Golf can be one of the most frustrating pastimes—and at the same time can be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend the better part of a day. There have been countless jokes and words of wisdom from pros and amateurs alike that speak to our obsession with trying to hit that little white ball into a hole for hours on end. “I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone’s golf game: it’s called an eraser.” said Arnold Palmer; or from John Updike: “Golf appeals to the idiot in us and the child. Just how childlike golf players become is proven by their frequent inability to count past five.” And according to Bobby Jones, “Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course—the distance between your ears.” How true. To some, it’s not so much the game itself, but the pure joy of being outdoors, surrounded by a beautifully landscaped green environment that inspires the soul. The following is a list of favorite golf courses throughout the West that, whether you’re an exceptional golfer or simply out there to enjoy the scenery, you will find to be a satisfying respite from everyday life.
ARIZONA
The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa
Gigantic boulder formations some 12 million years old frame golf fairways on both the North Course (6,811 yards) and the South Course (6,726 yards) at this north Scottsdale hideaway. 866.397.6520, theboulders.com
The Phoenician
Camelback Mountain looms over the Canyon, Desert and Oasis nines, which together comprise three par-70 combinations of nearly 6,300 yards each, at this glamorous resort.
800.888.8234, thephoenician.com
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
The Saguaro Course (6,912 yards) opened to rave reviews in December 2006. Pristine, undeveloped land surrounds Saguaro and the original Cholla Course, with views of distant peaks. 480.836.9000, wekopa.com
Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa
In the high desert above Tucson, La Paloma’s 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course forms the centerpiece of the elegant resort. 866.716.8137, 800.937.8461, westinlapalomaresort.com
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
Beat the desert sun with the air-conditioned golf carts and covered practice range at Kierland’s 27-hole course, while you gain distance using the Foremax golf exercise program. 800.354.5892, kierlandresort.com
The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa
Arizona’s largest golf resort (54 holes), the Wigwam has over 75 years of history and a brand-new Red Door Spa. 800.327.0396, wigwamresort.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
The Westin Bear Mountain
A mountainside resort community only 20 minutes from downtown Victoria, Bear Mountain features the Jack and Steve Nicklaus Mountain course and a second Nicklaus-designed course scheduled for 2008. 888.533.BEAR(2327). bearmountain.ca
CALIFORNIA
Pebble Beach Resorts
Stay at the Lodge or the Inn at Spanish Bay to score a coveted tee time at Pebble and watch the sea lions frolic in Monterey Bay. 800.654.9300, pebblebeach.com
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
On a rugged bluff overlooking the crashing Pacific Ocean, this resort only 30 minutes from San Francisco features a majestic seaside lodge and great golf at the Ocean Course and the Old Course. 800.241.3333, ritzcarlton.com
La Costa Resort and Spa
Legendary resort near San Diego has hosted PGA Tour events over its 30-year history, on the North and South Courses, which both stretch to over 7,000 yards. 800.854.5000, lacosta.com
La Quinta Resort and Club
Favorite desert getaway of Hollywood celebrities for 80 years, La Quinta offers the Dunes and Mountain course and five courses at nearby PGA West, including Pete Dye’s formidable TPC Stadium Course. 800.598.3828, laquintaresort.com
Old Greenwood Golf Course
Nestled among 600 acres of majestic pines and spectacular, expansive mountain vistas, this Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Truckee, California is Audubon Gold Certified. 530.550.7010,
oldgreenwood.com
Whitehawk Ranch Golf Club
Located in the High Sierras north of Truckee, Whitehawk is mountain golf at its best. The Lodge at Whitehawk offers private cabins amid the tall pines. 800.332.HAWK(4295), golfwhitehawk.com
HAWAII
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
On the Kona-Kohala coast of the Big Island, Hualalai features a 7,100-yard Jack Nicklaus Signature Course with contrasting black lava, finishing along the ocean. 888.340.5662, fourseasons.com/hualalai
Kapalua Resort
Home of the PGA Tour’s first event each year, the Mercedes-Benz Championship, Kapalua
has three golf courses and a golf academy on Maui’s northwest shore. 800.KAPALUA,
kapalua.com
Makena Golf Courses
Makena’s North Course winds into the mountainside of Maui’s dormant volcano Haleakala, while the South Course plays along the ocean. 808.879.3344, makenagolf.com
Princeville Resort
Overlooking Hanalei Bay on Kauai, Princeville has the 27-hole Makai Course and the rugged Prince Course, which weaves through jungles and ravines. 808.826.3040, princeville.com
Turtle Bay Resort
Surfers head to Oahu’s North Shore for the big waves and golfers will enjoy the Arnold Palmer Course and the George Fazio Course at Turtle Bay. 800.203.3650, turtlebayresort.com
Wailea Golf Club
The Gold, Emerald and Blue Courses offer great golf and stunning ocean views from Maui’s south shore, plus a variety of packages with Wailea’s six luxury hotels.
