Ah, 2025. A clean slate, new beginnings and, of course, new goals and aspirations on the golf course. But a good place to start is by finally playing some of those golf courses you’ve always wanted to visit. This is your year. What’s on your list? Here’s what some of our staffers had to say.
Josh Sens: Lofoten Links. Norway is a long way to go. But ever since I saw the photos of this remote course, hard along the sea, with the Northern Lights swirling above it, it has been tops on my wishlist. Ideally, I’ll get there at the height of summer, when you can play under the midnight sun. If all of that isn’t reason enough to book a flight, I also happen to like pickled fish.
Sean Zak: I would like to visit the enigmatic Milwaukee Country Club. Wisconsin has become one of the great public golf destinations in the world, but the top course in the state (many people still contend) is that private gem just north of Milwaukee. Having looped all the top public tracks in the state, I would love to see how MCC stacks up.
Connor Federico: I’ve proudly outsourced this opinion from GOLF’s community of course raters, readers and social media commenters: Arcadia Bluffs. The Northern Michigan resort features the South Course (No. 50 in GOLF’s newest Top 100 Courses You Can Play list) and Bluffs Course (No. 57). When our rankings came out last month, scores of golf travelers chimed in to say both of those courses deserved better recognition, more than any other single course or resort. The views of Lake Michigan, strategic challenges and huge rolling greens all stand out as reasons visitors love both courses. Even better, Arcadia Bluffs is opening its newest course this summer: “The Dozen” features six par-3s and six par-4s, a fresh take on the short course trend taking over resorts all over the country.
Nick Piastowski: After attending the U.S. Open this year, I’m more resolved than ever to get on at Pinehurst. I want to try to navigate the turtle-back greens. I want to lose a ball in the waste areas. I want to try the Bryson DeChambeau shot on 18. I want to play the Cradle and the property’s other gems. I want a Wicked Weed beer at the Deuce restaurant. It’s time.
Dylan Dethier: Oh man, where to begin. Dying to get back to Bandon. Still haven’t visited Sand Valley. Gamble Sands’ new Scarecrow course is in my plans. But let’s go with Sand Hollow in Hurricane, Utah. It looks spectacular. The greater St. George area is a golf destination on the rise, and Sand Hollow looks like the best of the bunch. I like adventure golf — time to plan one.
Jack Hirsh: There are plenty of exotic options out there, but I need get back and play the rest of the courses at Bandon Dunes. Thus, I have vowed to paste my 2024 entry in this space until it happens: In 2021, I was lucky enough to play in the Oregon State Amateur at Bandon Dunes. If I was going to pick one spot to play a state championship during my short time in the Beaver state, that was the place. There are five 18-hole courses there (all on our Top 100 list) but the tournament I played was at Bandon Trails, so I still need to see the others. I don’t currently have any plans to get back to the South Oregon coast, but getting back to play the other four tracks will be a goal of mine every year until it happens.
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