Tee Off In This Secret Golf Hot Spot Before It Goes Mainstream

There’s a place in America with 32 miles of white sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico and 20 miles of golf. It’s not a mirage; it is Alabama’s Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Spend the morning avoiding white sand bunkers and the afternoon sinking into the tranquility of white sand beaches and blue-green waters.

It Is Racking Up Awards and Attention

In a recent survey of golfers, The Gulf Coast landed in the 10th spot of U.S. destinations players want to visit. The Gulf Shores have five out of the Top 20 Public Golf Courses in Alabama, the 22nd Friendliest Golf Course in the U.S., and the No. 10 Public Golf Course for off-course amenities. And two of the state’s highest-rated courses by everyday players are in Gulf Shores.

So, plan a trip to play these stellar greens before they become crowded.

Craft Farms: Overview

• Course: Cypress Bend
• Designer: Arnold Palmer
• Year: 1993
• 18 holes, Par 72

• Course: Cotton Creek
• Designer: Arnold Palmer
• Year: 1987
• 18 holes, Par 72

Craft Farms: Details

There aren’t many places where you can play championship-level golf in shorts. Take your pick of two complementary 18-hole courses recognized as some of America’s best by Golf Digest.

Cypress Bend has a lush, coastal feel with sprawling bunkers and wide fairways, making it a pleasure to play. This modern links-style course received a 4‐1/2 star rating by Golf Digest. Its sister course, Cotton Creek, features tree-lined rolling fairways and forward tees with many risk and reward choices to challenge golfers at various levels. This 4-star course consistently ranks as one of Golf Digest’s best greens.

Gulf Shores Golf Club: Overview

• Designer: Jay and Carter Morrish
• Year: 1963 (built) ; 2005 complete renovation
• 18 holes, Par 71

Gulf Shores Golf Club: Details

It is a spectacular course and a spectacular golf experience that has earned Gulf Shores Golf Club a 97.9% positive rating from visiting golfers. The scenic course includes ponds as water hazards, oak and pine trees, sharp doglegs, and regular wildlife visitors.

Kiva Dunes: Overview

• Designer: Jerry Pate
• Year: 1995
• 18 holes, Par 72

Kiva Dunes: Details

For those players who want to play highly ranked greens yet despise a course design that penalizes every bad shot, Kiva Dunes is for you. Its mix of par 3’s, challenging par 4’s, and risk/reward par 5’s makes it an enjoyable yet enticing golf experience.

Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club: Overview

• Designer: Earl Stone
• Year: 1995
• 18 holes, Par 72

Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club: Details

Nestled on the beautiful Fort Morgan peninsula between Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, this course provides an outstanding overall golf experience. Its course layout across 800 acres makes the most of its stunning location, which borders Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve, full of live oaks and cypress trees.

These are just a couple of reasons Golf Digest rates it 4 ½ stars and recognizes it as one of the Southeast’s “most memorable and enjoyable” courses.

Here’s How to Plan a Trip

Make it easy on yourself and book a stay-and-play package for a seamless golf trip. Starting in May, fly into Gulf Shores International Airport directly from Houston, Northwest Arkansas, Kansas City, St. Louis, Cincinnati, or Knoxville on Allegiant Air. About an hour away, Pensacola International Airport has nonstop flights from 20 destinations, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Denver, Chicago, and New York Laguardia.

NEXT: I’ve Golfed for 50 Years. Here’s 10 U.S. Golf Resorts Worth the Trip

Golf is played in some of the most beautiful places. If you want to combine your passion for golf with your next vacation, here are ten relaxing properties where the greens are just as impressive as the resort.

I’ve Golfed for 50 Years. Here’s 10 U.S. Golf Resorts Worth the Trip

Called America’s Best Golf Value: A Guide to The 22 Courses in Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Trail

Regarding public golf courses, only a handful stand out from the rest. Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black are some stellar ones worthy of pros, but it’s hard to find more than a couple in the same place. Legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones somehow managed to create 26 of them in 11 locations in Alabama, called the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Debuted in 1992 to increase tourism to Alabama, The Trail has slowly but steadily gained recognition. Golf Digest ranked it the best value in the USA for golf and recognized two of its courses as some of the best in the country.

Called America’s Best Golf Value: A Guide to The 22 Courses in Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Trail

The 45 Best Warm Weather U.S. Golf Courses Chosen By Everyday Players

Almost half of all the world’s golf courses are in the United States. With approximately 16,000 courses nationwide, players don’t have to wait for spring to get back on the greens. While other ‘Best Of’ lists are created by industry insiders with extraordinary access, The GolfPass Golfers’ Choice lists are created by recreational golfers’ 300,000 course reviews on GolfNow reflecting experiences across ages, handicaps, and budgets.

Here’s the top 45 warm weather courses rated by everday golfers across America.

The 45 Best Warm Weather U.S. Golf Courses Chosen By Everyday Players