The World's Best Public Courses
Cigar Aficionado expert panel picks the best places you can play, plus names the top private clubs on the planet
By Larry Olmsted, published May/June 2006
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If you love golf, you are going to travel to play it. The two pursuits are
hopelessly intertwined, and with some 30,000-odd courses around the globe, from the
Monterrey Peninsula to the rugged shoreline of Hawaii, from the towering sand dunes
of Ireland and Scotland to hot, emerging golf locales in far-flung places like New
Zealand, South Africa and China, sooner or later the siren call of one of them will
find you. You'll find yourself on the way to the airport with your clubs in tow.
So where should you go? That is the golfer's eternal dilemma, and if you were
face-to-face with one of the world's leading experts on golf and golf travel,
that's the question you'd probably ask. That is just what we did: rather than rely
on an unscientific poll of readers whose knowledge and claims cannot be qualified,
as many magazines do, we went straight to the horse's mouth, assembling a dream
team of the world's leading golf journalists, top golf course architects, and
executives from some of the most prominent resort chains and golf course management
companies, including people who have played on the PGA Tour or LPGA Tour (none of
the experts were allowed to vote for their own interests). We asked the panel
members the question on every golfer's mind: what is your favorite course?
We also asked them a whole lot more, because when we travel to play golf, most
of
us end up at golf resorts. But what is a golf resort? Simple question, complicated
answer. Today, there are many variations on the theme. The big Hawaiian golf
communities, for instance, typically boast multiple courses shared by several
hotels, none of which own the golf. So is Wailea a golf resort with several hotels,
or is a particular property within it, like the Four Seasons, a golf resort, even
though other hotels have equal claim to its courses? Many of our experts felt the
town of St Andrews itself qualified as a resort, though neither the fabled Old
Course, our runaway winner for Best Golf Course Abroad, nor Kingsbarns, another Top
10 honoree, has any associated lodging. Is Las Vegas's ultra-private Shadow Creek a
resort? Most of our panelists said yes, because to play it you have to stay at one
of its associated hotels, part of the MGM Mirage group. In this sense, you could
argue that Shadow Creek is the grandest golf resort on earth: its hotels boast tens
of thousands of rooms, numerous spas and dozens of restaurants with internationally
renowned chefs.
Shadow Creek clouds the issue, but at the most basic level, a place like Bandon
Dunes is clearly a golf resort: the golf, simple lodging and dining facilities are
all under one roof and one owner, and the three courses are so fantastic that by an
almost three-to-one margin over runner-up Pebble Beach, our experts loudly declared
that Bandon Dunes has simply the best golf of any resort in the nation, if not the
world. Yet for many golf travelers there is more to a golf resort than just golf,
as evidenced by the fact that Pebble handily edged Bandon for Best Overall U.S.
Golf Resort. A lot of golfers also want fancy hotels, great service, spas, myriad
dining choices and a range of activities from shooting to off-road driving, which
is why the resorts that combine great golf with a huge array of amenities did so
well, from Casa de Campo to Gleneagles to Kauri Cliffs. In fact, Scotland played
out just like the Bandon-Pebble rivalry: Turnberry ran away with the Best Golf
title, but rival Gleneagles trumped it on facilities.
Our experts came from all over the nation and the globe, and brought a unique
geographic perspective, citing courses from North Korea to the Canary Islands, but
never glossing over the classic links of the British Isles or U.S. Open venues. The
group had strong opinions, and more than one expert declared this course or that
clearly the finest on earth, often emphasizing their comments with phrases
indicating "enough said." It was hard to get them to agree on anything, but some
golf courses and resorts rose so far above the pack that they did achieve
consensus: for Best U.S. Golf Resort Northwest, not one voter picked anything but
Bandon Dunes. Newcomer Kauri Cliffs, which also did well in our recent Best Hotels
survey (December 2005), completely shut out all other Australian and New Zealand
competitors, despite the rich golf traditions Down Under. The fantastic American
Club resort, now awkwardly renamed Destination Kohler to encompass all its myriad
attractions, was but a single vote away from Midwestern dominance, and not
surprisingly, Pebble Beach pitched a near shutout for the West, despite numerous
large resort competitors.
