Beyond the Fairway: Golf Destinations Worth Travelling For

The Masters has always been more than a tournament. It’s a moment. A shift. The kind that lingers long after the final putt drops.

As Rory McIlroy secured his latest victory at Augusta, the world didn’t just watch, it imagined. Golden-hour tee times. Perfectly manicured greens. The quiet thrill of stepping onto a course where the greats have played.

But today’s luxury golfer isn’t chasing just a round. They’re seeking something far more immersive, destinations where championship play meets exceptional living. Where the fairway is only the beginning.

From South Africa’s rising golf powerhouse to Lake Como’s timeless elegance, these are the stays redefining what a golf escape looks like now.

Steyn City Hotel by Saxon, Johannesburg

A new name, but already impossible to ignore. Set within one of Johannesburg’s most ambitious lifestyle estates, Steyn City Hotel by Saxon has rapidly positioned itself on the global stage, not just as a hotel, but as a serious contender in elite golf.

At its centre lies an 18-hole championship course designed by Jack Nicklaus, a name synonymous with the sport’s highest standards. Recently hosting LIV Golf’s first African tournament, the course has already welcomed icons including Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm, with its return confirmed for 2027.

Yet what sets Steyn City apart is its lifestyle-led approach. Beyond the fairways, a 300-metre lagoon, cycling trails and rooftop pool culture create something closer to a private members’ enclave than a traditional golf resort. This is modern golf, social, design-led, and unapologetically global.

Evian Resort, France

There are few places in Europe where golf feels this cinematic. Overlooking Lake Geneva and framed by the Alps, Evian Resort is home to The Amundi Evian Championship, the only women’s Major held in continental Europe.

The course itself is as technical as it is beautiful, with dramatic elevation shifts and immaculate greens that demand precision at every turn. But the real luxury here lies in contrast, the intensity of play balanced by the calm of one of France’s most refined resort settings.

Think Michelin-starred dining, a world-class spa, and mornings that begin with mist rolling across the lake.

Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay, Morocco

Opened in 2024, Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay feels less like a hotel and more like a private coastal sanctuary.

Set along Morocco’s Mediterranean shoreline, the property pairs sea-view villas with access to Cabo Negro Golf Course, an 18-hole layout positioned between mountains and ocean, where each swing comes with a shifting natural backdrop.

But this is golf at its most elevated. Private transfers, curated retreat experiences and personalised butler service redefine the rhythm of a golf trip, while dining by three Michelin-starred chefs, including Quique Dacosta, ensures evenings rival the days.

Add in Morocco’s first medical-aesthetic Medi-Spa, and the result is something entirely new: a golf retreat designed around restoration as much as play.

Adare Manor, Ireland

Few places capture the grandeur of golf quite like Adare Manor. Set across 840 acres in County Limerick, this neo-Gothic estate is preparing to host Ryder Cup 2027, a defining moment that cements its place among the world’s elite courses.

Redesigned by Tom Fazio, the course blends technical precision with natural beauty, weaving through rolling parkland and along the River Maigue. Every detail, from turf quality to hole design, reflects a meticulous pursuit of perfection.

Off the course, the experience becomes unmistakably Irish, falconry, fine dining, and interiors that feel both historic and deeply indulgent. This is golf with heritage, and presence.

Hotel Quinta do Lago, Algarve

For those who measure a golf trip in variety, Quinta do Lago delivers in threes. Part of Leading Hotels of the World, its set within the protected landscape of the Ria Formosa, the resort offers access to three championship courses, South, North and Laranjal, each with its own identity.

The South Course remains the headline act, having hosted multiple Portuguese Opens, while Laranjal, carved from former orange groves, offers a more tranquil yet equally strategic round.

Here, golf is seamlessly woven into the Algarve lifestyle, sun-drenched, expansive, and always just steps from the sea.

Camiral, Costa Brava

At Camiral, golf is only part of the story. Home to the renowned Stadium Course, consistently ranked among Europe’s best, the resort has built its reputation on championship-level play. Designed by Neil Coles and Ángel Gallardo, the course has hosted multiple European Tour events and remains one of Spain’s most respected layouts.

But what elevates Camiral is its holistic approach. Recovery-focused wellness, contemporary Catalan dining and design-led accommodation create a destination that speaks to a new kind of golfer, one equally invested in performance and wellbeing.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como

For those who believe golf should come with a view, this is the ultimate expression.

Perched on the shores of Lake Como, Grand Hotel Tremezzo has been a pillar of Italian hospitality for over a century. Its Art Nouveau façade and lakeside setting offer a sense of timeless glamour, the kind that doesn’t need reinvention.

Nearby, the historic Menaggio & Cadenabbia Golf Club, founded in 1907, provides a course defined by precision, tradition and breathtaking scenery.

Here, the rhythm is slower. Mornings on the lake. Afternoons on the fairway. Evenings that stretch long into golden light.