Travel: Golf on the fly

AIRPORT CONFIDENTIAL: DIA is far enough away from the city that getting to nearby courses shouldn't be a problem even during rush hours. An on-site gas station can save you some time refilling a rental car. If your back is sore from the round, check out A Massage Inc. on concourses A or B.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport

REALLY CLOSE BY: White Pines G.C. (500 W. Jefferson St., Bensenville; 630-766-0304; 10 minutes, two miles; $33-$35) is a solid, 36-hole muny southwest of the airport. It's almost always packed, but singles should have no problem getting on at the spur of the moment.

BEST VALUE: Old Orchard C.C. (700 W. Rand Road, Mount Prospect; 847-255-2025; 22 minutes, 12 miles; $30) has made improvements in conditioning to an already demanding, 6,119-yard, par-70 course. Local golfers describe Old Orchard as the toughest short course in the Chicago area.

A PIECE OF HISTORY: Oak Meadows G.C. (900 N. Wood Dale Road, Addison; 630-595-0071; 10 minutes, eight miles; $46-$51) is the former Elmhurst C.C. Built in the 1920s, it was the site of Ben Hogan's 1942 win in the Chicago Open. The county's Forest Preserve bought the property in the 1980s and converted it to a municipal course.

ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING: The Glen Club (2901 West Lake Ave., Glenview; 847-724-7272; 22 minutes, 15 miles; $125-$175) is a Tom Fazio course built on a former naval air base. The layout is wide open, but thick rough, undulating fairways and the occasional water hazard make the course challenging and scenic. You can even see the city skyline in the distance.

AIRPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Off-site rental-car facilities can add 15 to 20 minutes to check-in. Security also has cracked down on vehicles entering airport grounds, so taxis don't exactly zip in and out anymore.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

REALLY CLOSE BY: Hiawatha G. Cse. (4553 Longfellow Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-724-7715; 13 minutes, six miles; $26-$28) is a respectable muny that will let you get back to the airport in plenty of time.

BEST CHOICE: Braemar G. Cse. (6364 John Harris Drive, Edina; 952-826-6799; 17 minutes, 10 miles; $33-$59) is one of the best munys in the state, so getting a tee time at the last minute might be a challenge. The course is part of a 500-acre park and has 27 holes. There also is a nine-hole executive course and a dome for practicing indoors in crummy weather.

ANOTHER OPTION: Dwan G. Cse. (3301 W. 110th St., Bloomington; 952-563-8702, 17 minutes, 10 miles, $25-$35; not rated) is a par-68, 5,485-yard course. It's not much on conditioning, but locals say it has improved of late.

AIRPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Talk about convenient: The parking is located in the center of this airport's horseshoe design. If you know your gate, you can choose the best exit to take from the garage—a shortcut that will save you several minutes of walking. Locals like to brag about living in the most golf-crazed state, so you should have no trouble getting directions to a course or finding a taxi driver who knows the quickest route.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

REALLY CLOSE BY: The nine-hole College Park Municipal G. Cse. (3711 Fairway Drive, College Park; 404-761-0731; five minutes, two miles; $8-$14; not rated) isn't worth bringing a camera. If you need a quick golf fix, it'll do.

BEST CHOICE: Wolf Creek G.C. (3000 Union Road; 404-344-1334; 15 minutes, 10 miles; $49-$65; not yet rated) is great for air travelers because its west-side location avoids Atlanta's infamous city traffic. The course opened in 2002, and the 7,028-yard track is one of the area's best-kept secrets. The parkland design is very challenging, with a 142 Slope from the tips.

BEST VALUE: Lake Spivey G.C. (8255 Clubhouse Way, Jonesboro; 770-471-4653; 27 minutes, 18 miles; $26-$49; not yet rated) has 27 holes that are flanked by tall pines and wind through forests with eight lakes coming into play. Its location south of the airport also makes it ideal for avoiding traffic.

AIRPORT CONFIDENTIAL: This place is huge, but security lines move quickly since there are always plenty of working X-ray machines. Transportation to car-rental facilities is quick, but there are no easily accessible gas stations near the airport.

John F. Kennedy (New York) International Airport CLOSE BY: Marine Park G. Cse. (2880 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn; 718-338-7113; 18 minutes, 11 miles; $29-$35) was built in the 1960s by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is extremely busy because of its proximity to Manhattan. The course is fairly wide open and has views of the New York skyline. It's typically not in top shape, but its condition has improved.

IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME: Lido G.C. (255 Lido Blvd., Lido Beach; 516-889-8181; 30 minutes, 15 miles; $42-$62) is a fun seaside course that is routed through marshland on the south shore of Long Island. It was once a private golf club but went bankrupt during the Great Depression and became a muny in 1948. If you don't often play in windy conditions, you're in for a treat. There are many forced carries over water, and the direction of gusts can change hourly.

AIRPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Will the construction ever stop? Count on a few minutes of detours and extra delays as you wind your way to your terminal.

Star Rating Explanation

Course ratings are derived from the exclusive 5-star Golf Digest Places to Play scale. A single star represents "basic golf." Five stars indicates "golf at its absolute best." Golf Digest's Best Places to Play guide, based upon the ratings of tens of thousands of readers, is available for $24.95.
Basic golf.
Good, but not great.
Very good. Tell a friend it's worth getting off the highway to play.
Outstanding. Plan your next vacation around it.
Superb. Golf at its absolute best. Pay any price to play at least once in your life.
The equivalent of one-half star.

If a course has no star rating, it means that the course did not receive a minimum of 10 ballots, either because it is very new or simply was not visited by a sufficient number of Golf Digest readers. If you've played one of these courses and would like to rate it, click here.