Golf Getaway

Swingers Paradise

Pack your sunnies, shorts and clubs, and head to these five golf getaway destinations this winter.

BY: JUNE DAGNALL

Nothing beats the sensation of boarding a plane amid cold weather, and arriving hours later to step out in to the glorious sunshine. Thoughts of the upcoming golf games with shorts and sunglasses on radiate smiles from ear to ear. There are a multitude of incredible golf resorts in the warmer climates to visit while things at home for the next few months are a little on the frosty side. Here are a few destinations with top quality courses offering luxurious amenities.

Whether your destination is Bermuda, Arizona, North Carolina, Missouri, Puerto Rico, California, Hawaii or Majorca - you will be sure to enjoy a magnificent experience and be creating incredible memories.

Turtle Hill Golf Club – A perfect year-round climate, a short flight from the U.S. East Coast and fairway vistas you have to see to believe: it’s no wonder the island is the backdrop for golf events like the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. And with more courses per square mile than anywhere else, Bermuda is a true golfer’s paradise. Bermuda’s beautiful, challenging courses earn regular praise from major golf and travel outlets. Perfect your swing against a backdrop of turquoise waves and lush terrain at Turtle Hill Golf Club, located at the Fairmont Southampton resort on Bermuda’s South Shore. This 2,684yard course is a three-time winner of Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play Golf” and was just voted as the 2020 “Best Par 3 Golf Course in the World” by the voters in the World Golf Awards. Turtle Hill has 18 formidable par-3 holes, most with ocean views, as well as a variety of bunkers and two water hazards. Rent clubs and purchase golf attire at the full-service pro shop. For lunch or a beer before, during or after your round, head to the Golf Hut Halfway House on the 10th hole.

Arizona Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs is an award winning Phoenix golf resort. Settle into the comforts of home amid plush suites and amenities coupled with breathtaking mountain views of the Phoenix North Mountain Preserve. Enjoy a variety of dining options. The Falls Water Village with private cabanas and a waterslide, spa and salon services, Troon Golf and impressive event spaces are all at your fingertips. Conveniently located to all freeways, and only 15 minutes from downtown Phoenix, and 20 minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport, Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort is the perfect place to choose as your home-away-from-home.

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort – Calling all golf aficionados: if playing fantastic courses on an island paradise surrounded by stunning beaches and lush mountain views is on your bucket list, then your next round should be in Puerto Rico. A cornucopia of unique and complementary courses beckon from throughout the Island. Options abound, from luxury properties on the north coast near historic San Juan to an array of courses out west, down south, or on the east coast. The Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort is the idyllic retreat for any occasion.

Puerto Rico

Majorca Just off the east coast of Spain lies Majorca, which is beginning to grow a reputation of its own in the golfing world. Tourists and golfers alike flock to the island every year and enjoy its seemingly endless all year round sunshine. With an average temperature of 15 degrees in the winter, Majorca is the perfect place to enjoy a winter getaway. Most of the courses on the island are situated near the capital of Palma. The Marriott Son Antem Golf Resort & Spa is regarded as the premier golfing destination in Majorca thanks to its two championship courses and luxurious hotel. This resort is just a ten minute drive from Palma Airport. Son Gaul has also become one of the leading courses on the island and if you get the chance to play it, you should savor the final hole. It is exceptional.

The Makai Course is a definite bucket list item. A first class experience from start to finish. The Princeville Makai Golf Club opened in 1971 as the first solo effort of Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and was completely renovated in 2009, introducing spectacular new Seashore Paspalum turf grass on all fairways and greens. Incorporating the original Lakes and Ocean nines, the new Princeville Makai Course features surreal vistas of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay, including the signature par-3, 7th hole that offers a 213-yard shot over scenic cliffs onto a green surrounded by brilliant white bunkers. You can't go wrong with a winter trip to Hawaii. The tough part is which island do you choose to visit? In terms of ease of getting around and the quality of golf, it's tough to beat Maui. Wailea, Kapalua and Ka'anapali are all multi-course resort areas that are all very different and within an hour or so drive. The Big Island's Kohala coast dazzles with its black rocks and stellar layouts including Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani. Oahu, the most populous of the islands, shouldn't be forgotten. Turtle Bay Resort's 36 holes anchor the resort offerings while you can also find some bargain gems and military courses that are light on the wallet but feature plenty of scenery.