GRGS

Golf Trips

Where should the group go?

Start with the trip you want, not a pile of booking tabs. GRGS shows the golf, travel, costs, tradeoffs, and what to do next.

Where can I go? Coming to West Michigan?

Pick the shape

What sounds good right now?

Nearby road tripsA shorter drive from West Michigan, not an all-day haul.Chase winter golfLook beyond a West Michigan winter. Check conditions before you go.Major destination tripsTravel farther when the golf is the reason to go.Golf + beachMake room for the coast alongside the rounds.

All destinations

Choose a place to see the full trip picture.

Trip Draft · Round 1

Cut one.

Three made the board. Drop the one your group would regret least, then let GRGS compare the final two.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach

Getting there
About 14.5–17 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area, depending on route. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Abundance creates decision complexity; more choice is not automatically a better trip.
Open the guide

Santee, South Carolina

Santee

Getting there
About 13 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Trip length
Published plans include 3 nights + 3 rounds and a 4 Day Villa Sampler (3 nights + 4 rounds).
Published cost
2026 guide: Santee National 3 nights + 3 rounds with cart was $324 pp for Jan 1–Feb 4, 2026 (that window has passed; other 2026 seasonal prices published). 2027 rates not yet seen.
The catch
Less resort prestige and fewer famous names in exchange for value.
Open the guide

Pinehurst, North Carolina

Pinehurst

Getting there
Not verified here.
Trip length
2-night minimum for Nos. 2, 4, 10 and 11; many weekends require 3 nights mid-March through mid-November.
Published cost
Current published Bed Breakfast & Golf premiums: $250 for No. 2; $125 for No. 10 and No. 11. Rates vary by lodging and date; no single price.
The catch
Premium cost and minimum stays in exchange for heritage and experience.
Open the guide

The Trip Call

Too close to call.

GRGS would not force a winner from these finalists yet. Your shortlist is legitimate, but the current context does not separate them cleanly.

What changes it: Group size, dates, budget, travel tolerance, and whether the trip is golf-first or golf-plus can change the call.

This compares only the destinations you saved, using the trip context you selected and published GRGS evidence. It is not a sponsored ranking.

Stuck between these?

Hand GRGS the shortlist. We’ll use your group, dates, budget context, and travel tolerance to help shape the decision.

Help us choose

Gulf Shores, Orange Beach & Fort Morgan, Alabama

Gulf Shores / Orange Beach

Golf + beach, multi-course basecamp

Best fit
Groups wanting off-course beach time and multiple public-access choices.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
A beach trip with golf, not the same product as the RTJ Trail's golf-system depth.
Explore Gulf Shores / Orange Beach

Alabama (multiple sites)

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Trail system, winter value

Best fit
Groups planning multi-round, trail-style or winter-value trips.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
About 11–13 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area to the Birmingham-area Trail sites, depending on route. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Published cost
Winter 2026–27 (Nov 16, 2026–Mar 7, 2027): 2 Days or More from $85 pp/day with cart + range balls (higher at Ross Bridge/Lakewood); Winter Magic $200 (Oxmoor Valley + Ross Bridge); Winter Swing $216 (Magnolia Grove + Lakewood).
The catch
Sites are spread out; site choice decides how much time goes to driving.
Explore Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale

High-choice desert winter-sun market

Best fit
Groups who want to choose from a premium-to-value spectrum.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Abundance: the city is many trips, not one. Basecamp choice decides the trip.
Explore Scottsdale

Coachella Valley, California

Greater Palm Springs / Indian Wells

High-density desert winter-sun market

Best fit
Groups valuing resort golf and Palm Springs off-course experience.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Many choices; the basecamp decides the trip.
Explore Greater Palm Springs / Indian Wells

Central Florida

Streamsong

Architecture-first winter compound

Best fit
Architecture-first golfers who accept premium winter golf cost.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Published daily golf (resort / guest): Oct 1–Dec 14, 2026 $375/$425; Dec 15, 2026–Jan 13, 2027 $315/$365; Jan 14–Apr 30, 2027 $395/$445. Cart fees $35 additional; caddie fees published separately.
The catch
A simpler decision than Scottsdale, at materially higher golf cost in prime winter.
Explore Streamsong

Lake Oconee, Georgia

Reynolds Lake Oconee

Premium resort compound, golf + lake

Best fit
Groups wanting concentrated golf plus resort and lake amenities.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Current published Stay & Play 18 from $490 non-peak / $545 peak, single occupancy, per person; varies by occupancy and accommodation.
The catch
Premium resort pricing; compare with Sea Island or Pinehurst, not value road trips.
Explore Reynolds Lake Oconee

Sea Island, Georgia

Sea Island

Premium coastal resort

Best fit
Groups for whom service, lodging and off-course experience matter alongside golf.
Trip length
Three-night minimum; parties of 11 or fewer under the cited offer.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Service-heavy premium resort; value is not the point.
Explore Sea Island

French Lick, Indiana

French Lick

Closer premium weekend

Best fit
Groups who care more about golf quality than volume or value, and want a shorter trip.
Trip length
Two nights or a weekend.
Getting there
About 7 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area · roughly 337–394 road miles depending on route. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Published cost
Needs a fresh check.
The catch
Premium per-round cost for a shorter trip. Less golf volume than a value basecamp.
Explore French Lick

