Scotland tip not looking good, needs options for a US trip

[cjblake09]

We are about to throw in the towel on our July Scotland trip this year and need some advise on where we can go in July.  I know some of the obvious before i start looking Bandon, Whistling, Kiawah, and Mammoth dunes.  I have not checked availability yet on anything but i am sure most of these are already booked up.  We are looking for a lot of courses close so not much travel and maybe some cooler weather.  Pretty easy group and not afraid to pay more to make sure we have a good time and do it right. 

[MileHighGuye]

Never been but heard Cabot Cliffs is amazing. I’ll be at Bandon in October. Still my favorite destination. 

[jvincent]

Cabot is indeed amazing but two things will be a problem. First, it's definitely booked solid and second coming from the US may be an issue depending on covid restrictions.

 

@cjblake09 One that you missed in your list was Pinehurst. Unfortunately it will be hot as balls in July.

 

The other option would be Monterey. You don't necessarily need to go to Pebble but there are lots of options in the area.

[Jose c.]

Julys in northern Michigan are fantastic,plenty of quality courses. Stay and plays along with vrbo opens alot of doors.

Edited April 14, 2021 by Jose c.

[ND2005]

1 hour ago, cjblake09 said:

We are about to throw in the towel on our July Scotland trip this year and need some advise on where we can go in July.  I know some of the obvious before i start looking Bandon, Whistling, Kiawah, and Mammoth dunes.  I have not checked availability yet on anything but i am sure most of these are already booked up.  We are looking for a lot of courses close so not much travel and maybe some cooler weather.  Pretty easy group and not afraid to pay more to make sure we have a good time and do it right. 

 

Pretty much all of the major resorts - Bandon, Sand Valley, Whistling Straits, Cabot - are nearly 100% booked for the summer, definitely if you have a large group they won't have rooms/times. 

 

Pinehurst might b/c people avoid it for the summer. 

 

Kiawah and Hilton Head are big enough you can probably find something but both are hugely popular in the summer. 

 

May try "second tier" resorts in Michigan/Midwest like Forest Dunes, Boyne Highlands, etc. 

[newg33b]

Cabot is likely a no-go this summer. I had a trip (originally booked for July 2020) that I pushed to July 2021, and Cabot just reached out to me to ask me to reschedule/postpone because they don't think the Canadian border is going to be open to leisure American travel this summer. I ended up pushing it (again) to July 2022.

 

My recommendation would be Bandon if you can get the availability. It seems to fit your bill: now five full length courses on the same piece of property accessible via their shuttle, an amazing par 3 in the Preserve, and a putting course as well in the Punchbowl. The two times I've gone in July and August the temps got up only into the 60s maybe, so it's definitely cooler. It's my favorite golf trip I've taken (though I haven't made it internationally yet). Stunningly beautiful and the golf is as much fun as you'll have anywhere. 

 

I'm planning to do a trip to Wisconsin this year to hit a couple courses you mentioned (Kohler/Whistling Straits and Sand Valley/Mammoth Dunes), but that is going to involve some driving. 

[Dancin]

Summer probably booked for Bandon/Sand Valley but give them a call especially if you are only a couple people. We were able to book a 4 night stay at Bandon in June with tee times on all the courses booking it in early March when I thought for sure they would be full.

[Duffer222]

Go to Colorado and play a bunch of mountain courses!

[vallygolf]

2 hours ago, Jose c. said:

Julys in northern Michigan are fantastic,plenty of quality courses. Stay and plays along with vrbo opens alot of doors.

This would be my summer late to the booking game choice:  It will require a bit of travel (hour and a half or so at times),   Do the Traverse City home base and then play Kingsley Club (private but accessable with a pro phone call), Arcadia Bluffs (two courses) and then travel a bit to Forest Dunes and play the Loop as well.  Kingsley is one of my favorite all time courses.  Best accessible in the area (Crystal downs being the only exception, but difficult to get on).  This trip will not disappoint.  All top tier.  There are other courses in the area that are good, Kingsley and Arcadia are Great,  Forest Dunes is borderline great and really good.  The loop and Arcadia south are really good courses.  Much of the rest are good courses if not a tad overrated IMO  (Grand traverse resort courses, etc)

Edited April 14, 2021 by vallygolf

[smashdn]

Michigan or Wisconsin in the US.

 

Fairfield Glade in TN has resort type courses on the Cumberland Plateau.  In July you would still be looking at decent heat but it does tend to be 5-8 degrees cooler on the plateau than not.  I have never been but they used to advertise a fair amount in the local golf publications and on the radio when the sports talk had golf shows.  My impression was the courses are suited to shorter hitting senior players so if you have a bunch of younger guys who are good players and drive it long it may not hold up as much of a challenge.  In addition to the Fairfield Glade courses there are some other in Crossville and Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain very nearby.  You could also hit Sweeten's Cove and Sewanee on the way to or back home.

[StudentGolfer4]

French Lick in southern Indiana would be nice. The Dye and Ross courses are both very very good. Sultans Run is 30ish minutes away and also good. I haven’t been since the remodel but I doubt the valley 9 hole course is worth your time. You didn’t say how many days but they have some good package deals. Worth noting that the Dye course does free same day replays. I would be shocked if they are booked up. I’m not sure what your group is looking for but there is not a lot to do around the resort at night besides gamble though. 
 

Ive heard really good things about Forest Dunes as well. They have 2 full courses (3 if you count the loop being reversible) and a short course. 

[cjblake09]

Thanks for some of the ideas and i will look into them for sure.  So far found Whistling Straits had some availability.  

[ALTSean]

Go to Phoenix / Scottsdale and play high end courses at low summer rates.  It's a dry heat and you'll have the courses to yourself.  