There were also some surprises: fast growing newcomer Turning Stone, which one
expert described as the "Pinehurst of the Northeast," won in the crowded
northeastern corridor. China's little known but huge Mission Hills resort leapt
onto the world scene, and a couple of unique, single-course boutique properties
like the Inn at Palmetto Bluff and CordeValle and England's The Grove impressed our
panelists.
We had to ask a lot of questions, because there is no "best" golf course or
resort,but there is the best one for you and your needs, whether it is 36 holes a day, pub
grub and a pillow, or leisurely golf on an almost empty course, Frette linens, a
deep wine list and helicopter rides. We list the panel's top choices, several of
which won in multiple categories. We also threw in an extra question about their
favorite private courses, places that you can play only if you know a member or
happen upon some incredible stroke of luck.
BEST RESORTS OVERALL
Includes golf, lodging, dining and facilities
Multiple-Course Resort, U.S.
Pebble Beach, CA
It has our highest-ranked course, our eighth highest and a third course, the Links
at Spanish Bay, which made several panelists' Top 10. But what boosted Pebble was
its drop-dead location on the Monterrey Peninsula, three very different hotels, an
array of dining and activity options, and its rich history of golf greatness,
including multiple U.S. Opens.
As David Baum, publisher and editor in chief of Golf Odyssey, a critical monthly
newsletter devoted to golf travel, put it: "When the rangers at the entrance to
Seventeen Mile Drive say, 'Welcome to the greatest resort in America,' take them at
their word. Pebble Beach remains the ultimate destination for golf travelers."
Honorable Mention: While Pinehurst and Bandon Dunes both got votes in this
category, the runner-up to Pebble was Destination Kohler, also known as the
American Club. Kohler offers four great courses, has hosted the PGA Championship
and Women's U.S. Open (on separate courses), is literally a city of facilities unto
itself and has perhaps the finest golf hotel in the nation. As golf journalist Hal
Phillips pointed out, "Judge a resort by its weakest course, and this place
surpasses them all."
Multiple-Course Resort, Abroad
Turnberry, Scotland
One of Scotland's two 800-pound gorillas when it comes to true, full-service
resorts, Turnberry wins on the strength of its phenomenal Ailsa course, which our
experts picked as the second best international layout and the finest stop on the
British Open rota other than St Andrews. The fabled links meets the sea on a cliff
top at the third tee, kicking off perhaps the grandest 10-hole stretch in golf,
entirely along the coast, through dunes, with the ruins of a castle thrown in for
good measure. The hotel is perched on a hill overlooking its two grand links
courses and the ocean beyond, and when you are not distracted by the view, you can
explore the resort, which has a modern spa, several fine restaurants and a recently
added activities center for shooting, fishing and off-road driving.
As Robert Pedrero, former publisher of The Golf Insider travel newsletter, said,
"This is as good as it gets: if you reach the 12th hole at Turnberry and are not
completely moved by the experience, you should give up golf." Arthur Hills, a
designer who has built more than 300 courses around the world and is a former
president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, was blown away: "Wow,
what a stunning setting. Truly a remarkable destination."
Honorable Mention: Gleneagles, Scotland's other powerhouse golf resort, came in
second in the voting, not surprising since it lacks the seaside setting and British
Open links course of its rival. What was surprising were the votes cast away from
the British Isles, something that would have been unheard of just a few years ago.
China's Mission Hills, the world's largest resort with ten 18-hole courses; South
Africa's Fancourt, which hosted the Presidents Cup in 2003; and Sandy Lane in
Barbados, home to the incomparable Green Monkey course, all had supporters.
Single-Course Resort, U.S.
Shadow Creek, NV
The only course to crack our Top 10 that is not part of a multicourse complex,
Shadow Creek is unique in many ways. It commands the nation's highest greens fees
at $500, and guests cannot even play on weekends. Yet many of our experts had
undertaken the sometimes difficult process of getting on the course and found it
more than worth the trouble. Not only is it unlike anything else in Nevada, an
engineering marvel and highlight of superstar designer Tom Fazio's career, but the
greens fees also include round-trip limo transport from one of its hotels,
including such swank options as Skylofts, The Mansion at MGM or THEhotel at
Mandalay Bay.
Pedrero noted, "It combines all the excitement and glamour of the best of Las Vegas
with world-class golf, and the tee times are so spacious you feel like it is your
own private course." Journalist Jeff Wallach got to the heart of the matter: "Las
Vegas. Has it all and none of it's illegal."