800.328.MAUI (6284), waileagolf.com
IDAHO
Circling Raven Golf Club
The Coeur d’Alene tribe owns and operates Circling Raven amid pristine wetlands and grasslands, adjacent to its Casino Resort Hotel. 800.523.2464, circlingraven.com
Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort
Home of the famous “floating green,” the Resort sits on the north shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene and transports hotel guests by boat to the lakeside golf course. 800.688.5253, cdaresort.com
Sun Valley
This historic European-style ski resort has a vibrant summer season with its par-72 course surrounded by magnificent mountains. 800.786.8259, sunvalley.com
Whitetail Club & Resort
Located in McCall, Idaho, on the shores of Payette Lake, the par-72, 7,013-yard mountain course winds through forests of tall Ponderosa pines. 800.657.6464, whitetailclub.com
MEXICO
Cabo Del Sol
The Jack Nicklaus Signature Ocean Course has been called the “Pebble Beach of Baja,” and the inland Weiskopf course has great views of the Sea of Cortes. 800.386.2465, cabodelsol.com
Casa Del Mar Beach Golf & Spa Resort
At the tip of the Baja peninsula, this hacienda-style resort offers the 18-hole Cabo Real Golf Course, 6,988 yards with three oceanfront holes. 888.227.9621, casadelmarmexico.com
Four Seasons Punta Mita
Lush tropical landscaping lines the fairways on the Nicklaus-designed course with eight waterfront holes, all just 26 miles from historic Puerto Vallarta. 800.819.5053,
fourseasons.com/puntamita
NEVADA
Bali Hai Golf Club
As intriguing as its namesake, the Bali Hai course in Las Vegas measures 7,002 yards and is bordered by dramatic water features, the challenge building with each hole. 888.427.6678, balihaigolfclub.com
Edgewood Tahoe
Edgewood has hosted the annual Celebrity Golf Championship for 17 years on its scenic course set along the south shore of Lake Tahoe. 775.588.3566, edgewood-tahoe.com
Incline Village Golf Courses
On Lake Tahoe’s north shore, the Championship Course and the Mountain Course offer stunning mountain and lake views and challenging terrain. 866.925.GOLF, golfincline.com
Lake Las Vegas Resort
Seventeen miles from the Strip but worlds away, Reflection Bay (Nicklaus) is set around a 320-acre privately owned lake and The Falls (Weiskopf) climbs into the mountains.
800.564.1603, lakelasvegas.com
Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort
Pete Dye fans will love the opportunity to play these three Dye designs, Snow Mountain, Sun Mountain and “Wolf,” Nevada’s longest course at 7,604 yards. 800.711.2833, lvpaiutegolf.com
The Resort at Red Hawk
Resort guests can play the Lakes Course, a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, with more than 100 bunkers, while the Hale Irwin–designed Hills Course belongs to the Private Club at Red Hawk. 775.626.6000,
resortatredhawk.com
Squaw Creek Resort
This Robert Trent Jones, Jr. 18-hole championship golf course is environmentally conscious, free from pesticides and recognized by Audubon International as a certified cooperative sanctuary. 530.583.6300, squawcreek.com
OREGON
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Traditional Scottish spirit on southern Oregon’s rugged coast. All three courses, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails are walking-only. 888.345.6008, bandondunesgolf.com
Eagle Crest Resort
This family golf resort in central Oregon’s Cascade Mountains features two 18-hole courses, the Resort and the Ridge and the Challenge, a “short course” favored by beginners. 800.682.4786, eagle-crest.com
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
Both Witch Hollow (members only) and Ghost Creek have played host to many prestigious championships, like the U.S. Women’s Open and the Nike Tour, just minutes from Portland. 503.647.4747, pumpkinridge.com
Running Y Ranch
On the eastern side of the Cascades, near Klamath Falls, this is the only Arnold Palmer Golf Course in Oregon and plays through mature pine forests in unspoiled wilderness. 888.850.0261, runningy.com
Sunriver Resort
The casual elegance of this family vacation resort includes three championship golf courses, among them the challenging Crosswater. 800.801.8765, sunriver-resort.com
WASHINGTON
Suncadia
This new resort community 80 miles east of Seattle offers two mountain courses, Prospector and Rope Rider with a thriving scene of lodging and dining. 509.649.6000, suncadia.com
