As summer tees off, our Forbes Travel Guide editors can’t stop thinking about the great golf tournaments the season has in store. We especially love the events hosted at our Star-Rated hotels and resorts, so we picked three that are worth a trip this summer. All three are hot tickets (and some are sold out), so read on for our insider tips on getting in and what to do when you’re there.
The Greenbrier Classic — July 2-8
For the third consecutive year, The Greenbrier Classic is attracting high-profile golfers (Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be there), this time over the week of the Fourth of July. Though the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel is completely booked during the tournament by players and sponsors, it’s still easy to make the trip. The Greenbrier shuttles guests to and from its sister resort, The Resort at Glade Springs — book one of the hotel’s packages and your weekly grounds badge is included. The pass will also get you into the three-night concert series with performances by stars including Toby Keith, Rod Stewart and Bon Jovi. The West Virginia hotel feels like a fitting place to spend Independence Day — 26 presidents have visited.
PGA Championship — Aug. 9-12
In the end, it all comes down to this August tournament. The 2012 PGA Championship will be take place at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. The resort, located outside Charleston, S.C., is also home to the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Sanctuary hotel. Though the PGA has booked all of The Sanctuary’s rooms and nearly all of the tickets are sold out, diehard golfers can still get in. Some Charleston hotels (such as Wentworth Mansion and Andrew Pickney Inn) are offering packages with tickets included, plus some tickets for the first day of the tournament are still available, along with passes to the practice rounds. Once you’re in, you don’t have to worry about the course being overcrowded — only 30,000 spectators are permitted per day.
U.S. Women’s Open — July 2-8
Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisc. is reverting back to its single-course layout just for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open — making it one of the longest courses ever for the event. The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star accommodations at the resort’s The American Club come complete with a Five-Star spa. And tickets are affordable, starting at $15 for the practice rounds — the resort also offers several packages with tickets included. The American Club is welcoming families to the event, too — a visit can include celebrating the Village of Kohler’s 100th anniversary with fireworks and concerts. If you’re bringing a group, consider booking the resort’s newest addition, the secluded Sandhill cabin just a few miles from The American Club and Blackwolf Run.
Photo courtesy of Kohler Co.
