Golfing Packages in Arizona... An Enthusiasts Dream Destination

Ask any golfing enthusiast about their ideal holiday and they would probably tell you it would be to visit a golfing resort and take advantage of complete golfing packages on offer at most resorts.   They would probably suggest that among the best in the world are those in the state of Arizona

Why Arizona?

Arizona is one of the south western states of the USA.   Arguably best known as the home of the Grand Canyon, Arizona has been nicknamed   “The Grand Canyon State”.  Arizona is a desert state with a magnificent rocky desert landscape.  It is known for its hot summers and mild winters.    Combining golf vacations with such magnificent geographical features ensures an unforgettable golfing experience.

The Landscape Experience 

A decision to combine a holiday and a golf trip to Arizona won’t disappoint those who choose to visit the state.  Arizona has over 400 golf courses located throughout the country.   Whether the choice is made to visit a golf course in the alpine country or on a desert style fairway, there will be an option to satisfy every budget and preference.  

The Climate Experience

Arizona’s unique climate enables visitors to enjoy the golfing experience all year round.   Even in the coldest months between November and February the average temperature is a mild 60 degrees Fahrenheit.     During the hot summer months the temperature may exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.     

Choosing a Package Holiday

Most people who head to Arizona for a golfing holiday experience take advantage of one of the golfing package holidays available throughout the State.   They provide cost effective accommodations and golfing options that cater to everyone.   There are a variety of fairways to choose from, some of which are listed on the PGA   internationals listings.   These may be more expensive than some of the lesser known courses, but all offer year round deals, which are very popular with visitors.  These deals may include extra free days and the opportunity to play free of charge at other resorts. 

The Complete Arizona Holiday Experience

Purchasing a comprehensive holiday package which combines a holiday and the opportunity to play Arizona golf at some of the most beautiful fairways in the world promises an unforgettable holiday experience.   Unique weather conditions and  some excellent deals offered by the golfing resorts all year round,  provides incentive for golfers to return to Arizona regularly.

Finding The Perfect Golf Packages

Are you passionate about golf or know someone who is? Golf is a great sport because it’s something you can do on your own or make into a sociable occasion.  It can be played in most weather and any day up until sundown. If you’re thinking about looking into golf packages, here are some things that you should think about when planning.

What Do You Need To Consider?

The most basic considerations are much the same as for any holiday; Where should I go? When is the best time of year? How long should I say? What will be the cost?  You may also need to think about the rest of your party. If it’s a pure golf addicts' trip then there’s no need to make allowances for non-players who will need to be entertained while the golfers are golfing.

One of your biggest decisions will be whether or not to organize your own trip—including booking the courses and arranging the green fees—or to take advantage of one of the many integrated golf packages that are now on offer through regular high street travel companies or through dedicated service providers. The advantage of the latter is that they are mostly online and include photographs and reviews of the courses and trips available.

Where Should You Stay?

Golf is played all over the world and virtually every country can now offer you a wonderful variety of golf courses to choose from. And if you’re looking for a wide variety of attractions beyond the golf course, one place you might consider is the British Isles.

Golf in Scotland offers the experience of courses in unrivalled settings - green glens, deep, grey lochs   wind-blown links on rugged coastlines and of course, the home of golf itself at St Andrews. Golf Scotland offers the sport to suit all budgets.  For instance, you can stay in humble but cozy and welcoming bed and breakfast houses or in the opulence of the Gleneagles Hotel and its world class course.

If the weather of the Highlands isn’t your thing, then consider the regimented and well groomed courses set in the gentler countryside of England and Wales where courses are differentiated more by their design than their location.

If links golf is your passion, then Ireland should be your destination as there are more links courses there per head than anywhere else in the world as well as plenty of excellent parkland courses. Golf Ireland offers superb value for money for excellent scenic and picturesque courses in a country famous for its welcoming its visitors with wide open arms.

Myrtle Beach: Ultimate Family Golf Getaway

Looking for a really great family golf travel idea?  It’s not too early to start thinking about great spring and summer opportunities . . . mull them over during the holidays and then get those reservations confirmed!  (Tip:  

Travel insurance is a good idea to in case you have to change them.)

What could be better for family ties than combining adult golf with mini-golf for the kids?  For family fun, golf, and mini-golf, you can’t beat coastal South Carolina.  Just head to Myrtle Beach, especially to the area known as the Grand Strand.  Your kids will be thrilled at the sandcastles, ice cream, and fun.  