Honorable Mention: Many of our voters chose under-the-radar luxury boutique hotels
that have a great course connected to them. CordeValle, in California's Silicon
Valley, and the Inn at Palmetto Bluff, in Bluffton, South Carolina, are both
private courses with access just for overnight guests of over-the-top
accommodations run by Rosewood Hotels and Napa Valley's renowned Auberge Resorts,
respectively, and both got multiple votes in this category. Equally popular was
Palm Coast, Florida's Ocean Hammock, which combines an oceanfront Nicklaus design
with upscale, old-school lodging right in the clubhouse for an escapist golf
experience like few others.
Single-Course Resort, Abroad
Kauri Cliffs, New Zealand
There are roughly 15,000 golf courses outside the United States, on every continent
except Antarctica, but this newcomer crushed the competition in three categories
(it also was named the Best Non-Golf Facility: Single-Course Resort, Abroad, and
Best Single-Course, Resort Golf, Abroad). Just the fact that so many panelists had
made the long trip is noteworthy, but once you get to Kauri Cliffs you understand
why. The perennially empty golf course vies mainly with its sibling, the even newer
Cape Kidnappers, for the most dramatic setting in golf. The lodgings are pure
luxury in a Relais & Chateaux property with impeccable cuisine and service, and the
non-golf facilities at this 6,000-acre estate rival those of Gleneagles and the
Greenbrier in West Virginia —for just 22 guest rooms. How many other resorts offer
on-site boar hunting alongside tennis?
Cigar Aficionado golf columnist Jeff Williams described Kauri Cliffs as "a majestic
seaside course coupled with some of the best hotel rooms ever conceived." Bill
Hogan, an extensive golf traveler and president of acclaimed tour operator Wide
World of Golf, went further: "Kauri Cliffs is the finest small lodge hotel and golf
course combination in the world. The setting, service and overall quality are
simply unmatched."
Honorable Mention: Kauri Cliffs may have stolen the international spotlight from
the British Isles, but runner-up The Grove makes an argument for England. Just
three years old, The Grove is a funky, fashionable luxury hotel half an hour
outside London, making it very accessible from all corners of the globe, with a
golf course by Kyle Phillips of Kingsbarns fame. It is the site of this year's
World Golf Championships —American Express Championship, where Tiger Woods will
defend his title.
BEST GOLF
Quality of golf only
Multiple-Course Resort, U.S.
Bandon Dunes, Bandon, OR
Pacific Dunes is the highest-ranked public course in the world built since 1947,
according to Golf Magazine. The course and its predecessor, Bandon Dunes, quite
simply shocked the golf world when they opened, because they are that good. Last
June, the powerhouse design duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw opened the third
layout, Bandon Trails, which is too young to be ranked but still made the Top 10
lists of some panelists. Our experts fell over one another to vote for this resort,
and nothing else in the nation comes close to Pacific and Bandon Dunes for British
Isles —style links golf, carved through epic sand dunes along the coast. Owner Mike
Keiser is a purist and steadfastly refuses to build a spa, luxury accommodations or
allow carts, insisting the resort is for true golf fanatics only.
Golf Odyssey's Baum is one convert: "Bandon Trails cements Bandon Dunes' position
as the single best place to play golf in the world. Nowhere else on the planet can
you drop your bags and have so many extraordinary golf holes at hand." It is worth
noting that our two highly respected architect panelists, Arthur Hills and John
Fought, both voted for Bandon in this category. Fought, a two-time winner on the
PGA Tour, said, "I love links golf and Bandon is the best links place in the U.S.,"
while Hills cooed, "Does it get any better then this, three world-class courses? My
hat is off to Mike Keiser for building his dream."
Honorable Mention: Pebble Beach and Pinehurst came in second and third,
respectively, rounding out the new pecking order in American golf.
Multiple-Course Resort, Abroad
Mission Hills, China
China? Twenty years ago, not a single golf course could be found in the entire
country, and today 10 exist under one roof. In 2004, Mission Hills entered the
Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest golf facility. But quantity
and quality co-exist at Mission Hills, where the courses were designed by an array
of international player/designers, including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Nick
Faldo, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and even Annika Sorenstam —her sole design. The resort
has two hotels, including a new boutique offering, several spas, and every other
facility you could think of, all less than a 40- to 45-minute drive from Hong Kong.
