The World’s Most Extraordinary Golf Getaways

By Eric Hrubant, Founder & CEO of CIRE Travel

A windswept stretch of Irish coastline. A fairway perched hundreds of feet above the Pacific. A legendary 18th hole where some of golf’s greatest champions have been crowned. For some travelers, a vacation begins with a destination. For golfers, it begins with a course. And for passionate golfers, some fairways are worth crossing oceans to play.

But the best golf getaways are about much more than the game. They pair extraordinary courses with memorable accommodations, exceptional dining, dramatic landscapes, and experiences beyond the green. Whether planning a dedicated golf pilgrimage or a luxury escape with a few rounds built into the itinerary, the world offers no shortage of remarkable places to tee off.

What Makes a Golf Destination Worth Traveling For?

Ask any golfer—not all golf vacations are created equal. For serious enthusiasts, the chance to play a championship course or one designed by a celebrated architect can be reason enough to book a flight. Names like Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Doak, and Coore and Crenshaw carry considerable weight among golfers who appreciate course architecture.

Others are drawn to exclusivity. Securing a tee time at a prestigious club, walking the same fairways as professional champions, or experiencing a course with limited access can be as memorable as the round itself.

And then there’s the destination. Some golfers prefer a resort with multiple courses, where they can play 18 holes in the morning and a different 18 in the afternoon. Others want golf to be one part of a larger itinerary, with afternoons reserved for wine tasting, sightseeing, spa treatments, or simply soaking up the view.

Ready. Set. Go-lf.

When planning a golf getaway, three considerations generally help narrow your choices: the quality and character of the golf, the overall resort and destination experience, and how far you’d like to travel. Course difficulty matters, too, though a challenging layout isn’t necessarily better. Some of the most rewarding courses offer an experience that golfers of different abilities can appreciate.

From Ireland’s historic links to the Caribbean’s tropical fairways, these extraordinary golf getaways offer golfers compelling reasons to travel.

Golfing In: Ireland and Northern Ireland

Few destinations are as closely associated with golf as Ireland. Its historic links courses, shaped by coastal winds and natural dunes, offer an experience that feels worlds away from manicured resort fairways.

In Northern Ireland, Royal County Down Golf Club is among the game’s most celebrated courses. Established in 1889, its Championship Links sits beneath the Mourne Mountains, with narrow fairways, blind shots, and famously challenging bunkers. The setting is spectacular, but golfers also visit for the history and the privilege of playing one of the world’s most revered links.

Avid golfers would be remiss to ignore Dublin. Portmarnock Golf Club has welcomed generations of championship golfers since 1894. Its traditional links layout offers a demanding test, with the Irish Sea and shifting coastal winds adding drama to the course.

Neither Royal County Down nor Portmarnock is a conventional stay-and-play resort. Instead, they lend themselves to a carefully planned golf itinerary, with nights in Dublin or along the coast and time for historic towns, castles, and traditional Irish hospitality.

Golfing In: Nova Scotia, Canada

Cape Breton’s rugged coastline may remind golfers of Scotland, but Cabot Cape Breton has developed an identity all its own. The resort’s two celebrated 18-hole courses, Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs, offer golfers two distinctly different experiences. Cabot Links hugs the coastline beside the village of Inverness, while Cabot Cliffs, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, climbs across dunes and oceanfront cliffs. For a shorter round, The Nest offers eleven par-3 holes.

Accommodations range from contemporary lodge rooms to large villas, making it easy to spend several days playing without leaving the property. Beyond the greens, Cape Breton offers scenic coastal drives, hiking, seafood, and the famous Cabot Trail.

Golfing In: Oregon, USA

Do you dream of playing from sunrise to sunset? Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on Oregon’s southern coast may be as close to paradise as you can get.

Inspired by the traditional links courses of Scotland and Ireland, Bandon has five full-length courses, including Pacific Dunes and Sheep Ranch, complemented by two short courses, Bandon Preserve and Shorty’s. Each course uses the natural coastal landscape, where dunes, wind, and the Pacific Ocean shape the game.

No golf carts here; walking is a big part of the experience. Days revolve around tee times, caddies, and conversations about the round over cocktails and dinner. Bandon is particularly appealing for groups of dedicated golfers who want to play multiple courses over several days.

Golfing In: California, USA

Few golf courses are as instantly recognizable as Pebble Beach Golf Links. Its Pacific Ocean views, coastal holes, and history of hosting major championships have made it one of America’s greatest sporting landmarks.

Guests at The Lodge at Pebble Beach can access the resort’s restaurants, spa facilities, and additional golf courses, including Spyglass Hill. But what truly distinguishes Pebble Beach is how naturally it fits into a broader luxury vacation. Spend a morning playing one of golf’s most famous courses, then explore Carmel-by-the-Sea, drive along the Monterey Peninsula, and end the day with dinner overlooking the sea.

For many golfers, playing Pebble Beach is a once-in-a-lifetime ambition. And if they’re traveling with a non-golfing companion, the surrounding coastline offers plenty of reasons to tag along.

Golfing In: Florida, USA

Florida may be famous for its palm-lined golf courses, but Streamsong Resort has something entirely different. Built on a former phosphate-mining landscape in central Florida, Streamsong’s rolling dunes, sandy expanses, and striking water features create a one-of-a-kind setting.

