2019 Buddies Golf Trip Suggestions

[Lithovt]

Tough to beat Myrtle Beach for a buddies trip. And IMO there a multiple trips....north Myrtle and you can include courses in NC (Thistle, Rivers edge

, Big Cats, etc.), Central Myrtle, or South Myrtle/Pawleys island. Tons of restaurant and other activities options. It can get hot and busy though if between Memorial and Labor Day. I grew up in Michigan and so if in the heart of summer northern Michigan is great as others have said although the top courses are a bit spread out.

[GoStars]

Northern Michigan. Good weather in the summer and inexpensive. You could hit one of the Boyne resorts.

[dhartmann34]

We did a bachelor party weekend in Biloxi and man were there some great courses down there. The Preserve, The Oaks and Grand Bear were fantastic! Fallen Oak is supposed to be incredible as well... But it was closed for maintenance when we were there. The Bridges wasn't too bad either. Prices are great as well. Casinos, restaurants, and fun around the area. Minor league baseball right outside where we stayed. ( Beau Rivage).

 

Really a great trip.

[slow_roll]

Northern Michigan Arcadia x Forest Dunes. My buddy and I went last Aug and loved every bit of it.

[sabram]

We did a bachelor party weekend in Biloxi and man were there some great courses down there. The Preserve, The Oaks and Grand Bear were fantastic! Fallen Oak is supposed to be incredible as well... But it was closed for maintenance when we were there. The Bridges wasn't too bad either. Prices are great as well. Casinos, restaurants, and fun around the area. Minor league baseball right outside where we stayed. ( Beau Rivage).

 

Really a great trip.

 

+1. but hard to get to from the Northeast

 

https://www.flickr.c...57667282397552/ Fallen Oak Photo Tour

 

https://www.flickr.c...57665080491844/ Grand Bear Photo Tour

 

https://www.flickr.c...57666689174460/ The Preserve Photo Tour

 

https://www.flickr.c...57667118262562/ Shell Landing Photo Tour

 

 

Fallen Oak Par #3 Par 3

 

Grand Bear #13 from tee

 

Preserve #14 from tee par 5

 

Shell Landing #6 from back tee zoomed

[Roadking2003]

Don't overlook Cabo. Go in the winter to escape your NY weather. Great courses, lots of wonderful food, friendly people.

[TK3]

My buddies and I did the Kohler / Erin Hills trip and it was a blast. Flew into Milwaukee and drove to Kohler for 2 nights / 3 days of pure golf. Played 18 the first day (got in after lunch) and then 36 and then 18 on the day we left.

 

We then drove to Erin Hills and played 18 / spent the night and played 18 again before flying back home.

 

Would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

What ever trip you choose, enjoy the friendship with your buddies and the golf - it just doesn't get any better than that.

 

Cheers,

TK

[jwalker3350]

If you're looking for relatively cheap and close to you, look into Penn National in Southeastern PA. We did 3 nights 4 rounds on their 2 courses for under 600 all inclusive with food. The Iron Forge course is almost too good. And depending on the "style" of your group the resort is all BYOB so you will save a ton if your trip is as much a golf trip as a get away trip. We do a 16 man traveling Ryder Cup every year and they were more than accommodating for anything we needed. Nothing really in the area outside of the course though which was fine with us.

 

penngolf.com

[Bece2117]

Ocean City was very underrated, we did 12 there last fall, very affordable and some great tracks

 

Lighthouse Sound

Eagles Landing

Rum Point

Glen Riddle

Baywood Greens

Peninsula Club

[whynotgolf]

Group of 12 of us are looking for some golf trip ideas. 12 Northeast golfers have done:

 

Hilton Head

Pinehurst

Kohler + Erin

 

 

A few ideas we've thought of but figured I'd ask around to see where we're missing. Where we are excluding:

 

1) Bandon - quality of the golfers isn't good enough for Bandon just yet...

2) Europe/UK

3) Pebble - too $

 

Personally, I loved staying at Erin, the whole experience was incredible. If I'd do it again, I'd stay at Erin for 1-2 nights, play Straits 1x and play/stay both Sand Valley courses...

 

We're still VERY early for planning for 2019 so we don't have a time of year to go yet but a few ideas:

1) Streamsong - best in October - April?

