Let me be real with you: golf is an expensive hobby attached to an expensive vacation wrapped in expensive khakis. But it doesn't have to be. The secret that resort marketing departments don't want you to know is that their promotional vacation packages often include golf rounds at a fraction of the standalone green fee. We're talking $200+ courses included in packages that cost less than a single peak-season round.
I've played enough resort courses to know which ones are actually worth the trip and which ones are just a fancy par-3 with delusions of granduer. These six? They're the real deal. Explore our destination pages to find golf resort deals in specific areas.
1. Myrtle Beach Golf Packages — From $99/Night with Golf
Myrtle Beach is the undisputed king of affordable golf. With over 80 courses crammed along the Grand Strand, the competition for your tee time is fierce — and fierce competition means absurd deals. You can play a different course every day for a week and still not make a dent in the options.
Resort packages at properties like the Wyndham Vacation Resorts and Marriott's OceanWatch bundle 2-3 rounds with accommodations starting at $99/night. When you consider that standalone green fees at courses like TPC Myrtle Beach and Caledonia Golf & Fish Club run $120-200+ per round, the savings are genuinely substantial.
The courses here range from budget-friendly muni-style layouts to top-100 designs by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, and Tom Fazio. My recommendation? Play at least one "splurge" course (Caledonia or the Dunes Golf & Beach Club) and fill the rest of your rounds with mid-tier courses that still deliver excellent conditions at $40-60 per round through the package.
2. Scottsdale, Arizona Golf Deals — From $129/Night with Golf
Scottsdale is golf heaven wrapped in a desert landscape that makes every hole look like a screensaver. The Sonoran Desert courses here are visually stunning — saguaro cacti lining the fairways, red rock formations in the distance, and not a single cloud in that ridiculous Arizona sky for roughly 330 days a year.
The catch is that Scottsdale golf can be eye-wateringly expensive from November through April. The trick is booking resort promotional packages, which bundle rounds at courses that normally charge $150-300 per round. Properties like the Scottsdale Links Resort and Scottsdale Villa Mirage offer packages from $129/night that include one or two rounds.
If you're playing Scottsdale in summer (May-September), you're a genius. Temperatures hit 100°F+, but green fees drop 50-70%. Courses like Troon North, Grayhawk, and We-Ko-Pa — which charge $200+ in winter — offer summer rates of $50-89. Bring a gallon of water per round, wear sunscreen like it's your job, and tee off at dawn. You'll have the course practically to yourself.
3. Hilton Head Island Golf — From $119/Night with Golf
Hilton Head has more golf courses per capita than anywhere else in the United States. On an island that's 12 miles long and 5 miles wide, there are 24 championship golf courses. That's two courses per square mile. You can't throw a sand wedge without hitting a fairway. (Don't actually throw your clubs. That's a different kind of course management.)
The Harbour Town Golf Links — home of the RBC Heritage PGA Tour event — is the crown jewel, with its iconic lighthouse behind the 18th green. A round there costs $350+ during peak season, but resort packages at properties like the Marriott Grande Ocean and Hilton Head Beach & Tennis Resort sometimes include Harbour Town rounds at significant discounts.
For pure value, check out the packages that include courses like Palmetto Hall, Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront, and Shipyard Golf Club. These are excellent tracks in their own right, and they come bundled with resort stays for much less than the headliner courses. Browse our deals page for current Hilton Head golf packages.
4. Orlando, Florida Golf Deals — From $89/Night with Golf
Orlando might be known for theme parks, but the golf scene here is seriously legit. The combination of year-round warm weather, flat terrain perfect for golf course design, and massive resort infrastructure means you can find exceptional golf deals that'd make a Scottsdale golfer weep with envy.
Resort properties like the Orange Lake Resort (Holiday Inn Club Vacations) and Westgate Lakes include on-site courses or discounted rounds at nearby tracks. The Orange Lake Resort has three nine-hole courses right on property — you can literally walk from your room to the first tee in your bathrobe. Not that I'd recommend that, but you could.
The Arnold Palmer-designed courses at Bay Hill and the Tom Fazio tracks at Championsgate offer resort guest rates that are significantly lower than public green fees. Packages starting at $89/night with golf included are common during summer and fall, making Orlando arguably the best overall value for a golf vacation in the United States.
5. Branson, Missouri Golf — From $69/Night with Golf
Branson is the sleeper pick on this list, and I mean that as the highest compliment. The Ozark Mountain scenery is gorgeous, the courses are well-maintained, and the prices are so low you'll think there's been a mistake. Green fees at most Branson courses run $35-65 even without a package deal, and the resort bundles drop that even further.
Properties like the Wyndham Branson at the Meadows and Holiday Inn Club Vacations Ozark Mountain Resort offer golf packages starting at $69/night that include one round per night of stay. The Top of the Rock course (designed by Jack Nicklaus) at Big Cedar Lodge is the area's headliner — a stunning par-3 course with waterfalls, cave holes, and views that'll distract you from your putting stroke.
The Payne Stewart Golf Trail connects several courses across the Ozarks and offers multi-course pass deals. If you're visiting for three or more days, the trail pass is an incredible deal — unlimited golf at participating courses for a flat daily rate. Pack your clubs and prepare to play 36 holes a day. Your back might not love it, but your soul will.
6. Palm Springs Golf Deals — From $109/Night with Golf
The Coachella Valley is home to over 120 golf courses, making it one of the densest golf destinations in the world. The San Jacinto Mountains create a dramatic backdrop for every round, and the desert air means your ball flies about 10% farther than at sea level. Finally, a place where your drives are as long as you tell people they are.
Resort vacation packages at properties like the Marriott's Desert Springs Villas and the Westin Mission Hills offer bundled golf starting at $109/night. The Desert Springs resort has two Ted Robinson-designed courses that are consistently ranked among the best in the valley, and resort guests get preferred rates and tee times.
The summer value play works even better in Palm Springs than Scottsdale. Temperatures hit 110°F+ in July and August, but green fees at courses that charge $150-250 in winter drop to $25-50. Many courses offer dawn patrol rates with tee times starting at 5:30 AM — you'll be finished with 18 holes before most people eat breakfast, and you'll have the entire afternoon to sit by the resort pool and ice your ego. Check out our resort brand comparisons for Palm Springs properties.
| Destination | Starting Price | # of Courses | Best Season | Avg Green Fee (Peak) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach | $99/night + golf | 80+ | March-May, Sept-Oct | $80-200 |
| Scottsdale | $129/night + golf | 200+ | Nov-April (value: May-Sept) | $150-350 |
| Hilton Head | $119/night + golf | 24 | April-June, Sept-Oct | $100-350 |
| Orlando | $89/night + golf | 70+ | Year-round | $60-200 |
| Branson | $69/night + golf | 15+ | April-October | $35-100 |
| Palm Springs | $109/night + golf | 120+ | Nov-April (value: May-Sept) | $100-250 |
Look, golf is never going to be a "cheap" hobby. You've already invested thousands in clubs, lessons, and those ridiculous shoes. But the actual vacation around the golf? That can be surprisingly affordable if you know where to look. These six destinations offer resort-quality accommodations and championship courses at prices that would make your golf buddies think you're lying. Which, let's be honest, golfers are pretty good at anyway. Book one of these deals and the only thing you'll be lying about is your handicap — not how much you spent on the trip.