Winter Golf Vacation Destinations

Isn't it time you spent some time this winter in a place where the whitest things you will see on the ground are golf balls? Here are some fantastic choices for that Winter Golf Vacation you have been putting off for far too long.

Palm Springs, California

With over 120 golf courses in the valley, and an average of 355 days a year of sunshine (yes we said 355 days of sunshine), Palm Springs is quite simply golfing heaven.

The city has hosted every golf giant of the last 70 years and it has courses from every renowned golf architect of the last fifty years: Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Dye, Trent-Jones Sr., Trent-Jones Jr., Norman, Weiskopf, Hurdzan, Robinson, Faldo, and many more.  With all the golf choices Palm Springs has to offer, it is no wonder that it is consistently rated as one of the top golf destinations in the world.

Once off the course, your choices for apres-golf activities are plentiful: Casinos, award-winning spas, shopping, fantastic restaurants, hiking, off-road and eco-tours and much more. While Palm Springs is in no danger of surpassing Vegas in the night-life scene it still has a few spots that will keep you going into the wee hours of the morning - should you want to. 

Palm Springs is quite simply a phenomenal golf vacation destination!

Scottsdale, Arizona

The poster-child for desert golf, Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix area has some of the most distinct courses on the planet!

From the bucket-list TPC Scottsdale, home of the "loudest hole in golf" to the understated brilliance of the 36 holes at We-Ko-Pa, Scottsdale has a virtually endless selection of superb courses.

Add a stunning array of accommodation options, a fantastic nightlife, hundreds of great restaurants, and average winter temperatures ranging from 20 to 26 degrees Celcius (70 - 78 Farenheit) and you can see why Scottsdale has become the winter golf destination of choice for thousands of sun-starved golfers!

Orlando, Florida

Sunny, warm winters, superb golf courses and a list of apres-golf activities that dwarf anywhere else on the planet. Combine the three and you will quickly understand why Orlando is considered one of the best winter-golf destinations in the world.

"Whatever you need, it's there," according to Charles Howell III, "If you can't find it in Orlando, you aren't trying." With over 90 superb courses from just about every designer of consequence we would have to agree.

Of course if you still need convincing maybe you should ask some of the city's other residents: Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Mark O'Meara and 50 other current PGA Tour pros.

Once off the golf course, the fun doesn't stop. Orlando boasts a huge variety of restaurants, an incredible night-life and a list of attractions that are worthy of a vacation all to themselves: Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, Sea World, Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens and much, much more. Add spas, shopping (including a huge array of outlet stores) and drinks delivered to you pool-side to the mix and you will begin to see that the most stressful part of any vacation to Orlando is deciding what sunscreen factor to wear!.

Mazatlan, Mexico

If you are looking for a winter destination that combines warm weather, white sand beaches, ocean breezes and a rich local culture, look no further than Mazatlan.

While you can of course find all of the tourist conveniences you are looking for (if you want to sit by the pool bar in a five-star resort drinking lime margaritas for five days straight, you can certainly do it here) Mazatlan prides itself on being one of the last bastions of true Mexican culture.

Here you will find warm friendly welcoming people, bustling local markets, endless restaurant choices for authentic Mexican food, a thriving cultural scene and a great nightlife where locals and gringos share stories and drinks into the early morning hours.