2) Kiawah

3) Sea Island - better with families? also hard to get 12 guys onto some of the private clubs...

4) Cabot - flight + 3 hour drive seems to be a schlep...

5) Greenbrier - hard to get to from NY?

 

Any suggestions or other ideas would be incredibly helpful!

 

I'm traveling with a much smaller group so the Cabot Links deal is the winner...we're starting to put something together for next June, especially if the currency exchange continues to favor the dollar.

 

Sea Island is incredibly nice...idk how many rounds you guys play, but there is enough public access golf there for a nice trip.

[CDM]

I would toss out Scottland or Ireland .....

[chadly643]

A very affordable resort trip in northern Michigan is treetops. Never had a bad time there. Four courses plus an incredible par three course that used to be on tv.

[LBRMGR]

I know I asked this earlier but do you think May 30-June 2, 2019 is a huge risk to take to go to Streamsong?

[jvincent]

I'll second the comment that Bandon isn't that hard to play. You are bang on about it being a PITA to get to from the east though.

 

Kiawah is a good bet if you can rent a large house. Aside from the Ocean Course the other courses are pretty good too.

 

The RTJ Trail is also a good option. Fly into ATL and use Grand National as your base and then a couple of day trips (1 hr drive) to some of the other courses.

 

You ruled out Pebble, but if you go to Monterey there are still a ton of options. I'm headed out there in a few weeks to play Poppy Hills, Pasatiempo, Bayonet/Black Horse all within 30 minutes or less depending on where you stay. If you get an NCGA membership ($70) the member discount at Poppy Hills more than pays for it.

[Doc Holiday]

Streamsong

 

If you play the black, make sure you get a caddie so you don't get lost on the course ;)

[dragone]

1. RTJ trail tour,alabama

2. Boyne, north michigan

[averysdad]

Maybe I missed it but how is Myrtle Beach not in the list...several Strantz gems there just for starters.

[Schley]

Me, dad and brother have taken a summer golf trip for the last 12 years now. We have transitioned over to building itineraries around charity auctions for private club threesomes the last 4 years, but the first 7 years or so were public.

 

2007 - Whistling Straits in Wisconsin

2008 - PGA West in La Quinta, Ca.

2009 - Bandon Dunes

2010 - Pebble Beach

2011 - Pinehurst (no. 2 and three others)

2012 - Myrtle Beach (True Blue, Caledonia)

2013 - Hilton Head (Kiawah Island, Harbor Town)

2014 - LA area private clubs (Bel Air, etc.)

2015 - Chicago area private clubs (Chicago GC, Medinah)

2016 - SF area private clubs (Mayacama, Cal Club, Olympic, Pasatiempo)

2017 - NY area private clubs (Winged Foot, Quaker Ridge, Kittansett, Baltursol, The Country Club)

2018 - Northeast private clubs (Cape Cod National, Essex County Club, Plainfield CC, Galloway National, Hamilton Farm)

2018 second trip - Prairie Dunes, Ballyneal, Dismal River

2018 third trip (good year) - Riviera, Bear Creek, Sherwood CC

 

If cost is an issue the wild card I have found is lodging options. Many of the top places want you to stay on site and will charge a premium for booking tee times in advance. I would look at staying at a cheap motel and drive places. The onsite is nice, but a big cost saver if you avoid it.

 

Second I'd play 36 as much as your group can as usually it is discounted and afternoon rounds aren't as booked up so be flexible and enjoy the unpredictable.

Third, have fun with betting games as I'm sure you will.

 

Scotland/Ireland would be ideal if you guys can save up and make it once every 5 years or so.

[snoilr1]

I know I asked this earlier but do you think May 30-June 2, 2019 is a huge risk to take to go to Streamsong?

 

I realize this question was asked months ago, but if it still matters... it will probably be hot and humid by then, but not as bad as late June-Sept. Hurricanes aren’t impossible, but they’re pretty unlikely that early in the year. June 1 is officially the start of hurricane season, but they are more common July-Oct.

[Chanceman]

Scottsdale.

[RH82]

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. I'm originally from there and they have some great courses. Cabot Cliffs, Cabot Links, Bell Bay, The Lakes, Highland Links and Le Portage are the top courses. Also Prince Edward Island is phenomenal.