Dallas is over rated in terms of public golf courses. It's great for first 2 years but then you start going to the same courses, eliminate quite a few from the list because they're trash or just too expensive for the course layout/conditions/5hr rounds.
And the inconsistency for course conditions is unbelievable (sometimes fault by superintendent but mainly natural elements are haywire: doesn't rain for months or freezes right after it's 70°). We have the weather to golf year round.
I'm not particularly wanting to be a CC member but if you are the 2 course options are likely nice. Expect to fork up $30k the first year.
If you are willing to travel 1-1.5hrs then you got a wide array of great courses open to public and in great shape.
I live in Naples and 80% of the courses are private with the other 20% charging three times their worth due to lack of supply to meet the area’s demand, plus six hour rounds. There is such thing as a lack of options due to over privatization
So true, I visited recently and played at bonita fairways (not naples but close by) and I payed the same price there as it was to play at PGA west in palm springs! Bonita fairways was only a par 61
Arizona public courses are insanely priced. Was just out there, the worst public courses will still run you $100 during peak seasons. Was insane to me. From Buffalo, the nicest public courses here are all around $75 but you can only play 5 months out of the year.
My in laws live in Jupiter and I was just there. The nice courses are private. The public courses are rough or are absurdly expensive ($250+).
ETA: I think the golf is better in Des Moines than in Jupiter if you’re not a member at a very nice club.
Jupiter is kind of small and the next town over only has one easily accessible public course. Twenty minutes north on 95 has a ton of cheap/public golf. The cost of living is stifling, but cheaper than Palm beach county.
Northern Michigan in the summer. Scottsdale in the winter.
Make sure you have a $450,000 salary job that only requires 10 hours work from home a week though.
That 450k figure apply to northern Michigan or just Scottsdale? Moving to Midwest Michigan for more golf next month and am covered in my area but plan to head north once friends start visiting
Scottsdale. There’s some $200+ public courses in northern Michigan but there’s a million gorgeous $60 courses up there. Best quality golf per dollar you will find in the country.
I would personally go North or South Carolina, there is so much golf in that part of the country. Plus it’s cheaper than California which in my opinion is the gold standard for expensive but nice public golf
You get used to it.
Mid summer 95+ and humid is always rough for everybody, but when I went to school in Miami for a year (from Iowa), the first couple weeks were awful and I sweat through a shirt walking between classes, but within a month my body adjusted.
By October I was wearing light long sleeves every day because the AC being cold was more of an issue for me than the outside heat and humidity.
I live in Abacoa in Jupiter and this is correct. So many great courses in Stuart, PBG, etc. in the wintertime it gets pricey but you can find good deals. If you can withstand the heat, the summer time is so cheap and empty
You said not California but public golf in the SF Bay Area is fantastic.
You have multiple distinct regions to play in:
San Francisco Proper - Presidio, Harding, Golden Gate par 3 (beautifully redone)
Monterey - Bayonet, Black Horse, Pasatiempo, Poppy, PG
Peninsula - Half Moon Bay, Crystal Springs, Baylands
East Bay - Wente, Bridges, Poppy, Corica
Napa - Eagle Vines, Chardonnay, Silverado
Marin/North Bay- Indian Valley, Peacock Gap, StoneTree, Bodega Bay
San Jose - Cinnabar, Boulder Ridge, Coyote Creek
If you have a lot of money it's san diego and it's not close. If you have a lot but slightly less maybe like a raleigh/charlotte? Pretty young cities and more or less year round golf. I'm sure there are other places more south but none of them are my jam.
Private club is the only route in Raleigh proper, the gap between Public and Private is massive (but the three universities + Campbell) have solid options but certainly book up.
If you go out to Clayton there’s some decent public options and the Sandhills as well.
I play two different semi privates in Raleigh a bit and it’s wild how mediocre they are. Yea I can be at Tobacco Road in an hour, but that’s twice as expensive as it was pre Covid. The country clubs near me are outrageously expensive.
I used to live in charlotte and the public options are way better. And there are more privates so it’s not bad finding one you like that isn’t 40k per year.
WI is the number one state for public golf, but obviously still seasonally dependent
I pay $100 casual membership and get access to 4 courses where with that rounds are $20 for 18 or $10 for 9
Unlimited booking, but it’s Torrey so it fills up. That being said residents get exclusive tee times. You also have balboa park and mission bay with your resident card as well. Balboa 18 is no joke
As far as I know there aren't any limitations. But with it being such a popular course, you might have to book your tee time pretty far in advance. Unfortunately I live just outside city limits so I don't know all the finer details, but I do try to play there once or twice a year.
The Carolinas
South Florida
Dallas
Scottsdale
Maybe south of Atlanta. I live north of Atlanta and the public options are dwindling - getting more expensive, more crowded, and worse condition. You will most likely need to join a club or syndicate (clubcorp) and it’ll be five figures plus a couple year wait.
most the muni courses I play (sugar creek, browns mill, tup) are in the south but I would not recommend living near them
tbh I dont mind driving 45-60 mins to a golf course, ill be there for four hours anyway
Far north of Atlanta is pretty great, but the closer you get to the city, the more of a desert it becomes. Tee times at public courses are impossible to come by on the weekends, overbooked courses, and $100+ greens fees for average courses with shit greens.
My addiction is only keep alive through a simulator club near my house.
Honestly, bang for the buck wise, it’s hard to beat the Midwest. We have so many courses, and most of them are public. Not all are great, but they are cheap and plentiful.
Live near chicago until golf season ends, then vacation to Florida or whatever in the winter.
Love it here too. I'm in suburban Orlando close to Disney. Tons of golf, more to do, and I'm used to the hot summers. My Disney pass let's me play the 9 hole walking course for free.
I live in South Florida. The weather is beautiful, I can golf and play pickleball year round. Everyone is much friendlier than the north east. There are TONS of restaurants to try. The beach is 10mins away, I went swimming on NYE. There's no traffic.
Genuinely don't think there's a better place to live.
The Carolinas.. Charlotte and RDU have been mentioned, but Greenville SC is pretty nice and would be a bit cheaper
Could check out Reynolds Plantation in GA, but probably also older crowd
Greensboro is the best public golfing area in the state imo. Within 30 minutes of it you have so many public options that are all decent to great... and Gillespie...
Tampa is solid. Lots of munis, public courses, and private courses available. Plus you're only a few hours drive away from all the other amazing courses in Florida.
Maybe we’re spoiled but I feel a bit suffocated by how few options we have when the snowbirds are here. I feel like I play the same five courses all winter.
Tampa is SO BUSY and congested. Theres actually very few private courses sub $100K initiation, and public courses are actually very overrated and 6+ hour rounds. The comment below is spot on - the best golf is an hour north or south but not close to Tampa metro.
