The state of Alabama has the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail - [https://www.rtjgolf.com/](https://www.rtjgolf.com/) - Many beautiful and challenging courses, but also enough tee boxes to accommodate any level of player. Just don't plan a trip there during the summer...
Or do. It'll be hot as balls, so bring your salts and your water, but you won't have any crowds to deal with.
EDIT: To be clear, yes, you do have to pay attention to wet bulb temperature (when heat and humidity is physically too high for humans to regulate their body temp through sweat)
Yeah, my dad and I did a July trip to Alabama and played 36 a day on the RTJ trail. Rangers were bringing around wet towels to keep people cool, and we obviously drank tons of water and Gatorade, but we had a great time.
Heh...I did a July trip there last year - Grand National and Capital Hill. I live in GA and am a cyclist too, so well-versed in all of the good stuff for the sake of not passing out; will never do a summer trip to RTJ again, despite best efforts to keep electrolytes up/stay cool. We played AM and PM rounds, with showers/lunch in between, and it was absolutely brutal. Yes, no crowds, but definitely not worth the suffering.
I am fully convinced the heat is worse in the south than it is in AZ.
I've golfed many rounds in 110°+ in AZ and been fine with just Gatorade, sunscreen, and some shade.
Heat is nothing compared to the inescapable humidity of some places.
Lol of course it's worse. The humidity makes you feel like you're swimming through the air and you can't catch your breath. Give me 110 of dry heat vs. 95 of humid heat any day of the week.
It’s the humidity. After a certain point your sweat can’t evaporate in the south, where as 110 in Arizona has such low humidity your sweat evaporates quickly and cools you well
> but you won't have any crowds to deal with
I'm not sure what RTJ courses you're playing in the summer that aren't crowded, but I live in Alabama and play them routinely. Most of them are packed from 7am to 7pm in the summer.
What’s wild too is it helps pay for the teachers pension fund in Alabama. Was in Birmingham a few years ago and played the Oxmoor Valley, highly recommend, and old guy I was playing with was telling me all about how it worked with the pensions - pretty fascinating set up. would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall back in the day when they pitched the idea of “all right, we’re gonna spend a bunch of money to build golf courses, but it’s gonna pay for the pension fund”
Growing up outside Birmingham I really didn’t appreciate how good I had it playing golf at those courses until I moved away. Highly recommend if you’ve never played RTJ.
Seconding this. I go every year. My friends make fun of me for going on vacation in Alabama but jokes on them. I get great golf and a house on the gulf shores for under $1000
This is the only golf I know. Very humid. Picked up golf in college in AL, then didn’t pick up a club again until this year. The university golf classes were held at RTJ with their pro. Played a few times and love it there.
I’m also in GA now getting back into golf. Any courses you recommend in Greater Atl area that aren’t crazy expensive?
Finding affordable golf in the ATL has gotten very hard. A buddy and I typically keep an eye on deals via [golfnow.com](http://golfnow.com) When the price is right, Governor's Towne Club is a great course, UGA's course is great (but it's a long drive), and Cherokee Run is also nice (but also a drive). I also like Woodmont. I finally threw in the towel and am in the process of joining one of the private clubs in N. Fulton.
The RTJ Trail Card - $50 - helps knock down fees and pays for itself very quickly. [https://rtjgolf.mybigcommerce.com/2024-rtj-trail-card/](https://rtjgolf.mybigcommerce.com/2024-rtj-trail-card/)
Live about 10 minutes away from Grand National. Beautiful course and reasonably priced (with the trail card). Haven't gotten to check out any others on the trail just yet
Loved Golden Horseshoe. We played that in the morning then picked up a tee time for the afternoon at Williamsburg National where we saw NY Giants legend Lawrence Taylor chilling on the patio after his round. We were on a golf trip from NJ so that was exciting, we didn't bother him though.
Second this. Toss in three great courses in New Kent, and you’ve got a golf trip. Stonehouse and Royal New Kent are two Mike Stranz courses that will surely have you tucking your tail between your legs.
Royal new kent is so fun. The very first bunker on I think 10? Is deep as fuck. It’s only 200 to cover from white, but you’re gonna be hitting back to get out.
https://cdn.golfcontentnetwork.com/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-16-at-10.54.05-AM.png
Also really like how this course visually messes with you. Makes you think you need to hit precise shots or you’re fucked, when there’s room for error just out of sight.
Facts. For a perfect golf trip I think the move is to stay at Kingsmill so you can play there, the LPGA has a tourney there every year. Then the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course is a must. After that, there are another half dozen great value courses you can golf at that are all great. Both 18s at Williamsburg National are fun and a good price, Royal New Kent is good, and Kiskiak is a hidden gem.
Really the whole upstate/western New York region is fantastic. En-Joie in Binghamton hosts a Champions tour event every year and you can play it for under $50. Plus there are tons of memberships available for under $2000 a year.
Absolutely. Lots of great golf for budget prices in Western and Central NY.
Rochester: Greystone, Ravenwood, Mill Creek, Blue Heron Hills; lower end worth seeing Wildwood, Durand Eastman, Lima, Livingston, Twin Hills
Syracuse: Turning Stone, Timber Banks, Green Lakes
Buffalo: Seneca Hickory Stick, Diamond Hawk, Harvest Hill, Whirlpool (ON), Legends on the Niagara (ON), Ivy Ridge
If you want to see your tax dollars at work in WNY go to the municipal run courses. All of them are in great shape by late April and are open well into November.
Let's just say that there is a groundswell of support for restoring Durand Eastman and I know some people that are working behind the scenes to put the project together. When that happens, your statement will *really* ring true.
I’ll second this. A friend was doing a doctoral program in Rochester and visiting them was a treat. Random golf courses were meticulously maintained, cheap, and really challenging. We must have played fifteen course in the area over the years and had no poor outings related to the courses.
Most *were* under $50. Greystone and Ravenwood are the top two public’s in Rochester, those are both creeping toward $100 peak. Even Shadow Lake is nearly $70 at peak which is just absurd for a course that should be $40-45 at most.
I think this whole thread really encapsulates the fact that most of middle America has amazing golf for reasonable prices. The coast and big cities/tourist spots should be avoided.
I live in Kentucky and the golf here is always nice and cheap
We’ve done KY trips each year for about 8 years. We love it. Rotate between Louisville and Lex. Amazing courses, cheaper, bourbon and awesome underrated food.
Our foursome does the stay and play every year. Kentucky Dam Village, Mineral Mound and Boots Randolph are a great trifecta of courses within 30 mins of each other. Basically comes to $400 a guy for 4 nights and unlimited golf staying in the KDV cottages
Not necessarily true. OP mentioned Myrtle, I go there every year to play golf because my in-laws own a vacation home there. You can play a round for $75 and under and the courses are fairly decent. Sure they have their $200 plus courses to but to say a place like that should be avoided is simply not true. It’s also worth noting that if you’re willing to play a round in the afternoon the price significantly drops there.
