While there are golf courses almost everywhere in the U.S., some are truly built better than others. Chances are your local green doesn’t quite compare to some of our top picks, especially those in cities built for bachelor partying—thanks to the added benefit of nightlife, great restaurants, awesome hotels and other activities. And sure, lugging your clubs on a flight makes traveling light an impossibility, but it’s so worth it to play 18 at any of these magnificent course and clubs. And whoever doesn’t make par is buying on the 19th.
-
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
In the Phoenix area, there are more than 200 golf courses to choose from. You’ll see golfers take over restaurants, bars, hotels, hiking trails, etc, because this is their playground. Basically every spa has a “golf massage.” This is Golf Town, USA. Take your group to Scottsdale, just twenty minutes outside the city, a highbrow resort town with five-star resorts and even some trendy/ing hotels like Andaz and W. In fact, there are two PGA Championship courses at TPC Scottsdale so you can’t go wrong. Also the scenery—think miles of sprawling green and mountains in the backdrop. Just make sure to pace all that drinking in that desert heat!
-
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Right outside of Savannah, Georgia on coastal South Carolina, Hilton Head is very conservative but it’s an awesome town if you want to golf. The mother of all courses is award-winning Palmetto Dunes, right on the ocean—every golfer in America knows it. It has three very unique golf courses, designed by Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones, and George Fazio, respectively. Hilton Head is the type of place where you’ll wear a baseball cap and golf shirt everywhere you go because it’s basically the uniform in town. Plus, there are some great seafood restaurants. While you’ll golf at Palmetto Dunes, we’re making you stay at Montage Palmetto Bluffs (formerly the Inn at Palmetto Bluffs). Don’t even question it. It’s the only true five-star resort in town, about 40 minutes drive away, where you’ll shack up in some historic vacation homes or the resort’s cottages right on the water.
-
Hawaii
Hawaii, USA
Pick an island, any island. Hawaii is an ideal golf destination, and bachelor party groups pack their clubs to fly out to the middle of the Pacific. Why? Perfect year-round weather, award-winning golf courses, incomprehensible views from said golf courses, and the modern comforts of awesome restaurants, nightlife, and five-star hotels. It’s also a great excuse to go to Hawaii, and you can balance your golfing with surfing and beach hopping. The most famous island for golfing is Big Island with notable courses like Hapuna, Mauna Kea and Hualalai, though loads head to Maui for Wailea and Kaanapali golf resorts. You can even tee off in Oahu where Barack Obama likes to golf (Mid-Pacific Country Club). Also, you can make the most out of your flight time by thinking up some great gift ideas for your groomsmen.
-
Palm Springs
Palm Springs, CA, USA
Another destination you’ll run into the former president swinging a club is Palm Springs. The former Commander-in-Chief loves it here (as well as other former presidents) and he was recently spotted house hunting. Palm Springs is a desert oasis that is a huge magnet for bachelor parties. There’s awesome, mid-century modern resorts, pool parties, great nightlife, and of course music festivals (Coachella, Stagecoach, Splash House, etc). Even though Palm Springs is basically a millennial’s favorite vacation spot, it was originally a retirement community for old dudes who didn’t want to do anything but golf. That said, there are 100 public and private ones, including Indian Wells Golf Resort, an actual good, not so hard, 36-hole golf resort, and Indio Golf Course, the only golf course in California (heck, even all of America) that offers night golfing!
-
Orlando
Orlando, FL, USA
Orlando is the best city to golf if you’re secretly a diehard Disney fan (OK, that’s a stretch but at least you have Universal Orlando, which isn’t debatable. It’s awesome). There’s tons of courses (170, to be exact) for those dads that are like “Get me the eff outta here” when their kids drag them to do selfies with Donald Duck. It happens a lot. Even if you’re new at the game and want something to do after Disneyland (uh, Universal), there’s tons of great courses for newbies/beginners. The best course (mostly for intermediate and later) is Villas of Grand Cypress, 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature designed golf, which has hosted tournaments like LPGA Tour Championship, World Cup of Gold, and Greg Norman’s Shark Shoot-out.
-
Monterey
Pebble Beach Golf Links, 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA, USA
Golf is expensive, so you know that rich dudes love golfing. Everyone who lives in Monterey, California, is super rich. Wives are all set for life (Unless they kill someone, like Big Little Lies, which was all about Monterey. You know you watched). Due to the location on the rugged coast, the view are a thing of beauty, and every famous golfer or golf aficionado has teed off at Pebble Beach Golf Resort. We’re talking Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus himself, even Bill Murray and Clint Eastwood. With five awesome courses that will blow your mind, Pebble Beach is drenched in luxury with three accommodations to choose from (a lodge, an inn, and an estate).
