Weekend Getaways: NFL & Golf

By Alex Myers

September 07, 2012

Shop This Look

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Photo By: Courtesy of Birdsfoot GC (top), Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Photo By: Stadium: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Photo By: Courtesy of TPC Louisiana (top), Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Photo By: Hunter Martin/Getty Images (top), Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Photo By: Andrew Redington/Getty Images (top), Doug Benc/Getty Images

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Photo By: Michael Cohen/Getty Images (top), Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Nick Laham/Getty Images

If you want to pair the NFL with great golf, here are 10 towns to consider

Green Bay

Attending a game at Lambeau Field is one of those bucket-list experiences for sports fans. If you are lucky enough to do it, you'll also find yourself in fairly close range of three of the country's best spots to play golf. Whistling Straits(left, the Straits Course is No. 3 in Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Coursesand the Irish Course is No. 35) and Blackwolf Run(River No. 15, Meadows Valley No. 60) are two of the finest golf resorts in the country. And Erin Hills, which will host the 2017 U.S. Open, is within 30 miles of downtown Milwaukee. Don't have that much time to drive? Check out NorthBrook Country Club, a 4.5-star public course located about 15 minutes from Cheesehead central.

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Pittsburgh

Perhaps no other city lives and dies with its football team as Pittsburgh does. Steelers fans have been rewarded with an NFL-record six Super Bowl trophies, but they also benefit from living in one of the best golf cities in the country. Even if you can't get onto famed Oakmont(No. 4 in Golf Digest's 100 Greatest), there are plenty of area tracks worth checking out, from Birdsfoot Golf Club(left), to Butler's Golf Course, to Olde Stonewall Golf Club, all of which we've rated 4.5 stars. A little further down the road (about 40 miles from downtown) is Chestnut Ridge Golf Club, which boasts two 4.5-star courses: Chestnut Ridgeand Tom's Run.

Photo By: Courtesy of Birdsfoot GC (top), Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Dallas

Cowboys Stadium isn't just the site of "America's Team," it is one of America's most impressive man-made structures. The Dallas-Fort Worth area also happens to be No. 1 in our recent ranking of the country's top cities for golf. In addition to the appropriately-named Cowboys Golf Club(left), there's also Texas Star Golf Courseand WaterChase Golf Club, (which is just $69 on weekends) and about 15 minutes from Cowboys Stadium. Other highly-rated area options include The Tribute Golf Cluband The Bridges, which features three 4.5-star courses (Champion, Masters, and Traditions).

Photo By: Stadium: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

New Orleans

Not that you need another excuse to visit the country's biggest year-round party, but a game in the Super Dome can be pretty fun, too, with Drew Brees leading the Saints' high-octane offense. Make sure you get outside some, though, and if you can tear yourself away from Bourbon Street, there are some fun golf courses in the area as well, starting with TPC Louisiana(left, one of Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Courses), which was designed by Pete Dye and hosts the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic. New Orleans resident and former NFL star quarterback Archie Manningalso suggests checking out Lakewood Golf Cluband Stonebridge Golf Club, which has three courses.

Photo By: Courtesy of TPC Louisiana (top), Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Phoenix

The Cardinals would never be classified as one of the NFL's storied franchises, but they have a beautiful stadium in which tickets aren't as tough to come by. With the warm climate and a plethora of outstanding courses in the area, it also won't be tough to plan a great golf trip anytime during the season. Close to the glitzy University of Phoenix Stadium are a plethora of 4.5-star courses, from Dobson Ranch Golf Course($45 on weekends), to Raven Golf Club, to The Legacy Golf Resort. And golf mecca Scottsdale is about a half hour drive away. There you have the TPC, with its Stadium(left, site of the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open) and Championscourses, and also Talking Stick Golf Club, which boasts a (Northand Southcourse, both designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore.

Photo By: Hunter Martin/Getty Images (top), Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Miami

The Dolphins could be in for a struggle with a rookie head coach and quarterback, but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy a weekend getaway centered around seeing a game at Sun Life Stadium. It will be easy to catch some rays on the golf course as well. If you fly into Miami International Airport, you can't miss the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. The golf destination is known most for its Blue Monster(left, site of the PGA Tour's WGC-Cadillac Championship), but it also has the Great White, Gold, and Redcourses. Two other courses recommended by Miami native Erik Comptonare Miami Beach Golf Cluband Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne.

Photo By: Andrew Redington/Getty Images (top), Doug Benc/Getty Images

San Diego

The best part of attending a game here? Odds are it will be 70 degrees and sunny. You'll have no problem taking advantage of that perfect weather with all the great golf in the area as well. Of course, that starts with Torrey Pines' South Course(left), site of Tiger Woods' epic playoff win over Rocco Mediate at the 2008 U.S. Open. However, the North Coursehas just as many ocean views and shares hosting duties with the South for the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open. Another, cheaper option with water views is the popular Coronado Municipal Golf Course. And two other great options about a half hour away from downtown are the scenic Arnold Palmer-designed Aviara Golf Club(4.5 stars) and the recently re-designed La Costa Resort & Spa, which has hosted both the PGA and LPGA Tours.

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Tampa

The Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium features a life-size pirate ship above one of the end zones. And once you are there, you won't have to set sail for long to find a treasure trove of great golf courses. Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club(20 miles from downtown) and World Woods Golf Club (50 miles away) both feature two 4.5-star courses. Most notably, the Copperhead Course(left) at Innisbrook is home to the PGA Tour's Transitions Championship, and World Woods' Pine Barrensis ranked No. 55 on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Courseslist. TPC Tampa Bay, which hosts the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am on the Champions Tour, is another strong option.

Photo By: Michael Cohen/Getty Images (top), Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

San Francisco

The brilliant tandem of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice may be a distant memory, but a combo of taking in a 49ers game and playing one of the Bay Area's beautiful golf courses is as inviting as ever. Check out Harding Park(left), which hosted the 2009 Presidents Cup or Half Moon Bay Golf Links' two courses (Old Course, Arnold Palmer and Arthur Hills, 4.5 stars and Ocean Course), which are 45 minutes from Candlestick Park. The historic Sharp Parkis also an option, as is Oakland's Metropolitan Golf Links, designed by Johnny Miller and Fredrik C. Bliss. And if you feel like taking a little more of a drive, Alister Mackenzie's classic Pasatiempois 90 minutes away.

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

New York

OK, so technically the Giants and Jets play in New Jersey, but we're going with what their uniforms say. The location of the Meadowlands does allow for you to draw from both states' pool of public golf courses. Of course, any discussion of this area must start with Bethpage Black(left, No. 7 on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Courses), site of the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens and the recent Barclays. But Bethpage State Park features four other great courses, the Red(4.5 stars), Green(4.5 stars), Blue, and Yellow. Head about 20 miles the other way from MetLife Stadium and you'll find Knoll West Country Club(4.5 stars) in Boonton, N.J.

Photo By: Stephen Szurlej (top) Nick Laham/Getty Images

RBC Heritage

BEST BUDGET FRIENDLY TRIPS

READ MORE