Playing golf together can be the perfect romantic activity, especially when surrounded by spectacular scenery. Suppose you’re a couple who likes to golf. In that case, these top-rated golf destinations include the opportunity to play a beautiful course while enjoying many other activities as well, from spending time on idyllic beaches and tropical islands or sailing the seas and taking to the skies in a hot-air balloon to wine-tasting and exploring historic ruins.
Whether you prefer to stay closer to home or looking for an epic adventure thousands of miles away, there’s the perfect place for you and your loved one on this list.
Sedona, Arizona
There are so many things to do in Sedona, including spectacular golf from Sedona Golf Resort where you’ll play beneath the shadow of Bell Rock to the Oak Creek Country Club with its picturesque views and player-friendly course. This town is surrounded by stunning red rock formations, located just two hours north of Phoenix, and offers many other things for couples to do as well, including miles and miles of scenic hiking and biking trails, Jeep tours, hot-air balloon rides, art galleries to browse, pampering spa treatments to indulge in, and memorable fine dining. You’ll find a wide array of luxurious resorts for a romantic stay as well, complete with beautiful pools and jaw-dropping red rock views.
Matauri Bay, New Zealand
New Zealand is worth the long-haul flight as one of the world’s most magnificently stunning countries. It offers everything from soaring mountains, glaciers, fjords, and surreal Easter egg-blue lakes to endless vineyards, wild beaches, and world-class golf. Kauri Cliffs is considered one of the best golf resorts on the planet, with 15 holes offering ocean views, six of which are played right along the cliffs while the scenic inland holes wind through forest, marsh, and farmland. You’ll have a long list of things to do nearby, with everything from wine-tasting tours to sailing in the Bay of Islands with its idyllic sandy beaches, secluded bays, and abundant wildlife, including whales, dolphins, and penguins.
Banff, Alberta, Canada
You’ll be surrounded by awe-inspiring views in Banff, including while playing the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course, which includes two 18-hole golf courses backed by the dramatic mountain scenery and lined with pine forests. While you’re here, you can do everything from hiking scenic trails and spending time at the area’s gem-like lakes to taking a ride on the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain. In the village of Banff, one of Canada’s most charming mountain towns, you’ll find nearly endless opportunities for shopping and dining, too.
Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico
If you’re looking for a getaway with outstanding golf, beaches, and much more, Loreto offers a laid-back alternative to Cabo. A small town along the Sea of Cortez in the Sierra de la Giganta, it has its own airport, and it’s a Pueblo Magico, a title given exclusively to Mexican towns for their remarkable cultural authenticity, heritage, and charm. The historical center is incredibly picturesque, with colonial buildings like the 17th-century Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, and just a short drive away is the breathtaking TPC Danzante Bay Golf at the Islands of Loreto. The 18-hole masterpiece boasts jaw-dropping views over Loreto Bay National Park, lush valleys, arroyos, dunes, and cactus-dotted foothills. When you’re ready to play in the crystal-clear turquoise water, enjoy everything from swimming and snorkeling to kayaking and some of the world’s best whale watching in the winter.
Tralee, Ireland
Ireland is renowned for its stunning golf courses like Tralee Golf Club, which offers breathtaking views above postcard-perfect stretches of sand and azure waters, while the deep hollows and towering dunes provide an ideal setting for greens and fairways. Located in County Kerry you’ll be in a prime location for enjoying many of Ireland’s most spectacular attractions, from Killarney National Park to the Dingle Peninsula, which is jam-packed with historic sites while offering quintessential Irish views that include vibrant green mountains crossed by stone fences and dotted with thatched white-washed cottages, while dramatic cliffs touch down to the cobalt blue Atlantic.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of the prettiest beach towns in America, home to the more than a mile-long Carmel Beach and many other stretches where you can watch for dolphins and see dozens of sea otters floating by while surfers ride the waves. Some of the world’s best golf courses are nearby, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, where you can play while enjoying the sights and sounds of the crashing waves. Afterward, back in downtown Carmel, you’ll find art galleries, boutiques, wine-tasting venues, and fine dining restaurants.