Wide World of Golf's Hogan said, "There is really no comparison. Mission Hills has
10 excellent golf courses by 10 different famous golf course architects —and more
are planned! For the price, the resort amenities, rooms and service are off the
charts." Having just returned from a visit, I could tell you that if you moved any
of the resort's best courses —the Faldo, the Nicklaus or the Olazabal —over here,
people would clamor to play them. Mission Hills was just named Golf Resort of the
Year by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.
Honorable Mention: Scotland's Turnberry took second place on the strength of its
Ailsa course. Golf tour operator Sam Baker of Haversham & Baker could not decide
between this and Mission Hills, explaining, "Mission Hills has 10 good golf courses
and Turnberry has only two —but Turnberry has Ailsa."
Single-Course Resort, U.S.
Shadow Creek
See write-up on page 80.
Honorable Mention: The Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay, Hawaii, came in a
very close second to Shadow Creek. Four Seasons just took over the hotel's
management, and the Nicklaus-designed Challenge, with the most ocean exposure of
any course in Hawaii, elicited strong support. "Views to die for —it's the real
Hawaii you dream about," said Evan Rothman, former executive editor of Golf
Magazine.
Single-Course Resort, Abroad
Kauri Cliffs
See write-up on page 80.
Honorable Mention: Waterville, Ireland. Talk about a hidden gem: Waterville House,
the luxury mansion associated with this stunning links, is such a well-kept secret
that many golf experts do not even know about it, and those that did quickly voted
for Waterville as a resort. The first time I played Waterville, I came in for a
Guinness after my first 18 and said, "I could play that course every single day."
As I sat at the bar, another foursome came in and I overheard them say the same
thing, then another. That is the effect Waterville has: it is a great links, but a
fun one, not punishing like some, and you really do want to play it every day.
BEST NON-GOLF FACILITIES
Lodging, dining and activities
Multiple-Course Resort, U.S.
Destination Kohler, WI
A tight race showed how many great golf resorts in this nation live up to the term
"full service." Kohler has all the spa treatments, shooting, horseback riding,
fishing and other activities, but edged the competition with what may be the best
golf resort hotel in the country, the American Club, where each bathroom is a
unique work of art showcasing Kohler Plumbing's best fixtures and whirlpool baths.
The hotel is home to the fantastic Immigrant Room restaurant and Kohler has
something no other golf resort does: a huge interior design center, open to the
public.
Honorable Mention: Pebble Beach and the Greenbrier both made very strong showings
and both have multiple lodging options, plenty of restaurants and a laundry list of
activities. The Greenbrier even has a professional culinary academy on site.
Multiple-Course Resort, Abroad
Gleneagles
The other big Scottish resort finally got back at rival Turnberry, solidly thumping
it and everybody else in a voting landslide. Gleneagles has what may well be the
most complete array of non-golf activities on earth. Its off-road driving school,
falconry program, shooting academy and equestrian center are all world-class, run
by some of the top competitors in each sport with lavish, dedicated facilities and
the best equipment, be it Land Rover Defender 110s or Beretta over/under shotguns.
Throw in a Michelin-starred restaurant and a fancy new spa and you can understand
why the leaders of the world chose this for the recent G8 summit.
Wide World of Golf's Hogan underscored the importance of non-golf activities here:
"Gleneagles has so much to do that the three golf courses are almost a
distraction."
Honorable Mention: Turnberry came in a distant second, with many of the same
facilities as Gleneagles, but all on a small scale. Journalist, broadcaster and
writer Michael Patrick Shiels was one of several Turnberry enthusiasts: "Time well
spent in every way: a historical, luxurious, old-fashioned, quaint hotel with
panoramic views, a world-class cozy bar and a variety of restaurants. A sweet,
full-service spa, shooting range, off-road driving and two thoroughly enjoyable
golf courses."
Single-Course Resort, U.S.
CordeValle, CA
A private club with limited on-site lodging for nonmembers, CordeValle is a hidden
gem that offers first-rate golf and more than first-rate accommodations, which were
taken over in January by Rosewood, the chain behind such stunners as Las Ventanas
al Paraiso, one of the world's greatest resorts. CordeValle spans 1,700 acres and
has 45 luxury cottages and villas, a lavish spa, hiking trails and even a
full-blown winery, Clos La Chance. The men's locker room, complete with multiple
hot tubs, steam room, vichy showers, sauna, flat-screen TVs, billiards and full
bar, is a contender for the best of its kind anywhere.