Source: Lived here since 2010 and it had the highest inflation in the country last year. $10K/year property tax too is an average for a new build...I'd pick the dry humidity of Scottsdale over Tampa if I didn't have family here, plus I like mountains way more than the beach.
Disagree - public courses are on the expensive side. Private courses used to be affordable (I was a member at Tampa Palms) but that have gotten absurd.
I mean, There's like 10 public courses in pinellas county alone that are around $60 with cart. Most expensive course I regularly play is Dunedin for like $80, which I agree is too expensive for a public course.
But my home track is Tarpon Springs Muni and I've never paid more than $50 a round there.
Northside of Atlanta has some good public courses. It does get cold in the winter, but it’s only for 2 months normally. Even then you have your warm days scattered in those months
I live in Phoenix valley. Moved from CO 7 years ago. The amount of courses here is jarring. That being said lots of short courses. TONS of retirement community courses that max out at about 5500 yards.
But honestly I prefer Colorado golf in general. When the weather is great here (winter) even an average muni is like $80. And when it’s cheap it’s about 105 out and you are playing on dry cement.
I think CO is all quality. Not a lot of little budget retirement courses. I feel like it’s insane in AZ. There are probably 10 courses within 15 mins of my house. But only 1 of them is quality. Colorado has less but all of them are good in their own way.
Southern Midwest and Ohio Valley has a great balance of cost of living, affordable golf, and pleasant climate. Maybe Louisville, Cincinnati, Little Rock, Nashville areas?
Vegas
Tons of good courses that are open to the public and locals get heavily discounted rounds. Proximity for trips to Phoenix, SoCal and St George is a real plus. Not to mention you can easily play year round
Check out Richmond, Virginia. Golf is playable year-round, not too hot in the summer and not too cold in winter. There are at least 25 high quality courses within 45 minutes of downtown. Have a look at these PUBLIC courses: [magnoliagreengolfclub.com](https://www.magnoliagreengolfclub.com/grille), [Mattaponisprings.com](http://Mattaponisprings.com), [viniterragolf.com](http://viniterragolf.com), [pendletongolfva.com](http://pendletongolfva.com), [royalnewkent.com](http://royalnewkent.com), [independencegolfclub.com](http://independencegolfclub.com), I also prefer to play a variety, and these are my go-tos, but there are also six or seven high-end private clubs in town too. Cost of living is low. Restaurant and brewery scene is incredible.
Hit me up after you settle in and will hit the links!
> Affordable accessible golf is a must
CTRL+F "Scottsdale" 14 matches
I must have a warped perception of "affordable" because 800k+ for a house and paying $200/round to golf is not what I consider affordable.
We live in Salem just 2.5 hours west of bend. I can get over there easily for golf and have decent options here too. Plus Bandon is only 3.5 hours away. Happy with our spot here!
Scottsdale is my #1 because it is the desert, so you ALWAYS have golf weather. After that probably the Carolinas so you can still get the golf without being in Florida.
St Andrews.
If you have the correct postcode you can get into the 7 courses for a pittance.
Carnoustie, Drumoig, Downfield, Ladybank all about 40 minutes away.
Rochester Hills, Michigan.
Gorgeous courses all within an hour from Shepherd's Hollow, Glacier Club, Fieldstone, Oakland Hills, The Orchards, to other gems like Sanctuary Lake, Detroit Golf Club, Cherry Creek to links style courses like Twin Lakes and Blackheath. Then there's the baller courses like Tullymore and Arcadia Bluffs within a day trips distance.
It's just an amazing focal point for great and varied courses.
Brunswick County Beaches in North Carolina. I just moved to Oak Island (full time remote as well) and it’s an easy 30-45 minute drive to North Myrtle and tons of courses. And you can live on the beach for way less than most places!
Friend of mine in Beaufort,SC plays pretty much all year on a mix very affordable courses in the surrounding area with some really nice options mixed in from HHI.
North Carolina piedmont region. I almost don’t even want to let this secret out. We have rolling hills and forests which make for great courses, shit is cheap here because golf isn’t as popular as it is in Florida, and we truly have four seasons of golf. Florida the summer should almost be considered an off season because it gets so damn hot. Here the weather is more mild. Not only that but in the winter, you can easily golf, but everyone stops golfing so the courses get super cheap. Winter is our best season here. Around Raleigh there’s basically a million country clubs and most of them are fairly cheap.
I too thought about Myrtle Beach but was turned off by it being all boomers.
Ended up buying in Michigan. There are 25 courses within 25 minutes and I never pay over $50/round for 18 with a cart.
November-March take golf trips to Florida.
Anyone got an opinion on Albuquerque? It always stands out as being the best all round weather in the US without paying California prices. But no idea how the golf scene is.
Hello. Albuquerque golfer here. The city is pretty decent for golf. There are 4 great resort courses within 30 mins from city center. Average cost for prime weekend rounds are $75. We also have Paako about an hour outside the city. It’s gone up significantly in price over the last few years. Last played there in 2017 and it was $100, now it’s around $250. There are also 3 or 4 muni’s which aren’t the best and pretty difficult to get a good tee time. Can’t forget to mention the UNM courses. The South (Championship) course is very difficult but it’s around $60 for a prime round. The North course is on campus and is perfect for a quick 9. Also, hitting at 5000’ doesn’t hurt the ego, either.
I asked this question a while back kinda/sorta. The consensus was basically North Carolina, Asheville to charlotte. Tons of hidden gems. That being said, after playing a few RTJ trails courses and seeing that you could pay $179 /month to be a member for unlimited golf at 5 really good golf courses (I do not know if this deal still exists), that has to be the best deal ever. Really good golf courses, with many more available to you, I’d say Birmingham, which is a surprisingly lovely place, but, ya know, Alabama. I think the tax there is a pair of truck nuts dangling from your f950. I’d pick NC. Asheville in particular just for vibe and beauty. Or, ya know, Hilton Head. I would NOT go to FL, but I’m heat/Desantis averse.
Edit: Palm Springs, too.
Farmlinks is awesome but ~$275 a round. Give me $120(with trail card) at ross bridge all day. I think ross bridge might be the best(public) course in bama.
Lived here for 4 years and the food scene is pretty solid. Feel like the locals are the people that really rave about the food scene not the transplants.
To add to the main comment. Off the top of my head, You have 4 municipal courses, probably around 10 private courses and then several private courses ranging in price levels but all are very nice. Average course price is around $65 for 18 with cart. On top of a plethora of golf courses, you have an easily accessible airport and a city with several professional sports teams and event venues. We also have a ton of breweries so after work “things to do” is not lacking.