Its courses are a particular draw for architecture enthusiasts. Prominent architects designed the original Red, Blue, and Black courses, including Coore and Crenshaw and Tom Doak. More recently, the resort added Bone Valley, designed by David McLay Kidd, along with The Chain, a playful short course.

While the modern lodge, spa, and dining venues complete the resort experience, golf remains the primary reason for coming. Streamsong is especially well suited to travelers who want several rounds of distinctive golf without moving between properties.

Golfing In: Missouri, USA

Believe it or not, not every extraordinary golf destination sits beside the ocean. At Big Cedar Lodge, the Ozarks’ limestone cliffs and wooded valleys offer a different kind of scenery for golf lovers.

Thanks in part to Payne’s Valley, an 18-hole course being designed by Tiger Woods and his firm TGR Design, the resort has become a major golf destination. Other courses, including Ozarks National and Buffalo Ridge, offer contrasting layouts and impressive mountain scenery, but Big Cedar Lodge is particularly appealing for the range of activities beyond golf. Families and couples can spend their days boating, fishing, hiking, or exploring the resort’s outdoor attractions.

For those who want to combine several rounds of golf with an active family vacation, Big Cedar Lodge is a compelling alternative to the traditional golf-only getaway.

Golfing In: Dominican Republic

At Casa de Campo Resort and Villas, golfers trade windswept links and cool coastal weather for Caribbean sunshine, turquoise water, and tropical breezes. The resort features three championship courses designed by legendary architect Pete Dye. Its most famous, Teeth of the Dog, has seven holes along the Caribbean Sea, with fairways and greens carved into its coral coastline.

Beyond golf, Casa de Campo offers beaches, a marina, horseback riding, tennis, and a wide range of dining experiences. Accommodations include resort rooms and private villas, making it particularly delightful for families or groups traveling together—a destination where golfers can enjoy championship-level play while their companions enjoy a full-on Caribbean vacation.

Golfing In: Mexico

Few landscapes create a more striking contrast than Mexico’s desert mountains and deep-blue Pacific waters. At Quivira Golf Club, Jack Nicklaus designed a course that winds through desert terrain, climbs along rocky cliffs, and offers panoramic ocean vistas. The setting is as much a part of the experience as the golf itself.

Quivira is part of the Pueblo Bonito resort collection, offering eligible resort guests access to golf, beachfront accommodations, spas, and dining. Travelers can balance their rounds with seasonal whale watching, boat excursions, and nights exploring Cabo San Lucas’s restaurants. Los Cabos especially appeals to golfers who want a warm-weather escape without committing every day of their vacation to the course.

Golfing In: New Zealand

In far-flung New Zealand, scenic golf courses abound, but Cape Kidnappers Golf Course stands apart. Set high above the Pacific Ocean on New Zealand’s North Island, this Tom Doak-designed course occupies a remarkable landscape of rolling farmland, deep ravines, and narrow ridgelines that extend toward the sea. The scenery is breathtaking, but the strategic layout demands a golfer’s full attention.

Adjoining resort, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, offers luxurious accommodations on a sprawling working farm, with fine dining and opportunities to explore the surrounding landscape. The wider Hawke’s Bay region is known for its wineries, Art Deco architecture, and relaxed coastal atmosphere. Cape Kidnappers is an ideal part of a longer New Zealand itinerary.

Planning a Golf Getaway

The first question to ask when planning a golf vacation is how much golf you want to play.

Dedicated golfers may prefer three or four days at a multi-course resort, with a different layout each morning and perhaps a second round in the afternoon. Travelers combining golf with sightseeing might choose two or three rounds spread across a week, leaving time to explore.

Access is another important consideration. Some prestigious clubs offer only limited visitor tee times, while others prioritize resort guests or require minimum hotel stays. At Pebble Beach, for example, staying at the resort allows golfers to reserve coveted tee times in advance.

Seasonality matters, too. Wind and rain can affect coastal links courses, while desert and tropical destinations have their own considerations, from extreme summer heat to seasonal storms.

For sought-after destinations, booking accommodations and golf together can greatly simplify the experience. The team at CIRE Travel can coordinate tee times, resort stays, transportation, and activities for non-golfing companions, especially when an itinerary spans several courses or countries.

Beyond the Scorecard

The world’s most extraordinary golf destinations have something in common: they offer an experience that extends beyond 18 holes. It might be the satisfaction of playing at a property you’ve admired for decades, or one with multiple 18-hole courses. It could be the camaraderie of traveling with fellow golfers, your dad, or college buddies. Or maybe it’s just the view from a fairway so spectacular that you almost forget you came to golf.

You may forget the score by the time you get home, but the links you’ve played, the landscapes you’ve discovered, and, most importantly, the people you’ve shared them with will stay with you much longer.

Ready to tee off? The team at CIRE Travel is waiting for your call.

CIRE Travel is a full-service travel agency headquartered in New York, NY with offices in Kennebunkport, ME, Washington, DC, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Los Angeles, CA, and Philadelphia, PA. Our expert corporate travel planners, honeymoon travel agents, and luxury travel planners support clients across the country and around the world.