best resort course...EVER

[Jordan Wall]

before I head off for a round, I will start a thread I hope will calm some people down.  Actually, I was going to post this anyway but with Kapalua it makes it better timing.  So, what is the best resort course in the world???  Is PBGL and Bandon courses 'resort courses'?  Is Kapalua Plantation the best??

[Voytek Wilczak]

Ailsa?

[Sean_A]

Its a draw between The Deuce and Turnberry.  Though I prefer Turnberry.  Courses are about equal, but the Turnberry hotel is superior to Pinehurst.  I fully expect to find a better resort course someday.  The problem is I try to avoid resort courses.  They are generally overpriced and overhyped.

Ciao

Sean

[jim_lewis]

#2

[Mike Salinetti]

Harbour Town Golf Links

[Bill Gayne]

Lido

[Andrew Cunningham]

Hopefully it's Pinehurst No.2 in the States (but I'll let you know in a month or so), definitively Banff Springs in Canada, although the very rarely mentioned Fairmont Chateau Montebello in Montebello, Quebec is extremely enjoyable for a fraction of the price of Banff.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Pebble Beach 1. Ailsa is great but hotel sucks for a nice upscale place.

[Dan King]

While I think Kapalua Plantation course is one of the finest cartball courses in the world, I would be opposed to comparing it to a golf course.

There still remain many resorts that include golf courses.

Dan King

Maybe it's time to propose that golfers refuse to play courses where they are forced to ride. Now this idea has absolutely no chance of gaining ground because a generation of golfers is being raised who think that walking is the oddity. They'll read in some old golf magazine that former USGA president Sandy Tatum  once called golf by cart "cart-ball." And they will think, "who was that old fogy anyway?"
 --Lorne Rubenstein

[Mark Leo]

Gotta say Pinehurst #2

[Gene Greco]

  "Resort" golf connotes more than just watching your perfectly struck 4 iron approach not quite hit the one square foot of green surface to remain on said green.

"Resort" should also entail  "relaxation" and "resoration".

There is NO place more beautiful or condusive to provide the complete "resort" experience than Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Monterey Peninsula.

I loved my time at Turnberry and Bandon (and Pinehurst) but Pebble will always be top dog for me.

[Andy Troeger]

I wouldn't argue with Pebble, but best I've been to is Kohler, WI. Take your pick from Whistling Straits or Blackwolf Run. Glad to see Harbour Town mentioned since I've got a tee time scheduled coming up

[Lloyd_Cole]

While I think Kapalua Plantation course is one of the finest cartball courses in the world, I would be opposed to comparing it to a golf course.

There still remain many resorts that include golf courses.

Dan King

Maybe it's time to propose that golfers refuse to play courses where they are forced to ride. Now this idea has absolutely no chance of gaining ground because a generation of golfers is being raised who think that walking is the oddity. They'll read in some old golf magazine that former USGA president Sandy Tatum  once called golf by cart "cart-ball." And they will think, "who was that old fogy anyway?"
 --Lorne Rubenstein

Dan

Regarding your quote - that's what I do. And I let them know exactly why I'm not going. Not that I've ever felt that anyone was particularly worried or bothered by some strange limey..

[Joel_Stewart]

My vote is Pebble Beach.

[Wayne Freeman]

No doubt there are some pretty cool resorts and courses around the U.S. -- Pinhurst, Greenbrier, Homestead, Bandon, Whistling ( which I thought was awesome),  but none can really measure up to Pebble Beach. It has the whole package, -  great golf course, unreal beauty, tons of stuff to do in the immediate area etc. etc.

[Ed Tilley]

My choice is limited to the 3 major golf resorts that I have visited: Pebble Beach, Turnberry, and Gleneagles. I went to Pebble on my honeymoon and we got an upgrade to 'the best room in the house', i.e. a lodge on the 18th fairway with hot tub etc.. I'm sure the experience wouldn't have been the same in a normal room but Pebble will always have great memories. However, the golf was slightly spoiled by using a cart - the first and only time I've ever used one. Why would you play at one of the most beautiful places on earth and instead of looking at the scenery have to concentrate on driving the cart? I wish I'd slung my bag over my shoulder and walked.

Turnberry was fantastic and was my favourite course at the 3 resorts. Gleneagles was, in my opinion, the best hotel with the best facilities. I would say this is the best resort of the three but the golf is merely excellent rather than sensational as at Pebble and Turnberry. I'd happily go back to all three!

[Bill Weber]

I don't believe anyone could argue with those destinations put forth previously. Two whose pedigree certainly cannot include "best ever" I still would like to propose. A pair that to many on here don't require a long plane ride and we don't hear much about.
St Ives & Tullymore in Michigan are well worth the effort to get to and provide much better than average golf at affordable prices along with very nice accommodations.
Samoset in Maine doesn't have to take a back seat in amenities and the golf is at times inspiring.
To the golf purist, to rule out Bandon, which has everything I for one would ever want, is ignoring the best the game has to offer and is as yet not overpriced.

[Andy Troeger]

Bill,
  I agree, St. Ives has got to be one of the best resorts anywhere that most people (including golfers) haven't heard of. Like you, I wouldn't propose it for best in the country, but its much more reasonably priced than most of the others listed, and the golf is still very good.

[Tom Ferrell]

Good topic.  Not sure if this qualifies as "best," but it's interesting nonetheless.  The "Winter Course" at the Broadmoor Resort is by far the best golf that that Broadmoor has to offer.  Why?  It's the original Ross course, unbastardized.  In the summer, the courses at the Broadmoor (East and West) each comprise nine holes of Ross and nine holes of RTJ, Sr.  The "transition" between the two can be jarring to say the least, especially so on the West Course.

There was talk of holding the 2008 US Senior Open on the Winter Course, but the USGA and the Broadmoor decided instead to hire Ron Forse to do restoration work on the nine Ross holes on the East and retro-fitting/renovation work on the RTJ holes.  The result is a smoother blend, but still an obvious blend.

Golf in the winter at the Broadmoor is a deal, and you get the best resort course in Colorado for your money.  Check it out.

TOM

[Andy Scanlon]

Pebble by a nose over #2.

[mark chalfant]

North Berwick

Blackwolf Run river

honorable mention    Kiawah   Ocean

[TEPaul]

Best resort course??

Well, Amelia Island is a resort and Fernandina Beach Municipal is a public course on the resort island of Amelia, consequently the best resort course in the world is Tommy Birdsong's FERNANDINA BEACH MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE!!