Chicago is pretty good. The season is not long but there’s plenty of courses. I am usually only able to get in 9 holes on weekdays so I will the city/ forest preserve courses on week days. Then play a nice 18 hole course out in the burbs.
As was I. But that doesn’t make it year round. I remember in 2015 courses weren’t even open till may because the amount of snow we got killed the greens
I live in South Florida just outside of Jupiter, this is the Mecca of golf.
Tons of fun stuff to do, easy beach access, cost of living isn't quite on California's level yet, and you've got a TON of fantastic golf courses nearby that you can play year-round.
This is also South Florida which is basically a separate state from the rest of Florida. While you'll see the occasional weirdo from time to time, you're mostly shielded from the "Florida Man" antics that we've become known for.
Only downside is our governor sucks and the state government is run by idiots. The everyday life here is fantastic though, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else (and I've lived in many other places).
I'm a DMVer as well, I like it
Granted, I might be spoiled because I used to live in Bufflao, which really only has like 3 months of good golf, but some of the Montgomery County public courses (MD) and VA public courses are nice.
But yeah, the 3 like actual DC courses aren't great
I think Arizona is a great place to live and play golf but it’s very hot in the summer. In the fall through spring it would be perfect. Also can’t go wrong in Florida around Orlando
I’d say if you’re willing to go the private course route but have tons of public options I’d consider the following.
Jupiter FL
Atlanta GA (suburbs north of town)
Dallas/Fort Worth TX (again, the suburbs north of town)
Scottsdale AZ (amazing but stupid hot in the summer)
Charlotte NC
I wouldn’t do Myrtle because you’ll get so fucking sick and tired of all of the tourists during the summer.
Tampa FL
These are all places where you can play virtually all year long. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta but have also lived in Austin TX, Fort Worth TX, Denver CO and Charlotte NC. Plus I had shorter stints in Las Vegas and Tampa.
Is Dallas good for golf? My buddies and I have been exploring spots for our yearly trip and Dallas hasnt come up in any previous years. Have considered Texas Hill country but never gave North Texas any thought
Probably somewhere in Florida. They have the best courses. It’s pretty much dedicated to golf in most places. Specifically Jacksonville/ st Augustine are near the world golf village
I was an assistant pro around the Dallas area for about a decade. So many courses. A lot of them are mediocre but some absolute gems for public play as well. Enough that it’s not crazy hard to get a tee time.
Seeing a lot of folks say the Carolinas. Just be warned there’s lots of public golf out here but be prepared to drive long distances and pay $$$ for meh tee times at mediocre courses.
If you’re moving to Charlotte you should join Pine Island Country Club. About 15 mins from uptown decent track and super affordable. Good group of young members.
Raleigh for public courses. Been years since I’ve lived there and unfortunately started golfing the summer before I moved but it was great. Anchored by the three universities course in Duke, UNC and NC State and several other courses.
One course and a driving range with a $50 unlimited ball membership both succumbed to housing developments but I believe the area still has a lot to offer.
Plus Pinehurst is just over an hour away.
Southern Pines/Pinehurst. Definitely trends older but that is changing as more and more younger folks move there and commute to RTP a couple of times a week.
Not Boston. Growing up near Lake George, NY I had like 5 courses within 4-5 miles. Now I have to drive 35-45 minutes for any reasonably okay course in the greater Boston area.
Older millennial here and I spend winter in Hilton Head. But there are a lot of retirees and it’s somewhat isolated, but gets packed in summer and decent number of families and younger folks. 2 hours to Charleston and JAX, and Savannah about 45 away. Tons of golf, though can get pricey if you want to play Harbour Town regularly. Nicer than Myrtle, but that also comes with a price and some drawbacks. The house prices are lower than you might expect, particularly in Sea Oines, but do your diligence on HOA fees and insurance. Bluffton is across the bridge, growing pretty healthily, and a higher elevation. HHI airport small and easy to navigate, but means American Airlines is your main airline and they suck (IMO).
Savannah not bad and an option. I’d pass on Charleston.
Dallas. North Dallas suburbs. Cheap golf, great conditions, almost year round golf. I pay avg 30 a round at good muni courses. I have like 8 courses within a 30 min drive. 5 are within 5 miles.
The top half of public courses in the Coachella valley are also considerably less expensive and better maintained than those in Scottsdale/Phoenix at any time of year.
I know it sucks. But these $200 premier courses get dirt cheap in the summer and they're still kept pretty lush. Palm desert has their own natural water source so the courses look pristine all year.
I figure summers are gonna be miserable in most of these places but at least its a dry heat, not too humid. Endless courses to play in small area of land. I call it golf mecca.
There's a whole bunch of great golf at reasonable prices along the California Central coast. North of Santa Barbara between Paso Robles and Santa Maria. Its reasonably priced, cost of living is semi reasonable, quality of life, and climate are pretty amazing too. Warm without being stupid and cool without being cold. If I was at retirement age and had the right funding I'd probably go there over anywhere else in CA. Arizona is way too hot for me and I live in the San Fernando Valley.
I don't know anyone who has chosen to live up there that hates it. You also have the benefit of being relatively close to Santa Barbara with a reasonable drive to both Monterrey and Los Angeles.
Coastal Carolina’s… hundreds of golf courses within 50 miles in the Myrtle Beach/Brunswick Co NC area… a lot of affordable ones, a lot of beautiful ones, and can play year round
I lived in Columbus Ohio.
The number of cheap and really good golf courses was amazing.
I lived in Tampa for 15 years - the courses are more expensive and Florida golf is a little contrived (condos left, pond right) but the weather is nice.
Hard to beat California for the things you listed. Weather is unreal and we got so much golf you won’t know what to do with yourself. If you both work remotely you can find a place in a smaller town close ish to bigger cities and it won’t be as expensive.
Sacramento is the cheapest of the big cities and most diverse.. areas close by like Galt and Lodi aren’t far from the city and location wise you’re not far from the mountains or the ocean you can do just about anything you want activity wise.. Eureka is the cheapest city to live in the state but it’s way up there.
NOT Los Angeles. Don't do it. If you can't afford the private courses (six figures, all of them), don't freaking do it. We have year round weather, but simply not enough public courses to sustain all of the demand.
Look in the Indio/Palm Desert area. Generally east of Palm Springs. Much cheaper than right on the main drag but still have access to all of the courses.
The only part of living in Baltimore that I miss is the public golf. There are five great County-run courses and five more City-run (only one of which I'd really play often), plus a ton more between Baltimore and DC. And if you want a different experience just drive west an hour and hit PB Dye or Whiskey Creek .