A jaunt down U.S. 17 will have them hanging out the windows betting to stop at gargantuan mini-golf courses with pirate ships and mythical creatures.  TheHawaiian Rumble, home of the pro mini golf master’s tournament, features a volcano that gushes steam and flames though the five courses at Captain Hook’s generally rates higher with visitors.  You can choose from Jurassic, safari, and other themes that will delight the kids.

Of course there is more than golf in Myrtle Beach.  There’s the beach of course, and other family attractions such as Ripley’s Aquarium, where you can get close up and personal with stingrays and sharks, and Brookgreen Gardens, with its trails, gator tours, and regional zoo.

After you’ve thrilled them with mini-golf, why not introduce them to real golf. In Myrtle Beach you’ll find great golf schools, including ones that will take parents and children.  The Classic Swing, for example, has been repeatedly recommended by Golf Magazine for its excellent instruction.  

If you can fit some time in for grown-up golf, the choices are too numerous to mention, and range from highly ranked public courses to award-winning landscaped layouts.  Traditional folks love the Legends at Heathland, for a taste of Scotland, while others discover the challenge of several great courses rolled into one at the World Tour Golf Links.

 You’ll find lodging to fit all family budgets, from economy to luxury.  A good golf trip planner can help you find the golf package that meets your needs, from the kids to the adults.

Who knows?  By spending quality time with the family this way, you might even turn some of those little putters into great golfing buddies for more serious 

golf vacations.

Gift Books for Golfers: The Wonderful World of Golf

 As the holiday season nears, what can you give the golfer on your list.  When golf trips are not in your shopping budget, consider a great book on golf travel around the world.  When golfers aren't playing golf, they love watching it and reading about it! 

Here are some books to stir the imagination of the golfing enthusiasts you know.  List prices are noted, but you can find some significant discounts.  Check out your local bookstores as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Powell's for gorgeous coffee table golf books that even non-golfers would be tempted to leaf through. 

THE TRADITIONAL GOLFER.  For the more traditional golfer, the one who loves a bit of history, who thinks that links courses are the real golf, we recommend these: 

The Spirit of St. Andrews by Alister MacKenzie and Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. (Foreword)

Hardcover, 29.95 

True Links by George Peper and Malcolm Campbell Hardcover, 40.00 

Another Journey through the Links by David Worley and Peter Thomson

Hardcover, 65.00

 THE VANGUARD GOLFER.  Is your golfer the cutting-edge type, always looking for what is new or exciting,  imagining what the "best course ever" might look like? Try these: 

Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes, Revised and Expanded by Stephen Goodwin. Hardcover, 24.95 

Golf's Dream 18s: Fantasy Courses Comprised of Over 300 Holes from Around the World by David Barrett

THE ADVENTURE GOLFER.  Perhaps your golf fanatic is dreaming of swinging clubs in all 50 states or on distant shores--if so, these could get him or her planning the next 10 years of golf vacations!

                                              

Planet Golf USA: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses in America  by Darius Oliver (Author) and Ben Crenshaw (Foreword)

Hardcover, 60.00

 

Planet Golf: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses Outside the United States of America  by Darius Oliver (Author) and David Scaletti (Photographer)

60.00, hardcover

 

World Atlas of Golf: The Greatest Courses and How They Are Played by Mark Rowlinson (Editor)

Hardcover, 39.95

 

Who knows?  Even if you are not a golfer, taking time to look at some of these classy, well photographed and expertly written golf books could change your mind--and you'll be asking Santa for your own set of clubs and planning your own golf trips!

From Ryder Cup Watcher to Wales Golf Vacationer

The breathtaking finish of the 2010 Ryder Cup was matched only by the scenery of this very special course. 

After being glued to the TV (or telly, as you will) to watch this nearly century old rivalry, I came away with renewed admiration for US Open Champ,

Graeme McDowell, who led his European team to victory on the last day with an absolutely unforgettable putt.  

I also came away with a new fascination for the host country.  I am definitely moving

Wales onto the “must do” list of golf trips. The Twenty Ten Course just blew me away with those “risk-and-reward” dilemmas that makes the game as great for us amateurs as it is for the pros.

It is the first course to be built specifically for the Ryder Cup, with a par of 71 and 7,493 yards off the back tees.  Punctuated by water hazards and six signature holes, the course offers a both a links-like feel with some long rough and greenside swales. 

