Skip to main content

These 9 golf courses are Instagram-worthy, and you can play them

Looking to squeeze 18 iconic holes In? Check out these gorgeous golf courses

The sun is still high, but it won’t be long now before days grow short and the weather gets chilly. Golfers looking to squeeze in a few more greens can look here for inspiration.

Hyatt presents a number of Instagram-worthy golf courses across the U.S. and beyond with dream courses you can check off of your bucket list via a variety of golf travel destinations. Here you can find world-class courses inspired by the pros tucked under desert mountain ranges, sitting atop volcanic ocean cliffs, and existing alongside local wildlife.

Koawi Golf Course.
Westin Hapuna Beach Resort

The Lodge at Spruce Peak — Stowe, Vermont

Rated the number one course in Vermont by Golf Advisor in 2020, the rugged design of The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak (formerly Stowe Mountain) reaches an elevation of more than 1,800 feet and features rock outcroppings, wildlife at every glance, and sweeping views of both Spruce Peak and Mt. Mansfield.

The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Hyatt Resorts

Fall in the city of Stowe means a stunning expanse of leaves changing, an arboreal sea waving to golfers below. The fairways can be technical and wide open and the greens tend to be tough, which makes the course accessible to pros and amateurs alike.

Book Now

Wild Dunes Resort — Isle of Palms, South Carolina

Moving down the Atlantic coast, golf lovers can check in at the untamed Wild Dunes Resort. Mingle with over 36 holes at Wild Dunes Resort’s signature golf courses, and, afterward, head on over to incredible dining and recreation activities.

Wild Dunes Resort
Hyatt Resorts

Designed by famed golf course architect, Tom Fazio, The Links Course and Harbor Course are two of South Carolina’s top golf courses, demanding the best from players at every skill level. Looking out over breakers and wild sea grass, it’s hard to get mad when you end up in the rough or the soft sand. Travelers can take advantage of offers including a Fazio golf Package, a “Stay More & Play More” package, as well as custom-built Golf Trips.

Book Now

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar — Nassau, The Bahamas

If it’s a Caribbean flavor your clubs are itching for, the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar sits next to the renowned Royal Blue Golf Course — an 18-hole, par-72, Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, The Bahamas.
Hyatt Resorts

The links unfold over dramatic vistas of the turquoise sea on the front nine and forested panoramas and sandy moonscapes on the back. The best part? Any time of year is a good time of year to get down to Nassau. Hyatt offers a one- or two-person golf package for guests, which includes unlimited golf and cart access, one guaranteed tee time per day, and round-trip transportation to the golf course.

Book Now

Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa — Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico

East and north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and due south of the southern terminus of the Rocky Mountains lie the Sandia Mountains. So-named because of their pink hue, ‘sandia’ translates to watermelon in Spanish.

Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa.
Hyatt Resorts

Nestled into the range’s northwestern foot, and tucked between the Rio Grande to the west, is Hyatt’s Tamaya Resort and Spa. Adjacent is the course, Twin Warriors Golf Club. The club offers championship golfers and resort-style players alike a unique high-desert golfing experience.

Designed and developed by Gary Panks with meticulous care and cultural sensitivity, the course features glowing grassy knolls and ridges dotted with juniper and piñon pine. The sandy rough is a typical aspect of the landscape — dry washes known as arroyos and eroded land features.

Steeped in over one thousand years of rich history and culture, the course sits astride the tiny Native American town of Santa Ana Pueblo. The sacred butte known as Tuyuna or “Snakehead” towers above a vast desert panorama framed by spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains.

Book Now

Suncadia Resort — Cle Elum, Washington

Moving from the South- to the Northwest, Hyatt’s Suncadia Resort offers 36 holes rolling over its two courses, tucked into an isolated stretch of dense pine forest. The scenic championship links are on a 6,400-acre Washington property below towering granite peaks of the sunny, eastern slopes of the Cascades.

Suncadia Resort in the Washingtonian Cascades.
Hyatt Resorts

The Arnold Palmer-designed course utilizes the surrounding trees to frame holes below cliffs. There are several bunkers throughout, with a few water hazards tossed in for good measure. Rolling hills are everywhere, and the course is dotted with dozens of foot drops and rises.

From beginner to advanced levels and for day outings and extended vacations, the resort offers a mountain golf experience on two award-winning courses. Suncadia’s team of PGA golf professionals are also available for private instruction seven days a week during golf season.

Book Now

Resort at Squaw Creek — Lake Tahoe, California

Surrounded by six majestic Sierra peaks, the Links at Squaw Creek is a championship Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course in Lake Tahoe that rests serenely at the base of Palisades Tahoe.

Resort at Squaw Creek Golf Course.
Hyatt Resorts

This magnificent course is the culmination of ten years of extensive planning and careful handling of the environment. Renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed Links at Squaw Creek to preserve the unique beauty, natural wetlands, and wildlife habitat of Olympic Valley. The spectacular result is a natural Lake Tahoe golf course that blends in with its beautiful mountain surroundings.

