Anyone who loves golf and travel has a few bucket list golf courses on their minds, like The Old Course at St. Andrews or Pebble Beach. But when you are truly devoted to traveling the world to play golf, you start to crave new challenges. Here are our top five up-and-coming golf destinations to add to your list for 2020.
See the Best of Mexico in Cabo San Lucas
Beach trips in Mexico are basically an American way of life. The resorts at Cabo San Lucas especially offer luxury accomodations and world-class golf options set in stunning natural beauty. The architects of Rancho San Lucas vowed to take that into account when building their new beachfront links-style course. The Greg Norman Signature Course works with both the natural layout and the fact that the Mexican weather is not the same as golf’s originating landscape of Scotland. The end result is a challenging course that will surely elevate the level of play in Los Cabos. And the accompanying private resort community is one more reason to add this destination to your list of golf adventures.
Find a Modern Paradise in Thailand
Thailand has long been a popular destination for anyone looking to spend some time in a tropical paradise while enjoying a laid back vacation. It’s no wonder that golf is a growing industry there, since the sport fits right in with a leisurely lifestyle. The beautiful Siam Country Club Pattaya offers four similarly beautiful courses, so you can spend an entire week at the resort playing and relaxing. We’re particularly looking forward to the new Rolling Hills course, which opened in January 2020 as a distinctly modern offering. Already one of the premier golf destinations in Thailand, the course adds a new level of challenge with fewer distractions, thanks to the lack of real estate surrounding it. They’re already touting hole 15 as “The Wall of Death”, a double zig-zag fairway that slopes uphill with a 19-foot bunker between you and the green, just to keep things interesting.
Explore a New Corner of Europe in Portugal
Traveling to the British Isles to play golf is a standard for any golf lover, but more and more, we’re seeing our American clients add on a few days in neighboring countries to add to the experience. Portugal is growing in popularity, offering warm, sunny weather as an antidote to the stormier Scottish or Irish weather. As a rare woman-designed course, West Cliffs outside Lisbon boasts expert design by Cynthia Dye McGarey, who grew up coloring golf maps in the office of her father and uncle, Anderson and Pete Dye. Her goal to preserve the natural beauty of the landscape has resulted in a beautiful ocean-side links that keeps local ecology in mind. The accompanying five-star resort extorts you to get out into wild nature, and you may just feel that vibe as you’re teeing off.
Lose Your Breath on the Cliffs in Bulgaria
The Black Sea may not come to mind first as a luxury beach getaway, but you should bump it up on your list. Bulgaria is an underrated destination in Eastern Europe, and not just for the seaside relaxation options. Links-style golf is a natural fit for the breathtaking seaside cliffs that make up the Gary Player Signature Golf Course at Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort, for instance. The Black Knight himself has predicted that the course will become one of the top courses in the world, and it’s certainly the crown jewel in the three courses on Cape Kaliakra. Already a resort destination unto itself, the new course makes Thracian Cliffs a must-play for luxury travelers and golf enthusiasts.
Experience Charm and Culture in Italy
Rome is already a prime spot for world travelers, and golf lovers can add the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club to their list of reasons to visit. While we love the Lake Como and Lake Maggiore golf resorts for a full escape from the city, Marco Simone is a delightful way to play some challenging golf while staying within reach of the Coliseum. And as the official host of the 2022 Ryder Cup, we’re sure to see more about the club in the coming years.
As a new year and a new decade, 2020 is a perfect time to upgrade your golfing bucket list with these five new, beautiful courses in exciting locales.