The Strapped Model - good golf is all around at a reasonable rate, you just need to go out and find it.
With that in mind - about 50 miles around Sacramento is criminally underrated for golf. There is Yocha Dehe, Darkhorse, Apple Mountain, Ancil Hoffman, The Ridge, and more. A lot of these you can play for under $100 on weekends.
Not a golf "destination", but within a 1hr drive of Indianapolis there are dozens of courses, including several ranked in top 100 public courses list. There are also many Pete Dye courses, if you are a masochist. Reasonable (by 2024 standards) pricing... top courses are about $125, very good courses are $50-90
It's a lot of fun. Last time I played was in the middle of Fall, it was kinda a nightmare finding balls. But I learned a new trick by watching the retiree in front of us whip out his battery powered leaf blower to clear the greens.
Eagle Creek Sycamore, also a Dye, is almost as challenging but more economical
Fort is a fun place to play for sure. Purgatory, not too far out of Indy, is a "fun" course to play as well. If you're hitting it well you can score, but it can easily be an ass whippin for 4 straight hours too
Semi local, and I can confirm that Indy golf is pretty top tier for the price. I have several on my list for this year, hopefully playing The Fort this week. Also worth noting is the Brick Boilermaker complex about an hour up 65 and The Warren Course and Blackthorn in South Bend. The last two are a pretty lengthy drive but well worth it. Oh, and Rock Hollow in Peru. Wonderful track in the middle of nowhere.
I can write almost an entire thread on courses in this part of the state so forgive my rambling.
I’ve lived in Indy for 8 years, Indiana my whole life. There’s some quality golf around the entire state but yes, Indy is absolutely phenomenal.
Anytime I think about becoming a member somewhere I remind myself that I’m playing that course almost exclusively to get my money’s worth, and I just can’t get myself to do it. Even the lower tier courses are fun to play and reasonably priced!
Pleasant Run is basically my “home” course at this point, but it can get log jammed pretty easily. Partially the fault of the owners due to tee time intervals, but there’s also quite a few holes where you have to lay up, or it’s a blind shot and you need to drive up and check the area first.
Saddle Brook is lower tier imo but I genuinely think it’s an extremely fun course to play.
South Grove is always in great condition anytime I’m there and it’s fairly easy and open.
Buffer Park is beautiful but only 9 holes so you gotta run it back for a full 18.
These are all not even in the top tier of courses around here, but are all reasonably priced and genuinely fun places to play.
I feel like I unintentionally hit the jackpot with living so close to so many highly-rated well priced courses.
I will say the difference between pricing on the north side vs the south side is wild.
Trophy Club is hands down the best bang for your buck. I’ve lived in Boiler country my entire life and always look forward to playing there. BIrck Boilermaker Complex is gorgeous. Another would be Coyote Crossing
A news story recently came on local stations that said MN is rated number 1 for road quality but not good for golf quality, and Wisconsin was rated number 1 for golf quality but low for road quality. Lol
Braemar, Cannon, Chaska Town Course, Crystal Lake, Eagle Valley, Emerald Greens, Inver Wood, Legends, Loggers Trail, Mississippi National, Oak Glen, Prestwick, Stoneridge, Wilds.. to name a few which are extremely solid options.
And don't forget the short trek across the border to Troy Burne, White Eagle, or St Croix.
The golf courses are one thing I really miss after moving to L.A. where the courses are packed, dumpy, expensive, and you can't get a tee time.
Add in Michigan as well.
Traverse City has some good tracks, same with the Michiana through Grand Rapids area.
Unfortunately a lot of these are spread out by quite a distance but you can find some surprisingly nice courses in the rural areas far out from major cities or even big towns
Wisconsin golf is generally affordable and good quality, plus we have some top-tier courses to boot! I still need to play Erin Hills and Whistling Straights
UNM is top notch. Sandia is killer. Paako Ridge is really special. I forget what hole number, but there is a super elevated tee box where you can bomb the stew out of your drive, and card a triple lol
Dude, I'm in Chicago but going back home to ABQ on Thursday for mother's day and I'm super pumped. Part of that entails squeezing in a few rounds with the old man. Twin Warriors, Santa Ana GC, and Cochiti are on the agenda. Probably try to hit up UNM Sunday afternoon too. Last time we had Towa, Sandia, and Isleta in the mix. Love the golf around Albuquerque/Santa Fe
The view from Towa.
https://preview.redd.it/zbe9ltwyo2zc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=beb2d47e6154c635c28d3194666fbfe5baeb38e2
Just posted this as well. Did not see your comment. Just did a trip there with a friend. It was awesome. Played Sandia, TW, UNM Championship course. Great trip.
Spokane golf and the surrounding areas have horrible golf courses. Zero fun is had at Palouse Ridge, Circling Raven, and the handful of public owned courses for under $50. Please stay far away.
Yep, I’m sure nobody here would enjoy Latah Creek or Indian Canyon. Such varied terrain, beautiful old trees, and some pretty challenging course features too. Would for sure be too much for any reasonable person.
What's wrong with Palouse Ridge? That was my High School home course, I always thought it was really nice.
...and I just realized you're being sarcastic.
The hotels suck ass in mesquite though and Airbnb is going downhill now that they charge you not only to clean, but also extra if you don't wash all your sheets yourself. The last time I was in mesquite ~2020 the room I was in only had two plugs. If I hadn't brought a USB hub half my shit wouldn't have been able to charge.
Golf is the #1 tourist attraction in the state of Alabama, and for good reason...the trail has already been mentioned here, but you can also do a golf trip to Alabama and ignore the trail completely... Farmlinks has the best conditions on the planet, always, period. Augusta national consults the owner for turf care. Read that again if it didn't click...
Ballantrae is the best $60 tee time you can get anywhere.
Limestone Springs has incredible views and better greens than most TPCs...I have played 5 and worked at one.
Highland Park has fairways as good as anywhere and it's one of the most interesting short (par 70) courses in existence, plus it has history... Bobby Jones won his first tournament there.
Timberline is amazing.
And this is all before you get an hour from Birmingham, and ignoring Ross Bridge (the best trail course) and the rest of the RTJ trail. You could go to Birmingham for two weeks, play golf twice a day, and leave looking forward to coming back and playing even more courses than you did on this trip. And your most expensive tee time might be $120-$140 for farmlinks. The rest are under $100.
If you know how to play private courses on vacation (I don't, but I know it can be done) then another 10 world class courses open up...
Shoal Creek is basically Augusta-lite. Greystone is loved by the champions tour players. Birmingham country club has two elite 18's. Old Overton club is a hidden gem that nobody talks about, and on purpose... They keep a low member count intentionally. Mountain Brook CC, Hoover CC, Inverness GC... All fantastic private courses.
Just don't go to the west or north side of Birmingham at night and get out of the car.
Good points all around though sadly farmlinks cost gas absolutely skyrocketed in the last year or two. Cheapest tee time I see on the site for this week is running $220, with most closer to $300.