With four sets of tees, plus family tees placed just 150 yards from the green — the Links at Squaw Creek presents an excellent golf experience for players of all abilities.

Book Now

Carmel Valley Ranch — Carmel, California

Moving just down the coast, we find Carmel Valley Ranch, the only Pete Dye-designed, bentgrass golf course in Northern California. Ranked among the top resort courses in the country by Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” readers survey, the par-70 spread offers something for all players — tactical shots, dramatic elevation changes, and incredible scenery.

Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Course.
Hyatt Resorts

Challenging yet friendly, the distinct northern California flora is there to enjoy for those times you find yourself off the fairway. For believers in the importance of the 19th hole, Carmel Valley Ranch’s refreshed clubhouse has an expansive bar, and a patio with fire pits with sweeping views of the Pacific coastline.

Part of the Hyatt’s Unbound Collection, the property is close to Pebble Beach and some of the golf world’s most sought-after courses.

Book Now

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa — Carlsbad, California

If you need to stay on the mainland, but are looking out West, Park Hyatt’s Aviara Resort offers an option right on the Pacific.

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa.
Hyatt Resorts

Named by Conde Nast Traveler as a top Southern Californian course and by Golf Digest as one of the best resort golf courses in America, the Aviara Golf Club is set on 200 acres in the sleepy surf town of Carlsbad, north of San Diego. Overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa has been a perennial favorite of well-heeled travelers, golf nuts, and San Diegans heading up the coast for a staycation.

The only coastal California course designed by Arnold Palmer, Aviara Golf Club offers more than 18 holes that spread over 7,000 sculpted yards of rolling hillsides and native wildflowers that lead to bunker and water challenges.

Book Now

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa — Koloa, Hawaii

If the desert isn’t your thing, maybe beach sand and crashing waves are more your style. Iconic and isolated Koloa sits at the southern tip of Hawaii’s greenest isle, Kauai.

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa.
Hyatt Resorts

Sprawled between lush volcanic mountains and rugged ocean cliffs, the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa boasts Po’ipu Bay Golf Course. 18 visually stunning and ever-challenging championship holes lead up to seashore paspalum greens. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Poipu Bay is one of the most acclaimed Pacific resort courses. From 1994 to 2006, the course hosted the annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf, one of the world’s most prestigious tournaments.

Book Now

Whether it be Hawaii or your local course, make sure that you get out there and hit a few balls before the weather turns. Golf can be fleeting, and you don’t want to be left wanting come December…

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
Travel tips you can’t miss: How to survive a busy airport this holiday season
These tips work. Trust us. We travel a lot.
Christmas tree in airport

The holiday season brings joy, warmth, and the promise of family reunions, but it also ushers in the notorious chaos of airports. Millions of people flood the nation’s airports throughout November and December, resulting in crowded terminals, long security lines, and potential flight delays. All of this can be intimidating, but with the proper travel tips, you can master the art of holiday travel. 

Pack light
Efficient packing is key to enjoying a stress-free airport experience. If you can, try to avoid checking your bags and travel with only a carry-on. This will save you valuable time at the airport as you won’t need to stand in long lines to check your suitcase or wait for your luggage to arrive after your flight. You also won’t need to worry about the airline losing your bag and making your journey even more complicated.

Read more
The most beautiful bars in the U.S. (for those extra Instagram-worthy drink photos)
Some bars are so beautiful we can't help but talk them up. Here are the tops in all the land
The Multnomah Whiskey Library in Portland has one of the largest selections of rare whiskeys in the nation.

With all respect to dives, haunts, and lounges, there's something to be said for a beautiful bar. The most attractive ones are feats of bar design and places we not only want to imbibe in, but ones where we stare in awe at the many comforting details. With so many great options, deciding on the most beautiful bars in America was not easy.

What separates the elites from the rest? Well, the best bars in America wow us with a combination of outstanding drinks and remarkable service. They tend to excel at those things and offer a certain ambiance you just can't find anywhere else. From the architectural details of an old, perfectly maintained structure to brilliant design approaches, these beautiful bars sing — visually, anyway.

Read more
Travel tips: One super easy thing you can do to keep your checked luggage from getting lost when you fly
Who knew a sticker could be such a big problem?
A piece of luggage sitting in the middle of an airport.

Some of us have a strategy to squeeze everything for the trip into our carry-on, not needing to check it in, so we never lose our luggage. Some of us don't want to look like a fool trying to get the suitcase into the overhead compartment and would rather grab it at baggage claim. 

But all of us want nothing more than our checked luggage to get to where we are going. To make sure you don't see an empty conveyor belt where your suitcase should be, remember this travel tip so your luggage gets to the same final destination as you do.

Read more