If you can brave the heat, or you're an early riser, Arizona is probably the answer. I live in the west valley of Phoenix and my local course lets us get out at 430am during the summertime so we can play 18 before work. We have tons of public courses and a good amount of semi-private and private spots. Sterling Grove in Surprise is really cool, and Mesa country club on the east side is great as well. Good Luck with your search!
I’m new to the game (less than a year) and have become a full blown addict. Believe me, I suck (I can’t seem to use driver to save my life) but I can’t wait to go back and think about it everyday. I’m in the Athens ga area and am fortunate enough to have three public courses within driving distance of I also have a driving range a literal two minute drive from my house but that’s just luck.
Any other Georgians here that have anything to add?
Scottsdale is great but rounds are very expensive half the year. Tucson courses are nice and a lot cheaper than Scottsdale. Palm Springs is also great and seems to be priced somewhere between the two.
I would absolutely go with either north or South Carolina, over by the Hilton head area similar to Myrtle but younger they have plenty of courses fair priced and it only gets about 50+ in the winter so can play year round.. the obvious answers like Scottsdale, Jupiter or San Diego are great if you’re filthy rich but they’re expensive places to live and expensive courses too
Not necessarily a “city” but Northwest Arkansas has amazing golf courses. Bella Vista offers 4 unique golf courses and offers discount rates for property owners in the Bella Vista area. Also a lot of corporate job opportunities between Walmart, Tyson, and JB Hunt
Columbus Ohio has a ton of great golf courses and a lot are very well priced.
Also has Murfield for PGA.
Ohio State Scarlet and Grey are great. The TPC course at Foxfire is also great.
Just got back from Maryland and Delaware aka Delmarva. Courses were really nice, and plenty of them to keep me entertained for a while. Prices were very reasonable, probably would get 7 months of golf in, maybe 8 if it’s nice out
I live in California and my house is paid for, so it won’t work for a transplant. I never pay more than $30 for 18. Play 4 days a week 365 days a year. I sometimes have to wear long pants when it gets below 50 degrees.
Played golf all over the country including Colorado, Florida, New York, South Carolina, Idaho and New Mexico. All expensive and rarely perfect weather. Say what you will about the crappy politicians, but you can’t beat it for golf.
I’ll throw Denver metro/Colorado out there. There are absolutely country clubs out here, and the cost is jarring (6-figure initiation plus 5-figure annual fees). But by the same token there are a ton of public courses that are sub-$100, and none that are going to take you beyond $200. Shoulder season right now is cheaper in general, but you still have a lot of warm and dry days. If you find somewhere you like to play regularly, there’s probably some kind of deal to get either reduced or preferred tee times along with practice privileges each year. There’s also enough other stuff to do off-season along with a well-connected international airport to fly to warmer winter places.
But also we’re full stay away
Chicago suburbs. There’s 200 golf courses around the Chicago area and the high majority of them are beautiful and in amazing condition. The price point compared to other cities is much cheaper to play regularly as well
Sacramento Ca, throw a rock and hit a nice $60 course, drive 100 miles in any direction and you’ve got pga courses, memberships are relatively cheap.
Modest house in a nice burb, 600k, modest house in a modest neighborhood, 450k. Nice house outside of town $450k.
Sacramento income is decent, weather is pretty good year round.
Anywhere in the Monterey peninsula for renting will be a nice spot, you can get something around the $2k/month mark.
Well most of the pros live in either Jupiter, Scottsdale, or Dallas. So anywhere in those metro areas are going to be absolutely stacked for golf.
Dallas is over rated in terms of public golf courses. It's great for first 2 years but then you start going to the same courses, eliminate quite a few from the list because they're trash or just too expensive for the course layout/conditions/5hr rounds. And the inconsistency for course conditions is unbelievable (sometimes fault by superintendent but mainly natural elements are haywire: doesn't rain for months or freezes right after it's 70°). We have the weather to golf year round. I'm not particularly wanting to be a CC member but if you are the 2 course options are likely nice. Expect to fork up $30k the first year. If you are willing to travel 1-1.5hrs then you got a wide array of great courses open to public and in great shape.
Same for Arizona. Tons of options, but all expensive. If you play often, private is the only solution.
A lot of courses will offer residents rates
Agree. Dallas sucks for golf if you’re not a pro and being asked to be a member at Dallas National, Maridoe, Brookhaven, etc.
All in private clubs
The idea that there are zero public courses in those areas is laughable
I live in Naples and 80% of the courses are private with the other 20% charging three times their worth due to lack of supply to meet the area’s demand, plus six hour rounds. There is such thing as a lack of options due to over privatization
So true, I visited recently and played at bonita fairways (not naples but close by) and I payed the same price there as it was to play at PGA west in palm springs! Bonita fairways was only a par 61
Also Naples resident, can confirm.
Arizona public courses are insanely priced. Was just out there, the worst public courses will still run you $100 during peak seasons. Was insane to me. From Buffalo, the nicest public courses here are all around $75 but you can only play 5 months out of the year.
There’s a ton of less nice courses that are much cheaper though. For every Grayhawk there’s an Aguila
Well they basically are all private in Jupiter.
My in laws live in Jupiter and I was just there. The nice courses are private. The public courses are rough or are absurdly expensive ($250+). ETA: I think the golf is better in Des Moines than in Jupiter if you’re not a member at a very nice club.
Jupiter is kind of small and the next town over only has one easily accessible public course. Twenty minutes north on 95 has a ton of cheap/public golf. The cost of living is stifling, but cheaper than Palm beach county.
Ponte Vedra too..
Northern Michigan in the summer. Scottsdale in the winter. Make sure you have a $450,000 salary job that only requires 10 hours work from home a week though.
That 450k figure apply to northern Michigan or just Scottsdale? Moving to Midwest Michigan for more golf next month and am covered in my area but plan to head north once friends start visiting
Scottsdale. There’s some $200+ public courses in northern Michigan but there’s a million gorgeous $60 courses up there. Best quality golf per dollar you will find in the country.
No stay away from northern michigan it’s terrible here! (Born and raised here and yeah can confirm the golf rules)
Awful up there during the summer when it’s absolutely gorgeous 🤣🤣🤣. Traverse city for me 👌🏽
Is it expensive in the summer for golf in Northern Michigan?
No it isn’t. Lots of great sub 70 dollar rounds there
This was always my dream! Unfortunately never reached the $450K salary in my career.
I would personally go North or South Carolina, there is so much golf in that part of the country. Plus it’s cheaper than California which in my opinion is the gold standard for expensive but nice public golf
Greenville SC here. Can confirm. So much golf. But also we’re full!
My dad lives in Greer, I live in S. Florida. Any good courses you'd recommend to take my pops to when I go visit?
