Great Golf

Golf transcends. The game can be a career, a business tool or a means to fill a lazy afternoon. When travel is involved, golf can be part of a journey—or the destination itself.

Whether you take golf for credit at San Diego State University or drive a few buckets weekly at the practice range, checking clubs with your matching luggage is rarely a mistake. But even the most seasoned city-hoppers don’t have the inside info from every corner of the country. We’ve turned a keen caddy’s eye on public courses in a dozen venues to ensure that your next tee time is clear of the rough. Course managers, pro-shop attendants, local writers, professional golfers and even a few local hacks weighed in here on the top spots to play. They find these courses to be decidedly above par.

Atlanta

Cobblestone (770-917-5151)—Owned and managed by Cobb County Parks & Rec, this is still a bellwether for public courses in metro Atlanta. Near Lake Acworth; the drive is less than an hour north of the airport.

Chateau Elan (678-425-6050)—A 40-minute drive from the city center is like rolling your watch back 200 years. Chateau Elan hotel guests get special reservation privileges on two 18-hole courses. Harrumph, no jeans or short shorts at the vineyard, please.

The Frog (770-459-4400)—Tom Fazio’s grandiose new par-72 is a bit of a hop from the downtown hotels—but such is the draw amongst the Georgia pines. Twilight rates are a cool way to beat the Southern heat.

Chicago

Cantigny (630-668-8463)—Embrace Chi-Town heritage on the estate of former Tribune publisher Robert R. McCormick. Hole 9 on the Lakeside course has a sand trap shaped like Dick Tracy’s mug. The par-3 youth course has its own clubhouse and pro shop.

Cog Hill (630-COG-HILL, extension 301)—Four distinctive courses southwest of the city. Cog Hill Number 4—“Dubsdread”—is home of the PGA’s Western Open. Be prepared for a challenge.

Highland Park Country Club (847-433-9015)—Worth a drive up the Chicago shoreline to the northern ’burbs. This formerly private par-71 is now meticulously manicured by the city of Highland Park, keeping fees reasonable.

Dallas

Bridlewood (972-355-4800)—D.A. Weinbring embraced the estate’s natural features to design this subtly rolling par-72. Water is a factor, especially on the back nine. Half an hour from downtown Dallas.

Tour 18 Dallas (800-946-5310)—Experience 18 holes of considerable lore from various PGA Tour stops. Hole 9, with its island green, is a remake of Marriott at Sawgrass’s number 17. The last three holes are a mockup of Augusta National’s “Amen Corner.”

Cowboys Golf Club (817-481-7277)—A partnership with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones produced one of the top public courses in the Lone Star State. The experience isn’t cheap but includes food, nonalcoholic drinks and a logo divot tool. Look, there’s Troy Aikman on the practice tee.

Hawaiian Islands

Kapalua (877-KAPALUA)—On Maui. The Plantation course is a PGA Tour stop. Driving the green on the Bay course’s par-3 fifth requires carrying over Oneloa Bay. The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua is on site.

Mauna Lani (808-885-6655)—On the Big Island’s Kohala coast. The north course incorporates a natural lava amphitheater into the par-3 17th. But play the south course if there’s only time for one round—and watch for whales on the par-3 15th.

Poipu Bay (808-742-8711)—On Kauai. Not cheap, but not duplicated anywhere in the world. Not easy, either. The 18 holes run along the South Shore cliffs and beaches. Adjacent to the Hyatt Regency.

Las Vegas

Bali Hai (702-450-8000)—Literally on the Vegas Strip. Reserve up to 90 days in advance. Think tastefully over-the-top at this perfectly tended championship par-71. The boutique pro shop here is worth a visit, too.

Angel Park (800-468-7918)—Two championship courses by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, 20 minutes from The Strip. A third course—“Cloud Nine”—is a lighted par-3. Nobody sleeps in Vegas, right?

Reflection Bay (877-698-4653)—One of two daily fee courses on Lake Las Vegas; the other is The Falls. Both are serene, 17 miles from The Strip.

Orlando

Mystic Dunes (407-787-5678)—Golf Digest calls this course “unavoidably intoxicating.” They aren’t referring to the refreshment cart. Open since 2001; 10 minutes from the Orlando Convention Center.

MetroWest (407-299-1099)—The Robert Trent Jones Sr. design is the best 18-hole course in O-town, according to Orlando Magazine. Ten minutes from the city, no more than 20 from most resorts.

Falcon’s Fire (407-397-2777)—Find it between SeaWorld and the Disney juggernaut. Hole 13 is “Bunker Hill,” a 372-yard par-4 (from the white tees), guarded on the right by water and on the left by 16 sand traps.

Palm Springs

Desert Willow (800-320-3323)—Two courses bordered by Frank Sinatra Drive and Country Club Drive in Palm Desert, where golf is a lifestyle. All carts are outfitted with GPS. So much for a caddy’s eye.

PGA West (760-564-7100)—Six courses in La Quinta designed by various big-name Tour champs. “The Western Home of Golf in America”—a self-proclaimed, registered moniker.

Golf Resort at Indian Wells (760-346-4653)—A desert city constructed specifically for golf. Home to the Callaway Golf Performance Center, Indian Wells Golf School, PGA pros and Tour events. An engrossing experience.

Phoenix

Tournament Players Club (480-585-4334) —In Scottsdale. Designed specifically for the PGA Tour; home to the Phoenix Open. Drive the green on the par-4 17th and get your hopes up for an eagle—or a ball in the drink.

Eagle Mountain (480-816-1234)—In Fountain Hills, northeast of the city. This par-71 through the desert valleys can be booked up to 90 days in advance. Views of the city, mountains, and, perchance, a coyote or two.

Grayhawk (480-502-1800)—Two courses, Raptor and Talon, in Scottsdale. Both are, in a word, picturesque. About 10 miles from downtown Phoenix—as the bird-of-prey flies. Reserve up to 90 days in advance.

San Diego

Aviara (760-603-6800)—This Arnold Palmer–designed par-72 in Carlsbad overlooks Batiquitos Lagoon. A weekend at the adjacent Four Seasons Resort Aviara makes the experience complete.

Torrey Pines (619-570-1234)—San Diego’s golf treasure, lining the La Jolla cliffs, has long been a PGA Tour stop. Advance tee times can be secured at www. torreypinesgolfcourse.com. Home of the 2008 U.S. Open.

Meadows Del Mar (858-792-6200)—Tom Fazio uses North County valleys to mold a 6,885-yard par-71. Reserve seven days in advance by phone or on-line at www.meadowsdelmar.com.

Seattle

Golf Club at New Castle (425-793-4653)—Two courses overlooking the Seattle skyline in the shadow of Mount Rainier. The vistas only add to the distraction on the challenging Coral Creek course—more than 7,000 yards from the pro tees.

Jackson Park (206-363-4747)—The 27-hole public course bills itself “Driest in Seattle.” Assume that refers to the weather. Open year-round—pack an umbrella anyway, just in case.

Kayak Point (360-652-9676)—This is golf in the Northwest forest. No houses or roads, just very tall pine trees guarding 18 holes, designed by Arnold Palmer. A must-play, according to the Seattle Times. About 45 minutes from the city center.

Do you like what you read? Subscribe to San Diego Magazine »