NORTHEAST
Photo Credit: Ocean Edge Resort
Set on 429 acres of Cape Cod’s pristine coastline and woodland, the Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club features the cape’s only Jack Nicklaus Design golf course, the 18-hole Troon Privé. Carved out of breathtaking natural surroundings, the course has tree-line fairways, a rolling topography and dramatic elevation changes for players at all levels. With a mix of harrowing approaches and dizzying doglegs, the layout spans 7,011 yards with a par of 72. Groups can head to the fairways for leisure play, though private lessons and half-day golf schools are available.
The resort itself has 340 guest rooms divided among two properties — a historic mansion and a group of cozy villas. A private beach, five pools, tennis, pickleball, five restaurants, a spa and assorted wellness experiences await exploration. For meetings, 21,000 square feet of indoor space can accommodate groups of up to 500 people. When it’s time for groups to let loose, the property provides a host of creative team-building activities, such as a golf putting contest, a contest for either the longest putt or to see who can get closest to the hole, and more.
A sanctuary for holistic well-being, the 121-room Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa in Lenox, Mass., spreads across 380 acres of picturesque New England countryside. Among the resort’s many standout amenities is the historic Wyndhurst Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course that winds through rolling hills and mature woodlands, offering striking views of the Berkshires. Included in any overnight guest’s itinerary and open to the general public, the course presents a blend of beauty and challenge, appealing to golfers both new to the sport and experienced. Meeting space at the resort totals 13,000 square feet, and a number of special group packages are available.
SOUTHEAST
Photo Credit: Rosen Shingle Creek Golf
To arrive at Orlando’s Rosen Shingle Creek resort is to be immediately surrounded by an extraordinary championship golf course created by the Arnold Palmer Design Co. and set among 255 acres of lush Florida flora. This 18-hole, part-72 layout has elevated greens and strategically placed bunkers, with wide fairways enticing golfers to swing away — but beware the scenic water traps that abound thanks to the course’s site along Shingle Creek, the headwaters of the Florida Everglades. The on-site Shingle Creek Golf Academy is dedicated to helping players improve their game using advanced stroke analysis, cutting-edge technology, indoor swing bays and course simulators.
Sporting classic Spanish Revival architecture (i.e., soft arches and exposed wooden beams), the hotel has 1,501 elegant guest rooms and suites, 15 dining options (including A Land Remembered, celebrated for its tender black Angus prime beef), a world-class spa offering personalized treatments and over 524,000 square feet of event space, a perfect setting for corporate team-building excursions and more.
Offering a distinctive setting characterized by its elegant coastal location on a secluded stretch of pristine beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Palm Coast, Fla., has two distinctive 18-hole golf courses by way of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, respectively. The Nicklaus course includes six holes directly alongside the Atlantic Ocean, while the Watson course is known for its dramatic elevations and undulating greens, rare for Florida. The resort also has 300 guest rooms in three towers and assorted villas, plus 50,000 square feet of event space perfect for corporate retreats, incentive rewards and more
With beautiful weather year-round, Hilton Head Island, S.C., is widely recognized as one of the top golf destinations in the Southeast, and the 340-room Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island is a prime reason why. Here guests have exclusive membership access to the adjacent Shipyard Golf Club, home to three distinct nine-hole courses that accommodate all skill levels with unique challenges and a serene Lowcountry setting. Five on-site dining options provide a range of post-round meals and cocktails, while 23,000 square feet of function space includes a ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,100 guests.
MIDWEST
Photo Credit: Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa
Ensconced in the rolling hills of Galena, Ill., the 80-room Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa is a premier destination for golf, wellness and corporate retreats. Home to four award-winning golf courses, the resort offers 63 holes of scenic, challenging play for all skill levels. The signature General course is nationally recognized for its dramatic elevation changes and strategic design, making it ideal for both competitive play and vivid team-building experiences. Inclusive play initiatives, including forward tees and flexible nine-hole options, help make golf more accessible to all attendees, regardless of skill or time constraints.
