|
1
ST ANDREWS (OLD COURSE), SCOTLAND
The women’s British Open was contested here for the first time
last year, to winner Lorena Ochoa’s delight. This May 30 to June
1, the amateurs will have their first shot in the 35th Curtis Cup. The
Men’s Open Championship returns in 2010. The golfing grounds may
be ancient, but they’re lively, and there’s plenty of other
action in the auld grey toon. On June 28 the long-anticipated Castle
Course opens for play. A wedge shot away, the Fairmont St Andrews (www.fairmont.com/standrews)
is finishing up a major renovation.
011-44- 133-446-6666, www.standrews.org.uk
2 CARNOUSTIE (CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE), SCOTLAND
Padraig Harrington’s roller coaster ride to victory in the 2007
Open Championship showed Carnoustie arguably remains the toughest course
in the rota. “Credit to Carnoustie,” he said, “it’s
one of the best in the world.” Readers agree, moving it up a
full three spots to second place.
011- 44-124-180-2270, www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk
3 BALLYBUNION (OLD COURSE), IRELAND
It’s becoming almost as difficult to get on Ballybunion’s
Old Course as St Andrews’, but don’t give up. This classic
Irish seaside links course will test your accuracy and your patience
through unforgiving greens and plenty of uphill, downhill, and sidehill
shots.
011-353-68- 27146, www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie
4 CABO DEL SOL OCEAN COURSE, LOS CABOS, MEXICO
The golf offerings in Los Cabos are many, varied, and all enticing.
The Nicklaus Ocean Course sets the standard, long considered the
best track in Mexico.
(877) 703-4394 or (213) 891-6385, www.cabodelsol.com
5 THE FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS GOLF COURSE, CANADA
Launching shots into the vast Canadian Rockies backdrop quickly produces
the apt one-word description for Stanley Thompson’s 1928 masterpiece:
majestic. Add rounds at Thompson’s equally splendid Jasper
Park course with the “Cabins & Castles” package.
(866) 540- 4406 or (403) 762-2211, www.fairmont.com/banffsprings
6 GLENEAGLES’ KING’S COURSE, SCOTLAND
The 84-year-old grande dame resort’s $31-million-plus rebirth
was complete in March with the opening of the Spa at Gleneagles. Rest
up for the round on the 90-year-old King’s Course (doing just
fine, thank you) in the sumptuous Spirit Suites.
(866) 463-8734, www.gleneagles.com
7 FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER GOLF CLUB, CANADA
Book the Heli-va-Game package, for the ultimate in buddy golf. For
around $6,500, your foursome takes a chopper roundtrip from Vancouver
to Whistler, has a four-hour lesson at the David Leadbetter Golf
Academy, an hour massage, eight rounds of golf, and more.
(800) 606-8244
or (604) 938-8000, www.fairmont.com/whistler
8 OCEAN CLUB GOLF COURSE, BAHAMAS
Annual site for the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, this Tom
Weiskopf routing is frequently so close to the ocean’s lapping
waves that it’s tempting to add a fishing rod to the bag.
(800)
321-3000 or (242) 363-2501, www.oneandonlyresorts.com
9 LA CANA GOLF COURSE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
P.B. Dye’s moonscape design jumped three spots to become readers’ top
dog in the DR. More flights and more courses are making the country
a prime golfing temptation. (888)442-2262 or (809) 959-2262, www.puntacana.com
10 THE K CLUB (PALMER COURSE), IRELAND
Both courses at the stately K Club are Palmer designs. The K Club hosted
the European Open from 1995 to 2007, and the Palmer course hosted
the 2006 Ryder Cup.
011-353-1601-7200, www.kclub.ie
11 TEETH OF THE DOG, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Pete Dye’s refurbished Dog is barking again, and golfers who
survive the test will want to book the Sport Therapeutic Deep Tissue
Massage at Casa de Campo’s new Cygalle Healing Spa.
(800) 877-3643
or (305) 856-5405, www.casadecampo.com.do
12 DUNDONALD LINKS, SCOTLAND (TIE)
Californian course designer Kyle Phillips has become quite the Old
World specialist, with expert work at Kingsbarns in Scotland (see
below) and The Grove in England. The Dundonald Links in Ayrshire
is the third jewel in the crown.
011-44-1294-314000, www.dundonaldlinks.com
12 TURNBERRY (AILSA COURSE), SCOTLAND (TIE)
Lovely, with teeth: The Ailsa links has been lengthened to 7,224 yards
and newly bunkered to 85 total. It’s ready for both next year’s
Open Championship and this year’s Amateur Championship (June
16 to 21). 011-44-1655-331000, www.turnberry.co.uk
14 MUIRFIELD LINKS, SCOTLAND
Plan well in advance to secure a Tuesday or Thursday tee time at the
home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Adjacent Greywalls
(www.greywalls.co.uk) is now open to groups of 20-plus, or two foursomes
in the four-bedroom Colonel’s House lodge.
011-44-1620-842123,
www.muirfield.org.uk
15 VALDERRAMA GOLF CLUB, SPAIN
Regular site of the PGA European Tour’s Volvo Masters Championship.
Justin Rose will defend his title at this classic Robert Trent Jones
Sr. track beginning October 30.
011-34-956-791-200, www.valderrama.com
16 THE GREEN MONKEY, BARBADOS (TIE)
After a frontal assault on Tom Fazio’s eye-opening Green Monkey
course at Sandy Lane, golfers could ease into the resort’s new
spa sequence of Thai and Swedish massage.
(866) 444-4080 or (246) 444-2000,
www.sandylane.com
16 KAURI CLIFFS, NEW ZEALAND (TIE)
Opt for a stay in the Owner’s Cottage for around $5,500 a night.
David Harman’s course design is worth the long trip but, having
made it, look into a round at the sister Cape Kidnappers course.
011-64-9-407-0010;
www.kauricliffs.com
18 DOONBEG GOLF CLUB, IRELAND
Greg Norman rose to the occasion when handed this gorgeous piece of
linksland on the southwest Irish coast, around a long crescent of
Doughmore Bay. The luxury accommodations have risen just as agreeably.
011-353-65-905-5602, www.doonbeggolfclub.com
19 CRUDEN BAY (MAIN COURSE), SCOTLAND
Readers have clearly discovered the joys of links golf, and this gem
well north in Aberdeenshire is an unfolding wonder in the dunes and
shaggy hills, well worth the journey. 011-44-1779-812285, www.crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk
20 ROYAL COUNTY DOWN, IRELAND
Readers put this Northern Ireland coastal beauty on the list for the
first time. Old Tom Morris visited in 1889 to stake out 18 holes,
tinkered with since by Harrys Vardon and Colt.
011-44-28-4372-3314;
www.royalcountydown.org
|