It also has a decent 36 hole municipal course in Binder Park Golf. And a few other public courses. Marywood, Cedar Creek, Squirrel Hollow (shorter course), Riverside if you don't mind the traffic noise. The Medalist on the outskirts.
All of those are reasonable prices compared to what I see others paying in this sub.
Only issue....you're in Battle Creek. lol
Crossville, TN 9 or 10 golf courses within 15 minutes that you can book golf packages through. Just got back...played 6 rounds and stayed in a comfort suites hotel for a week. Total cost was $1000 not including food and gas. 1.5 hours from Nashville, in the mountains. Replays were about $50 but courses are packed as this is the largest golf retirement community in Tennessee. Some stunning golf holes.
yeah me and three buddies from college usually hit this place at least 1 time per year. we are in Atlanta so only a 3-hour drive. Go up on a Friday to play 18, then 36 at the heatherhurst courses on Saturday and then 18 on the way out back home on Sunday. whole weekend costs like $400.
There's a little belt of Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin that has some AMAZING courses. From Washington County down to Shepherd's Crook...perfect for people in Chicago or Milwaukee looking to avoid the madness and play some nicer courses.
Everything in Lake Geneva (not cheap but great) Glen Erin in Janesville, Edelweiss Golf Club in New Glarus, University Ridge, Monroe Golf Club great bang for your buck, Wolf Hollow in Lena, Then everything in Galena, IL Viroqua Hills.
Pinehurst/SouthernPines isn’t under the radar but it’s actually pretty inexpensive if you don’t play the Pinehurst resort courses and there’s plenty of fantastic non Pinehurst courses in that area. We stayed at Talamore resort a couple years ago (6 nights) and played Talamore, Mid South (twice), Mid Pines, Southern Pines and Tobacco Road. So basically 6 nights of lodging and 6 rounds and the total per person was just over $1100. Talamore even provides breakfast boxes each morning that they drop off at your villa in the morning for each person. And the replay rates were very cheap if I remember correctly (usually around $50). Definitely worth looking into if you can get a group together.
Yep, we used to do a Pinehurst area trip without actually playing Pinehurst courses. Talamore is a very convenient option to base your group package out of
Kamloops/Kelowna in BC (\~2-3hr drive from Vancouver). This place, along with Mesquite/S Utah are the top destinations I've been to so far!
Sagebrush and Tobiano are my favorites... but PLENTY of other really nice courses (Tower Ranch, Predator Ridge, Talking Rock).
The Reno/Tahoe area north of Lake Tahoe CA/NV has 25 golf courses in a 30 mile radius, 35 courses in 50 miles. We do an annual boys trip and are on our 10th year. We play different courses each trip and still haven’t repeated.
As a Grand Rapids local, love to see some recognition. The courses you mentioned aren’t the most expensive ones in the area either and the expensive ones are very nice like pilgrims and meadows. The city is also a great spot for a long weekend. Someone else mentioned on here that the Midwest has great golf but maybe not great accommodations, I think Grand Rapids is the exception there. Could easily stay in Grand Rapids for a long weekend, golf a great course within a 20 minute drive every day, then drive 40 minutes to the beach for the afternoon. Great restaurants all around too.
Just moved up to Milwaukee and I’ve been really surprised at the courses around here. Especially Milwaukee county courses, they’ve got some solid courses from par 3s to really nice and well kept tournament courses
Grand Rapids local here, you were seriously missing out on better places to play around town. Next time you are here, try the below
1) Quail Ridge
2) Boulder Creek
3) Kaufmen
4) Pilgrims Run (30min drive North but worth it)
5) Bowen Lakes
I’m a little bias because I live here but Kansas City, MO has a large selection of public golf courses that are affordable and in great shape. Only issue is how far in advance you can book tee times. Range anywhere from 5-7 days.
Was hoping someone would mention KC. We’ve got some great public courses here. Both sides of the state line and reasonably price.
What are your favorite courses?
St.George, UT
Although that's catching on quick.
I'd also add Salt Lake/Park City area as a whole. Some great courses at good rates within an hour drive.
Salzkammergut in Austria.
Awesome scenery with some really good courses (Bad Ischl, Bad Aussee, Traunsee,...).
Not a city of course, more like a region, but I think no city in Europe can be called a "golf town".
Des Moines metro gets7/10 for public course variety and cost. and, the season has been getting longer and longer.
Within an hour, I count at least 6 good public courses.
Tournament Club of Iowa (Palmer design)
Copper Creek (traditional parkland course)
Otter Creak (links)
The Legacy (rolling hills)
Waveland (classic muni, somewhat historic)
Des Moines Country Club (private, but many outings)
Within 2 hours, IA City enters the picture and brings another 3-4.
Finkbine (U of IA home course)
Blue Top Ridge (resort course)
Brown Deer
Spirit Hollow (miss river bluffs) 3 hours from DSM)
Palmer, Alaska. They have the Palmer Golf Course, which has absolutely gorgeous views, the midnight sun, and only costs $25 for a twilight 18
https://preview.redd.it/ebaa1ovu71zc1.jpeg?width=853&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=432ef45619cf3a17f5aff13cf30914ae40e0a1d6
Basically everywhere in Northwest Michigan. You have The Kingsley club, Arcadia Bluffs, and Crystal Downs, all within 30 minutes of each other. Those are just the ones that land in the top hundred golf courses in the country. You can play 20 other courses within a 30 minute drive that are spectacular (Lochenheath, the bear, The wolverine, the chief, Manitou passage. A-ga-Ming … There are too many to mention).
You could spend an entire week of great courses that cost less than $50 to play. There are so many they have to keep the price reasonable otherwise people don’t show up.
If you thought Grand Rapids was nice, drive an hour and a half north, And it will blow your mind
For MI, Gaylord area has some great courses at reasonable prices. And very much not a destination, but the Lansing area has some great courses too (Eagle Eye, Hawk Hollow, Timber ridge)
British Columbia in Canada. Lots of great options but my personal favorite is the Invermere/Radium/Panorama area, can play some amazing mountain golf at Grey Wolf and Radium, and some beautiful championship courses in the Valley at Copper Point and Eagle Ranch.
Live in Pittsburgh and there are some decent tracks but I was completely blown away by the public courses all over Ohio. The Cleveland muni courses absolutely destroy us.
Rockford, IL or really Winnebago/Boone County as a whole. Are they destination courses with all the fancy amenities? No but they are in good condition, affordable, accessible and are offer a challenge for all skill levels.
Im from a large town/small city called Owensboro, KY. We do not have any fantastic courses. But you can play 18 with a cart after 3 PM for $15 at one of the munis. Others are similarly priced. They aren't super cool, but they are all maintained very well. Greens are actually green, you're almost never hitting off bare dirt in the fairway, rough is at an appropriate length, etc. I'm a bad golfer. I don't need Augusta. There are also a few semi provate clubs that are very nice IMO for less than $50. It's just hard to beat such cheap golf. This town is perfect for me to have a good time for super cheap
Hutchinson Kansas has Prairie Dunes and Crazy Horse (in Highland)! Carey Park is even quite nice! All three are incredibly well maintained and within 20 miles of each other!
