1.For The Dads: Pinehurst, North Carolina

 

If someone in your group has never been on a guys golf trip before, start here. Pinehurst Resort has nine courses on property, the most famous being No. 2 – which has hosted the U.S. Open and is genuinely one of the best courses in the country. The town of Pinehurst is small, clean, and built for exactly this. You won’t spend two hours on a highway between golf and dinner. The food is good. The lodging is dialed in. The pace is right.

It’s not trying to be flashy. It’s just excellent golf in an excellent setting, and that’s usually exactly what you need.

2.For Golf Sickos: Bandon Dunes, Oregon

 

If your group consists of people who argue about course architecture, debate which Masters was better – 2019 or 1986 – and genuinely want to play 36 holes a day in the wind off the Pacific Ocean, Bandon is for you. Five courses, all walkable, all world-class.

The whole property is designed around the idea that golf is supposed to be hard and beautiful and a little brutal. You will get rained on. You will love it. No one at Bandon is there casually. Everyone is there to play golf, and that energy is contagious. It’s a pilgrimage. 

3. For The Bachelor Party: Scottsdale, Arizona

 

Not every guys trip is a spiritual experience. Some of them are four days of golf during the day and whatever happens after dinner stays in Scottsdale. The golf options are legitimately good – TPC Scottsdale, We-Ko-Pa, Troon North – but the real selling point is what happens off the course.

The restaurant scene is excellent. The bars stay open. The weather in spring is perfect. If your group has a Derek who’s going to want to extend Thursday night into Friday morning, Scottsdale gives Derek a safe place to do that while the rest of you can still make your 7:30 tee time.

Bonus: you can book your trip during Superbowl / WM Open weekend. 

4. Best Value Trip: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

 

Myrtle Beach gets underestimated because the vibes are a little chaotic and the town itself can have a lot going on (anybody ever been to Bike Week?). But there are over 100 golf courses within driving distance, aggressive pricing, and packages built specifically for guys trips.

You can play four rounds in four days for what one round costs at a resort destination. If your group’s budget is a real conversation – and for most groups, it is – Myrtle delivers more golf per dollar than anywhere else in the country. Go in April or October for the best weather.

5. Best Underrated Trip: Northern Michigan

Nobody’s group chat ever says ‘Northern Michigan.’ That’s the whole point.

Arcadia Bluffs is the anchor of the trip and the reason it belongs on any serious list — a clifftop links course overlooking Lake Michigan that plays as hard and looks as good as anything in the country. But the surrounding area gives you legitimate depth: Boyne Highlands, Treetops, Bay Harbor, The Bear. You can build a four-day itinerary without repeating yourself and without driving more than an hour between stops.

The prices are reasonable, the courses are quiet, and the scenery doesn’t look like it belongs in Michigan. Stop sleeping on it.

A guys golf trip sounds perfectly innocent. Four days, some golf, a few steaks, some guys you genuinely like. What could possibly go wrong?

A lot, as it turns out. Not because golf is the problem, but because most guys handle the logistics of a trip the same way they handle everything else – impulsively and without nearly enough communication.

Here’s how to go on the trip and still be welcomed home when it’s over.

1. Don’t Announce The Trip After It’s Already Booked

This is the single biggest mistake guys make. You book flights, you book tee times, you book the rental house – and then you tell her. At that point it’s not a conversation, it’s a notification. She’s not going to feel good about that, and she’s right not to.

The trip doesn’t have to be her idea. It just has to be a conversation she was included in before money changed hands. This is a small thing. Do it.

2. Don’t Pretend It’s “Basically A Work Thing”

It’s not a work thing. You know it’s not a work thing. She knows it’s not a work thing. Framing it as anything other than what it is – four days away with your friends doing something you love – makes it weird and a little insulting.

“I want to go on a golf trip with the guys” is a fully defensible statement that requires no spin. Lead with that.

3. Give Real Numbers

Dates. Cost. All of it. Vague answers (“it’s probably around $1,200 or so, depends on how things shake out”) are worse than real numbers even when the real numbers are higher than she’d like. Uncertainty is harder to plan around than a specific number she can actually evaluate.

Tell her what it costs. Tell her exactly when you’re leaving and when you’re back. She can work with that. She can’t work with “sometime around Thursday.”

4. Don’t Come Home Useless

You had four days off. You played golf, you ate well, you slept in a bed with no one kicking you. Now you’re back.

The dishes don’t know you were gone. The laundry doesn’t care. The kids definitely don’t. Come home ready to be a functioning participant in your own life. If you need 48 hours of recovery time after a guys trip, you did the guys trip wrong.

5. Bring Something Back That Isn’t A Hangover And A Quarter-Zip

You don’t have to spend a lot. A bottle of something she likes, a restaurant reservation for the week you get back, flowers if you’re going to do flowers. The specific thing matters less than the fact that you thought about it.

