| |
10 Best Fly-In Golf Destinations
by David H. Freedman
On-site runways, challenging courses and diverse off-links activities make these picks way above par.
For pilots who golf, Saturdays can present an epic dilemma:  Do you hit the greens or the wild blue? To which we say, why choose? A number of good golf courses are located reasonably close to GA-friendly airports. Of course, that’s only the beginning — there’s the challenge of getting from the airport to the course, explaining why weather delays and other vagaries of aviation have made you late for your tee time, and finding rental clubs when flying with your own would send your CG sailing into the rough.
The dream is a golf destination that isn’t merely accessible to the pilot-golfer, but that embraces the pilot-golfer. And what destination says “Fly here and golf” more clearly than one that goes through the trouble of putting in a private airstrip? It’s the ultimate red carpet for private pilots, and Aviator’s Guide believes it deserves special recognition. That’s why we’re spotlighting our picks for the 10 best golf destinations with private landing facilities. (We made one exception for a municipal airport that boasts two excellent adjacent courses.) You won’t need to hail a cab or rent a car at any of these spots to get around, nor will you need to explain what a 900-foot ceiling has to do with your tee time.
But as impressive as an on-site airstrip may be, we expected even more from the courses that made our list. Presenting a challenging round of golf was a must, but we gave points to destinations that provide a more complete getaway experience — or at least proximity to one — including restaurants, lodging, and activities for the non-golfers in your party. After all, you can’t golf 24 hours a day — well, maybe you can, but chances are your significant other has other ideas....
 Lajitas
Terlingua, Texas
Would you rather be pampered or experience the allure of the gritty Old West? If you have to think about that one, consider a trip to Lajitas, a resort perched on the Rio Grande by the Big Bend National Park that immerses visitors in what it calls “rugged luxury.” The resort dates back to the 1970s, but was reopened last year after a massive remodeling. Though there is a town of Lajitas — its duly elected mayor is a beer-guzzling goat — the resort sits on almost all of it, sprawling across 25,000 acres, including 20,000 acres kept as pristine high desert. The resort offers what may be the world’s only genuinely international course: In addition to the 18 holes on the resort proper, a 19th hole is located across the Rio Grande on Mexican soil. (Make your first shot at it a good one, because it’s the only one you get.) Resort facilities are extensive, bordering on overwhelming. Enjoy a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse, three restaurants — be sure to sample the rattlesnake pistachio cakes at the regionally gourmet Ocotillo — and an extensive selection of rooms and suites, some of which offer hacienda, Victorian and other themes. Birding, star-gazing, rafting and fossil-hunting supplement the lineup of more traditional resort activities, including tennis, fishing and biking. Oh, yes, the private airstrip: Would a paved, lighted, 7,500-foot runway be good enough for you? If not, complain at the full-service FBO.
Airstrip: 7,500 feet, paved, lighted, attended
Golf: 19 holes (including one in Mexico)
Other Attractions: Fishing, hunting, spa, rafting, and more
Dining: Three restaurants, featuring southwestern cuisine as a specialty.
Accommodations: 72 rooms, many suites
Contact: www.lajitas.com, 877.424.3525
 Sunriver Resort
Sunriver, Oregon
Boasting three 18-hole championship courses set against the Cascade Mountain Range and weather as sunny as the western part of the state is overcast, Sunriver has much for golfers to love — and pilots will adore the lighted, 5,500-foot runway that’s attended year-round. The resort, now in its 35th year, seems not to want to risk leaving anyone out. A golf academy with a dedicated practice facility can get novices up to speed fast, while honing experts’ games. Non-golfers —
| |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Want to know what else is at these great golf getaways? Visit our Concierge. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
and golfers who can tear themselves away from the courses — can kayak, horseback ride, fly-fish, bike on 35 miles of paved path, try a hair-raising ropes course, or lounge in the spa. Kids get their own program. If there’s a reason to wander off the resort, it isn’t food; there are six restaurants on the grounds, including the award-winning, kid-friendly Meadows at the Lodge, which looks out on the Cascades. On-site lodging choices range from rooms and suites to lodges, condos and even houses. On top of all that, prices are on the reasonable side: Unlimited golf packages start at $99 per person, per night.
Airstrip: 5,500 feet, paved, lighted, attended
Golf: Three, 18-hole courses
Other Attractions: Biking, rafting, ropes course, and much, much more
Dining: Six restaurants; northwest cuisine is a specialty
Accommodations: Guest rooms, lodges, condos, and more
Contact: www.sunriverresort.com, 800.801.8765
 Prairie Landing and Pheasant Run
W. Chicago/St. Charles, Illinois
DuPage Airport sits 30 miles west of Chicago in the scenic Fox River Valley, and has the distinction of being sandwiched between two highly regarded golf courses — even private airstrips can’t improve on that sort of fly/golf convenience. A mile to the south of the 7,570-foot main runway is Prairie Landing, a Scottish-links-style course supplemented by three practice holes and a driving range. It’s an acclaimed course, but other than a large clubhouse with restaurant, Prairie Landing offers little for the non-golfer. But just a mile to the other side of the runway is Pheasant Run, a 250-acre country-club-style resort that offers extensive facilities. Guests can sample regional specialties like Midwest pheasant at one of the two restaurants, and stay over in a Jacuzzi-equipped two-level suite or one of the other 473 rooms. A full-service spa, three pools, indoor shopping, tennis, a comedy club and live theater help pass the time. If you ever do make it to the golf course, the resort’s school offers lessons featuring the state’s former top PGA player Dennis Johnsen. A $20 million renovation of the resort is just about complete.