For corporate planners seeking a golf resort that offers more than just the game, the resort also features stunning scenery, customizable event packages, exceptional service and built-in wellness. The approximately 15,000 square feet of sophisticated event space can accommodate sales conferences, product presentations and dinner banquets of up to 300 guests. Beautiful outdoor venues overlook Lake Galena or offer stunning views of the surrounding Northern Illinois hills and woodlands.
On 1,300 acres in the southeastern Wisconsin community of Lake Geneva, the 358-room Grand Geneva Resort & Spa has two award-wining golf courses: the 18-hole, par-72 Brute, with huge rolling greens averaging over 8,000 square feet each, and the Scottish-inspired highlands, a links-style layout with scenic hills, trickling creeks and lush foliage. A new golf practice facility has a short-game area with multiple putting, chipping, pitching and bunker practice greens. After-golf rejuvenation can be had via the new “Recovery Zone” at the in-house WELL Spa + Salon and the Mountain Top ski and snowboard facility, while 62,000 square feet of meeting and convention space are available to planners.
With iconic Romanesque architecture dating from its past incarnation as a seminary, the 118-room Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Mich., offers luxury accommodations, exceptional dining and world-class golf on the 18-hole Cardinal, designed by Raymond Hearn, as well as the seven-hole Little Cardinal and a two-acre putting course, all incorporating the natural contours of the land and venerable trees to enhance strategic play and scenic beauty. Just 20 minutes outside of Detroit, the resort also is home to three versatile dining concepts, including the award winning Five Steakhouse. Planners will find more than 100,000 square feet of event space flooded with natural light.
In Harris, Mich., between Lower Michigan and Wisconsin, the 450-room Island Resort & Casino’s two beautifully designed 18-hole courses include the Sweetgrass, where golfers encounter the rich history of the Hannahville Indian Community with holes named after traditional Potawatomi clans, villages, medicines and symbols. A dedication to nature and the area’s heritage make for a unique golf experience for any level of golfer. For groups, a just-completed expansion gives the resort’s convention center nearly 30,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible space, accommodating large-scale conferences, trade shows, expos and social gatherings.
SOUTHWEST
Photo Credit: JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
Amid 600 acres of oak-covered hills in Texas Hill Country near downtown San Antonio, the 1,002-room JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is home to a world-class golf experience at TPC San Antonio, with two 18-hole PGA Tour championship golf courses that cater to scratch golfers and novices alike. The layouts offer signature wide fairways, stately stands of oak and cedar trees and panoramic views of the adjacent Cibolo Canyons. Players also can enjoy personalized instruction enriched with advanced technology at the state-of-the-art Learning Center.
The resort has an impressive 268,000 square feet of event space, including elegant ballrooms and outdoor pavilions. Guests can indulge in delectable cuisine at six resort restaurants and rejuvenate with a body treatment or massage at the luxurious in-house spa. A number of renowned attractions are nearby, including various wineries, SeaWorld, the Shops at La Cantera, Natural Bridge Caverns and Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
In Southwestern Utah’s Greater Zion region, the Black Desert Resort is an exceptional luxury golf and lifestyle destination amidst a dramatic landscape of vermillion cliffs, ancient black lava fields and cobalt skies. There are currently 447 guest rooms on site with more in development. The resort’s namesake championship golf course undulates along 18 holes of lush green fairways framed by age-old salt rock formations. Choices for fine dining range from Basalt (regionally sourced prime-aged and sustainable seafood) to 20th Hole (14,000 square feet of sports-bar fun). A 15,000-square-foot spa and over 45,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space complete the picture.
At the 950-room JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, golf is enjoyed against a backdrop of the ruggedly beautiful Sonoran Desert at the Wildfire Golf Club, with two picturesque 18-hole championship courses designed by all-time greats Arnold Palmer and Nick Faldo, respectively. Other features include three sparkling pools (private cabana, anyone?), 17 pickleball courts, the rejuvenating Revive spa, a choice of six fine-dine restaurants and approximately 243,000 square feet of versatile indoor/outdoor meeting and event space.
FAR WEST
Photo Credit: Park Hyatt Aviara
On 250 lush, private acres in Carlsbad, Calif., within easy reach of San Diego, the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa takes full advantage of its Pacific Coast location to offer spectacular golf at the Aviara Golf Club. Designed by Arnold Palmer, the par-72 course extends over 7,000 yards and offers plenty of bunkers and water, with a design sculpted around rolling hillsides and landscaped with wildflowers native to Southern California. And after a day on the links, the Miraval Life in Balance Spa Aviara awaits with a menu of soul-replenishing treatments.
