How to Plan a Golf Trip to the United States
The United States holds more great golf than any country on earth, spread across a continent of distinct regions, from the cliffs of the Monterey Peninsula to the links of Bandon, the pines of Pinehurst and the deserts of Arizona. Planning the trip well is mostly about choosing one region, timing the weather, booking the marquee courses early and getting the flights and logistics right. Here is how to put it together, with the regions, the season, the fees, the caddies and a sample route.
Photo: Pebble Beach Golf Links via Google.
Start by choosing a region
The single biggest decision is which region to base the trip on, because the United States is a continent and trying to combine the coasts in one week means most of it is spent in the air. Pick one region, play it properly, and save the rest for a return. Here are the five that anchor most American golf trips.
The Monterey Peninsula, California
The classic first trip and, for many, the dream. Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, the Links at Spanish Bay and the public courses around Carmel sit on one spectacular peninsula south of San Francisco. The golf is cliff top and ocean framed, the setting unmatched, and a few days here delivers the most famous coastline in American golf. Fly into Monterey or San Francisco and stay at one of the Pebble Beach resort properties to secure the tee times.
Bandon Dunes, Oregon
The links lover's pilgrimage. On Oregon's rugged southern coast, Bandon Dunes offers a cluster of walking only links courses, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald among them, built in the spirit of Scotland and Ireland. It is a remote, single resort trip with no distractions but the golf and the ocean. Reach it via Portland or the small North Bend airport, and plan to walk and to play multiple rounds a day.
Pinehurst and the Carolina Sandhills
The home of classic American golf. The Pinehurst resort in North Carolina holds eleven courses, led by the Donald Ross masterpiece of No.2, a multiple US Open host, with Tobacco Road and the wider Sandhills nearby. It is a self contained village trip on sandy, heathland like ground, best in spring and autumn, reached through Raleigh or the small Moore County airport.
Arizona and Scottsdale
The easiest desert resort week. Scottsdale packs dramatic target golf, the TPC Stadium of the WM Phoenix Open, Troon North, We-Ko-Pa and Grayhawk, into a warm, sunny winter and spring season, with first class resorts, dining and spas. Fly into Phoenix, stay central and drive a few minutes to each course. A reliable, comfortable trip from October to May.
Florida, Las Vegas and Myrtle Beach
The volume and value regions. Florida offers endless resort golf around Orlando and Naples plus TPC Sawgrass; Las Vegas pairs marquee desert courses, Shadow Creek and Wynn among them, with the Strip; and Myrtle Beach is the great American value destination, with dozens of courses and generous stay and play packages along the Grand Strand.
Indicative costs to budget
| Line | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Pebble Beach green fee (to March 31, 2026) | Around 675 dollars, rising to 695 from April 2026 |
| Bandon Dunes green fee, by season | Around 100 dollars off season to 400 plus in peak |
| Pinehurst No. 2, second round or surcharge | Around 595 dollars peak, lower off season, plus package |
| Shadow Creek, Las Vegas | Around 1,250 dollars, MGM resort guests only |
| Caddie gratuity, walking resorts | Around 80 to 120 dollars per bag |
| Whole trip, value region (Myrtle Beach) | Often under 1,500 dollars per golfer |
| Whole trip, bucket list (Pebble or Bandon) | Comfortably above 5,000 dollars with flights |
Indicative 2026 figures for guidance only. Green fees, caddie rates and packages vary by season, residency and resort status, so always confirm directly before booking. Check US tee time availability.
Timing, booking and the logistics
Match the region to the season rather than the other way round. The Monterey Peninsula and Bandon Dunes are at their best in the shoulder months of June and September into October, when the weather is most settled and the summer crowds and rates ease. Pinehurst and the Carolinas peak in spring and autumn, the Arizona desert runs from October to May, and Florida is at its finest in the mild winter and spring. Avoid the deep summer in the southern deserts and the wettest winter weeks on the coasts.
Book the marquee courses first and book them early. Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes tee times in peak season, and the best resort packages, can need six to twelve months. At Pebble Beach a tee time more than a day or two ahead requires a minimum two night stay at one of the resort properties, and Pinehurst No. 2 is similarly tied to a resort stay. Fix those anchors, then build the rest of the week around them, pairing courses that sit close together to keep the driving short.
For getting around, most American golf regions are car based, so fly into the nearest hub, Monterey or San Francisco, Portland or North Bend, Phoenix, Raleigh, and take a rental car or, for a larger group, a driver. At the walking resorts of Bandon, Pebble, Pinehurst and Kiawah, take a caddie or fore caddie, both for the local read and because the experience is part of the trip. Remember that the United States tips its caddies, with a customary gratuity on top of any fee.
A sample Monterey Peninsula route
If the Monterey Peninsula is your trip, this is a clean, low driving plan from a single base. Fly into Monterey or San Francisco and check into one of the Pebble Beach resort properties for the two night minimum that unlocks the marquee tee time. Warm up at Spyglass Hill, the great Robert Trent Jones design through the dunes and forest, then play the Links at Spanish Bay along the shore. Build the week around your Pebble Beach round, the cliff top par 3 seventh and the closing holes along Carmel Bay, and add the public Pacific Grove or the Bayonet courses nearby for value. Three or four rounds on one peninsula, no long transfers, and the most famous coastline in golf.
That is one shape among many, and the right order depends on your tee times, your group and the weather. The value of a planner here is real: securing the Pebble Beach stay and slot, sequencing the rounds, and matching the rooms to the route. Tell us the dates and the group and we will build it.
Plan your United States golf trip
We secure the marquee tee times and the resort stays they require, from Pebble Beach to Bandon and Pinehurst, sequence the rounds to keep the driving short and sort the caddies, the cars or driver and the hotels. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
United States golf trip questions
How much does a golf trip to the United States cost?
It ranges enormously by region. A Myrtle Beach or Palm Springs week can run well under 1,500 dollars per golfer, a Scottsdale or Streamsong trip indicatively 1,500 to 3,000 dollars, and a Pebble Beach or Bandon Dunes bucket list trip comfortably above 5,000 dollars once flights are in. Pebble Beach alone is an indicative 675 dollars per round, rising to 695 from April 2026, and the headline Shadow Creek in Las Vegas is around 1,250 dollars. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
What is the best region for a first golf trip to the United States?
For a first trip, the Monterey Peninsula in California is the classic, anchored by Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and the public courses around Carmel. Bandon Dunes in Oregon is the links lover's choice, the Carolina Sandhills around Pinehurst the home of classic American golf, and Scottsdale the easiest desert resort week. Pick one region, play it properly, and save the rest for a return rather than crossing the country in a week.
When is the best time for a golf trip to the United States?
It depends on the region. Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes are best in the shoulder months of June and September into October for the most settled weather and post summer value. Pinehurst and the Carolinas peak in spring and autumn, the Arizona desert from October to May, and Florida in the mild winter and spring. Match the region to the season rather than the other way round, and book the marquee courses six to twelve months ahead.
Do you need a caddie in the United States?
At the walking resorts, Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and the Kiawah Ocean Course, a caddie or fore caddie is available and strongly recommended, with a customary gratuity on top, indicatively around 80 to 120 dollars per bag for a personal caddie and less for a shared fore caddie. Many other American courses are cart based and do not use caddies. On a links style resort a local caddie reads the wind and the lines and is well worth it. Always confirm current rates before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Planning guides, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Regions, indicative fees and access rules verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.