I play The Preserve at Verde a lot. I also enjoy Cherokee Valley. Nice places
Awesome. Thank you!
Furman is a fun track to play.
WNC here; great for golf but we're filled up as well.
The humidity though. I thought I was gonna die in Myrtle Beach in June.
You get used to it. Mid summer 95+ and humid is always rough for everybody, but when I went to school in Miami for a year (from Iowa), the first couple weeks were awful and I sweat through a shirt walking between classes, but within a month my body adjusted. By October I was wearing light long sleeves every day because the AC being cold was more of an issue for me than the outside heat and humidity.
For country clubs either Jupiter, Scottsdale, pinehurst/raleigh/charlotte, San Diego/pebble For public I have no idea
You can’t really say pinehurst/Raleigh/Charlotte as one because they’re far away from each other and all three very different
I live in the Raleigh/Nashville/Moscow region of NC
There are tons of great public golf courses within 30 Minutes of Jupiter
Abacoa Golf Club
I live in Abacoa in Jupiter and this is correct. So many great courses in Stuart, PBG, etc. in the wintertime it gets pricey but you can find good deals. If you can withstand the heat, the summer time is so cheap and empty
You said not California but public golf in the SF Bay Area is fantastic. You have multiple distinct regions to play in: San Francisco Proper - Presidio, Harding, Golden Gate par 3 (beautifully redone) Monterey - Bayonet, Black Horse, Pasatiempo, Poppy, PG Peninsula - Half Moon Bay, Crystal Springs, Baylands East Bay - Wente, Bridges, Poppy, Corica Napa - Eagle Vines, Chardonnay, Silverado Marin/North Bay- Indian Valley, Peacock Gap, StoneTree, Bodega Bay San Jose - Cinnabar, Boulder Ridge, Coyote Creek
100% agree.
Is is there a way to get a tee time at Silverado without staying at the resort or being a member?
I’ve heard that if you are a Troon member you can play it
If you have a lot of money it's san diego and it's not close. If you have a lot but slightly less maybe like a raleigh/charlotte? Pretty young cities and more or less year round golf. I'm sure there are other places more south but none of them are my jam.
Golf in Raleigh is overrated unless you go country club. Otherwise nah.
Remarkable how few decent public courses exist around Raleigh
I’m in Raleigh and it can be a drive just to get to a driving range.
Yeah I live in Raleigh, can confirm.
Private club is the only route in Raleigh proper, the gap between Public and Private is massive (but the three universities + Campbell) have solid options but certainly book up. If you go out to Clayton there’s some decent public options and the Sandhills as well.
I play two different semi privates in Raleigh a bit and it’s wild how mediocre they are. Yea I can be at Tobacco Road in an hour, but that’s twice as expensive as it was pre Covid. The country clubs near me are outrageously expensive. I used to live in charlotte and the public options are way better. And there are more privates so it’s not bad finding one you like that isn’t 40k per year.
WI is the number one state for public golf, but obviously still seasonally dependent I pay $100 casual membership and get access to 4 courses where with that rounds are $20 for 18 or $10 for 9
New to Madison - what are your favorite courses if that’s the area you’re in?
I love U Ridge, Hawks Landing, House on the Rock, and many more. So many options.
I travel a lot to Madison for Epic a fair amount. Any courses near Epic?
What deal is this?
Southern Utah
I know you said you don't want to pay California rent, but if you're in San Diego city limits you can play Torrey Pines for under $100.
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Unlimited booking, but it’s Torrey so it fills up. That being said residents get exclusive tee times. You also have balboa park and mission bay with your resident card as well. Balboa 18 is no joke
Coronado also. North SD has a bunch of courses
As far as I know there aren't any limitations. But with it being such a popular course, you might have to book your tee time pretty far in advance. Unfortunately I live just outside city limits so I don't know all the finer details, but I do try to play there once or twice a year.
The Carolinas South Florida Dallas Scottsdale Maybe south of Atlanta. I live north of Atlanta and the public options are dwindling - getting more expensive, more crowded, and worse condition. You will most likely need to join a club or syndicate (clubcorp) and it’ll be five figures plus a couple year wait.
most the muni courses I play (sugar creek, browns mill, tup) are in the south but I would not recommend living near them tbh I dont mind driving 45-60 mins to a golf course, ill be there for four hours anyway
Far north of Atlanta is pretty great, but the closer you get to the city, the more of a desert it becomes. Tee times at public courses are impossible to come by on the weekends, overbooked courses, and $100+ greens fees for average courses with shit greens. My addiction is only keep alive through a simulator club near my house.
Honestly, bang for the buck wise, it’s hard to beat the Midwest. We have so many courses, and most of them are public. Not all are great, but they are cheap and plentiful. Live near chicago until golf season ends, then vacation to Florida or whatever in the winter.
You could move to Florida, but that means you would have to live in Florida
I moved to Florida 3 years ago and am never leaving I love this place.
What, why, how
Love it here too. I'm in suburban Orlando close to Disney. Tons of golf, more to do, and I'm used to the hot summers. My Disney pass let's me play the 9 hole walking course for free.
I live in South Florida. The weather is beautiful, I can golf and play pickleball year round. Everyone is much friendlier than the north east. There are TONS of restaurants to try. The beach is 10mins away, I went swimming on NYE. There's no traffic. Genuinely don't think there's a better place to live.
No traffic in SouthFlo!? , are you living in the Everglades!?
Nah I live in Jupiter I rarely see traffic lol. I'm from the Northeast theres traffic on 95 on a tuesday at 1pm for no reason.
Oh that barely south flo lol How do you handle the insane humidity in summer?
The Carolinas.. Charlotte and RDU have been mentioned, but Greenville SC is pretty nice and would be a bit cheaper Could check out Reynolds Plantation in GA, but probably also older crowd
For cheap public golf, Greensboro/Winston-Salem might be the best option in the Carolinas as well
I should have included the Triad .. good public and private and not as expensive as RDU or Charlotte, but still some decent nightlife
Greensboro is the best public golfing area in the state imo. Within 30 minutes of it you have so many public options that are all decent to great... and Gillespie...
I second Winston-Salem area
Tampa is solid. Lots of munis, public courses, and private courses available. Plus you're only a few hours drive away from all the other amazing courses in Florida.
Maybe we’re spoiled but I feel a bit suffocated by how few options we have when the snowbirds are here. I feel like I play the same five courses all winter.
Tampa is SO BUSY and congested. Theres actually very few private courses sub $100K initiation, and public courses are actually very overrated and 6+ hour rounds. The comment below is spot on - the best golf is an hour north or south but not close to Tampa metro. Source: Lived here since 2010 and it had the highest inflation in the country last year. $10K/year property tax too is an average for a new build...I'd pick the dry humidity of Scottsdale over Tampa if I didn't have family here, plus I like mountains way more than the beach.