Of course this is only one of the courses to be tackled at the Celtic Manor Resort.  Colin Montgomerie, the European captain, designed one which is named in his honor as well.  A living golf legend, Monty shows his traditionalism in design, adding deep pot bunkers to give a links feel.  Panoramic views abound, as do dramatic tee shots and downhill shots.

The Roman Road course rounds out the world-class offerings at Celtic Manor.  Golf Monthly named it the top inland course in Wales as soon as it opened, which tells you something about the level of design and management that can be expected.

Luxury accommodations can also be expected, including two spas with all the trimmings, from spa treatments and plunge pools to the latest in fitness equipment with instructors on hand.  While working on your putting, why not work on your image as well at the award-winning salon?

There’s no doubt that the Ryder Cup spotlight has changed Wales tourism.  Now that the championship crowds have died down, golf vacations without the hubub will be the rule there.  With castles, beaches, mountains, and of course the rolling countryside, Wales offers great opportunities for exploration. 

That’s one of the great things about the game, eh?  Golf gives us a chance to enjoy the sport as well as virtual or actual golf trips

to some of the most beautiful spots in the world.  And from what I saw during the Ryder Cup, Wales definitely is one of them!

Golf and Snorkel Year Round in the Sunny Bahamas

As autumn leaves swirl, it’s time to plan golf vacations where the sun shines all year round.  Just 55 miles of the east coast of Florida lies a golfer’s paradise:  the Bahamas.  With an average winter temperature of 70 degrees, the skies are nearly always blue, the grass is always green, including on the golf courses. 

While there are 700 spectacular islands in the Bahama chain, the major golf attraction is on Grand Bahama Island, which beacons to golfers from all around the world.  Great golfing can be found in Freeport, the “second city” in Bahamas, after Nassau.  This island city was transformed just 50 years ago from swampland to international resort by a wealthy Virginia lumberman.

 The result is a unique blend of cosmopolitan world-class resorts, historical charm, and tropical easy going manners.  In addition to fabulous golfing, visitors stream to Grand Bahama Island to enjoy water sports on endless beaches with emerald green waters. 

The best way to see the variety of marine life is up close and personal by snorkeling and diving, of course.  You can take a short catamaran ride to a shallow coral reef and feed tropical fish right out of your hand!  Tropical gardens and quaint fishing villages make island touring fun—and a photographic delight.

Freeport boasts two championship golf courses, both integrated into the luxury resort, Our Lucaya, considered number one in the Bahamas by LINKS magazine and named one of the top 100 golf resorts by The Golfer.  The Our Lucayan Course, designed by Dick Wilson, is a lush, tree-lined course with tropical greens and doglegs that will get you to hone your swing.  The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. sculpted the Reef Course which opened in 2000.

When golfing a la Freeport, it is easy to transform golf packages into something-for-everyone vacations, from spas to casinos, water sports to shopping and dining.  The 7.5 acres of soft sand beaches offer a different kind of sand trap for the dedicated golfer, as does hopping island nightlife.  You are likely to be tempted. 

Finally Freeport offers the opportunity to combine golfing travel with weddings and honeymoons.  Why not get married right there on the beach--and enjoy a round of golf in the afternoon?  Of course this is best advised for golfing couples! 

Heartland Golfing: The Prairie Club Experience

What has inspired so many golfers to "head for the hills" in what used to be called “fly-over country?”

Is it the waves of grassy sand dunes that roll across the landscape until stopped by the stark buttes that defy the “flat as a pancake” stereotype of the Great Plains?

 

Could it be the the fascination with  tree-lined holes dangling right on the rim of the awesome Snake River Canyon?

 

Or is it the chance to experience glorious granite sculptures of Mount Rushmore and the rugged beauty of the pinnacles, buttes and grasslands of the Badlands?

 

Might it be the chance for one of the most amazing golf vacations ever, set in a rolling seascape of prairieland that appears to have been sculpted by nature to be the perfect site for golf? 

 

All those factors allowed one of America’s newest hot golf spots, The Prairie Club, to open last May with 186 members and book 1,500 room-nights in its first few months. A semi-private club, it ranks right up there among golf trips for those seeking a golf-focused venue. Based on the successful Bandon Dunes model, golfers take an incredible journey from the airport to the site through some of America’s most spectacular scenery before arriving at the Prairie Club in Valentine, Nebraska. The development, spearheaded by Tom Shock, features three very different courses and ample lodging

 

The Dunes Course beckons the links style golfer with its stark and canvas-worthy panoramas that eventually culminate in the magnificent greens more akin to a tropical atoll than limiting and erroneous cornfield stereotypes of the Great Plains. In reflecting on the place, Tom Lehmans, who designed the course with Chris Brands, quotes Old Tom Morris: “The Almighty had golf in his eye when he made this place.” 

