Depending on which side of the out-of-the-bounds fence you’re on, golf can be an attraction or detraction when it comes to places to live.
If you love to play, the access to quality courses or an abundance of choices might influence where you move or buy a house. If you don’t play, watching golfers search for balls by your back yard along the third fairway probably isn’t enticing.
Selecting a city or region as the best spot for golf is subjective. Is cost a factor? How about playability? Do you want to live in a place where you can golf in January as well as June? Or does a six-month season suit you fine? Those last two questions are important because states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have some of the most scenic courses in the country, but you can’t play until late April at the earliest and have to pack up your clubs around Halloween. Studies also show that those three states, in addition to other less-populated ones in the Northeast, have the most golfers and/or courses per capita in the country. Who knew?
But if year-round access is what you want, you can’t go wrong with these cities:
Phoenix/Scottsdale
There are more than 200 courses in the Valley of the Sun, so you don’t have to drive far to find strips of green turf amidst all the desert vegetation. The heat is on – really on! – for about five months of the year, but desert golf can really grow on you as long as you don’t get too close to the sharp-needled growing things that border many fairways. The metropolitan area is a haven for golf tourists, with a number of upscale resort courses. But there also are plenty of mid-level and municipal options. And when the temperature is at its seasonal highest, the green fees are at their lowest.
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
With more than 120 golf courses and 4 million-plus rounds played there over the years, Myrtle Beach is known for its golfing prowess. While many of the rounds are played by visitors, savvy residents know the best places and times to play. And even if you don’t want or have time to tee it up on a regulation course, you can always work on your putting or have some family fun at one of Myrtle Beach’s estimated 60 miniature golf courses. Don’t laugh. This can be some pretty serious stuff. Hawaiian Rumble Miniature Golf plays host to the annual U.S. Pro-Mini-Golf Masters Championship.
San Diego
The community that bills itself as America’s Finest City has some of the country’s finest golf courses as well. It’s also home to most of the major club manufacturers, so the golf industry is important to the region’s economy, and it shows. San Diego and the surrounding area have more than 80 golf courses, and the variety of layouts is diverse enough to satisfy all skill levels. Desert golf courses are common on the east side of the region, whereas tree-lined and parkland-style layouts are predominant in the heart of the area and closer to the coast. Torrey Pines is one of only two courses that border the Pacific Ocean, but it’s also one of only a few in the country that annually plays host to a PGA Tour event and is open for public play.
Orlando/Kissimmee, Fla.
This is no Mickey Mouse location when it comes to golf. The area best known for DisneyWorld also has some pretty spectacular golf courses, including some where the pros practice and play. With nearly 50 courses to choose from, the Orlando/Kissimmee area has options for all levels of players. Those who’ve made friends in high places and invested well can even try to get a tee time with Arnold Palmer, but you’ll probably have to join the club. The golf legend’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge is a private facility that plays host to the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational each year.
Albuquerque, N.M
With an elevation of more than 5,300 feet, Albuquerque has to be high on the list of great golf cities, right? That thin air also can be an ego boost for golfers because well-struck shots fly farther in the thin air. The biggest city in the Land of Enchantment has some nice courses within the city limits, but many of the best options are a short drive away. One course that takes advantage of the region’s rugged landscape is Paa-Ko Ridge. Even if you’re not playing from the back tees, walking back – and up – to those tee boxes provides spectacular views of a region that is both spiritual and enchanting.
Palm Springs, CA
The cities of La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage and Bermuda Dunes often get lumped in with neighboring Palm Springs, and we’re doing that here when it comes to great golf cities. The Coachella Valley has more than 130 courses and, much like Phoenix and Scottsdale, the region is known for tourists and people from the north with second homes. There are a number of golf-centric communities in the area, and the public-playing options include courses that have been part of the annual Bob Hope Classic on the PGA Tour and others that have played host to the Skins Game.
Dallas/Fort Worth
From Bear Creek to Z Boaz, there are more than 90 golf courses in the Texas region commonly referred to as the Metroplex. Yee haw! The public options include Cowboys Golf Club, the first NFL-themed golf course in the country that was the brainchild of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Las Vegas
Including Sin City in an article on best golf cities to live in might seem odd, given the recent housing problems and all. But close your eyes. It’s Las Vegas. Anything is possible, and home prices are fairly cheap now. Not all golf course green fees are (have a spare $500 to play Steve Wynn’s luxurious layout?), but with more than 40 courses within the city limits and that many just a short drive away, there are plenty of options for golf lovers here. Walk onto the grounds of some and you won’t even know you’re in Las Vegas, or anywhere near a desert for that matter. The best spot for that escape could be Royal Links Golf Club, a facility less than 10 miles from The Strip with all 18 of its holes designed to pattern some of the famous holes from 11 British Open rotation courses.
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