Definitely not a destination town, but Jackson MI. Calderon Farms, The Grande, and Pierce Lake (is actually in nearby Chelsea) are great courses for how cheap they are. It's a frequent golf trip for my buddies and I.
Haven't seen it mentioned yet and it's not a town but a state. Nebraska has a ton of world class golf courses throughout. Prairie Club, Wildhorse, the new Landman course just to name a few.
Central Illinois
(Peoria / Bloomington / Pekin)
Right in between Chicago and St Louis with some really great courses that are worth the trip. 👌
Weaver Ridge, Metamora Fields, Lick Creek, The Den
Coyote Creek
Bellevue Nebraska is great for golf. There’s so many courses in the area. Quarry Oaks is about 30-45 minutes away, costs maybe $70, and easily beats some of the $150-200 courses on the coasts.
I was gonna say been around a bunch of tracks near Lincoln and Omaha and the prices are always good. I'd also add Woodland Hills near Lincoln is also a good option for that similar price.
Lake Chelan, WA is a sleeper vacation golf town. First off, its basically the Lake Tahoe of WA state. Granted it is hard to get to as you have to drive from Spokane, Wenatchee or Seattle. In the summer the lake is full of boats, great summer vacation atmosphere, and wineries all over the place. Golf is world-class with Gamble Sands (one of the best courses in the country), Desert Canyon, Bear Mountain. The muni is fun too for an evening round with beverages.
Virginia Beach. I live in DC and I try to go spend a long weekend in Va Beach once/twice a year for golf and fishing. Williamsburg is great too but is more expensive.
Birmingham, AL. Some of the oldest courses in the south. Within 2 hours of 4 RTJ courses while have 3 of them in the city. More public courses than you can count. An hour from Farmlinks. Great golf weather almost year round. It's amazing living here as a golfer.
I know Myrtle Beach is golf heaven, but I just played 4.5 rounds there a few weeks ago and was out for a little over $1,000. Was pleasantly surprised after spending 5-10x more at Pinehurst and Bandon.
For reference played:
True Blue (27 holes) $215
Caledonia $175
TPC Myrtle $125
Pawleys Plantation $175
ABNB $300
Might be biased, but a lot of golf courses here in Ohio seem to be extremely reasonably priced & not too busy. I live in Ashland, Ohio (almost directly between Columbus & Cleveland), and there are 12 courses I could go to within 30 minutes of my house (and that's only going south, I don't usually go north). 18 holes with a cart here will run you about $40 a person with a cart. I typically go for nine holes by myself which is around $25 and there's usually so few people that I can get through in around an hour.
The state of Alabama has the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail - [https://www.rtjgolf.com/](https://www.rtjgolf.com/) - Many beautiful and challenging courses, but also enough tee boxes to accommodate any level of player. Just don't plan a trip there during the summer...
Or do. It'll be hot as balls, so bring your salts and your water, but you won't have any crowds to deal with. EDIT: To be clear, yes, you do have to pay attention to wet bulb temperature (when heat and humidity is physically too high for humans to regulate their body temp through sweat)
Bring my bath salts, got it,
That sounds more like the Florida panhandle.
Yeah, my dad and I did a July trip to Alabama and played 36 a day on the RTJ trail. Rangers were bringing around wet towels to keep people cool, and we obviously drank tons of water and Gatorade, but we had a great time.
Heh...I did a July trip there last year - Grand National and Capital Hill. I live in GA and am a cyclist too, so well-versed in all of the good stuff for the sake of not passing out; will never do a summer trip to RTJ again, despite best efforts to keep electrolytes up/stay cool. We played AM and PM rounds, with showers/lunch in between, and it was absolutely brutal. Yes, no crowds, but definitely not worth the suffering.
I can’t even imagine the swamp ass associated with such a trip.
I am fully convinced the heat is worse in the south than it is in AZ. I've golfed many rounds in 110°+ in AZ and been fine with just Gatorade, sunscreen, and some shade. Heat is nothing compared to the inescapable humidity of some places.
Lol of course it's worse. The humidity makes you feel like you're swimming through the air and you can't catch your breath. Give me 110 of dry heat vs. 95 of humid heat any day of the week.
It’s the humidity. After a certain point your sweat can’t evaporate in the south, where as 110 in Arizona has such low humidity your sweat evaporates quickly and cools you well
> but you won't have any crowds to deal with I'm not sure what RTJ courses you're playing in the summer that aren't crowded, but I live in Alabama and play them routinely. Most of them are packed from 7am to 7pm in the summer.
This is insanely cool. What a great project to promote golf to the entire state!
What’s wild too is it helps pay for the teachers pension fund in Alabama. Was in Birmingham a few years ago and played the Oxmoor Valley, highly recommend, and old guy I was playing with was telling me all about how it worked with the pensions - pretty fascinating set up. would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall back in the day when they pitched the idea of “all right, we’re gonna spend a bunch of money to build golf courses, but it’s gonna pay for the pension fund”
Growing up outside Birmingham I really didn’t appreciate how good I had it playing golf at those courses until I moved away. Highly recommend if you’ve never played RTJ.
Alabama golf is so underrated. It’s a crime that we don’t have a PGA tour event anywhere in the state!
Seconding this. I go every year. My friends make fun of me for going on vacation in Alabama but jokes on them. I get great golf and a house on the gulf shores for under $1000
This is the only golf I know. Very humid. Picked up golf in college in AL, then didn’t pick up a club again until this year. The university golf classes were held at RTJ with their pro. Played a few times and love it there. I’m also in GA now getting back into golf. Any courses you recommend in Greater Atl area that aren’t crazy expensive?
Finding affordable golf in the ATL has gotten very hard. A buddy and I typically keep an eye on deals via [golfnow.com](http://golfnow.com) When the price is right, Governor's Towne Club is a great course, UGA's course is great (but it's a long drive), and Cherokee Run is also nice (but also a drive). I also like Woodmont. I finally threw in the towel and am in the process of joining one of the private clubs in N. Fulton.
I played the tour about 8 years ago, it was spectacular, but if you aren’t a resident of AL, it was far from inexpensive
They also do student discounts for anyone who’s in undergrad/grad school. Takes the round down to very reasonable levels.
The RTJ Trail Card - $50 - helps knock down fees and pays for itself very quickly. [https://rtjgolf.mybigcommerce.com/2024-rtj-trail-card/](https://rtjgolf.mybigcommerce.com/2024-rtj-trail-card/)
You have to be a resident of Alabama or live within 100 miles of an RTJ Trail golf course.
Live about 10 minutes away from Grand National. Beautiful course and reasonably priced (with the trail card). Haven't gotten to check out any others on the trail just yet
Came here to say Muscle Shoals
Can confirm. I played the Ross bridge course in October and it was fantastic.
