The St. Regis Monarch Beach
Photo Courtesy of Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide
Fall is no time to put away your golf clubs. In fact, the weather and conditions for a round or two at the pristine courses found at ultra-luxury resorts is ideal this time of year. Here are six posh places for an extravagant autumn golf getaway.
Four Seasons Resort Nevis
If the gorgeous tropics of the West Indies aren’t enough to get you to book a flight, then this luxury resort’s Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course should do the trick. You’ll get views of the resort, nearby St. Kitts and the serene Caribbean while you make your way around the challenging greens, which is surrounded by jungle-like foliage at some points. Four Seasons is all about upping your game, too — book a lesson with a pro or hit up one of two free golf clinics in between tee times. (All of this and much more are a part of the hotel’s Caribbean Golf Vacation package.) After a morning round, retreat to one of the four luxury beach houses (kind of like upscale cabanas) and relax until sunset.
The 8th Hole at Full Cry, Photo Courtesy of Keswick Hall
Keswick Hall and Golf Club
This Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Charlottesville, Virginia, retreat cares as much about greens as it does grandeur. So, when it was time to breathe new life into Keswick, officials did the only logical thing — they sought the help of legendary course designer Pete Dye. And it’s a great thing they did because the icon’s fingerprint is all over Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club; expect to see penal bunkers, hazards and jaw-dropping approaches at nearly every hole. Folks in your foursome will debate whether the deer sighting on 1 was more memorable than the view of the sun-kissed clubhouse off in the distance at 18. No one will argue that the Pete Dye Golf package (a one-night stay, two rounds of golf and breakfast) makes for one of the smartest plays of the season.
Grace Bay Club Villas
This resort has what Turks and Caicos dreams are made of — infinity pools, an oceanfront massage tent, acres of white sand beaches and 24-hour personal concierge service. The neighboring golf course is equally impressive. Provo Golf Club, located just a half mile from the resort, is 18 championship holes of lush island vegetation. And when we say you’ll see a lot of birdies along the way, we mean that literally; flamingos, egrets and heron make the course’s inland lakes home. On top of that, there are four sets of tees, so golfers of all levels can enjoy the course and the breathtaking tropical landscape.
The St. Regis Monarch Beach
Mixing a Scottish-style links course with endlessly pretty views of the Pacific Ocean, Monarch Beach Golf Links at the Five-Star resort is a true golfer’s delight. A visit to the par-70 championship course comes with lots of perks, including a special program for teaching kids the game, a top-notch first-tee restaurant, Club 19, and an opportunity to book a “waterman forecaddie” who can carry out all the regular caddie duties plus advise you on all things water-related (reserving a stand-up paddle board lesson, informing you of the current ocean temperature). Bonus to book sooner rather than later: Through November 23, golfers can take advantage of reduced rates while the course recovers from late October’s routine maintenance.
Harbour Town’s Fabulous Fairways, Photo Courtesy of The Sea Pines Resort
Inn & Club at Harbour Town
Hilton Head residents, visitors and PGA players heaved a collective sigh of relief after the famed Harbour Town Golf Links in The Sea Pines Resort reopened this fall after several months of renovations. The course, which hosts the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage tourney every April, had its tee boxes, fairways and rough replaced with hi-tech, warm-weather grass and also had a new irrigation system installed. What that means for you is better playability year-round. You will also want to swing through the new Harbour Town Clubhouse at the Four-Star resort. The March-opened building features a Tour-quality locker room, a portrait gallery of past RBC Heritage winners and the fabulous Links restaurant, where you can take in sweeping views of the course while dining on classic American fare.
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Lush Lowcountry landscapes were the focus when course designer Tom Fazio created the Osprey Point Golf Course inside this Five-Star island getaway. Marshy with natural lakes and thick forests of palmettos, pines and oaks, the course was renovated in the fall of 2014. Originally designed as a private members-only club, the course now welcomes golfers across the board to have a good time — especially if everyone is headed to the clubhouse for cocktails after finishing their round. This fall is the ideal time to take advantage of a refresh that included a new practice green, laser-leveled tee boxes, rebuilt bunkers and new fall merchandise in the pro shop. And while there’s plenty to gawk over at the golf course, you will want to save time for a service at the Five-Star spa. The fittingly named Kiawah Golf Ball Massage employs a golf ball to ease kinks during a deep-tissue massage.
