Resorts, public greats and long drives between them
Golf in the USA.
The United States has a lot of very good golf that visitors can book, but it is spread across a continent. A trip that tries to link California, the Carolinas and Wisconsin becomes a series of flights. Choose one region and build the trip around it. The other thing to understand is access. Many of the best-known courses either belong to resorts that give their own guests priority, or are public courses whose booking systems favour locals. Pebble Beach gives most tee times to people staying two nights or more. Pinehurst No. 2 and Sea Island are for resort guests only. Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black are city- and state-owned public courses. Non-residents can play them, but they pay more and book later than locals. Caddies here work mainly for tips, and fees are often quoted before tax and gratuity. Read every rate card carefully, and budget for what is not included.
Ted Robinson’s water features and tiered greens on Oahu’s west side, an LPGA venue for three decades.
Destination imagery
Where to base yourself.
Monterey Peninsula, California
Pebble Beach Golf Links is the anchor. Resort guests at The Lodge or the Inn at Spanish Bay can book up to 18 months ahead with a two-night minimum. Non-guests can book only about a day ahead. Spyglass Hill, The Links at Spanish Bay and Pacific Grove’s municipal links are nearby. Torrey Pines is a separate trip, an hour’s flight south.
Oregon coast
Bandon Dunes has five 18-hole courses plus the 13-hole Bandon Preserve par-three course, all walking only. Most rounds go to people staying at the resort, and day guests can book from April to mid-November at a premium. Caddies cost US$125 per bag plus a tip. The resort is remote: Southwest Oregon Regional (OTH) is 35 minutes away, Eugene 2.5 hours and Portland 4.5 hours.
The Carolinas: Pinehurst & Kiawah
Pinehurst’s No. 2, No. 4 and No. 10 are for resort guests, while Nos. 1, 3 and 5 and The Cradle take walk-ons. Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Tobacco Road are nearby. Kiawah’s Ocean Course, about four hours south by road, gives resort guests priority and lets the public book 60 days ahead. Sea Island in Georgia is further south again.
Florida
TPC Sawgrass near Jacksonville is fully public, with a 14-day window for non-guests. Streamsong (Red, Blue, Black and, from 2027, Bone Valley) and Cabot Citrus Farms (Karoo and Roost) are both within reach of Tampa, about two hours apart. Day guests at both pay a little more than resort guests.
Wisconsin
Whistling Straits’ Straits and Irish courses near Kohler, and Sand Valley’s six walking-only courses in the centre of the state, are about two and a half hours apart. Both take public tee times. The Lido at Sand Valley is for resort guests from Sunday to Thursday. Erin Hills and Blackwolf Run make the trip longer.
When to go.
Jan
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Each region has a different season. Florida is at its best from November to April, which is also when prices peak. Summer brings heat, afternoon storms and much lower rates, and the hurricane season runs from June to November. In the Carolinas and Georgia, March to May and mid-September to November are the prime months. Wisconsin courses open from late April to late October, with June to September warmest. The Oregon coast is driest from July to September. On the Monterey Peninsula, summer mornings are often foggy, and September and October usually bring the clearest days. San Diego can be played all year. Bethpage Black is open from mid-April to mid-November.
Getting around.
Plan each region around one airport and a hire car. For Pebble Beach, fly to Monterey (MRY) or drive about two hours from San Francisco or San Jose. For Bandon, use Southwest Oregon Regional (OTH) or Eugene. Pinehurst is reached from Raleigh-Durham (RDU), Kiawah from Charleston (CHS) and Sawgrass from Jacksonville (JAX). Streamsong and Cabot Citrus Farms use Tampa (TPA) or Orlando. In Wisconsin, Milwaukee (MKE) serves Kohler and Central Wisconsin (CWA) serves Sand Valley. Overseas visitors usually connect through a big hub such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas or San Francisco. Allow a full day for each move between regions.
Plan it well.
Book accommodation and golf together where a resort controls the tee sheet. At Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Sea Island and Kiawah, the room is often what gets you the tee time. Handicap certificates are rarely checked, but tee choice and pace are taken seriously. Budget for caddie gratuities on top of any fee. Suggested amounts range from about US$40 per player for a forecaddie at TPC Sawgrass to US$120 per player for a walking caddie at Kiawah. Pinehurst suggests US$65 or more, and Whistling Straits US$70 per bag. Many walking resorts limit bag weight. Prices usually exclude sales tax, and resort fees often apply.
Questions golfers ask.
Do I need to stay at a resort to play the top US courses?
Sometimes. Pinehurst No. 2, Sea Island and the Lido at Sand Valley are for resort guests only. Pebble Beach gives guests on a two-night minimum the long booking window, while non-guests book about a day ahead. TPC Sawgrass, Whistling Straits, Kiawah, Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black all take public tee times.
How much should I tip a caddie in the USA?
Plan on a gratuity for every caddie, paid in cash after the round. Published guidance includes US$40 per player for a TPC Sawgrass forecaddie, US$65 or more at Pinehurst, US$70 per bag at Whistling Straits and US$120 per player for a walking caddie at Kiawah.
When is the best time for a US golf trip?
It depends on the region. Florida is best from November to April, the Carolinas in spring and autumn, Wisconsin and Oregon from June to September, and the Monterey Peninsula in September and October. San Diego works all year.
Can foreign visitors play public courses like Torrey Pines and Bethpage?
Yes, but as non-residents. Torrey Pines charges non-residents US$258 or more on the South Course plus a US$50 advance booking fee. Bethpage Black charges US$140 or more, with a shorter booking window than New York residents.
Are US golf courses walking only?
Most are not, but several destination resorts are. Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley and the Straits Course at Whistling Straits are walking only. Streamsong is walking only from late December to February. Elsewhere, carts are standard and often included in the green fee.