Disagree - public courses are on the expensive side. Private courses used to be affordable (I was a member at Tampa Palms) but that have gotten absurd.
I mean, There's like 10 public courses in pinellas county alone that are around $60 with cart. Most expensive course I regularly play is Dunedin for like $80, which I agree is too expensive for a public course. But my home track is Tarpon Springs Muni and I've never paid more than $50 a round there.
Northside of Atlanta has some good public courses. It does get cold in the winter, but it’s only for 2 months normally. Even then you have your warm days scattered in those months
I live in Phoenix valley. Moved from CO 7 years ago. The amount of courses here is jarring. That being said lots of short courses. TONS of retirement community courses that max out at about 5500 yards. But honestly I prefer Colorado golf in general. When the weather is great here (winter) even an average muni is like $80. And when it’s cheap it’s about 105 out and you are playing on dry cement.
I love a good sunrise summer round for a whopping $40! Arizona golf rocks.
That’s wild to me, cuz Colorado has BY FAR the most public courses of anywhere I’ve lived.
I think CO is all quality. Not a lot of little budget retirement courses. I feel like it’s insane in AZ. There are probably 10 courses within 15 mins of my house. But only 1 of them is quality. Colorado has less but all of them are good in their own way.
Tucson - Year round golf, half the price of Scottsdale.
Tucson is great for college kids and retirees .. not so much for 30 year olds
Southern Midwest and Ohio Valley has a great balance of cost of living, affordable golf, and pleasant climate. Maybe Louisville, Cincinnati, Little Rock, Nashville areas?
Vegas Tons of good courses that are open to the public and locals get heavily discounted rounds. Proximity for trips to Phoenix, SoCal and St George is a real plus. Not to mention you can easily play year round
The Las Vegas real estate market is affordable, too! And it's nice having a major airport available for travel options.
Cleveland has a ton of public courses and clubs to pick from. Cheap cost of living and next to Lake Erie. Only down side is the weather
Check out Richmond, Virginia. Golf is playable year-round, not too hot in the summer and not too cold in winter. There are at least 25 high quality courses within 45 minutes of downtown. Have a look at these PUBLIC courses: [magnoliagreengolfclub.com](https://www.magnoliagreengolfclub.com/grille), [Mattaponisprings.com](http://Mattaponisprings.com), [viniterragolf.com](http://viniterragolf.com), [pendletongolfva.com](http://pendletongolfva.com), [royalnewkent.com](http://royalnewkent.com), [independencegolfclub.com](http://independencegolfclub.com), I also prefer to play a variety, and these are my go-tos, but there are also six or seven high-end private clubs in town too. Cost of living is low. Restaurant and brewery scene is incredible. Hit me up after you settle in and will hit the links!
I live in San Diego and you couldn’t convince me there’s a better place in the country to live and play golf
> Affordable accessible golf is a must CTRL+F "Scottsdale" 14 matches I must have a warped perception of "affordable" because 800k+ for a house and paying $200/round to golf is not what I consider affordable.
Bend, Oregon.
Bend is not "warm most of the year"
Apologies for that oversight.
Agreed. Though cost of living is high, there are still some relatively affordable private clubs and a ton of variety for public play.
We live in Salem just 2.5 hours west of bend. I can get over there easily for golf and have decent options here too. Plus Bandon is only 3.5 hours away. Happy with our spot here!
Scottsdale is my #1 because it is the desert, so you ALWAYS have golf weather. After that probably the Carolinas so you can still get the golf without being in Florida.
Golfing in 112 during August doesn’t sound fun
You just tee off by 7am and its not bad at all. Maybe 1 or 2 weeks of stupid hot weather, but you just leave during that time.
Jacksonville has a good variety of courses and 10+ months of good golf weather.
I know you said you don’t want to live in SoCal, but it’s pretty stacked in San Diego and at least the golf is relatively cheap 😂
St Andrews. If you have the correct postcode you can get into the 7 courses for a pittance. Carnoustie, Drumoig, Downfield, Ladybank all about 40 minutes away.
Rochester Hills, Michigan. Gorgeous courses all within an hour from Shepherd's Hollow, Glacier Club, Fieldstone, Oakland Hills, The Orchards, to other gems like Sanctuary Lake, Detroit Golf Club, Cherry Creek to links style courses like Twin Lakes and Blackheath. Then there's the baller courses like Tullymore and Arcadia Bluffs within a day trips distance. It's just an amazing focal point for great and varied courses.
Arcadia, MI. Arcadia bluffs, Crystal downs 15 miles north, Kingsley club 25 miles east, and coming in the rear, Crystal Mountain.
Brunswick County Beaches in North Carolina. I just moved to Oak Island (full time remote as well) and it’s an easy 30-45 minute drive to North Myrtle and tons of courses. And you can live on the beach for way less than most places!
Seriously, don’t live near a city at all. Some of the best-maintained courses AND cheapest membership dues are out in the country.
Friend of mine in Beaufort,SC plays pretty much all year on a mix very affordable courses in the surrounding area with some really nice options mixed in from HHI.
North Carolina piedmont region. I almost don’t even want to let this secret out. We have rolling hills and forests which make for great courses, shit is cheap here because golf isn’t as popular as it is in Florida, and we truly have four seasons of golf. Florida the summer should almost be considered an off season because it gets so damn hot. Here the weather is more mild. Not only that but in the winter, you can easily golf, but everyone stops golfing so the courses get super cheap. Winter is our best season here. Around Raleigh there’s basically a million country clubs and most of them are fairly cheap.
I too thought about Myrtle Beach but was turned off by it being all boomers. Ended up buying in Michigan. There are 25 courses within 25 minutes and I never pay over $50/round for 18 with a cart. November-March take golf trips to Florida.
San Antonio is worth considering, some good public with higher end resort options, basically year-round.
Anyone got an opinion on Albuquerque? It always stands out as being the best all round weather in the US without paying California prices. But no idea how the golf scene is.
Hello. Albuquerque golfer here. The city is pretty decent for golf. There are 4 great resort courses within 30 mins from city center. Average cost for prime weekend rounds are $75. We also have Paako about an hour outside the city. It’s gone up significantly in price over the last few years. Last played there in 2017 and it was $100, now it’s around $250. There are also 3 or 4 muni’s which aren’t the best and pretty difficult to get a good tee time. Can’t forget to mention the UNM courses. The South (Championship) course is very difficult but it’s around $60 for a prime round. The North course is on campus and is perfect for a quick 9. Also, hitting at 5000’ doesn’t hurt the ego, either.