I second Alabama- Ross Bridge, Oxmoor (ridge) and Pursell Farms are incredible courses.
Last golf trip I took (quite a few years back) was to Williamsburg VA. Lots of quality golf there.
The Gold Course at Golden Horseshoe is one of my favorites.
Loved Golden Horseshoe. We played that in the morning then picked up a tee time for the afternoon at Williamsburg National where we saw NY Giants legend Lawrence Taylor chilling on the patio after his round. We were on a golf trip from NJ so that was exciting, we didn't bother him though.
Second this. Toss in three great courses in New Kent, and you’ve got a golf trip. Stonehouse and Royal New Kent are two Mike Stranz courses that will surely have you tucking your tail between your legs.
Royal new kent is so fun. The very first bunker on I think 10? Is deep as fuck. It’s only 200 to cover from white, but you’re gonna be hitting back to get out. https://cdn.golfcontentnetwork.com/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-16-at-10.54.05-AM.png Also really like how this course visually messes with you. Makes you think you need to hit precise shots or you’re fucked, when there’s room for error just out of sight.
Facts. For a perfect golf trip I think the move is to stay at Kingsmill so you can play there, the LPGA has a tourney there every year. Then the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course is a must. After that, there are another half dozen great value courses you can golf at that are all great. Both 18s at Williamsburg National are fun and a good price, Royal New Kent is good, and Kiskiak is a hidden gem.
Syracuse and Rochester NY. Great golf all over and most are under $50 a round.
Hell yeah, always thought Western/Central NY would be a good locale for the Strapped boys.
Really the whole upstate/western New York region is fantastic. En-Joie in Binghamton hosts a Champions tour event every year and you can play it for under $50. Plus there are tons of memberships available for under $2000 a year.
I live in Hudson Valley and can’t believe how many decent courses there are with membership below $2k.
You must be well north of Westchester!
Saratoga Springs is great destination spot during the summer. Relatively affordable golf and the town is a vibe during track season.
Ssshh, let western NY have this one
Seriously! Saratoga is crowded enough
Absolutely. Lots of great golf for budget prices in Western and Central NY. Rochester: Greystone, Ravenwood, Mill Creek, Blue Heron Hills; lower end worth seeing Wildwood, Durand Eastman, Lima, Livingston, Twin Hills Syracuse: Turning Stone, Timber Banks, Green Lakes Buffalo: Seneca Hickory Stick, Diamond Hawk, Harvest Hill, Whirlpool (ON), Legends on the Niagara (ON), Ivy Ridge
If you want to see your tax dollars at work in WNY go to the municipal run courses. All of them are in great shape by late April and are open well into November.
Let's just say that there is a groundswell of support for restoring Durand Eastman and I know some people that are working behind the scenes to put the project together. When that happens, your statement will *really* ring true.
Then you got courses like glen oak that you can play for $40 after 3 pm. Its a steal
Ravenwood is dooooopeee
I’ll second this. A friend was doing a doctoral program in Rochester and visiting them was a treat. Random golf courses were meticulously maintained, cheap, and really challenging. We must have played fifteen course in the area over the years and had no poor outings related to the courses.
Shhhh keep it a secret 🤫 But yeah we’re cheap golf heaven up here. Green Lakes is a super fun course, as is Battle Island near Oswego.
Most *were* under $50. Greystone and Ravenwood are the top two public’s in Rochester, those are both creeping toward $100 peak. Even Shadow Lake is nearly $70 at peak which is just absurd for a course that should be $40-45 at most.
I think this whole thread really encapsulates the fact that most of middle America has amazing golf for reasonable prices. The coast and big cities/tourist spots should be avoided. I live in Kentucky and the golf here is always nice and cheap
Also from KY. Just did a stay and play at Rosewood Country Club. Nice course
We’ve done KY trips each year for about 8 years. We love it. Rotate between Louisville and Lex. Amazing courses, cheaper, bourbon and awesome underrated food.
Played Wasioto Winds in Middlesboro, KY and it was spectacular. Beautiful, fun, cheap, and not crowded.
Kentucky has a really impressive collection of state park courses, including Wasioto. Dale Hollow is really good, just very remote
Our foursome does the stay and play every year. Kentucky Dam Village, Mineral Mound and Boots Randolph are a great trifecta of courses within 30 mins of each other. Basically comes to $400 a guy for 4 nights and unlimited golf staying in the KDV cottages
Not necessarily true. OP mentioned Myrtle, I go there every year to play golf because my in-laws own a vacation home there. You can play a round for $75 and under and the courses are fairly decent. Sure they have their $200 plus courses to but to say a place like that should be avoided is simply not true. It’s also worth noting that if you’re willing to play a round in the afternoon the price significantly drops there.
The Strapped Model - good golf is all around at a reasonable rate, you just need to go out and find it. With that in mind - about 50 miles around Sacramento is criminally underrated for golf. There is Yocha Dehe, Darkhorse, Apple Mountain, Ancil Hoffman, The Ridge, and more. A lot of these you can play for under $100 on weekends.
Not a golf "destination", but within a 1hr drive of Indianapolis there are dozens of courses, including several ranked in top 100 public courses list. There are also many Pete Dye courses, if you are a masochist. Reasonable (by 2024 standards) pricing... top courses are about $125, very good courses are $50-90
The Fort is next level!
It's a lot of fun. Last time I played was in the middle of Fall, it was kinda a nightmare finding balls. But I learned a new trick by watching the retiree in front of us whip out his battery powered leaf blower to clear the greens. Eagle Creek Sycamore, also a Dye, is almost as challenging but more economical
Fort is a fun place to play for sure. Purgatory, not too far out of Indy, is a "fun" course to play as well. If you're hitting it well you can score, but it can easily be an ass whippin for 4 straight hours too
In 2022, I herniated a disc in my back at Purgatory and never has a course been so appropriately named.
Played it last yesr when I brought my car to town for service. Was lovely. This year River Glen and Plum. River Glen was very nice
Semi local, and I can confirm that Indy golf is pretty top tier for the price. I have several on my list for this year, hopefully playing The Fort this week. Also worth noting is the Brick Boilermaker complex about an hour up 65 and The Warren Course and Blackthorn in South Bend. The last two are a pretty lengthy drive but well worth it. Oh, and Rock Hollow in Peru. Wonderful track in the middle of nowhere. I can write almost an entire thread on courses in this part of the state so forgive my rambling.
I’ve lived in Indy for 8 years, Indiana my whole life. There’s some quality golf around the entire state but yes, Indy is absolutely phenomenal. Anytime I think about becoming a member somewhere I remind myself that I’m playing that course almost exclusively to get my money’s worth, and I just can’t get myself to do it. Even the lower tier courses are fun to play and reasonably priced! Pleasant Run is basically my “home” course at this point, but it can get log jammed pretty easily. Partially the fault of the owners due to tee time intervals, but there’s also quite a few holes where you have to lay up, or it’s a blind shot and you need to drive up and check the area first. Saddle Brook is lower tier imo but I genuinely think it’s an extremely fun course to play. South Grove is always in great condition anytime I’m there and it’s fairly easy and open. Buffer Park is beautiful but only 9 holes so you gotta run it back for a full 18. These are all not even in the top tier of courses around here, but are all reasonably priced and genuinely fun places to play.