Branson area, Missouri

Big Cedar Lodge

Premium resort compound

Best fit
Groups wanting concentrated golf and a resort experience in one place.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
2026 peak (Apr 13–Oct 25) resort-guest starting rates: Payne's Valley $425, Ozarks National $275, Buffalo Ridge $275, Cliffhangers $225, Top of the Rock $135, Mountain Top $100. Shoulder (Mar 6–Apr 12, Oct 26–Dec 6) rates are lower.
The catch
Not a pure-value play; the headline course carries a premium.
Explore Big Cedar Lodge

Pinehurst, North Carolina

Pinehurst

Premium benchmark

Best fit
Groups for whom experience and heritage outweigh pure value.
Trip length
2-night minimum for Nos. 2, 4, 10 and 11; many weekends require 3 nights mid-March through mid-November.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Current published Bed Breakfast & Golf premiums: $250 for No. 2; $125 for No. 10 and No. 11. Rates vary by lodging and date; no single price.
The catch
Premium cost and minimum stays in exchange for heritage and experience.
Explore Pinehurst

Bandon, Oregon coast

Bandon Dunes

Golf-pure bucket list

Best fit
Golfers for whom the golf is the whole trip.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
2026 lodging: Lodge Dune Single $170 (Jan/Dec) to $380 (Jun–Sep); Golf Single $190 to $410. 2027 rates also published.
The catch
Travel burden and walking commitment are part of the decision, not footnotes.
Explore Bandon Dunes

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Hilton Head Island

Golf + beach basecamp

Best fit
Groups wanting a golf + coast trip with enough variety that the whole stay matters, not only the rounds.
Trip length
Published 4-day / 3-night packages with three days of unlimited golf.
Getting there
Treat this as a true destination trip from West Michigan. Give the travel day room; do not plan it like a quick regional drive.
Published cost
2026 dynamic golf: winter AM $105–120 / PM $67–95; spring AM $125–205; summer AM $150–170; fall AM $175–195. Multi-round golf packages: winter $250–425, spring $325–659, summer $375–575, fall $425–650. Current 4-day/3-night stay-and-play examples include winter from $525 per golfer (4 golfers), fall from $685, early spring from $599, spring from $699, and summer hotel packages from $725 per golfer double occupancy. Lodging, three days of unlimited golf, taxes and fees are included in the cited stay-and-play offers; gratuity and parking exclusions vary by package.
The catch
The market is broad; package choice needs care.
Explore Hilton Head Island

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach

High-density, many-choice golf market

Best fit
Groups who value choice and breadth.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
About 14.5–17 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area, depending on route. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Abundance creates decision complexity; more choice is not automatically a better trip.
Explore Myrtle Beach

Santee, South Carolina

Santee

Overlooked value winter escape

Best fit
Groups where package economics matter more than resort prestige.
Trip length
Published plans include 3 nights + 3 rounds and a 4 Day Villa Sampler (3 nights + 4 rounds).
Getting there
About 13 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Published cost
2026 guide: Santee National 3 nights + 3 rounds with cart was $324 pp for Jan 1–Feb 4, 2026 (that window has passed; other 2026 seasonal prices published). 2027 rates not yet seen.
The catch
Less resort prestige and fewer famous names in exchange for value.
Explore Santee

Crossville & Fairfield Glade, Tennessee

Crossville / Fairfield Glade

Value and maximum-golf basecamp

Best fit
Groups willing to accept a substantial drive in exchange for value and golf volume.
Trip length
Published packages: 3 nights / 3 rounds, 4 nights / 4 rounds, 5 nights / 5 rounds.
Getting there
About 10.5–11 hours driving from the Grand Rapids area · roughly 546–549 road miles. Planning estimate, not live traffic.
Published cost
2026 per golfer: 1 night/2 rounds $269 value; 3 nights/3 rounds $415 value / $589 in-season; 4/4 $529 value; 5/5 $619 value; 7/7 $839 value. Based on foursome play and double occupancy; condo lodging, green fees and carts included.
The catch
Long drive and a package format in exchange for low per-round cost.
Explore Crossville / Fairfield Glade

Kohler, Wisconsin

Destination Kohler / Whistling Straits

Regional championship-golf resort

Best fit
Groups for whom championship golf and resort quality matter more than value.
Trip length
"To Dye Four": three nights.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Premium cost; not a cheap or short trip.
Explore Destination Kohler / Whistling Straits

Nekoosa area, Wisconsin

Sand Valley

Regional walking-golf compound

Best fit
Golfers who prioritize architecture and walking golf.
Trip length
Not verified here.
Getting there
Not verified here.
Published cost
Not verified here.
The catch
Walking-only changes the trip's physical character versus cart-heavy resorts.
Explore Sand Valley

Need a human handoff?

Bring GRGS the trip you’re trying to shape.

Use the Trip Draft first if you want ideas. Use Trip Planning when you have a real group, dates, budget context, or a shortlist worth working through.

Open Trip Planning

We use current published information where we have it and tell you what still needs checking. This is planning help, not a live quote or a booking.

What GRGS can — and can’t — confirm

GRGS recommends and organizes options. Each course, hotel, restaurant, and other provider confirms availability, sets its terms, fulfills its services, and collects charges directly.