Mountain golf often pairs with skiing and boarding. Vermont, New Hampshire, Michigan, Alberta, New York–all have terrific trails for the vertically-stoked, with dazzling golf not far off. In western New York, near the epicenter of OnCore, three resorts (Byrncliff, Holiday Valley, Peek ‘n Peak) transform when the white melts into the green. Where should you travel for golf, and still preserve that sloped way feel? Here’s our first look at five hot spots for golf roaming when the snow sliding takes a breather.
1. Banff and Jasper: Alberta, Canada
Embarking to Canada, 90 minutes away from Calgary is Banff. 3 hours northwest of Banff is Jasper. Incredible national parks with stunning views and traces throughout the Canadian Rockies. In the winter? Well, it’s the Rockies, remember? In the fair-weather months, it’s golf from another world. Due north of Montana and Washington states, Stanley Thompson built unequaled courses in both national parks.
2. Michigan
The state’s highest vertical drop and longest run both belong to Mt. Bohemia. It also qualifies as most rustic, tucked away on the northernmost tip of the upper peninsula, almost in Lake Superior. For those less bent on finding the road less traveled, there’s plenty more snow sliding and golf in Michigan.
3. Vermont
For a smallish state, Vermont has long known how to connect snow sports and golf as well as any other state. There is always golf nearby, so we’ll restrict this list to the resorts that have golf on-site. If your favorite retreat isn’t to be found, don’t despair. The drive from your home away from home, to the local layout, certainly won’t be a long one.
4. New Hampshire
Vermont’s neighbor is also long on ski and golf recreation areas. It’s long on nearly everything. One of those states without major city destinations, yet the towns and villages seem to have a bit of everything for everyone. The rocky layer that gives the Granite State its nickname, creates craggy, angular golfing experiences seldom found elsewhere.
5. New York
From the Adirondack mountains, across the Catskills, to the Allegheny peaks, there is skiing across the Empire state. Some is steep, some shallow, and some is flat (for the X-C brigade, of course.)
- Lake Placid: Craig Wood and Lake Placid Resort
- Catskills: Blackhead Mountain and Hanah Mountain
- Central: Bristol
- Southwest: Holiday Valley and Byrncliff
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