French lick is my heaven on earth.
Playing there next week. Can't wait.
Destination is maybe the wrong term! Indy sounds exactly like what I am looking for :) Appreciate it
Go to French Lick while you in the area. I promise you it’s worth it.
I feel like I unintentionally hit the jackpot with living so close to so many highly-rated well priced courses. I will say the difference between pricing on the north side vs the south side is wild.
I’ve played the Fort, Purgatory and Brickyard. What are some of the courses that I’ve missed? Not local but I’m in the area semi frequently.
Bear Slide
THIS. It’s the best course in the “area”
Not OP but look at Prairie View, Trophy Club, and Plum Creek.
I was hoping to see trophy club on here! I think it is the best bang for buck course I’ve ever played
Trophy club is great
Trophy Club is hands down the best bang for your buck. I’ve lived in Boiler country my entire life and always look forward to playing there. BIrck Boilermaker Complex is gorgeous. Another would be Coyote Crossing
Minnesota and Wisconsin in general. So much good golf and definitely not the first places that come to mind when people think golf destinations.
A news story recently came on local stations that said MN is rated number 1 for road quality but not good for golf quality, and Wisconsin was rated number 1 for golf quality but low for road quality. Lol
I live in Wisconsin, can confirm
The Twin Cities are absolutely STACKED with awesome private courses but the public scene is a little lacking. Keller still rules, however.
Braemar, Cannon, Chaska Town Course, Crystal Lake, Eagle Valley, Emerald Greens, Inver Wood, Legends, Loggers Trail, Mississippi National, Oak Glen, Prestwick, Stoneridge, Wilds.. to name a few which are extremely solid options. And don't forget the short trek across the border to Troy Burne, White Eagle, or St Croix. The golf courses are one thing I really miss after moving to L.A. where the courses are packed, dumpy, expensive, and you can't get a tee time.
Stoneridge is such a great course. Also, don’t forget about Rush Creek & Edinburgh on the north side.
Baker National, Ridges at Sand Creek, links of north fork, Willingers, The Jewel, Wild Marsh are also great!
Add in Michigan as well. Traverse City has some good tracks, same with the Michiana through Grand Rapids area. Unfortunately a lot of these are spread out by quite a distance but you can find some surprisingly nice courses in the rural areas far out from major cities or even big towns
The classic at Maddens is not the budget option, but is an unbelievable course I would recommend to anyone
Craguns courses are right there too, both literally and figuratively.
You want the somewhat more affordable version you take the drive up to Biwabik and stay at Giants Ridge
Throw Michigan into this comment
Wisconsin golf is generally affordable and good quality, plus we have some top-tier courses to boot! I still need to play Erin Hills and Whistling Straights
travel to Canada in the summer. Save 30% on exchange.
Definitely hit the sea to sky, furry creek, Squamish, whistler and pemberton BC have great golf courses
the vancouver area has some very nice courses for very cheap
Agree, if you go to Calgary Alberta, you can work your way west into Banff and play some incredible courses.
Albuquerque has some really nice tracks
Straight up. UNM South Course my fave. Sandia Resort views are jaw dropping.
UNM is top notch. Sandia is killer. Paako Ridge is really special. I forget what hole number, but there is a super elevated tee box where you can bomb the stew out of your drive, and card a triple lol
Love Paako and played it fairly often when it was <$125 per round. $225 is crazy. I would rather play Cochiti twice and have enough for lunch!
Dude, I'm in Chicago but going back home to ABQ on Thursday for mother's day and I'm super pumped. Part of that entails squeezing in a few rounds with the old man. Twin Warriors, Santa Ana GC, and Cochiti are on the agenda. Probably try to hit up UNM Sunday afternoon too. Last time we had Towa, Sandia, and Isleta in the mix. Love the golf around Albuquerque/Santa Fe The view from Towa. https://preview.redd.it/zbe9ltwyo2zc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=beb2d47e6154c635c28d3194666fbfe5baeb38e2
Just played Twin Warriors there. beautiful course!
We played Black Mesa last year. Took us an hour drive north from Albuquerque. Absolutely beautiful course for around a $100 bucks. Highly recommend.
Just posted this as well. Did not see your comment. Just did a trip there with a friend. It was awesome. Played Sandia, TW, UNM Championship course. Great trip.
Mesquite NV. Bend Oregon. Spokane WA. Kalispell MT. All have reasonable rates and great golf.
Mesquite is slowly becoming an unkept secret.
Yeah the Mesquite/St George area hasn’t been under the radar in at least 15 years
> Bend Oregon This is my answer, too. Great golf in the morning, drink excellent craft beer in the afternoon/evening.
Extend Bend on out to Black Butte and you got yourself quite the destination.
You keep the flathead out of this, sir. I'd like me reasonable rates to continue.
Is there actually anything in that area that hasn't quintupled in price the last 10 years?
Spokane golf and the surrounding areas have horrible golf courses. Zero fun is had at Palouse Ridge, Circling Raven, and the handful of public owned courses for under $50. Please stay far away.
Yep, I’m sure nobody here would enjoy Latah Creek or Indian Canyon. Such varied terrain, beautiful old trees, and some pretty challenging course features too. Would for sure be too much for any reasonable person.
What's wrong with Palouse Ridge? That was my High School home course, I always thought it was really nice. ...and I just realized you're being sarcastic.
I’m doing my 40th birthday golf trip to Bend this month. Haven’t played there, but I hear great things!
If you’re talking Mesquite might as well lump in southern Utah St George area. Beautiful golf courses all over.
The hotels suck ass in mesquite though and Airbnb is going downhill now that they charge you not only to clean, but also extra if you don't wash all your sheets yourself. The last time I was in mesquite ~2020 the room I was in only had two plugs. If I hadn't brought a USB hub half my shit wouldn't have been able to charge.
Golf is the #1 tourist attraction in the state of Alabama, and for good reason...the trail has already been mentioned here, but you can also do a golf trip to Alabama and ignore the trail completely... Farmlinks has the best conditions on the planet, always, period. Augusta national consults the owner for turf care. Read that again if it didn't click... Ballantrae is the best $60 tee time you can get anywhere. Limestone Springs has incredible views and better greens than most TPCs...I have played 5 and worked at one. Highland Park has fairways as good as anywhere and it's one of the most interesting short (par 70) courses in existence, plus it has history... Bobby Jones won his first tournament there. Timberline is amazing. And this is all before you get an hour from Birmingham, and ignoring Ross Bridge (the best trail course) and the rest of the RTJ trail. You could go to Birmingham for two weeks, play golf twice a day, and leave looking forward to coming back and playing even more courses than you did on this trip. And your most expensive tee time might be $120-$140 for farmlinks. The rest are under $100. If you know how to play private courses on vacation (I don't, but I know it can be done) then another 10 world class courses open up... Shoal Creek is basically Augusta-lite. Greystone is loved by the champions tour players. Birmingham country club has two elite 18's. Old Overton club is a hidden gem that nobody talks about, and on purpose... They keep a low member count intentionally. Mountain Brook CC, Hoover CC, Inverness GC... All fantastic private courses. Just don't go to the west or north side of Birmingham at night and get out of the car.
