What's the Best City for a Golf Getaway? And What About the Worst?

It's a question that vexes golfers all over the country, including myself: Where do we go next on our next golf vacation? Obviously, you want to go someplace with lots of good public golf courses, but weather is also a big factor. There's also the matter of cost, as most people don't have unlimited amounts of money to throw around.

If you truly have no ideas about where to go, this new analysis from The Action Network could help, even if their results are a bit ... off. I don't think its any particular surprise that Sun Belt states dominate the top of the list, although Seattle sneaks in at No. 20, which is a little odd, considering its weather reputation. Ogden, Utah, at No. 15 is another weird one. The very top of the list is mostly the usual suspects, with Scottsdale, Arizona, taking No. 1, followed by Fort Myers, Florida. One particularly strange omission from the top 20 is Myrtle Beach, which is like, THE, golf destination in this country. Maybe it's a little too expensive these days?

While I probably wouldn't get the order right, the top of the list is generally the usual suspects and cities I would expect. To me, the more interesting side of this list is what comes at the bottom. What's the worst city in America for a golf getaway? Notre Dame fans are going to be in shambles, because the answer is South Bend, Indiana. Cost plays a big factor, as the average price of a 5-day trip tops $4,000. That seemed excessive for a city in northern Indiana, but when I checked a random weekend in October, it became clear that football games played a massive role in raising hotel prices. Go in June, for example, and things become much cheaper. Not that I'm advocating for people to vacation in Indiana, but South Bend does host a public Coore and Crenshaw golf course, which is far more than most towns can say. Based on that alone, I wouldn't put South Bend anywhere close to the bottom.

The presence of three California cities at the bottom is a little surprising, particularly Napa. I suppose that is a wine town, something that is distinctly not a golfer beverage, but still, the climate's got to be quite pleasant. Perhaps all the grapes are taking up all the good space for golf courses.