Where would you spend 30 days?

[Powell Arms]

Kauai - Prince, Poipu Bay and Kiele, and plenty to do if one gets tired of those three!

[Wayne_Kozun]

I have great difficulty deciding between St Andrews and Dornoch.

St. Andrews has more social, cultural and dining opportunities apart from the golf.

Dornoch has such beauty and seclusion I believe it would be more peaceful, relaxing and rejuvenating.

Makes one think of duelling books between Peper and Rubenstein.

[wsmorrison]

St. Andrews, without question.

[cary lichtenstein]

While I appreciate everyone's answers, I intended this as a different question than "How would you organize a dream 30-day golf trip?"

The question is, at which all-inclusive golf resort/destination would you spend 30 days?

Again this is in reference to the Pinehurst 30-day sabatical. Please provide two answers if you like! But try to keep one answer germane to resorts that could, in theory, organize an all-inclusive package like Pinehurst.

From what I read about Pinehurst, they modeled their offering after one from St. Andrews, so google them and see what comes up.

If it was just me, without my wife for a change, it would be St. Andrews, there are just so many courses...

[M. Shea Sweeney]

Matt-

I asked a similar question a few months back, except mine was more on the lines of where would you spend around 4-6 months.

obviously you ask about the golf course, tpye of course(public, private, resort, etc.), location, weather, food, nightlife, activities outside the golf course, etc.

Why limit yourself to a resort?

The question is pretty unrealistic as is, might as well open it up to the privates...

[John Kavanaugh]

It has to include privates.  I could never spend 30 days straight with a bunch of tourists.  I admire the pros who do it every day of their lives.

[ChipRoyce]

I've already picked it....

Brora. I'm sure these folks can put me up....http://www.highlandescape.com/

I already check the webcam of the first and 18th almost every morning. http://www.highlandescapehotels.com/webcam.htm

It's only half an hour from Dornoch, if I feel like punishing myself for errant shots, and the Clynelish distillery is across the road.

Me and the sheep.

Ken

(my best Homer Simpson imitiation)
MMMMM... Clynelish....

[ChipRoyce]

For me its either:
Bandon
or
Dornoch/Brora/Tain/Golspie/Nairn

Nuf said about either place

[K. Krahenbuhl]

For me it would be an easy choice...

the Monterey Peninsula

[Garland Bayley]

Mission Hills, China

[Jon Wiggett]

Must be St. Andrews

[David_Tepper]

Chip Royce -

If you (or anyone else) ever does decide to spend a month (or even just a week) in Dornoch, I would be only to happy to rent you my place there!  

P.S. Brochure available on request.

DT

[johnk]

Machrie.

For some reason, the Isle of Islay sounds appealing to me to really get away...

[AndrewB]

This doesn't answer Matt's question, but I wouldn't want to spend 30 days in this way.  Instead, I'd choose a great course that I wasn't very familiar with and try to get a job caddying there for a month.  This would allow me to see the course played many times by many different players of varying abilities and study what makes it great.  Odds are I would learn a lot about the course from stories told by fellow caddies and various members, make a few friends, get to know about the club and its history too, and likely get to play the course a few times as well (given the policies of most clubs I know).

All that, and it wouldn't force me to go broke.

Sorry for the off-topic reply.

[Darren_Kilfara]

I've done St. Andrews for nine months and have spent many a long week on the Monterey Peninsula, and I can say categorically that I would choose Bandon, without question - and I too have never played the Trails course.

John, have you played the Machrie? It's a neat course, but i think I'd eat my own foot before I played there for 30 days in a row!

Cheers,
Darren

[Jfaspen]

Bandon...

I think it'd be a better showing of golf than Pebble.. I don't know if 30 days would be enough for pinehurst..  Too much for Kohler..  

In 30 days, if you only played golf/studied, you could get in at least 60 rounds.. I dont know if I'd get bored playing 20 rounds on each of the bandon courses, including the par 3 and sheepranch.. I think it'd be perfect.

[Andy Troeger]

I would agree with Tommy. If we're talking resorts, I cannot think of a single resort that I would want to spend 30 days straight at.

I think 4-5 days max for me.

[Tom_Doak]

To spend 30 days on the Monterey Peninsula without access to Cypress Point would be torture.  If you include Cypress Point and MPCC, then Monterey wins hands down; if you don't, I'd take Bandon over Pinehurst.

I've played more golf in East Lothian the past two years than any of the above mentioned and I have to say it's just as good there, but it doesn't really qualify as a "resort" by this question.

[George Pazin]

I'd probably head down under. Melbourne and then shooting down to Barnbougle could easily keep me happy.

Of course, I could probably be plenty happy just about anywhere in GB&I, considering the photos everyone posts.
Bunking down somewhere like Lahinch and enjoying both the local culture and the golf course sounds like fun.

I plan on taking 30 day trips to volunteer in the construction of courses built by the architects on board, so if you're one of 'em, be forewarned!

 

[Andy Hodson]

Man, give me 30 days at Kapalua and I'm a happy dude

The golf wouldn't matter much at all. Make it in the winter when the whales come by.

I might not come home.

[Rich Goodale]

Assuming its a resort course and money is no object, Pebble Beach wins hands down.  The golf might be marginally better in Bandon, but 30 days in Bandon vs. 30 days in Pebble Beach?  Referee stops fight 20 seconds into the first round......

[Jfaspen]

Assuming its a resort course and money is no object, Pebble Beach wins hands down.  The golf might be marginally better in Bandon, but 30 days in Bandon vs. 30 days in Pebble Beach?  Referee stops fight 20 seconds into the first round......

given the 3 courses listed, pebble, del monte and spyglass (and include spanish bay as well) how do you break up 60 rounds amongst those 4?

[David Stamm]

U.S.- Pebble Beach, no question. After playing golf, there are some fantastic places to eat and great places to hike, like Pfieffer State Beach. Some neat non-golf sites, like the Monterey Aquarium, one of the best in the world.

Outisde U.S.- St. Andrews, no question. I'm a history buff, so what's not to like! I don't even think 30 days is long enough to figure out all the subleties of TOC. You also have one of the oldest universities in the world. And when not playing, to go to the old shops and look for that old golf book, that's great stuff!

[Gary Slatter]

St.Andrews, stay at Fairmont or Rufflets and enjoy 30 days!!!!
It wins because the weather will change enough over 30 days to offer every possible cool golfing experience, on the owrld's greatest stage.

In North America, Calgary Alberta and the mountains to its west.

[Tim Pitner]

Assuming its a resort course and money is no object, Pebble Beach wins hands down.  The golf might be marginally better in Bandon, but 30 days in Bandon vs. 30 days in Pebble Beach?  Referee stops fight 20 seconds into the first round......

I concur with the sentiment that I couldn't spend 30 days at any resort.  But, even on the non-golf side, I don't see that Pebble Beach over Bandon is a given.  Carmel and Monterey, the towns, have never done that much for me.  I might actually prefer the low-key Bandon.