Oahu and Maui -- Hawaii's Best Courses for Golf Vacations

It sounds like paradise … it's enough to send you into a dreamy doze just thinking about wandering around in the gorgeous Hawaiian climate, lazily hitting a few balls while soaking up the naturally lush grass and palm tree dominated scenery. Aahh! Golf in Hawaii is almost as big as surfing, and the tiny state actually has some gorgeous, world-class golf courses. We look at some of the best courses for golf vacations in Hawaii's two biggest cities, Oahu and Maui.

Oahu Country Club

Alex Bell designed the Oahu country club -- but that probably means little to most of you, considering Alex Bell was of golf-course-designing age in 1906 … when this course opened. It is one of the mainstays of Hawaiian golf, but is also one of the most expensive courses in the country. Grab a golf package here for best value on both accommodation and play. It is quite a short course, only 6,000-odd yards, for a par 71.

Turtle Bay - Fazio

George Fazio's only Hawaiian course is in Oahu, at Turtle Bay. This course hosted the LPGA Tour's Hawaiian open, and the inaugural Senior Skins game was also held here. The bunkers are deep, but the fairways are generous … so if you run into trouble there is nobody to blame but yourself! The slope rating is 122, and users consistently give the course four out of five stars.

The Dunes at Maui Lani

When compared to Oahu's historic offerings, the Dunes at Maui Lani is both much more modern, and much more cost effective than the Oahu Country Club. It was named among Hawaii's best public access course for both 2005 and 2006, and made it into Golf Magazine's Top 100 courses for 2000, publicizing it to millions of golf trip takers. The golf carts have been the only complaint that we could track down about this course, which was designed by Robin Nelson and has a par 72 over 6,800 yards.

Kapalua - Plantation

A little longer than most golf courses, this par 73, 7,200 yard offering designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore is an awesome course … but you probably won’t have a chance to notice that at first. The scenery will take up all of your attention for at least the first ten minutes you are on this course while on golf vacation - it looks exactly like the photos! Views over the bay and pineapple plantations make it stunning, and keep pros like Tiger Woods, David Duval, Ernie Els and Justin Leonard coming back year after year.

Gulfport -- Mississippi's Best Courses for Golf Holidays

Known for catfish, the magnolia tree, and the Mississippi River, Mississippi has quite a concentration of great, challenging courses for golf travel and golf vacations. Short and very challenging courses are the state specialty when it comes to golf, with courses that have a par 72 at lengths of over 7000 yards in other areas of the U.S., often averaging out at 6,500 or so in Mississippi. We have a detailed look at some of the most highly regarded courses in the state by golf vacationers.

Windance Country Club

This golf course is an 18-holer designed by Mark McCumber, with a rating of 73.1. The par is 72 over quite a short 6,660 yards. There are no major areas of complaint from players, with the price being reasonable, staff being friendly, and the course usually in great shape. There are a huge range of hotels nearby that sometimes offer golf packages, and Windance is one of the closest courses to the center of Gulfport.

The Oaks

Stephen Caplinger and Chris Cole designed the Oaks golf course, and they made it a toughie! It has a par 72 over only 6,880 yards. It is one of the newest golf courses in Gulfport, opening in just 2005. The very same year it won a spot in Golfweek Magazine's list of best public access courses, and the staff have been among the characteristics that have helped keep it among the top courses for golf holidays and golf travel in the country. The practice area is a big benefit for beginners.

Dogwood Hills

One of the mainstays of Gulfport courses for golf holidays since 1991, Dogwood Hills has a par 72 over a tiny 6,000 yards. It was designed by Brent Williams, and has an overall rating of 69.0. It's a little further out from the center of town, but with lovely scenery. As one of the less expensive courses, it is well regarded in its category.

The Grand Bear

Designed by the man himself, Jack Nicklaus, the Grand Bear course in Gulfport is one of the main attractions for couples and singles on golf travel around the country. Players make comments like "the best course I have played in my life!" "I'd highly recommend this course if you are in the area." It has plenty of five star ratings. The quiet is something that a lot of players notice, especially those on golf holidays from the city -- the soundtrack to your tee consists of wind, birds, and nothing else!