We all have our go-to courses in the communities where we live, the ones we belong to as members or the public courses that we regularly make tee times at. And while we all love, appreciate and keep coming back to our favorite local courses, there's also nothing quite like the fun of planning a golf trip and experiencing a new golf course. We're lucky that we live in a country that has no shortage of luxury golf courses, many of which offer once-in-a-lifetime playing experiences. So what luxury golf courses should you put on your bucket list? Here's a look at six golf courses that are most definitely worth traveling across the country for:
Luxury Golf Courses Worth Traveling To
From sea to shining sea, here's a look at some luxury golf courses to work into your next trip itinerary:
• Cypress Point Club (Pebble Beach, California): Jagged coastline, challenging bunkers and spectacular views all around. These features — and more — describe Cypress Point Club, an amazing course carved out of the bordering terrain of the Pacific Ocean. What's nice about Cypress Point is that you don't need to be a pro to score well on it. It features several manageable holes, so even the weekend golf warrior can play to their handicap on it.
• Oakmont Country Club (Oakmont, Pennsylvania): If you're looking to play a luxury golf course that's sure to challenge you — both physically and mentally — we'd suggest heading east to Oakmont, Pennsylvania, where the Oakmont Country Club poses a stiff challenge to even professional-level talents (the course hosted the 2016 U.S. Open, of which only four golfers finished under par for the tournament). The course features a plethora of deep bunkers, narrow fairways and deep rough. But amid its challenges, it's one of the most beautiful courses in the country.
• Pinehurst (Pinehurst, North Carolina): Pinehurst is one of the oldest courses in America, having been played by golfers since 1895. The course consists of numerous courses, each of which offers golfers a different experience. In fact, the resort is home to nine total courses, but by far the most popular is Course No. 2. The course will host this year's U.S. Amateur Championship and the 2024 U.S. Open.
• Whistling Straits (New Haven, Wisconsin): Over 1,000 bunkers don this lakeside course, which once served as an army base. The fairways are rugged, the greens roll fast and the hills and Lake Michigan sights are something to behold. For a real experience, consider playing this course in the evening, when you can catch the sun setting over Lake Michigan.
• Shadow Creek (Las Vegas, Nevada): The dry, desert area of Las Vegas isn't typically known for being green. But you'll be amazed at the beauty of Shadow Creek, which sits in the foothills of the Red Rock Mountains. One of the most expensive to build golf courses in the country, the terrain required a complete reworking to create the 18 holes that sit there today. Rolling hills and canyons were crafted on an otherwise flat desert terrain, and you can't beat the mountain views that this bucket list course has to offer.
• Primland Golf Course (Meadows of Dan, Virginia): This course might be the closest you get to playing the Scotish highlands. With mountain views at every turn and beautiful, natural hills, Primland isn't just breathtaking — but it's playable to all different skill levels of golfers to. And while it's beauty and location makes it a bucket list course, many golfers seek out Primland time and time again for a memorable round.