Big Island, Hawaii
With idyllic weather, plenty of oceanfront balconies, vast fields of dark lava, white sandy beaches, lush tropical greenery, and over 20 outstanding golf courses, the Big Island offers a perfect couples’ golf escape. The top-rated Kona couples resort, Mauna Kea, is one of the most breathtaking golf courses in all of Hawaii, frequently ranked as the No. 1 course in the state with gorgeous views of Puako Bay and just 26 miles north of Kona Airport. Some holes are right along the Pacific, while others are on cliffs 300 feet above. The signature third hole is especially impressive, with a tee box overlooking the ocean inlet. Nearby is one of the best beaches on the Big Island, Kapuna, which is ideal for sunbathing and snorkeling with sea turtles.
Great Abaco Island, Bahamas
The Bahamas offers tranquil and stunning shorelines with some of the world’s most beautiful white sandy beaches. The Abacos, a 120-mile-long island chain in the Northern Bahamas, is home to some of the most accessible of the Out Islands and boasts both white and pink stretches of sand, four national parks home to exotic marine life, parrots, and orchids, as well as the famous swimming pigs. On Great Abaco Island, you’ll find the renowned Abaco Club on Winding Bay, a Scottish-style links course that edges a large beach with powdery soft sands and brilliant turquoise water. All 18 holes of this world-renowned golf resort blend beautifully into the natural setting, while the 18th sits 60 feet above the surf.
Palm Coast, Florida
One of the best places to visit in North Florida, Palm Coast is home to tranquil beaches, glorious sunrises, outstanding alfresco dining, and two of the best public golf courses in Florida. Located at Hammock Beach, they include the Conservatory Course that fuses British-style links with rococo architecture, waterfalls, streams, marshes, and wave-like greens. The Ocean Course includes six holes right along the Atlantic.
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
If you’re thinking Southern escape, Kiawah Island is a top spot for golf with the Kiawah Island Golf Resort offering five public courses, including the renowned Ocean Course. It’s hosted multiple PGA championships and offers breathtaking ocean views, although the island’s other courses are highly regarded, too. Cocktail sipping and fine dining are available here, and you might enjoy some time in nearby Charleston, too. It offers many opportunities for romance, from strolling the streets of the Historic District with its grand mansions to enchanting carriage rides.
St. Andrews, Scotland
A bucket-list trip for golfers around the world, St. Andrews is located on Scotland’s east coast, providing access to sandy beaches and the North Sea, but it’s best known as the birthplace of golf, with the sport first played on the links here in the early 15th century. The Old Course is the oldest and one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world and has influenced the development of the game as it’s known today, including the standard of 18 holes. Despite its status, it remains a public course that’s open to all. If you can’t get a tee time there, you’ll have six other courses to choose from, each of which is open to the public. Plus, the town itself offers quite a few attractions, like the eye-catching ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral with its medieval dungeon, in addition to the opportunity to spend time at the beach.
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Cabo offers many beautiful beaches and spectacular golf courses, including Puerto Los Cabos, which boasts some of the world’s most stunning oceanfront holes. Most can be found along the Los Cabos Tourist Corridor, a 20-mile stretch linking San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas, which also hosts many of the area’s most luxurious resorts. In addition to great golf and gorgeous stretches of sand, couples can enjoy ATV tours, horseback riding, deep-sea fishing, and winter whale watching. There are lavish spas for pampering treatments and a wide array of shopping and dining options too.
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert has long been a popular vacation destination for those who want to soak up the sun and enjoy the delights of some spectacular resorts with gorgeous pools, fine dining restaurants, and great golf. There are over 100 public, semi-private, and private courses in Palm Desert and the surrounding area, including Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, and the Coachella Valley. If you want to enjoy outdoor adventure beyond the course, Joshua Tree National Park is less than 40 miles away.
Scottsdale, Arizona
If luxurious spas, gorgeous pools, fine dining, and some of the world’s top golf courses with abundant sunshine that allows for year-round play sound like your kind of trip, consider a couples’ getaway to Scottsdale. You’ll find some of the best golf resorts that offer all of the above, along with destinations like the Troon North Golf Club. British Open-inspired, it includes two courses with elevated greens drawing golfers from across the globe. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is the long-term home of the Phoenix Open and one of the most popular in the state, designed to test the world’s best players.
