Best Golf Destinations on a Budget
A guide to planning golf trips on a budget to these top destinations
As the days grow shorter and colder, the 2022 golf season is on the home stretch. MyBuddiesTrip is here to help make your life easier. We’re golfers too, and we understand that golf trips can be expensive. But good news, don’t have to spend a fortune to have the a great golf trip. From the East Coast to the West Coast, here is our short list of some top golf destinations, that you can still play and plan an amazing golf vacation on a budget. With some notifications and a little bit of work, you can play almost anywhere, at a reasonable budget. Here are some of our favorite destinations that were were able to go to on a modest budget.
Top Destinations For A Golf Trip On A Budget
2- Orlando, FL
4- Bend, OR
Myrtle Beach, SC
If you’re on a budget and still want to play the best courses in the Southeast, Myrtle Beach is the perfect destination. The area has over 100 premier golf courses, and many of them are surprisingly affordable. Take advantage of various golf package deals to get the best value for your money. Many include lodging, a free lunch with each round of golf, and gift cards to the pro shop.
Our Lodging
Holiday Inn Oceanfront at Surfside Beach: At $135 a night, tell me a where you can get a better view to start and end your day?
Our Favorite Courses
- Thistle Golf Club (Stewart + Cameron): First time playing at Thistle; we left feeling very impressed. The quality of the course conditions were excellent. Some of the challenges included lots of bunkers and water. Select the appropriate tees, or it will be a long day. Consensus was that this is a great spot for various handicap levels.. Pace of play was great. 4 hour round.
- Price Paid: $95
- 19th Hole: Great patio with some nice views
- Myrtle Beach National King’s North: Conditions are always excellent. This visit did not disappoint either. Lush fairways, well manicured greens and tee boxes made for a memorable experience. While certainly not the top end of the premium golf courses available in the area, the value experience for the money is worth every dollar. Staff are friendly as well.
- Price Paid: $81
- 19th Hole: Our server made our post round experience a great one
- Man O’ War Golf Course: Course was in great shape. From fairways to bunkers and greens everything was well taken care off. The layout is challenging with A LOT OF WATER (shocker) but lots off room if you don’t miss by a country mile.. Very photogenic holes. The beverage cart was checking with us every few holes. Great Buddies Trip course.
- Price Paid: $79
- 19th Hole: Nothing special, but drinks were cold!
Orlando, FL
If you love to play golf, but are on a budget, Orlando is the place to go. Florida has great weather all year around, and there are plenty of golf courses for all levels. There are also many off-course activities that can be arranged for a low price.
Our Lodging
DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Downtown: Very clean, comfortable and situated walking distance from restaurants. We paid $175 per night and thought it was worth every dollar.
Our Favorite Courses
- ChampionsGate Golf Club (International): Phenomenal course! Great layout and even better condition. From tee to green as good as it gets in Florida, I think. From arrival until departure, the whole experience was amazing. Lots of bunkers, water and some forced carries. As I always say, tee it forward.
- Price Paid: $81
- 19th Hole: Fantastic spot. We actually had the brunch buffet prior to our round (delicious) and then went back after the round. Great views!
- Shingle Creek: Course conditions were great, layout was fun and it was a beautiful day. We played this course on a Saturday afternoon of a long weekend. We spoke with the Course Marshall. He said he tried to push a group along, but they were having none of it. We’ll give him a pass there. Like a lot of Florida courses, this course has lots of water and bunkers. Other than that, amazing track. On my list every time I will be in the area.
- Price Paid: $76
- 19th Hole: Something about Florida and buffets? Another great brunch prior to teeing off. Nice patio with great service after for our post round beverages.
- Orange County National (Crooked Cat): Course was in absolute pristine condition. Fairways and rough were spectacular. Greens rolled true. Seemed like not a blade of grass was out of place. Layout was challenging, but fun. Bunkers and undulating greens. Stay on the low side. Staff was friendly and the Course Marshall was patrolling the holes to ensure groups were moving at a steady pace. Well done
- Price Paid: $34
- 19th Hole: Great drinks and a great spot to watch other groups finishing up. Honestly, is there anything better?
Las Vegas, NV
I know what you are thinking, “yeah right”.. But it is true! Las Vegas is well know for the famous Las Vegas Strip and its luxury hotel and resorts. But if you look in the right places, you can find great deals on hotel and vacation rentals, as well as great local municipal golf courses.
Our Lodging
Caesars Palace: Legendary for its role in the movie, The Hangover. Caesars Palace for a last minute, mid-week stay came in under what we were expecting to pay, at $95 per night.
