Katherine Dyson takes another look at a great combination - golf and spas - this time east of the Mississippi. From special massages and body wraps to Olympic-size swimming pools and fitness classes, resorts in the eastern states have no shortage of options for recreation and relaxation. Better yet, all this indulgence takes place within a chip shot of some world-class golf courses.
Also: Going West? These resorts combine combine the best spa and golf experiencesRanking among the "best of" selections in several golf magazines, Grand Bear Golf Course in Saucier, Miss. is a kindler, gentler Jack Nicklaus design, with just the right amount of teeth, Katherine Dyson writes. Just 40 minutes from Biloxi, Grand Bear has everything you'd expect in the wilds of the deep South - cypress wetlands, live oaks, aged magnolias, and gum trees - as well as all the doglegs and bunkers that make a Nicklaus track so much fun.
Also: Down around Biloxi: Is the golf better than ever? You betThe venerable TPC Sawgrass, home to perhaps the most famous par 3 in the world, is among seven golf resorts to make the 2010 list of the Readers' Choice Rankings: The Top 50 Resort Courses among the readers of Golf Digest and Golf World magazines. Florida ranked second among U.S. states, only behind Hawaii, which placed eight resorts on the list.
Also: Book Florida tee times online and saveLike paying for so many other things, finding an affordable golf course in Ireland is simply a matter of shopping around. Thanks to widely varying green fees, Brandon Tucker writes, you can play some fine links golf venues for less than $100 on the Emerald Isle. While these courses are sometimes less trafficked than their more famous counterparts, that doesn't mean you won't find stunning vistas, rich Old World history, and plenty of challenge for your buck.
Also: Ireland's best golf courses in picturesIf you're thinking of taking a golf vacation, it would be hard to beat a trip to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. With more than 200 courses, the choices are endless, and the weather - especially in spring, fall and winter - is ideal. Mike Bailey offers some tips for the ultimate Arizona golf trip that could save you everything from money to sunburn and embarrassment.
Also: Top Scottsdale golf vacation packagesTucked into the southwest corner of Vegas is one of Ted Robinson's most stunning designs: Rhodes Ranch Golf Club. Now it's easy to call a layout one of the best, but when an architect with 50-plus years in the business and more than 150 courses to his name is as proud of the course as Robinson is, it's got to be something special.
Also: Tips for bringing a large golf group to Sin CityIt take more than sand to make a challenging golf course, and Arthur Hill proves it at Palmetto Dunes, Lisa Allen writes. The resort's Hills Course boasts plenty of water and carry, tricky lies and invisible greens, not to mention ocean breezes - maybe even an alligator or two. And if that doesn't convince you that precision play is needed, consider that Tiger Woods once racked up an 8 on the course's par-4 17th hole.
Also: More photos of the Hills Course at Palmetto Dunes ResortMake no mistake about it, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is expensive and "you want to enjoy the experience, not fight your way around 18 difficult holes," according to reader Elliot DeBear. "Take a camera or you will hate yourself once you see how gorgeous this track is from the 1st tee to the 18th green."
Also: A blogger's lasting impressions of Kiawah Island golfFor years, TPC Las Vegas was in the rotation of courses when the PGA Tour came to Vegas, and more than a handful of PGA Tour pros still call the course home and can regularly be seen on the practice tee honing their skills. Designed by Bobby Weed with consultation from Raymond Floyd, it is a par-71 roller coaster that plays to 7,080 yards over and around canyons in the northwest section of Vegas.
Also: TPC Las Vegas photo galleryThere are golf courses that, no matter the weather, no matter your mood, you look forward to playing. Bay Harbor Golf Club in Michigan's Boyne Resorts is one of those courses, Mike Bailey writes. It's been billed as the "Pebble Beach of the Midwest," but the comparison really isn't necessary.
Also: Best of Northern Michigan golf in picturesThe Caribbean Resort & Villas has raised the bar in Myrtle Beach again. Over its 40 years, the ocean-front resort has grown like a mushroom along both sides of Ocean Boulevard, allowing Myrtle Beach golfers to choose from an array of accommodations. But the big boy on the Grand Strand now is the Caribbean's brand-new Cayman Tower, 21 stories of luxury that opened in June.
Also: Rating the best knee-knockin' par 3s of Myrtle BeachIf you're planning a large-group golf outing for your company, look no further than Las Vegas. With more than 60 courses in the market, you're bound to find one (or more) that fit your price range(s). And even if golf is the centerpiece of your trip, Sin City offers countless additional entertainment options from shows, to dining and, of course, gaming. Here are a few things to remember if you're bringing that big group to Vegas ...
Also: Get help bringing a large golf group to VegasA long-time favorite of local golfers and visitors alike, the Golf Club at Ballantyne has undergone extensive renovations, aimed at making play more fair and enjoyable without losing any of the challenge. The keynote of the elegant Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge complex, the course is still a hilly test, but the changes are definitely an improvement, Katharine Dyson writes.
Also: Golf courses in Charlotte, N.C.Play at the Crescent Pointe is not for the feint of heart - but it IS one of the most beautiful places in the Bluffton-Hilton Head area to lose a sleeve of balls. You see, Arnold Palmer designed Crescent Pointe to present challenging shot-making opportunities, and beautiful fairways and elevated greens set amid the grand oaks and magnolias of the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Also: Crescent Pointe Golf Club photo gallery