Deciding which golf courses are the best in the world is not easy, and can evoke many lengthy discussions among golfers! It is of course, a matter of opinion, yet not surprisingly a number of courses seem to always be in the mix of ones to consider. If your goal when considering various golf vacations is to find and then go to the best courses, you will have a fun time deciding among the great courses that are out there.
Arnold Palmer has designed many fantastic golf courses, and some of the factors that he considers as integral ingredients in a great course are the variety of the holes on the course, the terrain and vegetation, the winds that affect the play, how the course interplays with the environment, and the water and soil conditions. A multitude of factors have to come together to make a great course, and these are a few of them.
Some of the courses that always come up in the discussions of the greatest golf courses in the world are as follows.
Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California is always on this list. With its narrow fairways and outstanding views overlooking the rocky shoreline, it has earned its outstanding reputation. Play is definitely affected by the wind coming off of the ocean at this great course.
The St. Andrews old course, at St. Andrews, Scotland is the most famous course in the world. This is the birthplace of golf, with the game being played on this course since the 1400’s. Built on the dunes of the North Sea, the courses here are very challenging to say the least. There are currently six courses at the “Home of Golf”, and a seventh course is scheduled to open in June of 2008. All of the courses are open to the public, but reservations are essential if you plan to play any of the courses.
Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia is the home of the Masters, probably the most prestigious golf tournament in the United States. The most difficult and famous holes, 11th, 12th, and 13th were named “Amen Corner” 50 years ago, the year that Arnold Palmer recorded his first win.
Pinehurst Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina was established in 1895. It is the choice of many as the best golf resort in this country. There are eight courses here on gently rolling terrain, with fairways lined by longleaf pine trees. Spring or in the fall are great times to go, with the locals favoring the month of October.
There are of course, many opinion surveys online that you can research to find the best golf vacations. One example is the top ten best golf resorts taken by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, and reported on by the Chicago Tribune on April 24, 2007. Here are their results.
1. Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, Mexico
2. American Club, Kohler, Wis.
3. Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland
4. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii
5. The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va.
6. Four Seasons Resort, Nevis
7. The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
8. Inn at Bay Harbor, Bay Harbor, Mich.
9. Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland
10. Four Seasons Resort at Troon North, Scottsdale, Ariz.