GolfPass writers select Northern Michigan No. 8 worldwide, and Southwest Michigan in the top 100
Used with permission of GolfPass
Few sports in the world are as globally interconnected as golf. And perhaps the greatest thing about the game is that any golfer, of any ability, anywhere in the world can travel to play many of the planet’s most incredible courses. They can play courses that have hosted major championships or have been laid out in some of the most magical corners of the globe.
With golfers everywhere eager to return to travel this year, GolfPass’ staff of experienced writers has compiled an extensive list of the world’s Top 100 golf destinations. We determined the list based on each destination’s distinct allure to golfers around the globe.
A strong roster of publicly accessible courses is the main criteria, but each destination’s history, off-course attractions, landmarks and dining, as well as hospitality, culture and collection of private clubs were also considered. To determine where a destination should rank, we often asked the question: “Which place do I want to visit more?” The answer sometimes carried equal weight as the notion of “Where can I play?”
After considerable deliberation, we are pleased to present our list of the world’s top 50 golf destinations in order, while we’ve ordered the second 50 alphabetically.
No. 1 St. Andrews, Scotland
No. 2 Pebble Beach, California
No. 3 Northern/Northwest Ireland
No. 4 Pinehurst, N. Carolina
No. 5 Australian Sandbelt
No. 6 Bandon, Oregon
No. 7 Scottsdale/Phoenix, Arizona
No. 8 Northern Michigan
Few golf destinations match the variety found in Northern Michigan, which, depending on how much you’re willing to drive, runs about two dozen courses deep, including a collection of multi-course resorts highlighted by Boyne’s three properties. Rolling hills through hardwood forests make this the elevated tee shot capital of American golf.
Dr. Alister MacKenzie’s private Crystal Downs heavily influenced modern architecture as a haunt of top architects Tom Doak and Mike DeVries, while Tom Watson played some boyhood golf at the historic, semi-private Belvedere in Charlevoix. Scores of affordable, off-the-beaten-path courses are waiting to be discovered. No visit here is complete without a visit to the lakeshore for Arcadia Bluffs and Bay Harbor, not to mention a jaunt to America’s greatest sand trap: Sleeping Bear Dunes.
No. 9 New Zeeland
No. 10 Augusta, Georgia
World Top 100 Destinations: Nos. 51-100
In no particular order…
Southwest Michigan
Northern Michigan gets tons of attention (rightly so), but the southwestern quadrant of the state is home to a great roster of courses revolving around Grand Rapids, whose three area Mike DeVries designs – Pilgrim’s Run, Diamond Springs and Mines Golf Course – form a formidable, affordable trio. Nearer to Kalamazoo, Gull Lake View Resort’s six-course offering is topped by Stoatin Brae, one of the best public courses to open in the 2010s.
To read details on the entire World Top 100 locations, go to: https://www.golfpass.com/travel-advisor/articles/world-top-100-destinations
