Six real trips, ranked and compared. Each one is tagged for how it plays — a two-person trip for you and Dad, or a full buddies-trip for a group. Distances and flights are figured from Seattle. Pick the feel first; the logistics all work.
The safe, brilliant default. Desert-target golf, sunshine in the 60s–70s while home freezes, and the deepest bench of great public courses anywhere. Scales effortlessly from two players to twelve.
The pilgrimage — and the closest bucket-list golf to home. Wild, walking-only links on the Pacific cliffs, caddies who become part of the story, and a whisky bar to close the night. This is the trip serious golfers talk about for years. Weather is part of the deal.
The splurge with a capital S. If the point is to give Dad one round he'll never stop telling people about, this is it — the most famous finishing holes in golf, on the cliffs above Carmel Bay. Short flight, staggering scenery, and plenty for a non-golfer to love off the tee.
The most golf-soaked village in the country — ten courses radiating from one walkable resort, caddie culture everywhere, and the sense that you're standing in the sport's living history. A true pilgrimage for a lifelong golfer, and comfortable whether you're two or ten.
Championship golf on the Atlantic with a beach-resort base — the play when the group wants the famous round and the pool, the ocean, and Charleston all within reach. Five courses on one island, anchored by one of the hardest, most famous tests in America.
Scottsdale's relaxed, better-value cousin. More than 100 courses across the valley, reliable winter warmth, mid-century-cool towns, and short flights — the low-stress pick when you want great golf without a big production. Plays as well for two as for a bachelor-party-sized group.
| Destination | Best for | The famous course (price / round) | Season | Trip cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottsdale | Both — easiest all-rounder | TPC Scottsdale · ~$500 | Nov–Apr | $$$ |
| Bandon Dunes | A serious golf group | Pacific Dunes · ~$395 | May–Oct | $$$$ |
| Pebble Beach | You + Dad splurge | Pebble Links · ~$695 | Apr–Oct | $$$$$ |
| Pinehurst | Both — pure golf pilgrimage | No. 2 · ~$500 | Spr/Fall | $$$ |
| Kiawah Island | Mixed group + beach | Ocean Course · ~$500 | Spr/Fall | $$$$ |
| Palm Springs | Both — best value | PGA West · ~$250 | Nov–Apr | $$ |
Every course's price sits right next to its name in the cards above. Each destination has several courses; the famous one costs the most. Prices are approximate in-season, resort-guest green fees — not quotes. "Trip cost" is a per-person, long-weekend directional read (golf + lodging + flights).
Lead with Pebble Beach; hold Pinehurst as the pilgrimage.
For a trip like this, the memory beats the tee sheet. Pebble is the round he'll retell forever, and Monterey gives the two of you a real trip around it. If you'd rather the whole place breathe golf history — and spend less — Pinehurst's walkable village and No. 2 are the sentimental pick. Both work just as well with a party of two.
Lead with Bandon Dunes; Scottsdale is the sure thing.
A buddies trip wants variety, walkability, and a story — Bandon delivers all three, with four-plus courses and zero distractions. If the group has mixed skill, mixed budgets, or a few non-golfers, Scottsdale (or Palm Springs for value) flexes to any headcount with the best off-course scene and the easiest flights.
Tell me the shape — who's going, roughly when, and a ceiling per person — and I'll turn the winner into a full itinerary the way the Scottsdale plan is built: named courses with tee-time logic, where everyone stays, a three-tier budget, and a day-by-day.