[oneunderbogey]

got to love golfwrx.  Guy says he wants cooler weather and isn't afraid to pay up.  "go to phoenix in July"

 

Whistling Straights  / Kohler would be great if they are open.  Great time of year for MI golf as well

[Abh159]

1 hour ago, cjblake09 said:

Thanks for some of the ideas and i will look into them for sure.  So far found Whistling Straits had some availability.  

 

I'd go ahead and plan for a Wisconsin trip then. It will be a few months before the Ryder Cup at Straits so I'm guessing it will be in pretty good shape. Plus you can try and hit up Erin Hills and Mammoth also depending on the availability and if you are willing to drive a few hours. 

[ALTSean]

11 minutes ago, oneunderbogey said:

got to love golfwrx.  Guy says he wants cooler weather and isn't afraid to pay up.  "go to phoenix in July"

 

Whistling Straights  / Kohler would be great if they are open.  Great time of year for MI golf as well

 

I would take a Phoenix dry summer over an east coast / south humid summer any day.  

 

Booking a group golf trip during COVID at a popular golf resort with cool summer weather with 3 months notice is going to be tough so you might as well get creative.  

 

 

[farmer]

Maybe Vail?  Will be cooler than TX by a lot.

[Cwing]

Canceled Bandon last year. Went to Michigan. Great courses 

[sabram]

Saratoga Springs, NY is a great place for a summer get-away. Great weather, great restaurants, bars, live music, and the racetrack.

 

The Sagamore is an excellent Donald Ross course about 35 minutes north of Saratoga near Lake George. Other courses in Saratoga are Saratoga National, which is expensive and then a lot of local courses that are fun to play and very reasonably priced, even during race season. Saratoga Spa, Saratoga Lake, Airway Meadows, Windy Hills, Queensbury and others. Other than the Sagamore, none of these will compare from a golf course architecture perspective to Whistling Straits, Arcadia, Cabot etc, However, as a great summer vacation destination with decent golf, Saratoga is hard to beat.

 

I don't have photos of the Sagamore or Saratoga National, which are the two best in the area, but here are some of the others: (click on a photo to link to photo tours of the courses)

 

Saratoga Lake #17 par 3 

 

 

Saratoga Spa GC

 

 

 

Airway Meadows #11 par 3

 

Windy Hills

 

[dcfas]

Saratoga Springs is an amazing place. I live 30 minutes south currently, but used to live near the lake. You could have a great day of golf, go to one of about 100 restaurants within a five mile radius for an awesome meal, then plan on attending the flat track to bet on the ponies the next day. Saratoga National, the Saratoga Spa course, and the Lake course are all within about 10 minutes drive.

[TomMatreyek]

Bandon or Monterey are good choices.  Never been to MI/WI

 

Used to live in Durham, NC and can tell you first hand that Kiawah/Pinehurst/Hilton Head will be miserable in July.  Kiawah/HH will be better than Pinehurst since they are on the coast but will still be pretty miserable.

[puttnforthe8]

16 hours ago, cjblake09 said:

We are about to throw in the towel on our July Scotland trip this year and need some advise on where we can go in July.  I know some of the obvious before i start looking Bandon, Whistling, Kiawah, and Mammoth dunes.  I have not checked availability yet on anything but i am sure most of these are already booked up.  We are looking for a lot of courses close so not much travel and maybe some cooler weather.  Pretty easy group and not afraid to pay more to make sure we have a good time and do it right. 

another for Cabot - great trip; An awesome trip is Truckee;  Whistler area;  Northern Michigan (Arcadia, Forest Roscommon, Boyne)

[Chanceman]

10 hours ago, farmer said:

Maybe Vail?  Will be cooler than TX by a lot.

Good idea. Play Ironbridge, Lakota Canyon, Redlands Mesa, Breckenridge, Keystone, Raven. Beautiful location.

[joe perry]

On 4/14/2021 at 4:57 AM, cjblake09 said:

We are about to throw in the towel on our July Scotland trip this year and need some advise on where we can go in July.  I know some of the obvious before i start looking Bandon, Whistling, Kiawah, and Mammoth dunes.  I have not checked availability yet on anything but i am sure most of these are already booked up.  We are looking for a lot of courses close so not much travel and maybe some cooler weather.  Pretty easy group and not afraid to pay more to make sure we have a good time and do it right. 

 

If you run into booking problems and want some good but not humid weather have a look at Gamble Sands and Wine Valley in Wa State - firm and fast both courses and you could start or end the trip at Chambers Bay if you flew into Seattle.

[tucson5190]

Northern California.  Pasatiempo, Harding Park, Silverado, Wente Vineyards, all reachable in an hour from an East Bay Headquarters.  Can always mix in Monterey at a higher price.

[Maroon_19]

Tahoe may be an option.  We are looking at going to Tahoe in July if we don't go absolutely nuts and go to St. George to do the Sand Hollow 100 hole tourney in June (Conestoga and Copper Rock thrown in for fun).

[cjblake09]

Some more good options, thanks.  Looking bleaker and bleaker for us. 

[hammergolf]

6 hours ago, mycale said:

Tahoe may be an option.  We are looking at going to Tahoe in July if we don't go absolutely nuts and go to St. George to do the Sand Hollow 100 hole tourney in June (Conestoga and Copper Rock thrown in for fun).

Lots of really good ones around Reno/Tahoe. We used to go on a trip there every year and play Coyote Moon, Red Hawk, Old Greenwood, Grey's Crossing, Arrow Creek. VERY underated place for golf. Plus you have the casinos if thats your thing. 

[snagy2000]

Big Cedar Lodge