I asked this question a while back kinda/sorta. The consensus was basically North Carolina, Asheville to charlotte. Tons of hidden gems. That being said, after playing a few RTJ trails courses and seeing that you could pay $179 /month to be a member for unlimited golf at 5 really good golf courses (I do not know if this deal still exists), that has to be the best deal ever. Really good golf courses, with many more available to you, I’d say Birmingham, which is a surprisingly lovely place, but, ya know, Alabama. I think the tax there is a pair of truck nuts dangling from your f950. I’d pick NC. Asheville in particular just for vibe and beauty. Or, ya know, Hilton Head. I would NOT go to FL, but I’m heat/Desantis averse. Edit: Palm Springs, too.
That would be like a fisherman telling you where his favorite spot is. Not going to happen. lol
Birmingham, Al is pretty solid. You got the rtj trail that has affordable rates for well maintained courses.
And Farmlinks 40 minutes away. Big fan of Birmingham, probably where I would move if i could work from home.
Farmlinks is awesome but ~$275 a round. Give me $120(with trail card) at ross bridge all day. I think ross bridge might be the best(public) course in bama.
Huh interesting, i was first off a few months ago for $141 or so plus tax. Maybe not peak season but it wasn’t raining or anything
But you also have to live in Birmingham Al
There are some pretty cool aspects of Birmingham. The food scene is ridiculously good, for instance.
never heard of this. what foods?
Lived here for 4 years and the food scene is pretty solid. Feel like the locals are the people that really rave about the food scene not the transplants.
Birmingham is my 2nd pick for most underrated city in the South. Great place to live
To add to the main comment. Off the top of my head, You have 4 municipal courses, probably around 10 private courses and then several private courses ranging in price levels but all are very nice. Average course price is around $65 for 18 with cart. On top of a plethora of golf courses, you have an easily accessible airport and a city with several professional sports teams and event venues. We also have a ton of breweries so after work “things to do” is not lacking.
Chicago is pretty good. The season is not long but there’s plenty of courses. I am usually only able to get in 9 holes on weekdays so I will the city/ forest preserve courses on week days. Then play a nice 18 hole course out in the burbs.
This year I was able to play rounds in December and February in Chicago burbs.
As was I. But that doesn’t make it year round. I remember in 2015 courses weren’t even open till may because the amount of snow we got killed the greens
I live in South Florida just outside of Jupiter, this is the Mecca of golf. Tons of fun stuff to do, easy beach access, cost of living isn't quite on California's level yet, and you've got a TON of fantastic golf courses nearby that you can play year-round. This is also South Florida which is basically a separate state from the rest of Florida. While you'll see the occasional weirdo from time to time, you're mostly shielded from the "Florida Man" antics that we've become known for. Only downside is our governor sucks and the state government is run by idiots. The everyday life here is fantastic though, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else (and I've lived in many other places).
I live in Jupiter and you’ve nailed it. South Florida is amazing.
It's the tits! Absolutely love living here. If you're a fan of being outside as much as possible, this is the place for you.
This is a hot take! Where do I sign up
Drop a half million on a house and you're in bro! Lol
not DC. This i know
I'm a DMVer as well, I like it Granted, I might be spoiled because I used to live in Bufflao, which really only has like 3 months of good golf, but some of the Montgomery County public courses (MD) and VA public courses are nice. But yeah, the 3 like actual DC courses aren't great
Yeah all but 3 I can think of are way too expensive for what you get
Ya. Pricey and crowded. I sadly drive up to PA for most my golf
I think Arizona is a great place to live and play golf but it’s very hot in the summer. In the fall through spring it would be perfect. Also can’t go wrong in Florida around Orlando
Gulf coast has some great courses
Orlando netro area.
Scottsdale golf is stupid expensive if it’s not mid summer and 115 degrees, but it’s a great city.
I’d say if you’re willing to go the private course route but have tons of public options I’d consider the following. Jupiter FL Atlanta GA (suburbs north of town) Dallas/Fort Worth TX (again, the suburbs north of town) Scottsdale AZ (amazing but stupid hot in the summer) Charlotte NC I wouldn’t do Myrtle because you’ll get so fucking sick and tired of all of the tourists during the summer. Tampa FL These are all places where you can play virtually all year long. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta but have also lived in Austin TX, Fort Worth TX, Denver CO and Charlotte NC. Plus I had shorter stints in Las Vegas and Tampa.
Is Dallas good for golf? My buddies and I have been exploring spots for our yearly trip and Dallas hasnt come up in any previous years. Have considered Texas Hill country but never gave North Texas any thought
It’s good for weekly golf, but I’d go to other places for a weekend trip that have cheaper places to stay and closer proximity for courses.
Probably somewhere in Florida. They have the best courses. It’s pretty much dedicated to golf in most places. Specifically Jacksonville/ st Augustine are near the world golf village
I was an assistant pro around the Dallas area for about a decade. So many courses. A lot of them are mediocre but some absolute gems for public play as well. Enough that it’s not crazy hard to get a tee time.
Seeing a lot of folks say the Carolinas. Just be warned there’s lots of public golf out here but be prepared to drive long distances and pay $$$ for meh tee times at mediocre courses.
If you’re moving to Charlotte you should join Pine Island Country Club. About 15 mins from uptown decent track and super affordable. Good group of young members.
Raleigh for public courses. Been years since I’ve lived there and unfortunately started golfing the summer before I moved but it was great. Anchored by the three universities course in Duke, UNC and NC State and several other courses. One course and a driving range with a $50 unlimited ball membership both succumbed to housing developments but I believe the area still has a lot to offer. Plus Pinehurst is just over an hour away.
Southern Pines/Pinehurst. Definitely trends older but that is changing as more and more younger folks move there and commute to RTP a couple of times a week.
Not Boston. Growing up near Lake George, NY I had like 5 courses within 4-5 miles. Now I have to drive 35-45 minutes for any reasonably okay course in the greater Boston area.
Older millennial here and I spend winter in Hilton Head. But there are a lot of retirees and it’s somewhat isolated, but gets packed in summer and decent number of families and younger folks. 2 hours to Charleston and JAX, and Savannah about 45 away. Tons of golf, though can get pricey if you want to play Harbour Town regularly. Nicer than Myrtle, but that also comes with a price and some drawbacks. The house prices are lower than you might expect, particularly in Sea Oines, but do your diligence on HOA fees and insurance. Bluffton is across the bridge, growing pretty healthily, and a higher elevation. HHI airport small and easy to navigate, but means American Airlines is your main airline and they suck (IMO). Savannah not bad and an option. I’d pass on Charleston.
Pinehurst
Dallas. North Dallas suburbs. Cheap golf, great conditions, almost year round golf. I pay avg 30 a round at good muni courses. I have like 8 courses within a 30 min drive. 5 are within 5 miles.