Bill Hogan described the golf course as "the best between The Olympic Club and
Cypress Point," and the facilities as "five-star plus." Robert Pedrero, who lives
nearby, said, "At CordeValle you revel in the best of both worlds: the finest in
private club ambiance, with all the service and facilities of a first-class
boutique resort."
Honorable Mention: Inn at Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina. Similar to CordeValle,
with overnight guests in luxury cottages getting access to the otherwise private
Nicklaus-designed May River course, plus a huge array of water sports, spa
facilities and standout cuisine.
Single-Course Resort, Abroad
Kauri Cliffs
See write-up on page 80.
Honorable Mention: Once again, The Grove, outside of London, rounds out this
decadent duo of 18-hole luxury escapes.
BEST COURSES WITHOUT LODGING
United States
Bethpage Black, NY
So completely did this course dominate the category that no other layout got more
than one vote. Yes, it was extensively renovated for the 2002 U.S. Open, but long
before that, loyal fans famously slept overnight in their cars in the parking lot
for a shot at a tee time on this AW Tillinghast classic. Golf writer Jeff Wallach
asked, "Where else can you play a U.S. Open course for under 50 bucks and also have
access to four other lovely parkland layouts that don't dent your wallet?"
Architects Hills and Fought once again agreed in picking Bethpage.
Honorable Mention: Though no one came close to Bethpage, the category produced some
interesting insights: Evan Rothman claimed that "the Wild Horse Golf Club in
Gothenburg, Nebraska, is a true links gem, worth a pilgrimage just as much as any
more famous course," and Pedrero came out in defense of San Francisco's renovated
municipal course, Harding Park, the Bay Area's answer to Bethpage. Women's golf
expert Nancy Berkley chose Jim Engh's eye-candy Colorado design, Redlands Mesa, and
Michael Patrick Shiels wanted to let golfers know about Michigan's newest shining
star, Red Hawk.
Abroad
Kingsbarns, Scotland
Almost all the great links of the British Isles have no associated lodging, but the
panelists gave Kingsbarns a lot of credit for being a truly public daily fee course
with no members, even though private clubs in Britain are generally accessible.
While it dominated other categories, the Old Course got just a single vote for this
one, into which it neatly fits.
That does not detract from the awe-inspiring Kingsbarns, which made our experts'
Top 10. The course was accurately described by golf journalist and author Ed
Schmidt Jr. as "Scotland's modern-day answer to Pebble Beach —a wonderful
combination of adroitly designed holes in a phenomenal seaside setting." Bill Hogan
added, "Who would think that the year 2000 would have given birth to a classic old
links? You would think it's been there 200 years."
Honorable Mention: Few categories inspired the passion of our respondents as much
as this one, and second place fell to the majestic Royal County Down, often
described as the greatest test of shot making in golf, but equally known for its
incredible palette of purple heather, green grass and yellow gorse, all
superimposed against crashing coastal waves with sweeping views of the mountains of
Mourne. More than one panelist claimed the Northern Ireland course as his favorite,
and Evan Rothman insisted that "Royal County Down is the prettiest and best course
I've ever played —by far."
BEST GOLF DESTINATION
City or region
United States
Pinehurst, NC
"The Home of Golf in America" lives up to its nickname and swept our voters off
their feet, easily outdistancing other golf epicenters. Why? Besides being the St
Andrews of the States, the birthplace of public golf in this country with a history
steeped in U.S. Open, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup competitions, the area offers
an enormous amount of very good golf. It boasts the nation's largest golf resort,
and its fabled Number Two cracked our top three, while several other courses in
the complex, including Four, Seven and Eight, are standouts, too. But panelists
also voted for the two other Donald Ross resorts in town, Pine Needles and Mid
Pines, and architect John Fought mentioned The Pit, a well-regarded daily fee
course nearby. Pedrero even put Tobacco Road, a visually stunning Mike Strantz
design outside of town, on his Top 10 list. Throw in other modern courses by Jack
Nicklaus and company, and one layout with llamas for caddies, and you really can
have it all in Pinehurst.
Honorable Mention: The Monterrey Peninsula and Bandon, Oregon, came in a distant
second and third, respectively, despite holding the first and second spots in our
Top 10 courses.