Good points all around though sadly farmlinks cost gas absolutely skyrocketed in the last year or two. Cheapest tee time I see on the site for this week is running $220, with most closer to $300.
battlecreek michigan has gull lake golf resort which is cheap with nice courses. also a casino in town.
It also has a decent 36 hole municipal course in Binder Park Golf. And a few other public courses. Marywood, Cedar Creek, Squirrel Hollow (shorter course), Riverside if you don't mind the traffic noise. The Medalist on the outskirts. All of those are reasonable prices compared to what I see others paying in this sub. Only issue....you're in Battle Creek. lol
Crossville, TN 9 or 10 golf courses within 15 minutes that you can book golf packages through. Just got back...played 6 rounds and stayed in a comfort suites hotel for a week. Total cost was $1000 not including food and gas. 1.5 hours from Nashville, in the mountains. Replays were about $50 but courses are packed as this is the largest golf retirement community in Tennessee. Some stunning golf holes.
We go there every September
yeah me and three buddies from college usually hit this place at least 1 time per year. we are in Atlanta so only a 3-hour drive. Go up on a Friday to play 18, then 36 at the heatherhurst courses on Saturday and then 18 on the way out back home on Sunday. whole weekend costs like $400.
Nebraska golf is awesome and I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve paid more than $40 for a round with cart
Northeast Ohio. Around Cleveland down to Akron.
NE Ohio is stacked with affordable quality golf courses
Bunch of pretty nice courses near Mentor. Little Mountain Quail Hollow (pretty sure it's private though) Painesville Country Club Lost Nation Manakiki
We just went on a trip to Cleveland & played Pine Hills in Hinckley. Fastest/truest greens I've ever played.
Biloxi MS.
There's a little belt of Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin that has some AMAZING courses. From Washington County down to Shepherd's Crook...perfect for people in Chicago or Milwaukee looking to avoid the madness and play some nicer courses.
Everything in Lake Geneva (not cheap but great) Glen Erin in Janesville, Edelweiss Golf Club in New Glarus, University Ridge, Monroe Golf Club great bang for your buck, Wolf Hollow in Lena, Then everything in Galena, IL Viroqua Hills.
Wisconsin is Golf Paradise
Frederick Maryland has some really good public golf courses. Also a good historic downtown area for food and drinks.
Musket Ridge, Whiskey Creek, Worthington Manor are all excellent. PB, Maryland National, even Little Bennett are all pretty fun times.
Whiskey Creek is a great course. Love that spot.
Add Blue Mash and Waverly Woods to that list
Frederick is awesome. I’ve thought about moving there (live in DC). I love the Eastern Shore too.
Pinehurst/SouthernPines isn’t under the radar but it’s actually pretty inexpensive if you don’t play the Pinehurst resort courses and there’s plenty of fantastic non Pinehurst courses in that area. We stayed at Talamore resort a couple years ago (6 nights) and played Talamore, Mid South (twice), Mid Pines, Southern Pines and Tobacco Road. So basically 6 nights of lodging and 6 rounds and the total per person was just over $1100. Talamore even provides breakfast boxes each morning that they drop off at your villa in the morning for each person. And the replay rates were very cheap if I remember correctly (usually around $50). Definitely worth looking into if you can get a group together.
Yep, we used to do a Pinehurst area trip without actually playing Pinehurst courses. Talamore is a very convenient option to base your group package out of
Southern Pines is one of my favorite courses now. Awesome layouts, just wish the three courses could figure out the halfway house consistency.
Kamloops/Kelowna in BC (\~2-3hr drive from Vancouver). This place, along with Mesquite/S Utah are the top destinations I've been to so far! Sagebrush and Tobiano are my favorites... but PLENTY of other really nice courses (Tower Ranch, Predator Ridge, Talking Rock).
The Reno/Tahoe area north of Lake Tahoe CA/NV has 25 golf courses in a 30 mile radius, 35 courses in 50 miles. We do an annual boys trip and are on our 10th year. We play different courses each trip and still haven’t repeated.
As a Grand Rapids local, love to see some recognition. The courses you mentioned aren’t the most expensive ones in the area either and the expensive ones are very nice like pilgrims and meadows. The city is also a great spot for a long weekend. Someone else mentioned on here that the Midwest has great golf but maybe not great accommodations, I think Grand Rapids is the exception there. Could easily stay in Grand Rapids for a long weekend, golf a great course within a 20 minute drive every day, then drive 40 minutes to the beach for the afternoon. Great restaurants all around too.
Don’t forget our craft beer scene either. Home of Founders and Bells is less and less hour down the road.
Gaylord MI
You a pothead, Focker?
I didn't see this I said Traverse City but anything from Gaylord to Petosky is great
Really the whole state of Michigan.
Harbor springs or Gaylord Michigan.
the amount of quality golf courses in Gaylord is staggering!
Petoskey too. Harbor springs is gorgeous too, heading up there next week.
Just moved up to Milwaukee and I’ve been really surprised at the courses around here. Especially Milwaukee county courses, they’ve got some solid courses from par 3s to really nice and well kept tournament courses
Richmond to Williamsburg area. Several really nice tracks that are reasonable $.
Grand Rapids local here, you were seriously missing out on better places to play around town. Next time you are here, try the below 1) Quail Ridge 2) Boulder Creek 3) Kaufmen 4) Pilgrims Run (30min drive North but worth it) 5) Bowen Lakes
I’m a little bias because I live here but Kansas City, MO has a large selection of public golf courses that are affordable and in great shape. Only issue is how far in advance you can book tee times. Range anywhere from 5-7 days.
Was hoping someone would mention KC. We’ve got some great public courses here. Both sides of the state line and reasonably price. What are your favorite courses?
The ones I find myself most often playing are Dubs Dread, Stone Canyon and Winterstone
Falcon Lakes, Shoal Creek, and Ironhorse are all great public tracks
Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. Both have 5-8 solid courses within a 2-3 hour drive
St.George, UT Although that's catching on quick. I'd also add Salt Lake/Park City area as a whole. Some great courses at good rates within an hour drive.
Salt Lake area has some great courses for decent prices. Old Mill, Bountiful Ridge, Soldier Hollow (Heber), Wasatch, and Mountain Dell. Among others.