 

On the Graham Marsh-designed Pines Course, golf becomes a silent reverie as you meander along pines and the canyon rim. Enjoy the warm sun and views of the canyon which blocks the wind that sweeps across the plains. Refresh yourself with a long drink from the Ogallala aquifer—the world’s largest—and end the last hole right in front of the inviting clubhouse. 

 

For a short challenge, get your golfing buddies and head over to the Horse Course, a 10-hole course with undulating greens and breath-taking blowouts. Gil Hanse designed this tee-less course which lets the winner of the previous hole select the stance, lie, and shot for the next one, to maximize creativity and fun.

 

The Prairie Club Lodge and additional cabins along the Snake River canyon offer comfortable but not pretentious lodging. Enjoy fabulous Nebraska beef as well as regional specialties such as buffalo and quail along with a perfect setting for talking golf into the wee hours under a starry sky.

 

For fantastic golf vacations where golfing meets nature head-on, where you will want your camera as well as your clubs, head for the plains and bluffs and enjoy the Prairie Club in its inaugural year or as soon as you can fit it in your itinerary. 

The Year Round Golfing Paradise: Hawaii

For golf holidays year round, Hawaii offers a true paradise. From diverse golf courses to unspoiled beauty, Hawaii is a dream vacation for golfers and even their non-golfing partners or families. 

For me, the perfect venue is the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu. First of all, it is the only real full-service luxury resort on the famous North Shore. Where else will you find five miles of pristine beaches, 12 miles of ocean trails, and, of course, two great golf courses?

 

 

An Idyllic Family or Couples Retreat

 

A family-friendly resort for golf travel, kids of all ages will have a blast in the Keiki (Kids) Turtle Club. The club introduces children to Hawaiian culture through arts and crafts, beach activities, and games. If you want your children to put away those video games, just mention the reef walks and night sand crab hunts! 

 

Want to mix romance with your golfing? Bring your sweetheart and get married or celebrate that special anniversary. You’ll find all the services you need, from fresh flower leis to bridal gown pressing and musicians. Request to have your bed sprinkled with rose petals or the room decorated with orchids.

 

More than Just Golf

 

At Turtle Bay, the options are all there. You can choose a helicopter ride and get the birds’ eye perspective of the tropical, lush beauty of the island. Or experience it up close and personal by with a guided eco-tour by kayak. If you haven’t tried surfing, this would be the ideal place to learn. For a peaceful afternoon, take a stroll along the beach or among the swaying palms and ironwood trees. Tennis and horseback riding add to the ways to experience this fantastic place. When it comes to golf resorts, this one is ideal.

 

You won’t want to miss the unique shopping for taking home Hawaiian treasures, from clothing to jewelry, to Polynesian handicrafts. And when you really want to relax, the full service spa awaits you.

 

Oceanside Golfing at Turtle Bay

 

“The Palmer course is the best course on Oahu,” asserts NBC golf expert Mark Rolfing. That might explain why it was the site of the legendary PGA Tour Champion’s Tour Turtle Bay Championship through 2008 and is now the site of the LPGA tour. 

 

Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, this unusual 18-hole course surrounds the lovely Punaho'olapa Marsh. It offers a blend of challenge and spectacular beauty for golfers of all abilities. The 17^th hole, clearly the signature hole, is situated just 100 feet from the Pacific Ocean, with nine craggy bunkers surrounding the landing area and extending clear up to the green. Turtle Bay.

 

Turtle Bay also boasts the only Hawaiian course designed by George Fazio. It formerly hosted the LPGA Tour’s Hawaiian Open and the first Senior Skins Game with golf legends Arnold Palmer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player and Sam Sneed. You’ll find the course has “generous fairways, deep bunkers and immaculately sculpted greens,” as your Turtle Bay hosts would say.

 

When planning one of your next golf packages, consider the Aloha state and enjoy a bit of paradise!

The Most Extreme Golf Hole in the World

Are you ready to take the challenge of the world's most talked about and unique golf hole in the world? Then on your next golf trip, visit Par 3, the Extreme 19th Hole at the Legend Golf and Safari Resort in South Africa's Limpopo Province. The resort took top spot for the 2010 Travel Award as Africa’s Leading Golf Resort and was named Africa's Leading Sports Resort. 