Abroad
St. Andrews, Scotland
This was the one category we probably did not need any experts for. The birthplace
of the game, St Andrews is golf's Holy Grail, the place to which every avid golfer
wants to make a pilgrimage. Our experts agreed, and the town got far more votes
than every runner-up combined. Sam Baker called St Andrews "a no brainer! The golf
includes two British Open courses (Old & Carnoustie) plus Kingsbarns as well as
another dozen good courses. No place has more golf history and tradition. The
accommodations range from five-star luxury to delightful former coaching inns. You
can dine on fine cuisine, devour good pub grub and drink with the caddies." Besides
the Links Trust courses (Old, New, Jubilee and Eden), there are three awesome
destination-worthy courses here: Kingsbarns, the Devlin and the Torrance, plus
several other notables, including the just-renovated Dukes and the 36 at Crail. If
you expand the town to take in the multiple courses at nearby Carnoustie, you have
two weeks' worth of epic golf.
Honorable Mention: Northern Ireland was noted for its concentration of world-class
links along one coastline, including Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, both in
our top five, plus other jewels such as Portstewart and Ardglass.
REGIONAL WINNERS
In this section, only resorts that did not win other categories are described in
detail.
United States
Northeast
Turning Stone, Verona, NY
Fueled by proceeds from its casino, the local Oneida Indian Nation is undertaking a
golf boom unprecedented in the region, and according to Evan Rothman, "Turning
Stone is gradually turning into the Pinehurst of the Northeast." Jeff Williams
added, "With top-flight courses by Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rick
Smith, Turning Stone ought to be on every serious golfer's radar screen." The
resort also has a fabulous 98-room boutique hotel, bringing true luxury to sleepy
upstate New York. You won't be served liquor on the course or in the hotels or
casino, however, prompting Robert Pedrero to couch his vote with the caveat,
"Turning Stone, yes, but the no booze is a bummer."
South
Pinehurst, NC
See writeup on this page.
Honorable Mention: Both Sea Island and Kiawah got kudos for their respective new
luxury hotels, The Lodge and The Sanctuary, and Kiawah's Ryder Cup venue, the Ocean
Course, cracked our Top 10.
Midwest
Destination Kohler, WI
See write-up on page 87.
West
Pebble Beach, CA
See write-up on page 79.
Northwest
Bandon Dunes, OR
See write-up on page 84.
Hawaii
Kapalua, Maui
Hawaii has as many high-quality golf resorts as any state, and the competition was
heated, with panelists splitting their votes between several islands and the
resorts of Kapalua, Mauna Kea, Princeville, Hualalai and Lanai. The nod went to
Kapalua probably because its Plantation Course, home of the PGA Tour's
season-opening Mercedes Championship, is the state's best. The course is also one
of the most amateur-friendly of all Tour venues —if you do not play from the tips.
Honorable Mention: Lanai, with its two fine hotels and two excellent but very
different courses, the brash coastal Nicklaus Challenge at Manele and the lush
inland Ted Robinson/Greg Norman Experience at Koele, makes for a wonderful escapist
experience and came in second in our voting.
British Isles
Scotland —Best Resort
Turnberry, Ayrshire
See write-up on page 79.
Scotland —Best Course
Old Course, St Andrews
See write-up on page 92.
Honorable Mention: Kingsbarns fared surprisingly well against its centuries-old
neighbor, while both the Ailsa course and Royal Dornoch had several vocal
supporters.
Ireland —Best Resort
Kildare Resort
"Fortune Favors the Brave" is the motto at this resort that includes the Ryder Cup
venue K-Club, a 36-hole Arnold Palmer —designed layout, and it is a motto golfers
can live by on the courses. Yet it was the decadent food and lodging, not the golf,
that won over voters, along with its proximity to Dublin.
Honorable Mention: Adare Manor is another Kildare-like luxury resort that resonated
with the experts, but Pedrero made a unique case for the little-known Rosapenna
Hotel. "All the truly great golf lodging in Ireland —Adare, Kildare, Carton House
and others —come with American-style parkland courses that are, frankly, boring. If
you are going all the way to Ireland, you don't want Robert Trent Jones or Palmer:
try the 36 true links holes at Rosapenna, carved through immense dunes: it's the
only resort in the Emerald Isle with two such layouts."