Airstrip: Both share DuPage Airport, longest runway is 7,570 feet
Golf: 18 holes at Prairie Landing, 18 at
Pheasant Run
Other Attractions: Pools, spa, indoor shopping, and more (Pheasant Run)
Dining: One restaurant at Prairie Landing, two at Pheasant Run
Accommodations: 473 rooms (Pheasant Run)
Contact: www.prairielanding.com, 630.208.7602, www.pheasantrun.com, 800.475.3272
 The Flying W Airport Resort
Medford, New Jersey
Perhaps the first thing you’ll spot on the ground as you approach the Flying W’s paved, lighted runway is what appears to be a very large twin with aquamarine paint parked on the grounds. It’s actually an airplane-shaped swimming pool, and it provides a pretty good calling card for the Flying W’s personality: aviation-themed family fun.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Share your golf adventures with other pilots at our Stuck Mic. |
|
| |
|
|
|
This 40-year-old resort near Philadelphia isn’t the place to go for adventure or intense outdoor sports challenges; those who aren’t on the links can hang out at the pool or Tiki Bar, work up a light sweat at volleyball, revel in the night breezes, or catch the indoor or outdoor live entertainment. The 18-hole Golden Pheasant course features elevation changes on 11 holes — as a pilot, you’ve got to appreciate that — and plans are in the works to expand the course to 27 holes. One restaurant overlooks the course; a second, perched by the runway, offers a locally renowned brunch on Sundays. The 28-room motel was recently renovated.
Airstrip: 3,500 feet, paved, lighted, attended
Golf: Golden Pheasant Golf Course, 18 holes (expanding to 27)
Other Attractions: Pool, volleyball, live entertainment
Dining: Two restaurants, Sunday brunch is
a specialty
Accommodations: 28 rooms
Contact: www.flying-w.com, 609.267.4276
 Star Hill Golf Club
Cape Carteret, North Carolina
Star Hill isn’t a place to mix in a little golf with a smorgasbord of resort amenities and activities. It’s a more stripped-down approach intended to put the focus on the greens — and these greens won’t disappoint. The club features 27 holes, divided into three nine-hole courses whose particulars are clearly communicated by their names: “Lakes,” “Pines” and “Sands.” All three are highlighted by contoured, bent-grass greens, recently spruced up in a three-year, $4 million renovation. Open and green year-round, Star Hill is flanked by Emerald Isle and other popular coastal resort communities. The club hasn’t entirely ignored the non-golfer: There’s a pool, a full-service clubhouse with a grill, and a second restaurant within a short hike. The club tends to attract day-trippers, and there is no lodging on premises. But those who want to stay overnight can take a 15-minute scenic trek to a motel — though after a long day of golf, no one will sneer if you cave in and grab a cab. By the way, it’s not just the golf course that’s challenging; you’ll have a chance to practice soft-field landings on the club’s 2,800-foot turf airstrip.
Airstrip: 2,800 feet, turf
Golf: Three, 9-hole courses
Other Attractions: Pool
Dining: Clubhouse grill, another off premises
Accommodations: Off premises, less than a mile
Contact: www.starhillgolfclub.com, 252.393.8111
 Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
A former Playboy Club property, the Grand Geneva Resort is now a celebrated family destination. Set amidst the elegant estates alongside sailing-sloop-dotted Lake Geneva, the 1,300-acre resort offers everything from hiking trails and horseback riding to a 50,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor water park — complete with a trolley to shuttle you around. You’ll ride the two 18-hole courses in style, too, on GPS-equipped carts (too bad Jeppesen doesn’t cover approaches to greens). One of the courses, the aptly named “Brute,” features 68 bunkers, an average green size of more than 8,000 square feet, and a length of 7,000 feet. A 40,000-square-foot spa and sports center awaits to work any kinks out of your muscles. One of the three resort restaurants specializes in Northern Italian cuisine, while another offers handcut steaks and chops. Grab Starbucks coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts at the cafe before retiring to one of the resort’s 355 rooms and suites. The 4,100-foot runway actually runs through one of the golf courses, allowing for a quick getaway for the pilot-golfer finding a little too much of the rough.
