Best Summer Golf Courses and Resorts: Lakes and Beaches

As summer approaches, golfers across the United States are seeking destinations that combine premier course design with scenic natural settings, from lakeside fairways to coastal links. A recent guide highlights ten standout golf trips that offer not only challenging play but also opportunities for relaxation and recreation beyond the course.

The list, compiled by GolfPass and featured in a Google Alert on April 19, 2026, emphasizes resorts where golf is integrated into broader summer experiences. Destinations span multiple regions, including the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and West, reflecting diverse landscapes and climates suited to warm-weather play.

Among the highlighted locations is the Harbor Shores course in Benton Harbor, Michigan, situated along the banks of the Paw Paw River and Lake Michigan. Known for its Pete Dye design and recent hosting of major amateur events, the course offers water views on nearly every hole and access to nearby beaches and marinas.

In the Carolinas, the guide points to Sea Trail Resort in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, which features three 18-hole courses designed by renowned architects including Mike Strantz and Tom Jackson. The resort’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean allows guests to combine morning rounds with afternoon excursions to the shore, while its inland location provides relief from direct coastal winds.

Further south, Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia is noted for its Ritz-Carlton-affiliated accommodations and two championship layouts—The Landing and The National—both designed by Rees Jones. The resort surrounds Lake Oconee, one of the Southeast’s largest man-made lakes, offering boating, fishing, and lakeside dining as complementary activities to golf.

In the Southwest, the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, continues to be a staple for summer golf getaways. With two Pete Dye–designed courses and a history of hosting PGA Tour events, the property blends desert landscaping with lush fairways and provides access to Pacific Ocean beaches just a short drive away.

The guide also includes Mountain Ridge Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, which offers desert golf with elevated views of the Superstition Mountains. Though not located on a major body of water, the club emphasizes summer programming that includes early-morning tee times to avoid heat and partnerships with nearby resorts offering pool access and spa services.

Additional destinations featured are the Bretton Woods area in New Hampshire, where the Mount Washington Hotel’s golf course sits at the base of the White Mountains and offers access to hiking and scenic rail tours; the Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms, South Carolina, with its Pete Dye–designed links-style course bordering the Atlantic and intracoastal waterways; and the Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, California, known for its Arnold Palmer–designed mountains course and proximity to luxury resorts with extensive aquatic amenities.

The final entry highlights the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, Oregon, which features the Meadow Springs golf course—a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design set along the Umatilla River. The property combines high-desert golf with access to riverfront trails, Native American cultural exhibits, and resort-based pools and entertainment venues.

While the guide does not rank the destinations in order of preference, it presents each as a vetted option for golfers seeking variety in their summer travel. The selections reflect a trend in golf tourism toward experiential packages that prioritize not only course quality but also environmental ambiance and off-course amenities.

GolfPass, a subscription-based service offering tee time bookings, instructional content, and travel recommendations, curates its lists based on input from its editorial team and user feedback. The organization does not conduct independent course ratings but aggregates information from established golf media, resort partners, and player reviews to inform its recommendations.

As of April 2026, no major changes in course availability or resort operations have been reported at the listed properties that would affect their suitability for summer visitation. Golfers are advised to check individual resort websites for current rates, booking policies, and seasonal program details.