The 327-room resort has a total of 200,000 square feet of meeting space spread among 21 meeting rooms, the largest of which spans 130,000 square feet. Also on-site are 29,651 square feet of private space, 8,893 square feet of semiprivate space and an additional 40,636 square feet of outdoor space, all of it most amenable to groups seeking to work, celebrate or enjoy the well-deserved rewards of an incentive program.
Set among the sands of stunning Ka’anapali Beach in Lahaina, the 810-room Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Hawaii is mere steps from the world-famous Kaʻanapali Golf Courses, with two distinct layouts: the Royal Kaʻanapali Course with sweeping Pacific views, and the Kaʻanapali Kai Course, ideal for casual players or mixed-ability groups. Both offer breathtaking backdrops of the Pacific Ocean and the West Maui Mountains at every hole. Planners also will find 100,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space, including the oceanfront Halona Kai Event Lawn, Oriental Gardens, Sunset Terrace and the elegant Monarchy Ballroom.
In Carlsbad, Calif., just north of San Diego, the 607-room Omni Las Costa Resort & Spa has two championship golf courses: the Champions Course, updated to offer more strategic bunkering and enhance fairway movement, and the Legends Course, a parkland-style layout that features mature trees and gentle doglegs. Other on-site attractions include eight pools; the Spa at La Costs, featuring myriad treatments for the mind and body; multiple restaurants and a total of 110,000 square feet of meeting space across 45 rooms, plus 100,000 square feet for outdoor gatherings.
INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. TERRITORIES
Photo Credit: Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort
On Playa Bavaro in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic, the 596-room Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort offers a luxurious all-inclusive escape, where guests have seamless access to the 27-hole, par-72 Cocotal golf course designed by renowned Spanish architect Pepe Gancedo. The layout meanders through a lush tropical jungle, with Bermuda grass enabling true and consistent greens throughout the year. Whether inexperienced, intermediate or professional, golfers will find the course inspiring enough to improve their game.
An elegant colonial-style property with Dominican-inspired décor, the resort also enables guests to enjoy yoga on an unspoiled beach; the YHI Spa, with seven treatment rooms and a host of healing treatments; the Flora restaurant, serving authentic Dominican cuisine by noted chef Leandro Díaz, and other premier dining options. Special events routinely take place throughout the property, and for meetings, 22 event spaces totaling approximately 31,000 square feet are ideal for high-impact corporate programs and more.
Home to the 27-hole championship Grand Reserve golf course designed by Tom Kite, the 579-room Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico sits within El Yunque rainforest and offers elegant dining in five restaurants, along with three bars, communal nights with gatherings before a bonfire, complimentary bicycles and 40,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space, including a 12,000-square-foot ballroom able to host up to 800 people. The 27-hole course has a spacious clubhouse, a driving range, a chipping area, a Jacuzzi, a sauna and ample practice facilities.
On 144 acres stretching from the Caribbean Sea to the North Sound, the 369-room Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman, presents an extraordinary getaway amid beautiful island grounds. For golfers, the resort’s Greg Norman-designed Blue Tip is a nine-hole course carved along a natural saltwater lagoon with mesmerizing views and concluding with a dramatic finish over water to a challenging island green. Attendees, who can gather in more than 22,000 square feet of total event space (including the island’s largest ballroom), will find six on-site restaurants, such as exquisite local seafood at Blue by Eric Ripert.
On the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, the 247-room Casa de Campo Resort & Villas is a golfer’s dream, with three masterful courses designed by Pete Dye, including the top-ranked layout in the Caribbean, Teeth of the Dog. Guests can register for a tournament and/or train with professionals at the resort’s Golf Learning Center, a PGA Tour-quality facility with practice greens for putting, chipping and pitching games, plus a pristine outdoor range for full shots. The property has more than 27,000 square feet of meeting space spread across two conference centers, including a ballroom, numerous boardrooms and breathtaking outdoor spaces.