For golf enthusiasts who love early tee times, finding a vacation spot by an award-winning golf course is a dream come true. Even if you prefer to take your swings later in the day, having access to pristine grass just a stone’s throw from a resort’s amenities like their pools, spa and other activities ensures quality time with the family on and off the green.
Here are four of our favorite timeshare resort rentals that seamlessly blend golf, good times, and the comforts of home.
Marriott’s Shadow Ridge — The Villages
Palm Desert, California
The Course: With the Santa Rosa Mountains as your backdrop, keeping your eye on your swing might be challenging while playing the 18-hole championship course at Shadow Ridge Golf Club. But if you can, you’ll be delighted to discover one of Nick Faldo’s best works. The six-time major winner’s first American design is known for its subtle undulations, wide fairways and large, deep sand traps. Inspired by the great sand-belt courses of Australia, Shadow Ridge has been a fixture on the ‘best of’ lists since it opened in 2000 and is considered one of the top public courses in California.
The Digs: One- and two-bedroom villas are the calling card at Shadow Ridge — perfect for a buddy golf vacation or the whole family. Open living spaces complete with in-room fireplaces help you unwind after a tough day of swinging the irons and sitting by one of the property’s two pools.
Marco Island, Florida
The Course: There are two golf courses within 10 miles of this beachfront resort, allowing you to pack more golf into your stay. The Rookery at Marco plays up the area’s shallow wetlands and serves as a haven for wildlife, including blue herons, bald eagles, and alligators. The 7,100-yard course features fast greens and a state-of-the-art GPS yardage system. For another point of view, head to the Hammock Bay Golf Club, where oak tree-lined fairways and breezes from the Gulf of Mexico greet golfers of all levels on a par 72 championship course designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy.
The Digs: A stay at this property means not having to compromise over your love of golf and the beach. For a special treat, opt for a three-bedroom penthouse where you can enjoy all the comforts of home, including a full kitchen, separate living and dining areas and a spacious primary suite while basking in the glow of the setting sun as it fades over the Gulf Coast from your own private balcony.
Scottsdale, Arizona
The Course: Fun is the focus at the Kierland Golf Club, which Golf Digest dubbed one of America’s most cheerful golf courses. With its three nine-hole championship courses, the whole family can get a round in with time left over to enjoy some of Scottsdale’s other famous attractions, like its spas and Sonoran Desert landscapes. The terrain at Kierland is quite hilly, so you’ll get a real kick navigating the topography either by golf cart, on foot or atop a golfboard, which resembles a motorized scooter but with space for your clubs.
The Digs: With villas that can sleep up to eight, two pools (including a recreation pool complete with waterslide) and access to the neighboring Westin Kierland Resort & Spa and its Adventure Water Park, a stay at this property screams family vacation fun. After the kiddos are tucked into bed or before the teens wake up in the morning, take a quiet moment to relish the breathtaking desert vistas outside your window.
Mayan Palace at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta
Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
The Course: With three courses available including The Lakes, a speedy 10-hole, par three, and the Vidanta Vallarta, an 18-hole experience designed by the legendary Greg Norman, Vidanta Nuevo Nayarit-Vallarta is a true golfer’s paradise. Diehard fans of the game might want to book their trip to coincide with the PGA Tour Mexico Open which takes place onsite in April to catch all their favorite players in action. Take note however, access to the Norman course and El Nayyar, the property’s other 18-hole play, is not for the faint of heart. To get there, you must cross a 560-foot-long, 6-foot-wide suspension bridge that links the two sides of the Ameca River. The bridge is so narrow that only one cart can pass at a time, but the ride is absolutely worth it thanks to the jaw dropping views of the Sierra Madre Mountains in the distance.
The Digs: Variety is the name of the game at the Mayan Palace, which sits at the center of the sprawling Vidanta estate in Nuevo Vallarta, providing easy access to a seemingly endless number of amenities across five distinct properties. As a guest, you can choose to spend your downtime luxuriating by the expansive pool while listening to the crashing waves of the Pacific just beyond your lounge chair, grab a tube and amble down the lazy river, get in some thrills at the aqua park or bodysurf in the wave pool. When you’re feeling peckish, there are no shortage of options, from swim up bars, to beachside food truck fare, authentic Mexican eats, and fine dining from all corners of the world.
Want more inspiration for your next golfing trip? Check out these additional locations or get in touch with us to help you find the perfect getaway by the green.
