beauty, with the illustrious red-and-white striped lighthouse framing the famous finishing hole. Harbour Town is a treat, and there’s no better place to rest and recuperate from your long week on the road.

As your day winds down, treat yourself to a killer sunset view at Sea Pines’ Fraser’s Tavern. Located in the shadow of the lighthouse, this amiable outpost offers superb waterside dining, and the best shrimp and grits around. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.

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The post How to pull off the ultimate golf road trip, according to an expert appeared first on Golf.

For those of us golfers with even a hint of wanderlust, hitting the open road for a golf trip is as good as it gets. Be your journey three days, three weeks or three months, the thrill of packing up the car, heading for greener fairways and leaving behind the stresses of your daily grind should be an annual (at least!) ritual for every golfer.

I should know. In 2018 and the first month of 2019, I set forth on a golf road trip unlike any other: Powered by my trusty RV, I hit 403 courses in 47 states (racking up 35,345 miles, and 689 birdies, along the way). That trip was my most memorable golf jaunt but certainly not my only one. From all my travels, here are 8 tips I’ve learned that I urge you to follow the next time you slide behind the wheel for your own golf getaway  

1.  Choose your travel mates wisely

The personality dynamic of your crew is one of the most essential pieces to consider when planning a golf trip. Be sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the quality of courses, lodging, overall budget and, perhaps most important, amount of golf on the agenda. 

Does everyone in your group want to play 36 a day or are they more of a play-9-and-then-hit-the-pub crowd? If you’re not aligned, fractures will quickly form. As for the size of your group? If they’re tight, four is the perfect number. That’ll keep you mobile and, should the need arise, allow you to adjust your plans on the fly. If you foresee potential rifts or drama, eight golfers is advisable. A bigger posse will provide some release by allowing you to mix and match the groupings in each round.  

2.  Establish a primary communication channel 

Group chats are loathed by many, but during a proper golf romp, communicating on the same platform is key, and can also be a source of serious entertainment. Whether you run with WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook Messenger or a simple text chain, agree on one platform, then brace yourself for a bounty of cheeky banter, arresting golf photos and hilarious GIFs.

3.  Embrace change

The adventure doesn’t start until the plan falls apart. When weather hits and tee times get cancelled, you will know that your moment has arrived. During a golf trip in the Los Angeles area years ago, my friends and I encountered the wettest day California had seen in a decade. Instead of drowning in our sorrows, we pivoted and found the only course in the area that was still open, Griffith Park. After suiting up, we waded down fairways that looked more like rivers. On a journey that also included A-list courses like Riviera and LACC, this still ranked among the trip’s more memorable rounds.

4.  Lean into local knowledge

You might think that your diligent destination research has uncovered all of the hot spots and insidery scoops. Truth is, though, no matter how many blogs and message boards you visit, you will never know as much as the indigenous population.

While maintaining strict adherence to this commandment during a stop in Minnesota, I asked a beverage cart attendant, “What’s the hot scene in Duluth tonight?” 

“Well,” she said, “the malt stand will definitely be popping off.”  

So, my partners and I decided to skip dinner entirely that evening and head directly to the PortLand Malte Shoppe. This led to the best banana malt that I have ever tasted. Results will vary when following local recs, but rest assured this approach will bare surprising and delightful fruits.

5.  Allow for some “weird time”

Somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin I decided to download an app on my phone called Roadside America. This little gem provides the down-low on all of the most interesting roadside attractions. For example, with only short detours, I checked out the world’s largest piece of petrified wood, a house shaped like a shoe, a towering T-Rex, even a tree adorned with tubas. There’s something for everyone lurking just off the beaten path, so on longer hauls, build in time to explore curiosities in between your golf destinations.

6.   Stay loose and limber

Fitness

These 5 simple stretches will improve your flexibility and help your golf swing

By: Rachel Bleier

Not only is this good advice when you’re home working or supposed to be working but instead watching The Today Show, but it is also a must-do on any self-respecting golf trip. You don’t need a full-blown hot yoga session, but a couple of key stretches and a few spinal twists daily will keep you primed for the 1st tee. Nothing spoils a golf trip faster than not being able to, you know, play golf.

7.  There’s always golf to be had 

Just because every stop on your trip might not be at a golf course doesn’t mean you can’t play golf. While visiting White Sands National Park in New Mexico, I designed a course in the heaving dunes that Tom Doak would be proud of. If you, too, can get creative, no matter where your travels take you there are always tee times to be had.

8.  Memorialize!  

If you are able to abide by my first 7 commandments, your golf trip is more than likely to be a memorable one. To guarantee that it is, memorialize your journey with schwag from each of your golfing destinations. The best (and cheapest) course keepsakes are a scorecard and pencil. They’re not only free but also won’t occupy much space in your luggage or trunk.  

Just the other day, I browsed my collection of scorecards from 2015 and reminisced about the triple-bogey I made on the 17th hole at Whistling Straits (after needing three shots to get out of a devilish greenside bunker, I canned a 25-footer). It was one hell of a 6, and one hell of a golf trip. 

With these golden rules, I send you forth upon your own magical journeys. Safe travels!

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