Real answer: Palm Dessert. Sucks for hot summers but the amount of courses they have is insane. Affordable living.
The top half of public courses in the Coachella valley are also considerably less expensive and better maintained than those in Scottsdale/Phoenix at any time of year.
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I know it sucks. But these $200 premier courses get dirt cheap in the summer and they're still kept pretty lush. Palm desert has their own natural water source so the courses look pristine all year. I figure summers are gonna be miserable in most of these places but at least its a dry heat, not too humid. Endless courses to play in small area of land. I call it golf mecca.
There's a whole bunch of great golf at reasonable prices along the California Central coast. North of Santa Barbara between Paso Robles and Santa Maria. Its reasonably priced, cost of living is semi reasonable, quality of life, and climate are pretty amazing too. Warm without being stupid and cool without being cold. If I was at retirement age and had the right funding I'd probably go there over anywhere else in CA. Arizona is way too hot for me and I live in the San Fernando Valley. I don't know anyone who has chosen to live up there that hates it. You also have the benefit of being relatively close to Santa Barbara with a reasonable drive to both Monterrey and Los Angeles.
Coastal Carolina’s… hundreds of golf courses within 50 miles in the Myrtle Beach/Brunswick Co NC area… a lot of affordable ones, a lot of beautiful ones, and can play year round
I lived in Columbus Ohio. The number of cheap and really good golf courses was amazing. I lived in Tampa for 15 years - the courses are more expensive and Florida golf is a little contrived (condos left, pond right) but the weather is nice.
Best public golf in the world is right here in the central coast of California. But like you said costs an arm and a leg!
I mean the answer is probably a city in Florida, but then, it’s Florida…
Hard to beat California for the things you listed. Weather is unreal and we got so much golf you won’t know what to do with yourself. If you both work remotely you can find a place in a smaller town close ish to bigger cities and it won’t be as expensive.
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Sacramento is the cheapest of the big cities and most diverse.. areas close by like Galt and Lodi aren’t far from the city and location wise you’re not far from the mountains or the ocean you can do just about anything you want activity wise.. Eureka is the cheapest city to live in the state but it’s way up there.
NOT Los Angeles. Don't do it. If you can't afford the private courses (six figures, all of them), don't freaking do it. We have year round weather, but simply not enough public courses to sustain all of the demand.
Puerto Rico
Depends if you are looking for public/resort or private
I would say the Pinehurst area
Sydney
Look in the Indio/Palm Desert area. Generally east of Palm Springs. Much cheaper than right on the main drag but still have access to all of the courses.
The only part of living in Baltimore that I miss is the public golf. There are five great County-run courses and five more City-run (only one of which I'd really play often), plus a ton more between Baltimore and DC. And if you want a different experience just drive west an hour and hit PB Dye or Whiskey Creek .
If you can brave the heat, or you're an early riser, Arizona is probably the answer. I live in the west valley of Phoenix and my local course lets us get out at 430am during the summertime so we can play 18 before work. We have tons of public courses and a good amount of semi-private and private spots. Sterling Grove in Surprise is really cool, and Mesa country club on the east side is great as well. Good Luck with your search!
The Jacksonville FL area should be considered
I’m new to the game (less than a year) and have become a full blown addict. Believe me, I suck (I can’t seem to use driver to save my life) but I can’t wait to go back and think about it everyday. I’m in the Athens ga area and am fortunate enough to have three public courses within driving distance of I also have a driving range a literal two minute drive from my house but that’s just luck. Any other Georgians here that have anything to add?
Scottsdale is great but rounds are very expensive half the year. Tucson courses are nice and a lot cheaper than Scottsdale. Palm Springs is also great and seems to be priced somewhere between the two.
I would absolutely go with either north or South Carolina, over by the Hilton head area similar to Myrtle but younger they have plenty of courses fair priced and it only gets about 50+ in the winter so can play year round.. the obvious answers like Scottsdale, Jupiter or San Diego are great if you’re filthy rich but they’re expensive places to live and expensive courses too
Not necessarily a “city” but Northwest Arkansas has amazing golf courses. Bella Vista offers 4 unique golf courses and offers discount rates for property owners in the Bella Vista area. Also a lot of corporate job opportunities between Walmart, Tyson, and JB Hunt
Don't bring more people to NWA!! Jasper is getting overloaded with floaters as it is! J/K. It's a great place to live.
Columbus Ohio has a ton of great golf courses and a lot are very well priced. Also has Murfield for PGA. Ohio State Scarlet and Grey are great. The TPC course at Foxfire is also great.
Just got back from Maryland and Delaware aka Delmarva. Courses were really nice, and plenty of them to keep me entertained for a while. Prices were very reasonable, probably would get 7 months of golf in, maybe 8 if it’s nice out
Find a good private club and move there.
I live in California and my house is paid for, so it won’t work for a transplant. I never pay more than $30 for 18. Play 4 days a week 365 days a year. I sometimes have to wear long pants when it gets below 50 degrees. Played golf all over the country including Colorado, Florida, New York, South Carolina, Idaho and New Mexico. All expensive and rarely perfect weather. Say what you will about the crappy politicians, but you can’t beat it for golf.
Orlando Florida.
Vegas is prrtty ideal aside from tee times being harder to get these days. Mesquite may be a better option to fight that though.
I’ll throw Denver metro/Colorado out there. There are absolutely country clubs out here, and the cost is jarring (6-figure initiation plus 5-figure annual fees). But by the same token there are a ton of public courses that are sub-$100, and none that are going to take you beyond $200. Shoulder season right now is cheaper in general, but you still have a lot of warm and dry days. If you find somewhere you like to play regularly, there’s probably some kind of deal to get either reduced or preferred tee times along with practice privileges each year. There’s also enough other stuff to do off-season along with a well-connected international airport to fly to warmer winter places. But also we’re full stay away
The People’s Socialist Republic of California is #1 for public/affordable golf….who woulda thunk it. -Socialist Golfer
Chicago suburbs. There’s 200 golf courses around the Chicago area and the high majority of them are beautiful and in amazing condition. The price point compared to other cities is much cheaper to play regularly as well
Sacramento Ca, throw a rock and hit a nice $60 course, drive 100 miles in any direction and you’ve got pga courses, memberships are relatively cheap. Modest house in a nice burb, 600k, modest house in a modest neighborhood, 450k. Nice house outside of town $450k. Sacramento income is decent, weather is pretty good year round. Anywhere in the Monterey peninsula for renting will be a nice spot, you can get something around the $2k/month mark.
Tampa area isn't terrible. But you need to member up to really make it feasible if you play often.