Fall Golf Bucket List: 10 Courses You’ve Got to Play
Cool temps, warm colors — these 10 fall golf courses are worth the trip before winter hits.
By Kyle Moss
When people say “fall is in the air,” a lot of different things could come to mind. When golfers say it, it’s usually a statement filled with optimism and delight. And that’s because there is a magic to fall golf that no other season can touch. It’s an ideal time when the weather hasn’t turned over to winter just yet, leaving plenty of time for another round or two.
Sure, the temps are dropping and life is busy and October leaves are getting in the way and many golf courses overseed, but don’t make the mistake of putting your clubs away too early. As the summer heat gives way to a crisp breeze and low humidity, tens of thousands of golf courses across America undergo a spectacular transformation that is every bit as much about aesthetics as it is about golf. The fairways are framed by a fiery palette of golds, crimsons, and russets, turning every walk from tee to green into a feast for the eyes. It’s the time of year when the air is clear, the humidity is gone, and conditions are absolutely ideal to hit your golf ball.
But a truly great fall golf destination must offer more than just beautiful foliage and scenic views. To be considered for your travel worth, it needs to pair world-class scenery with a course design that is both engaging and rewarding for all golfers. We’ve searched for courses that happen to feature fun and challenging layouts, ensuring that both the seasoned veteran and the casual weekend player will find their game tested and their spirits lifted if they choose to plan fun fall trip away from home.
From the dramatic elevation changes of the Payne’s Valley Courses that showcase panoramic autumnal vistas, to strategically placed bunkers and water features that demand your attention in Myrtle Beach, this list represents the best courses in or near your state, with the ultimate blend of perfect beauty and exceptional golf architecture. Each of these fall golf trip destinations offers great golf packages for a group — but also works if you want to check in as a solo player — and proves that autumn might just be golf’s most underrated season. When the pace slows, the scenery dazzles, and every hole feels like a postcard.
1. Treetops Resort – Masterpiece Course
- 3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord, Michigan, 49735
- Green fee: From $102
- Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., this property overlooks the Pigeon River Valley, featuring lush forests and rolling hills with a variety of great holes.
2. Jack Frost National Golf Club
- 1 Jack Frost Mountain Rd., Blakeslee, Pennsylvania, 18610
- Green fee: From $45
- Unique to Northeastern Pennsylvania with beautiful landscapes and views on the crest of Jack Frost Mountain. Has an elevation of 2000 ft and the natural Oak Forest highlights the movement of each golf hole.
3. Gold Course at The Golden Horseshoe
- 401 S England St, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185
- Green fee: From $78
- Designed by father-and-son duo Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Rees Jones, and offers 45 walkable holes completely free of surrounding real estate.
4. Killington Golf Course
- 4763 Killington Rd, Killington, Vermont, 05751
- Green fee: n/a
- Takes full advantage of unique mountain terrain and includes snowmelt streams on the ground, a 2,000′ elevation, and signature vistas.
5. Sunday River Golf Club
- 18 Championship Dr, Newry, Maine, 04261
- Green fee: n/a
- This Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design winds through the Maine woods and overlooks the Sunday River Valley with the Mahoosuc range towering above.
6. Thistle Golf Club
- 1815 Olde Thistle Club Road, Sunset Beach, North Carolina, 28468
- Green fee: From $120
- This 27-hole Scottish-links design includes generous fairways, large Bermuda greens, five sets of tees and 12-minute tee times intervals.
7. Pronghorn Club – Nicklaus Signature Course
- 65600 Pronghorn Club Dr., Bend, Oregon, 97701
- Green fee: From $125
- Picturesque scenes and flawless conditions define this parkland style course, with the Cascade mountains in the backdrop and rock features scattered throughout.
8. Payne’s Valley Golf Course
- 1250 Golf Club Drive, Hollister, MO, 65672
- Green fee: From $150
- Located at Big Cedar Lodge and right next to Ozarks National, this is the first fully public-access course in the world completed by Tiger Woods’ design firm TGR Design and is definitely worth a visit.
9. La Cantera Golf Club
- 16641 La Cantera Pkwy, San Antonio, Texas, 78256
- Green fee: From $99
- This dramatic Hill Country layout rambles over dramatic up and down terrain. Majestic live oaks line the housing-free fairways as the playing field winds amidst rushing streams and limestone rock outcroppings.
10. The Golf Club at Equinox
- 108 Union St, Manchester Village, Vermont, 05254
- Green fee: From $76
- Combines a dramatic blend of past and present in one of the most picturesque mountain settings in the country, which boasts challenging play on every fairway, bunker, and green.