Ireland —Best Course
Ballybunion Old
The concentration of great courses in Ireland was almost too much for our
panelists, with emotional favorites in Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and
Waterville, among others, but when the votes were tallied, Ballybunion Old won
easily, marrying rich history with towering dunes.
Honorable Mention: Royal County Down stirs a fever in golf fans, and those who
favor the course, like Evan Rothman, usually have extremely strong feelings. "Royal
County Down is the best and best-looking course anywhere in the world. Period, end
of discussion," he said.
England and Wales —Best Resort
The Grove
The combination of a modern luxury hotel built on a historic estate plus a
whimsical parkland routing by Kyle Philips, all just outside of London, swayed our
voters.
Honorable Mention: Bovey Castle has lodging to rival any of the luxury castle
hotels of Ireland, and grounds to rival Gleneagles, and while little known, this
latest offering from Peter de Savary, developer of Skibo Castle and the Abaco Club,
wowed visitors. The castle and its historic course sit smack in the middle of
Dartmoor National Park, England's largest.
England and Wales —Best Course
Royal Birkdale
Designer John Fought called the course "friendly and fun," while Bill Hogan went so
far as to say it has "probably the most consistent presentation of classic links
holes in golf."
Honorable Mention: Sunningdale Old, just outside of London, is one of the parkland
gems that made Harry Colt famous as the greatest designer of the genre.
Other Regions
Canada
Whistler, British Columbia
With several great courses, an array of hotels —including a Four Seasons, Pan
Pacific, Fairmont and Westin —and a high-end pedestrian resort village bursting at
the seams with bars, restaurants and shops, Whistler has a lot going for it as a
golf destination.
Honorable Mention: Banff Springs, known as the Castle in the Rockies, is one of the
most unforgettable hotels with one of the most unforgettable settings in golf. Its
Stanley Thompson course is a roller-coaster ride that includes the par-3 Devil's
Cauldron, one of the greatest holes on earth.
Caribbean
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
Pete Dye's Teeth of the Dog has been the Caribbean's top-rated course for as long
as there have been ratings, and his new Dye Fore layout here might be even better.
Throw in a huge range of facilities, including the largest public shooting grounds
in the western hemisphere, and you have a bona fide full-service resort. Teeth of
the Dog reopened in December after an extensive face-lift, and is better than ever.
Honorable Mention: Sandy Lane, Barbados. Since its Green Monkey course just opened,
not many golfers have been there to see it, but this pricey luxury hotel with the
Caribbean's only two Tom Fazio designs is quickly moving up in the golf world.
Mexico
One & Only Palmilla
With its new wing of luxury suites and the best butler service imaginable, plus 27
Nicklaus-designed holes on site, Palmilla is a self-contained fantasyland, the only
stand-alone golf hotel resort in the crowded and luxurious Los Cabos region.
Near-perfect weather year-round and a multimillion-dollar face-lift, including the
addition of überchef Charlie Trotter's only restaurant outside Chicago, were other
drawing cards for our panelists.
Honorable Mention: Cabo del Sol and Isla Navidad both had numerous fans. With
stunning coastal holes, Cabo del Sol is the only course in Mexico to crack the
world's Top 100 lists. The charms of Isla Navidad include a wonderful Robert Von
Hagge 27-hole layout, a great hotel and the town of Barre de Navidad.
South America
Llao Llao, Argentina
Most golf travelers have never heard of this resort near the ski town of Bariloche,
but Nancy Berkley calls it a "perfect destination, set amongst fiords in the
mountains," and Bill Hogan said, "Llao Llao has a five-star hotel resort with a
nice golf course in one of the planet's most spectacular settings."
Africa
Fancourt, South Africa
The Gary Player —designed Links, which hosted the Presidents Cup, is the most
famous, but the three marquee courses here are all great, as is the lodging, which
stacks up favorably against any other destination.
Honorable Mention: Sun City, in South Africa, came in second for all the same
reasons: multiple, impressive courses, first-rate lodging and dining, and romantic
African ambiance.
Continental Europe
San Roque Club, Spain
This is where the Ryder Cup players stayed when they competed at nearby Valerrama,
which is private but has arrangements with the club to grant access to its guests,
reason alone to visit. But San Roque also has its own 36 strong holes, and the
oldest Robert Trent Jones course in Europe, the classic Sotogrande, is right next
door.
Larry Olmsted is a frequent contributor to Cigar Aficionado and the editor of The Golf Insider, a monthly newsletter. 
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