“I was away for four days and I thought about you while I was there” is a simple message to send, and it does a lot of work.

Here’s the honest truth about guys golf trips: they’re good for you. They’re good for your relationship. Four days with your friends, away from routine, doing something you love – that’s not a threat to your relationship, it’s a deposit into it. Just handle the details like an adult and you’ll be back on the course next year.

To me, San Antonio flies way under the radar in the golf trip world. Maybe it’s because I’m from here, but that doesn’t change the fact that it offers some of the best golf-trip value in the country.

With year-round golf weather, a deep lineup of public courses, incredible Tex-Mex and barbecue, and nightlife that actually fits every type of group, San Antonio deserves a serious look for your next buddies trip.

Home to the Valero Texas Open, San Antonio has been a PGA Tour stop for more than 100 years. From the historic fairways of Brackenridge Park Golf Course to the modern championship setup at TPC San Antonio, golf runs deep here.

Quick Facts

• Over 25 public and resort golf courses across the city and Hill Country
• Home of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio
• Best golf season: October–December and March–May, though golf is playable year-round
• Easy access via San Antonio International Airport
• Affordable compared to other major golf-trip destinations
• Incredible food scene: Tex-Mex, barbecue, steakhouses, breweries, and nightlife
• Great mix of resort golf, historic courses, and value public tracks

Did you know San Antonio is one of the fastest-growing cities in America and sits at the gateway to the Texas Hill Country? The terrain creates dramatic elevation changes you don’t usually expect in Texas golf. Add in towering oak trees, limestone canyons, and warm-weather golf nearly all year long, and it’s easy to see why more groups are discovering it.

Perfect For…

Guys’ Trips

San Antonio is built for buddies trips. Play PGA Tour-caliber golf during the day, then hit the River Walk, Pearl District, or La Cantera area for steaks, rooftop bars, breweries, and nightlife.

Couples & Mixed Groups

Non-golfers have plenty to do here. Think wineries in nearby Fredericksburg, shopping at La Cantera, spa days, live music, historic missions, and great restaurants. The River Walk alone makes the city feel more like a true vacation destination than just a golf trip.

Budget-Conscious Golfers

This is where San Antonio really shines. You can stay in a rental home, play excellent public golf, eat well, and still spend less than your average golf trip.

Top Standout Courses

TPC San Antonio

The headliner. Home of the Valero Texas Open and arguably the premier golf facility in South Texas. The property features two 18-hole courses — the Oaks Course and Canyons Course — both routed through rugged Hill Country terrain with dramatic elevation changes, natural rock outcroppings, and immaculate conditioning.

The Oaks Course is the PGA Tour venue and the tougher test, especially when the Texas wind starts blowing. Wide fairways still demand strategy, while the greens can get lightning fast during tournament season. Staying at the resort gives you access to both courses and creates the ultimate stay-and-play experience.

La Cantera Golf Club

One of the most scenic rounds in Texas. Perched high above the city, La Cantera delivers incredible panoramic views of the Hill Country, Six Flags, and downtown skyline. The Resort Course hosted PGA Tour events for years and remains one of the city’s must-play tracks.

Canyon Springs Golf Club

A local favorite tucked into the northern hills of San Antonio. Canyon Springs winds through tree-lined corridors, rocky creeks, and elevation changes that feel far removed from typical Texas golf. It’s challenging without being punishing and consistently ranks among the best daily-fee courses in the city.

The Quarry Golf Course

One of the most unique golf experiences in Texas. The front nine plays through a traditional parkland layout, but the back nine drops into a massive abandoned limestone quarry with towering rock walls surrounding the holes. It’s visually stunning and unlike anything else in the state. Try to play this one in the morning.

Brackenridge Park Golf Course

Historic Texas golf at its finest. Brackenridge hosted the first-ever Texas Open back in 1922 and remains one of the most important public courses in the state. Designed by legendary architect A.W. Tillinghast, it’s shorter than the modern resort tracks but packed with charm and history. Be sure to explore the clubhouse, which is home to the Texas Golf Hall of Fame.

Great Stay-and-Play Options

Resort Route

Stay at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa for direct access to TPC San Antonio. Massive pools, restaurants, bars, spa amenities, and two championship golf courses make it ideal for groups wanting an all-in-one experience.

Rental House Route

For better value, grab a rental home near the River Walk, Pearl District, or La Cantera area. This gives your group easy access to restaurants and nightlife while keeping you close to most of the city’s top golf.

Beyond the Golf

Part of what makes San Antonio such a great golf destination is everything outside the golf course.

