| Call them the best of the best, the elite, or the | | | | the summer, you can expect temperatures over 100. |
| Green Berets of U.S. golf cities.The ten cities on this | | | | For more information, visit Maui, HawaiiAside from the |
| list all have one thing common. They occur on more | | | | lush beauty one normally associates with Maui, the |
| top-ten golf destination lists than all other cities in the | | | | Hawaiian island also offers the state's only 54-hole |
| U.S. How do I know this? By way of research ... lots | | | | courses, Wailea and Kapalua. According to |
| of tedious, time-consuming but totally thorough | | | | VisitMaui.com, there's plenty of availability to go |
| research.Building the Ultimate ListI began the process | | | | around: "Although Maui hosts several well-known |
| by gathering all the lists of popular U.S. golf | | | | professional tournaments tee times are rarely hard to |
| destinations I could find. This journey led me from to | | | | come by." Learn more at Myrtle Beach, South |
| Golf Digest, from travel websites to sports websites | | | | CarolinaI went on family trips to Myrtle Beach each |
| and everything in between. I read lists by golfers, | | | | year for over a decade. I recall how eager my |
| journalists, travelers and even historians.The Envelope | | | | siblings and I would be to play a round of Jungle Golf, |
| PleaseWhen the dust settled, I had 15 lists of popular | | | | miniature golf with all the animal props you could |
| golf destinations in the country. Then I began | | | | shake a club at. But Myrtle Beach has plenty of golf |
| cross-referencing to determine which cities occurred | | | | for "big kids," too. Popular courses include The |
| on the most lists. So here you have the best of the | | | | Legends, Grand Dunes, Wild Wing and Tidewater. |
| best ... the elite ... the ten most popular golf cities in | | | | Learn at Orlando, FloridaOrlando conjures images of |
| the United States.(I've listed these cities | | | | Disney World, Universal Studios and similar attractions. |
| alphabetically, because anything else would have | | | | But it also attracts plenty of golfers to its more than |
| required way too much math.)1. Hilton Head, South | | | | 20 courses. Popular stops include Orange County |
| CarolinaThe readers of Golf Digest put South | | | | National, Bay Hill and Disney. Where else can you golf |
| Carolina's Hilton Head Island at number 10 on a list of | | | | with Mickey Mouse? Learn more at Palm Springs, |
| the world's best resorts. Do I really need to say any | | | | CaliforniaIf you like the idea of golfing on lush green |
| more than that? Okay, here's more. You can choose | | | | courses with plenty of palm trees and a backdrop of |
| from more than 20 golf courses that wind around | | | | rugged mountains, Palm Springs is the place for you. |
| marshes, lakes and lagoons. For more information, | | | | Within the Coachella Valley, there are more than 100 |
| visit Las Vegas, Nevada Say "Las Vegas" to most | | | | courses. According to GolfDigest.com, "PGA West, La |
| people, and gambling usually comes to mind. But Las | | | | Quinta and Mission Hills North are the three big |
| Vegas is also a premier golf destination with more | | | | resorts in town." Learn more at Phoenix / Scottsdale, |
| than two-dozen courses. Popular choices include | | | | ArizonaI'm aware that Phoenix and Scottsdale, |
| Reflection Bay, Royal Links and The Canyons. Just be | | | | Arizona are two different cities. |
| mindful of the time of year -- if you travel there in | | | | |