Airstrip: 4,100 feet, paved,
lighted, attended
Golf: Two, 18-hole courses
Other Attractions: Spa, waterpark antique
shopping, lake cruises
Dining: Three restaurants on site, including an upscale grill and an excellent Italian eatery
Accommodations: 355 rooms, 41 suites
Contact: www.grandgeneva.com, 800.558.3417
 Chewelah Golf & Country Club
Chewelah, Washington
Forty miles outside Spokane, Wash., Chewelah offered just a friendly nine holes when it opened in 1976. It added a more confounding and intricate nine in 1983, and then doubled that course to 18 holes two years ago, making it the only 27-hole golf facility in the inland Northwest. Golf shares the spotlight with tennis here, and there are kid-friendly teaching programs in both activities available. It’s worth staying at least for dinner — the club restaurant offers a number of gourmet dishes, and you can’t go wrong with salmon, the house specialty. Lodging is three miles away, but you can generally get a ride from the club or motel. If anyone in your party doesn’t wield either club or racket, you might want to consider renting a car: casino gambling, fishing and skiing are all within short drives. Impressively for a laid-back club that offers a small-town feel, the airstrip — just 200 yards from the clubhouse — is a newly paved, lighted and monitored 3,800-footer.
Airstrip: 3,800 feet, paved, lighted, attended.
Golf: 9-hole course, 18-hole course
Other Attractions: Tennis
Dining: One restaurant, salmon is a specialty
Accommodations: Off-premises, 3 miles (free transportation usually available)
Contact: www.chewelahgolf.com, 509.935.6807
 Fox Harb’r Golf Course
Wallace, Nova Scotia, Canada
There’s no shortage of great fly-in golf destinations in the U.S., but let’s not ignore our neighbors to the north — Canada’s Fox Harb’r is a gem. For starters, there’s the extraordinarily picturesque flight into Nova Scotia along the Atlantic coast. Don’t worry, despite the vast stretches of bucolic fields you won’t be landing among any sheep — the private, paved runway at Fox Harb’r is 5,000 feet long with PAPI and GPS approaches. The resort itself, now in its third year, will also  surprise in its amenities. Its 27 holes weave Scottish links and parkland golf into a nature trek that starts at seaside and winds through forests and by wetlands and crag-lined lakes before veering back to the ocean. Fishing excursions, skeet-shooting facilities, tennis courts and a soon-to-open, well-equipped spa will keep most visitors busy until it’s time to attack the fresh lobster, lamb or quail in one of the resort’s three restaurants; desserts are deliciously accented by the maple syrup and blueberries that are regional specialties. Finish the day in one of the 72 plush suites.
Airstrip: 5,000 feet, paved, attended
Golf: 9-hole course, 27-hole course
Other Attractions: Spa, fishing, skeet-shooting, and more
Dining: Three restaurants, lobster and game bird are specialties
Accommodations: 72 suites
Contact: www.foxharbr.com, 866.257.1801
 Bryce Resort
Basye, Va.
Tucked away on 3,000 acres in the heart of Northern Virginia’s lush Shenandoah Valley, Bryce Resort is a private community of residents and vacation-home owners who make their resort facilities available to the lucky public. Start with golf: A year-round, 18-hole championship tree-lined course,  48 fairway bunkers and a ubiquitous winding stream, all designed to tempt even placid players into bending a club over a knee. You can spend a little time in the 300-yard driving range and practice facility before trying again — or take a break from golfing madness for tennis, horseback riding, or a plunge in the indoor or outdoor pools. Winter brings skiing and tubing, and the slopes stay open the rest of the year with grass skiing and mountain boarding. (If all that isn’t enough to keep the kids busy, you can enroll them in a golf program here.) Two restaurants stand by for refueling, with two more a short walk down the road, and a wide range of condos and houses are available for overnight stays or longer rentals. Be aware your trip to Bryce will have to start and end during the day — the 2,240-foot paved airstrip isn’t lighted.
Airstrip: 2,240 feet, paved
Golf: 18 holes
Other Attractions: Tennis, horseback
riding, grass skiing
Dining: Two restaurants, two others in
walking distance
Accommodations: Condos, townhouses
Contact: www.bryceresort.com, 800.821.1444
 Garland
Lewiston, Michigan
If you find anything to dislike about Garland, it won’t be a lack of good golfing grounds — Garland hosts four 18-hole courses that sprawl over the resort’s 3,500 wilderness-set acres in rugged Northern Michigan. Each course was designed for a different style of game, incorporating elevation changes, lakes and an abundance of mature hardwood trees. For those not determined to play all  72 holes, the resort provides access to hundreds of miles of nature trails from which hikers have a good chance of spotting white tail deer, foxes and wild turkeys. Other popular activities include mountain biking, fishing in the resort’s lakes and streams, guided fly-fishing excursions to the Ausable River, canoeing, tubing, and tennis. You even have hot-soaking choices: a 20-person outdoor hot tub or a 6-person indoor Jacuzzi. Many of the guest rooms, including a penthouse, are located in the main lodge, which is the largest log structure east of the Mississippi. Condos, villas and golf cottages are also available. The resort has added lighting to its 5,000-foot, monitored runway.
Airstrip: 5,000 foot, paved, lighted, monitored
Golf: Four, 18-hole courses
Other Attractions: Nature hikes, mountain
biking, fishing, and more
Dining: Three restaurants, game is a specialty
Accommodations: Rooms, condos, villas,
golf cottages
Contact: www.garlandusa.com, 989.786.2211
|
|
|
|