Situated on the bulwark Hanglip Mountain and accessible only by helicopter, the hole is 430 meters above the green below, making it the longest Par 3 in the world. It takes about 20 seconds for the ball to drop to the green, which has the shape and contours of Africa itself.

 

Even those who might pass on the 19^th hole will find something exciting about the first 18: every single one was designed by a different internationally golfing legend! This is the only course in the world that can say that.   Its wide fairways and USGA-standard greens seamlessly incorporate holes designed by such golfing luminaries as Trevor Immelman (former US Masters Champion), Padraig Harrington (two-time Open Champion and US PGA champion), Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, and Justin Rose, among others.

 

Meanwhile the innovative Tribute Course comprises 10 holes, each one from a different existing famous venue, from the 10th at Pine Valley and the 11th from the St. Andrews Old Course to the 12^th “Golden Bell” at Augusta and the 6^th at Royal Melbourne. 

 

When you are contemplating luxurious golf vacations, this definitely fits the bill. The lodgings and attractions complement the fabulous golf. You can opt for the boutique hotel or one of the luxury resort villages, wander through its world class botanical gardens, indulge in the Wellness Centre with its fountain of youth and African spa treatments.

 

Set in the 22,000 hectare Entabeni Safari Conservancy, the resort boasts no fewer than five eco-systems, with breathtaking scenery and diverse wildlife, all just two hours’ drive from Johannesburg’s international airport.

 

Even if you don’t want to plunk down roughly US$200 for the 19th hole (which includes the copter ride and DVD of your shot), you are sure to have one of your most memorable golf vacations ever here. You might want to practice your swing first--if you get a hole-in-one on the 19th, you win a million dollars!   Imagine the golf trips you could take with that!

Glamor and Golfing in Vegas

One of the great things about golfing is that you can let it be the gateway to so many other adventures! Your golf travel can take you around the world, from seascapes to mountain panoramas, from near-wilderness to the most hip places on the planet.

If you want to swing more than your clubs, the really hip place for your golf vacation is Las Vegas. Just a dusty frontier town a century ago, Las Vegas continues to amaze visitors with ever more things to do.  Transformed from the old “Sin City” to “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” Las Vegas offers something for everyone, including families, couples, groups, and more!

 

Gambling and Fun. Gambling made Vegas famous, and the ever-more luxurious establishments lure not just gamblers but big-name headliners for entertainment, including the breathtaking Cirque de Soleil, museums, and more. Choose from any of the dramatic or more modest casinos for slots, black jack, and other games of chance.

 

Shopping. If you are lucky at the tables, you can go wild at the three casino arcades. The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian, where you can browse in a faux St. Mark’s Square or take a ride on a gondola. Go back in history architecturally at the Roman-inspired Forum shops at Caesar’s Palace. Watch the high-rollers as you check out the designer shoes and fashions, glittering jewelry, and other high-ticket items.

 

Nightlife. The great thing about golfing vacations in Vegas is that you still have plenty of time to enjoy the world-famous nightlife. For a memorable stroll along “the Strip,” start at what Frommer’s calls “the world's largest sound-and-light show.” Begin at Luxor, meander past the faux Eiffel Tower and Coliseum and marvel at the erupting volcano at The Mirage. If you are still game, finish with a view of overhead acrobats at Circus Circus.

 

Fine Dining. Las Vegas now claims international fame for its award-winning restaurants (over a dozen with Michelin stars) and celebrity chefs. At the MGM Grand, savor French delicacies under crystal chandeliers at Joel Robuchon’s, which boasts three stars. Buffets are standard casino fare, but Le Village Buffet at Paris Las Vegas will satisfy the more demanding diners.

 

The Golfing. Las Vegas is also on a quest to become the golf capital of the world, with over 50 options and more on the way. The contrast between lush fairways and desert panoramas is just part of the beauty. For example, the Painted Desert Golf Course

just north of the strip has become a favorite for those less interested in heroic maneuvers who just want to enjoy good golf in a great atmosphere. Golf Digest has recommended the Las Vegas Golf Club as a “best place to golf,” while the Dye-designed Desert Pines offers lakes and evergreens for a cool golfing experience.

 

So when you plan your golf vacations and want to add some glitz, go Vegas! 

 

Golfing in Paradise

Where can you combine golf with horseback riding on a tropical beach, a massage at a full-service spa, a night of passionate flamenco, and fascinating tours of historical buildings and art museums?

Puerto Rico!