Salzkammergut in Austria. Awesome scenery with some really good courses (Bad Ischl, Bad Aussee, Traunsee,...). Not a city of course, more like a region, but I think no city in Europe can be called a "golf town".
Des Moines metro gets7/10 for public course variety and cost. and, the season has been getting longer and longer. Within an hour, I count at least 6 good public courses. Tournament Club of Iowa (Palmer design) Copper Creek (traditional parkland course) Otter Creak (links) The Legacy (rolling hills) Waveland (classic muni, somewhat historic) Des Moines Country Club (private, but many outings) Within 2 hours, IA City enters the picture and brings another 3-4. Finkbine (U of IA home course) Blue Top Ridge (resort course) Brown Deer Spirit Hollow (miss river bluffs) 3 hours from DSM)
Crossville, TN. Great stay and play packages
SW Michigan is a golf paradise. Never realized how spoiled I was until I moved away.
Palmer, Alaska. They have the Palmer Golf Course, which has absolutely gorgeous views, the midnight sun, and only costs $25 for a twilight 18 https://preview.redd.it/ebaa1ovu71zc1.jpeg?width=853&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=432ef45619cf3a17f5aff13cf30914ae40e0a1d6
Basically everywhere in Northwest Michigan. You have The Kingsley club, Arcadia Bluffs, and Crystal Downs, all within 30 minutes of each other. Those are just the ones that land in the top hundred golf courses in the country. You can play 20 other courses within a 30 minute drive that are spectacular (Lochenheath, the bear, The wolverine, the chief, Manitou passage. A-ga-Ming … There are too many to mention). You could spend an entire week of great courses that cost less than $50 to play. There are so many they have to keep the price reasonable otherwise people don’t show up. If you thought Grand Rapids was nice, drive an hour and a half north, And it will blow your mind
For MI, Gaylord area has some great courses at reasonable prices. And very much not a destination, but the Lansing area has some great courses too (Eagle Eye, Hawk Hollow, Timber ridge)
Wow was gonna say GR but you beat me to it. Lots of great golf in west/north Michigan
There’s a lot of small towns in Michigan with random fun tracks for $20-$50
Edmonton Alberta Canada here. Definitely NOT a golf town specifically, but something like 150+ golf courses within an hour drive of the city.
British Columbia in Canada. Lots of great options but my personal favorite is the Invermere/Radium/Panorama area, can play some amazing mountain golf at Grey Wolf and Radium, and some beautiful championship courses in the Valley at Copper Point and Eagle Ranch.
Cincinnati/Dayton Stonelick Hills, Aston Oaks, Elks Run, Beavercreek, TPC Rivers Bend, Pipestone, and Shaker Run
Pittsburgh. Cranberry highlands, olde stonewall, quicksilver
Live in Pittsburgh and there are some decent tracks but I was completely blown away by the public courses all over Ohio. The Cleveland muni courses absolutely destroy us.
Totteridge is excellent as well.
Rockford, IL or really Winnebago/Boone County as a whole. Are they destination courses with all the fancy amenities? No but they are in good condition, affordable, accessible and are offer a challenge for all skill levels.
Ocala, FL. Winston Salem/Greensboro.
Im from a large town/small city called Owensboro, KY. We do not have any fantastic courses. But you can play 18 with a cart after 3 PM for $15 at one of the munis. Others are similarly priced. They aren't super cool, but they are all maintained very well. Greens are actually green, you're almost never hitting off bare dirt in the fairway, rough is at an appropriate length, etc. I'm a bad golfer. I don't need Augusta. There are also a few semi provate clubs that are very nice IMO for less than $50. It's just hard to beat such cheap golf. This town is perfect for me to have a good time for super cheap
Just stay away from Utah. Terrible place for golf!
Williamsburg, Va
Around lake McConaughy in Nebraska
Bayside is beautiful, and one of the most creative courses I’ve played in the last few years
Hutchinson Kansas has Prairie Dunes and Crazy Horse (in Highland)! Carey Park is even quite nice! All three are incredibly well maintained and within 20 miles of each other!
Definitely not a destination town, but Jackson MI. Calderon Farms, The Grande, and Pierce Lake (is actually in nearby Chelsea) are great courses for how cheap they are. It's a frequent golf trip for my buddies and I.
Chicago suburbs. Infinite amount of course
Haven't seen it mentioned yet and it's not a town but a state. Nebraska has a ton of world class golf courses throughout. Prairie Club, Wildhorse, the new Landman course just to name a few.
Central Illinois (Peoria / Bloomington / Pekin) Right in between Chicago and St Louis with some really great courses that are worth the trip. 👌 Weaver Ridge, Metamora Fields, Lick Creek, The Den Coyote Creek
Breezy Point, MN—Baxter, MN—anywhere in this general area.
Also Tower/Biwabik MN. The giants ridge courses kick ass, and the wilderness is great too.
Bellevue Nebraska is great for golf. There’s so many courses in the area. Quarry Oaks is about 30-45 minutes away, costs maybe $70, and easily beats some of the $150-200 courses on the coasts.
Quarry Oaks is currently under renovation but should be back better than ever this fall
I was gonna say been around a bunch of tracks near Lincoln and Omaha and the prices are always good. I'd also add Woodland Hills near Lincoln is also a good option for that similar price.
Plymouth Ma
Lake Chelan, WA is a sleeper vacation golf town. First off, its basically the Lake Tahoe of WA state. Granted it is hard to get to as you have to drive from Spokane, Wenatchee or Seattle. In the summer the lake is full of boats, great summer vacation atmosphere, and wineries all over the place. Golf is world-class with Gamble Sands (one of the best courses in the country), Desert Canyon, Bear Mountain. The muni is fun too for an evening round with beverages.
Virginia Beach. I live in DC and I try to go spend a long weekend in Va Beach once/twice a year for golf and fishing. Williamsburg is great too but is more expensive.
Traverse City MI and surrounding area….summer and fall golf are amazing
Tucson!
Birmingham, AL. Some of the oldest courses in the south. Within 2 hours of 4 RTJ courses while have 3 of them in the city. More public courses than you can count. An hour from Farmlinks. Great golf weather almost year round. It's amazing living here as a golfer.
I know Myrtle Beach is golf heaven, but I just played 4.5 rounds there a few weeks ago and was out for a little over $1,000. Was pleasantly surprised after spending 5-10x more at Pinehurst and Bandon. For reference played: True Blue (27 holes) $215 Caledonia $175 TPC Myrtle $125 Pawleys Plantation $175 ABNB $300
Might be biased, but a lot of golf courses here in Ohio seem to be extremely reasonably priced & not too busy. I live in Ashland, Ohio (almost directly between Columbus & Cleveland), and there are 12 courses I could go to within 30 minutes of my house (and that's only going south, I don't usually go north). 18 holes with a cart here will run you about $40 a person with a cart. I typically go for nine holes by myself which is around $25 and there's usually so few people that I can get through in around an hour.
Any town along the Robert Trent Jones golf trail.