A central meeting place (USA)

[Darren_Kilfara]

Suppose you've got an eclectic band of 10-12 golfing buddies spread out across the US from Seattle to Boston. You're looking for a golf destination that is fairly central for everyone - if everyone can get there on a direct flight of no more than 3-4 hours, and we don't have to spend hours driving from an airport to the destination, that's more time spent together and perhaps an extra round we can squeeze in together on the first afternoon or the last morning. Quality of golf is important, as is value for money, but this element of convenience is crucial.

Where do you go?

Cheers,
Darren

[Craig Van Egmond]

My guess would be Michigan or New Mexico.

Although I don't know if you can get to New Mexico from Boston directly.

Chicago possibly.

[Andy Troeger]

Using Darren's criteria, you're pretty limited to major cities seeing as any other location would be more difficult to get to via flight or driving after a flight.

That pretty well eliminates Michigan because it would take some effort to get to most of the courses. Albuquerque would remain an option, although flights from the east coast would likely still require a connection.

Denver and Chicago might be the good options, but the value of the golf would not be as good there as in the more rural areas.

Not sure on how many direct flights are available, but Indianapolis certainly has many quality public golf courses in a fairly localized area that would also qualify in the value arena generally. I would think most could get to Indy in a reasonable fashion.

[Tony Petersen]

Darren -

Hope all is well One city that has an abundance of good golf that's somewhat central for a hootenany would be Denver. Little long on the West side, but solid weather, great golf, cheap flights...

Still looking for a rematch next time I get overseas

Tony P.

[redanman]

Go to Chicago and play Dubsdread (Cog Hill #4).  You can learn about america's love of trees where a few holes are choked.  There are only a few where it is really bad, otherwise it's a fine golf course.

[Mike_Young]

I would say Traverse city....more and more flights..but best golf deals around in an area of 75 mle radius......

[John Foley]

Darren,

Fly to Hot-lanta and drive over (90 min max) to Auburn for the RTJ Trail Grand National resort. Great Marriott on the property 45 holes of golf

[Jim Sweeney]

RAleigh. US Air, American, Delta. Lots of good stuff in the "triange" and less than 90 minutes to Pinehurst and Southern Pines. Great summer rates.

[Matt_Cohn]

Raleigh is a long way from the West Coast!

I was also thinking Dallas - maybe Cowboys or Las Colinas, although I'm not sure of the value there. Austin would be a better bet if you add in another short plane flight - Barton Creek near the city, and Horseshoe Bay further from it.

Horseshoe Bay might make an excellent buddy-trip kind of place where it's very easy to play a LOT of golf.

[Eric_Terhorst]

I like Andy's idea of Indy--better public golf than Chicago and values are great.  

Kohler and the American Club is about 2 hrs from O'Hare, an easy drive, but not cheap, and you must admire Pete Dye to enjoy.

[Jeff Shelman]

I'll second the whole Alabama RTJ Trail thing (as long as you mix in a side trip to Hanse's Capstone Club between B'ham and Tuscaloosa). It's pretty good golf at a very fair price.

[TEPaul]

I agree with redanman---go to Chicago, it's about in the middle and O'Hare is the country's biggest central hub airport--other than maybe Atlanta which definitely isn't in the middle.

[cary lichtenstein]

Fly into Milwaukee or Chicago and meet at Kohler, play Erin HIlls in Milwaukee first

[Brad Klein]

Every place entails some sacrifice of either convenience, quality of golf, or cost/access.

For ease and convenience, you can't do better than Dallas: stay at TPC Las Colinas, play there, Dallas National, Colonial, Brook Hollow.

For quality of golf and accommodations and relative ease, Reynolds Plantation 75 miles east of Atlanta.

For a surprise choice that gives you ease of national access plus great golf, I'd actually consider Chattanooga, which is drivable from Atlanta as well as accessible, and you have Honors Course, Lookout Mountain and Black Creek.

Phoenix is actually very easy to get from everywhere within 4 hours and has unlimited great golf.

St. Louis is the most central, but golf is really a problem there.

Chicago conjures up way too much traffic and spent spent getting around.

[Bob Jenkins]

Living on the west coast, the furthest east any of us out here could travel in the morning and still get in a game that day would be to go to either Chicago or Denver. Even going there, we lose 2 hours through the time zones. An 8 am flight from here to Chicago, which is about 3 hours, gets me there at 1 pm central time and considering time to get your bags and get to a course, it makes any round tough to get in during that day. That is assuming it also has to be within 3 or so hours of the eastern seaboarders. I would love to meet a group at either of those locations or near there. How far are Kohler and Erin Hills from O'Hare? Would love to go.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Chicago in the summer and Houston during the other 7 months.

[John Kavanaugh]

Darren,

Considering that not only have you read a book, you have written one...you should have no problem accessing any of the quality privates in Indianapolis.  Just make sure they are not privates of the female dancing persuasion or a Pacer might shoot you.  You just can't beat Crooked Stick, Wolf Run and Broadmoor for quality and ease of access.

[Brad Klein]

Yikes, JK with a great idea.

Indianapolis is ideal. Stay at Speedway Motel el cheapo and you can play Brickyard Crossing, too.

[Peter Zarlengo]

If it has to be a real quick fly-in/fly-out trip, it woul be tough to beat Denver. It is more "central" than Chicago or Indianapolis. Green Valley Ranch, Buffalo Run, and Riverdale Dunes all are within 30 min. of the airport, with more courses in development and planning in the same area. Add that to the great value of these courses and the relative ease of making travel arrangements into DIA and I think you have a good deal.

[Craig Sweet]

Denver...

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Chicago in the summer and Houston during the other 7 months.

My two home towns...I agree with you on both of them although I must say that dollar for dollar there is some really great golf in Houston.

[Tim Bert]

Indianapolis is ideal. Stay at Speedway Motel el cheapo and you can play Brickyard Crossing, too.

From a golf perspective possibly, but do airplanes really fly direct here from around the country?  I've often thought of Indy as one of the worst, most limited from an access standpoint when it comes to major city airports.

[RJ_Daley]

I'm of the impression that there is some decent golf within an hour of the Minnieapple airport.  Plenty of fights to there, if you are on NW Orient.  Maybe the twin cities posters are trying to keep it quiet. shhh

[Andy Troeger]

Tim,
I've heard that about the Indy airport too. I flew out of there once going to Florida but it was not worth the drive from SB to save on the fare.

From South Bend I was much more likely to go to Indy for public golf than Chicago.  The golf might not be any better (or even as good), but the average price was probably have half of what it takes to play anywhere decent in Chicago.

After reading the other posts, I'd say Indy if you want to go "mid-east" and Denver if you want "mid-west."

I guess at first I was considering this to be more of a public golf answer. Chicago has a lot to offer in the private realm that would make it a darn attractive location.

Chicago for this question benefits from being central time instead of Indy on eastern.

[John Kavanaugh]

Indy is much more central population wise than Denver.  I love the Indy airport because parking is cheap and the lines are short.  Here is an interactive Southwest Air map that shows the cities available from Indy.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/routemap_dyn.html