Our Favorite Courses
- Cascata Golf Club: Looking for a 5 star golfing experience? Head to Cascata Golf Club. The conditioning was superb from tee to green. The greens were about as perfect as I have ever putted on. The course has it all, water, plenty of bunkers, holes where shot making is at a premium, and a few where you can grip it and rip it. Our forecaddie was a great guy, super friendly. Elevation changes on almost every shot. Course was challenging, but very fair!
- Price Paid: $525 (not budget friendly; but too good not to play)
- 19th Hole: For the $525 paid to play, even the 19th hole lived up to the expectations.
- Rio Secco Golf Club: Located not too far from the Las Vegas Strip, this is an all around fantastic facility. The course is great. It has many scenic views and challenging holes. Keeping the ball in play is a must. not much room for error. Greens are fast and you need to leave it below the hole where possible. Take less club and hit the fairways and you will really enjoy this round.
- Price Paid: $156
- 19th Hole: Great drinks (hello 7 margarita’s) and service.
- Bali Hai Golf Club: Bali Hai is an excellent course right on the strip. Must play. 8th hole has some incredible views of the strip and billboards — get your Camera ready.. Greens were rolling solid, played early AM and were a little soft from watering but fair. Fairways were green. Overall a great round, looking forward to playing again.
- Price Paid: $115
- 19th Hole: One of the best burgers I ever had, with distant views of the Vegas Strip.
Bend, OR
When most people think of Oregon, the first thing that comes to mind is Bandon Dunes, and rightfully so. But don’t sleep on Bend, OR. It has been ranked among the top 50 golf destinations in the world. With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year and breathtaking coastal views, it is a golfers dream.
Our Lodging
Juniper Preserve: Another mid week stay at a premium resort. Being flexible in your schedule allows for many benefits. We paid $125 per night for a double room.
Our Favorite Courses
- Pronghorn Nicklaus Signature Course: Enjoyable, scenic, engaging and fair layout. Fairways and rough were lush, greens roll fast and true. It can gets windy as it is open and exposed for the most part. Bunkers were well maintained. I would know as I found a lot of them. I’d play it again in a heartbeat.
- Price Paid: $99
- 19th Hole: Taking in the Oregon views with a cold pint post round! my kind of day.
- Pronghorn Fazio Course: The course is in immaculate shape, and is very peaceful with a sense of isolation on most holes. The fairways are generous if you pick the right club and target, and the greens have a fair amount of contouring which mean you need to miss in the right areas. It’s a strategic course with many forced carries if you want to attack the pins/bomb it/go for the green in two, and has ample areas to lay up for a shorter approach into the green. The staff made you feel welcomed and were more than accommodating.
- Price Paid: Member Invite
- 19th Hole: Private club vibe post round. Staff were very friendly
Scottsdale, AZ
If you are on a budget, Scottsdale is one of the best places to play golf. With over 200 golf courses and a desert climate, this city is a golfer’s paradise. It’s also the site of PGA Tour events like the Waste Management Phoenix Open. One of the most famous holes is the par three 16th at TPC Scottsdale Stadium. Scottsdale offers a variety of affordable hotels and golf packages.
Our Lodging
VRBO Vacation Rental: When on an 8 person buddies trip, the $380 cost per night because pennies on the dollar. 4 rooms, Pool, Hot Tub, outdoor fireplace. Very good value here.
Our Favorite Courses
- The Phoenician Golf Club: Awesome course, fairways were in great condition and greens rolled great. Back 9 is especially a treat as you climb and descend the Camelback Mountain. Great finishing par 5 hole. A real good risk reward hole to close out a friendly golf game with buddies.
- Price Paid: $85
- 19th Hole: Views on views! drinks were EXPENSIVE, but fun to watch groups finish on the fun par 5 18th hole.
- Verrado Golf Club (Victory Course): The course including the fairways, greens and bunkers were in excellent condition! The greens were a little slow but rolled true. I love desert golf and playing here. Maybe the best bang for your buck in Arizona.
- Price Paid: $41
- 19th Hole: Seeing the Arizona desert and mountains in the distance, while also another patio close tot he 18th hole! Great vibes.
- TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course: Plan accordingly, and you can play TPC Scottsdale for a very reasonable price. We are big fans of the Waste Management Phoenix Open so we were playing here no matter what. I was imagine shots I would see during the tournament for every hole we would play. I would describe it as an amazing one time experience. But Arizona has so many amazing unique desert courses, that this would be a one and done for me.
- Price Paid: $125
- 19th Hole: It would be fun if the 19th hole was overlooking to the 16th or 17th holes! But still nice views.
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