• River Walk bar hopping and nightlife
• Legendary Tex-Mex and barbecue
• Spurs games during basketball season
• Breweries and cocktail spots in the Pearl District
• Day trips to Texas Hill Country wineries
• Historic sites like The Alamo

Pro Tips

• Fall and spring are prime golf seasons; summers are hot but cheaper
• Book TPC tee times well in advance during Texas Open season
• Stay on the north side, near La Cantera or TPC San Antonio, for easiest golf access
• Mix resort golf with value rounds like Canyon Springs or Brackenridge
• Bring extra golf balls — Hill Country rough and limestone can be unforgiving
• Early morning tee times help avoid Texas afternoon heat and wind

Final Thoughts

San Antonio may not get the golf-trip hype of Scottsdale or Pinehurst, but that’s part of the appeal. Great golf, great food, affordable lodging, and a city with real personality make it one of the best hidden-value golf destinations in America.

If you’re looking for a trip that blends championship golf with laid-back Texas energy, San Antonio belongs on your shortlist. Make sure to use our partner, Good Guy Golf Trips, who has the local knowledge to ensure you book the best trip possible.

If you’ve never played a links style course, it’s imperative you give it a try. It’s the way the game was supposed to be played. There’s really not that many in America. Arcadia Bluffs is one of them. Arcadia Bluffs is one of the Midwest’s premier golf destinations  perched on windswept bluffs overlooking 3,100 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline in Arcadia. With true seaside links-style golf, dramatic elevation drops, natural dunes, and panoramic lake views from nearly every hole, it’s often compared to Bandon Dunes or Whistling Straits but with that pure Great Lakes magic. Add exceptional lodging, dining, and a newer South Course for variety, and it’s bucket-list territory.

Quick Facts

• Two championship 18-hole courses + The Dozen (12-hole short course)  Bluffs (1999, Warren Henderson/Rick Smith) and South (2019, Dana Fry/Jason Straka)
• Links-style drama: Wind-swept fescues, sod-walled bunkers, wide fairways, huge greens, and massive Lake Michigan vistas
• Seasonal play: Mid-April to mid-November, peak summer/fall for best weather (60s-80s°F), winds add challenge
• Public access: Daily-fee resort open to all; stay-and-play packages with priority tees, caddies available
• Top-ranked: Bluffs Course often #1 public in Michigan (Golfweek); South Course highly acclaimed as a classic homage

Did you know that the Great Lakes hold 20% of the world’s surface freshwater? Also the Great Lakes are home to several shipwreck grave yards. They’re absolutely massive and pictures don’t do it justice. Go see for yourself.

Perfect For…

• Guys’ Trips: Epic multi-round days (Bluffs for drama, South for strategy), post-golf steaks or cocktails with sunset views, bagpipes at dusk, and easy Traverse City brewery hops
• Families: Luxe lodge rooms with lake views, pools/spa vibes, short course fun for kids; non-golfers enjoy beach walks, wineries, or nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes

Top Standout Courses

The Bluffs Course

The original legend, a seaside links masterpiece with rolling dunes, native grasses, and cliff-edge drama (holes 11-13: downhill par-5, bluff-top par-4, canyon-carry par-3). Stunning Lake Michigan views from everywhere, challenging yet playable with multiple tees. Often called one of America’s best public courses, pure wow factor

The South Course

A tribute to early American golf (C.B. Macdonald style), strategic angles, thought-provoking bunkers, subtle contours, and simpler, timeless design. More landlocked but equally beautiful with rolling terrain and serene vibes. Complements the Bluffs perfectly for variety.

The Dozen (12-hole short course)

Fun, creative addition, mix of 6 par-3s and 6 par-4s (100–550 yards), generous areas, big greens, and clever bunkers. Ideal for quick rounds, warm-ups, families, or evening play. High-energy and replayable.

Great Stay-and-Play Resorts & Spots

• The Lodge at Arcadia Bluffs: Nantucket-style luxury above the clubhouse; rooms with Lake Michigan or sunrise views, exceptional dining (The Restaurant, deck/patio bars)
• On-site packages emphasize unlimited practice, priority tees, and resort perks (carts included, caddies optional)
• Nearby Traverse City for extra lodging if needed, but on-property is the way to go for immersion

All Key Arcadia Bluffs Golf Highlights at a Glance

• The Bluffs Course (seaside links icon)
• The South Course (classic strategic gem)
• The Dozen (12-hole short-course fun)
• Plus full practice range, short-game area, and massive panoramic views

Pro Tips

• Book stay-and-play packages early via arcadiabluffs.com peak season (summer/fall) fills fast; twilight deals for value
• Fly into Traverse City (TVC) 1-hour drive; or Grand Rapids (GRR) for longer scenic route
• Pair golf with Northern Michigan classics: fresh cherries, wineries, craft beer, Sleeping Bear Dunes hikes, or Lake Michigan sunsets
• Embrace the wind (play mornings if breezy); use caddies for local knowledge; forward tees keep it enjoyable for all

Time to tee it up on the bluffs, feel the lake breeze, and reset with world-class links golf. Arcadia Bluffs is calling your escape.

The Caddy Shanks Team