Now is a great time to plan your golf travel to this Caribbean island paradise that combines challenging golf with fabulous sightseeing and just plain relaxing with a range of accommodations and exotic cuisines.

TROPICAL GOLFING

As you enjoy the best golfing in the Caribbean, soak in the lush verdant surroundings, winding rivers, bluffs, and spectacular ocean views. Want diversity? You can hone your skills on the 15 island courses designed by such luminaries as Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones, Tom and George Fazio, and Greg Norman.

At Palmas del Mar, the Flamboyan championship golf course designed by Rees Jones offers me wide fairways, distinctive bunkering, a 23-acre lake, and a notable crosswind on the 8^th hole. The course crosses the Candelero River, skirts the seashore, with rolling greens for memorable golf. For a change of pace, there is the Palm, designed by Gary Player, is known for its lush tropical landscape, water hazards, and panoramic views. The small, elusive greens are interspersed with marshes, jungle, and coconut groves for a totally tropical ambience.

At Rio Mar, you have your choice of the ocean course and the river course. The former, by Tom and George Fazio, is a classic layout, with Atlantic panoramas in the distance and the occasional iguana up close and personal. Greg Norman’s riverside course, ideal for all levels, is framed by vistas of mountain and sea, follows the natural terrain while preserving native vegetation.

DELIGHTS OF OLD SAN JUAN

Most golf packages can include time in San Juan so that you can get to know the culture. Fodor’s recommends planning one to two days to indulge you in the sightseeing and shopping in Old San Juan. Founded in 1521, this designated U.S. National Historic Zone is chock full of carefully preserved and restored examples over 400 examples of 16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial architecture. More than 400 buildings have been beautifully restored. Bring your camera to capture shots of lacy wrought-iron balconies draped with bright flowers over cobbled streets. 

Plan on dressing up a bit in San Juan, as the natives do, when you go out on the town to enjoy the many art galleries, museums, bars, casinos, music venues, and live theater.   It’s not a duty-free port, but you will find intriguing local crafts and can often watch the artisans right at work, making small religious figurines, cigars, lace, and Carnival masks. (As Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., your dollar works just fine.)

Your biggest concern will be how to fit in all the golf, water sports, touring, and entertainment possible in beautiful San Juan and environs. When you consider all that Puerto Rico has to offer, you’ll want to arrange your golf trips to visit again and again. 

Visit Eastern Canada for Cool Golf Vacations

When summer temperatures soar across much of the United States and Europe, even the most avid golfer loses some enthusiasm for hitting the links. That’s the time to head north for your golf vacations to some of the best golfing on the planet.

From spring through early fall, Canada is the perfect spot for golf trips, with great courses and spectacular scenery in addition to very delightful climates. From the Maritimes to the mountains, individuals, groups, and families will find plenty of activities in addition to great golfing.

PEI: Golfing in the Maritimes

Starting on the East Coast, you have Prince Edward Island, with more than a century of golf history. In fact, readers of Score magazine rated PEI as “Canada’s Best Golf Destination” two years in a row. It has 10 of the top 100 courses in the country, as rated by Globe and Mail, and some of the top courses in North America according to Golf Digest.

Since “the Emerald Isle” is only 120 miles long and 20 miles across, all of these are within a short drive of each other, and include links, river and woodland courses. Highly recommended courses include Brudenell River, by far the most popular, Dundarave, The Links at Crowbush Cove, and Mill River.

PEI is also a very affordable vacation destination, and you’ll find many special golf packages to this maritime setting. You’re never more than 15 minutes from the shore, so plan on some fishing. The island also has great cycling routes and is home to “Anne of Green Gables.”

Quebec: Golfing in the Mountains

If you are up for a challenge, head for Tremblant. Just 90 minutes north of Montreal and about six hours north of Boston, you’ll find one of the most popular golf resorts in Northeastern America. Mt. Tremblant itself is the crown jewel of the Laurentian Mountains. Like Whistler in the west, it has been transformed from a ski resort to an all-year vacation hub given its proximity to Parc du Mont-Tremblant, a huge provincial nature park.

This resort village offers everything, including Quebec’s best golfing, with stunning views of lakes, forest, and mountains, and accommodations and dining from modest to luxurious. Off the course, you can choose from cycling, hiking, and some of the world’s best canoe waters. Let your booking agent help you plan the golf packages that meet your entire vacation needs.

In fact, there is so much to see and do in both of these eastern Canada resorts that you’ll want to return to them again and again for your golf vacations!