While parts of Canada wait for their first snowfall (others have already had it), many Canadian golfers turn their attention to southern courses to pursue their passion.
With that in mind, here are five golf destinations worth considering this winter:
Streamsong, Florida
Hidden away from the throngs of children descending on Orlando and Disney and from tourists in search of sun-kissed beaches is one of the most ambitious and intriguing golf projects to open in recent memories.
In an area known for table-flat courses, man-made ponds and condo-filled vistas, a completely different kind of course has being realized in Streamsong, a 36-hole facility with courses designed by Tom Doak and Bill Coore and design partner Ben Crenshaw.
It has received extremely high marks both for its unique design in the sunshine state, and for the fact it’s situated on an old phosphate mine, part of a growing movement to make golf more “green.”
The difference between Streamsong, located about a half hour south of Lakeland in central Florida, and its competitors is apparent from the moment you drive up the winding laneway toward the clubhouse. Dwarfed by massive sand dunes, it sits on the edge of both courses in a landscape where expansive sandy waste areas give way to rising dunes. The overall effect conveys the majesty of the sand hills of Nebraska kissed by the Irish coast.
Take a caddie, walk the fairways and check out the resort’s new 200-room lodge, which opened last year.
Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
I didn’t realize Teeth of the Dog opened in the year of my birth until I started doing some reading in recent days. I guess great things happened in 1971 — or at least a great golf course has stood the test of time.
Pete Dye’s Teeth of the Dog is the second highest-rated course on Golf Magazine’s list of the Top 100 in the world , sitting behind Whistling Straits. Set in an exclusive resort, Teeth has seven or eight truly exceptional ocean holes, holes that I’d say rival many of the great ocean courses in the world (Turnberry, Pebble, Cypress, etc.). And even the inland holes off the water have their charm—an indication that Teeth of the Dog is quite extraordinary.
The resort is one of the best I’ve visited — the golf facilities are top notch, and the small hotel in the midst of a much larger real estate development is charming, with unique facilities. Add in two additional golf courses (the revamped Links and the 27-hole Dye Fore) and you have one of the best golf resorts in the world.
Bandon Dunes, Oregon
Can’t escape to Bandon in the summer because of other commitments? Consider the shoulder season for this resort, which many consider the best in the world. Yes, you can play year-round at Bandon when the rates fall and the resort is much less busy.
Of course everyone has their favorite at Bandon. Some like the boldness of Bandon Dunes, while others enjoy the varied topography of Bandon Trails. Old Macdonald’s classic template holes often generate buzz from those who love old-school golf. For me, Pacific Dunes remains the best. It is the remarkable variety in architect Tom Doak’s design that make the course—back-to-back par threes to start the back nine, holes that play hard along the cliffs, and a routing that teases players by taking them to the ocean, only to move to inland holes that are every bit the equal of those on the water. It is pure golf – an overused term that rightfully refers to all of Bandon’s courses.
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Here’s a golf destination that doesn’t get much discussion, but warrants further exploration for its uniqueness and affordability. Hidden in the deepest of the Deep South is a travel destination that mixes history, golf and gambling to create something wonderful and unique. While it may not have the traditional golf appeal of Florida, Mississippi’s Gulf Coast is a good choice for the traveller or golfer looking for something a little off the beaten path.
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It should also appeal to Canadians, because getting there is easy, with direct flights from Toronto to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, and numerous connections through Atlanta.
Once there, you will find an area that has been working hard to appeal to tourists. The crystal-white beaches were always present, but over the past decade the real draw of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast has become golf and gambling, or gambling and golf, depending on your preference.
The range of golf courses has improved since Great Southern Golf Club, a sporty layout designed by Donald Ross in 1908, was the only course on the scene. While Great Southern is still the place to find those who like to play high-stakes golf, visitors are more likely to be drawn to some of the area’s newer offerings, such as Arnold Palmer’s The Bridges at Casino Magic, The Oaks Golf Club or Davis Love III’s Shell Landing, a terrific design that is the best of the bunch.
Varadero, Cuba
One of only two courses in Cuba, with the other being a nine hole course in Havana, Varadero does about 32,000 rounds, all in six months. Then the Canadians go home and golf ends.
Created by Canadian Les Furber, the course is sporty and interesting. At its best, there are three really strong holes with nice topography — the 8th, a mid-length par three with a well-protected green perched near the ocean; the 17th, a long par three of 215-yards that played slightly uphill and downwind, and the 18th, a 400-yard par four hard on the ocean with some interesting bunkering, contours and a good skyline green site.
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