Golf and luxury go hand in hand. If you’re planning a luxurious vacation that includes playing golf on some of the best courses around, then your best bet is to shop around for the best luxury golf resorts in whatever area you’re heading to.
Here are some of our absolute favorite luxury golf resorts that are well worth a stay and play. Get ready for the perfect blend of luxury, relaxation, and recreation… And a vacation you’ll never forget.
1. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Oregon, USA
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is a sought-after play for most golfers. If you want to get as close to true Scottish links as possible without actually going to Scotland, then this is where you want to be.
With 6 spectacular link courses and a “walking only” policy, the golf is more than what you could hope for. And when you walk off the course, you can relax in luxury with a range of deluxe accommodation options, dining choices, and fine wines. Plus, enjoy other amenities like the spa, fitness center, sauna, fishing, and hiking.
2. Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland
If you do get the chance to visit the true home of golf, Scotland, then a stay at Gleneagles Hotel is highly recommended. Its charming country feeling makes it apparent every day that you’re somewhere with great history and pride, and it’s got enough luxury for even the most luxe-craving of visitors.
Choose from a wide array of luxury rooms and suites, and dine at one of the 10 on-site restaurants. Play a round of golf on one of their 3 championship courses, explore the countryside, or hit the spa—men and ladies welcome!
3. Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, California
Another well-known gem, Pebble Beach, is a course that often finds its way onto golfers’ bucket lists. It’s a public course, but it’s totally worthwhile splurging a little and doing the whole stay-and-play experience at the resort.
If you aren’t spending every day on the jaw-dropping coastal golf course, you can also enjoy luxury spa treatments, fitness facilities, boutique shopping, horseback riding, and scenic drives. As for accommodation, there’s a range of options, each with a different feel and view.
4. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA
If you’re craving the tropical beach feeling of Hawaii with some golf thrown into the mix, we recommend spending some time at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. Featuring a 7,100-yard+ championship golf course with striking green fairways against black volcanic rock, you’ll enjoy challenging but fun golf here.
Choose from a room, a suite, or a private villa, all with beautiful ocean views. Aside from golf, you can enjoy luxurious experiences like a private charter to explore hidden beaches, stand-up paddle boarding, tennis, canoeing, snorkeling, and even a private helicopter tour of the island.
5. Fairplay Golf and Spa Resort, Southern Andalusia, Spain
If wild nature is more your thing than the sea, you’ll love the Fairplay Golf and Spa Resort, situated in the middle of a natural wonderland. Mountains in the distance provide a tranquil backdrop to your golfing holiday, as well as your round on the 18-hole golf course.
To fill the hours that you aren’t on the golf course, the resort also offers a truly spectacular spa, including a magnificent indoor pool complete with bubbling massage stations, facial treatments or a massage at the spa, and other complementary treatments.
6. Adare Manor, Adare, County Limerick, Ireland
Neighbor to the home of golf, Ireland is also rife with beautiful golf courses and the green scenery to match. This hotel features a lovely Tom Fazio parkland course, created in harmony with the natural surroundings and offering challenge and beauty to golfers who play it.
There’s a reason this spot won a Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award in 2022. Aside from golf, you can enjoy indulgently designed rooms, delectable dining options, a variety of health and fitness choices, a deluxe spa experience, and a wide range of exciting activities.
7. Barnbougle Lost Farm Golf Resort, Tasmania, Australia
The golf course at Lost Farm Resort has been rated one of the best by multiple different golfing authorities, and it represents a fun challenge for golfers of all abilities. Strangely enough, it’s a 20-hole course, which means you get 2 bonus holes.
Stay at a private cottage, a villa, or a deluxe room in the lodge, depending on your needs. Dine at the on-site restaurant, clubhouse, or sports bar. Outside of the golf, take a tour of some of the country’s vineyards nearby, take a farm tour, or simply explore the surrounding areas. For the height of luxury, you can even charter a private plane in and out!
8. Kinloch Manor & Villas, Kinloch, New Zealand
It’s hard to beat the otherworldly landscape of New Zealand, and Kinloch Manor offers up some of the most spectacular elements of the country. The lodge and villas sit on a hill, with a view of Lake Taupō in the distance and the links-style golf course right in front of you.
Other luxury activities you can partake in include a solar spa and an eco-conscious restaurant. The resort also offers a variety of exciting excursions, like boating or fishing on Lake Taupō, skydiving for the adventurous, skiing or white water rafting, exploring a volcanic field or geothermal landscapes, and learning about traditional Maori culture.
9. Kirimaya Golf Resort, Thailand
Thailand is well worth a visit for golf lovers who want a deluxe experience. Kirimaya might not be your typical Thai experience, for it’s located in the mountains rather than on an ocean island. Choose your room, suite, or tented villa and get ready for a unique experience.
The stay-and-play golfing packages are very reasonable, and the Jack Nicklaus course offers a good experience for almost any golfer. Plus, it has lovely views of Khao Yai National Park’s mountains and scenery—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a spa treatment or a game of pickleball as well.
10. Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort, Portugal
With over 300 days per year of sunshine, the Algarve is the perfect place to golf. Take note, though—Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort doesn’t have its own golf course, but their Golf Desk will tailor your golfing holiday to your needs, with over 40 nearby golf courses, preferential tee times, golf equipment rentals and cleaning, and discounted green fees.
You can also look forward to relaxing in a luxury room or suite, dining at one of their spectacular restaurants, or enjoying a cocktail at one of their numerous bars, all with amazing views. Don’t miss your chance to get treatment at an award-winning resort spa while you’re at it!
About the Author
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
