The Evolution of the Golf Trip Rating
The gold standard of a great golf trip used to follow a simple, reliable formula: fly into one destination, unpack once, and spend several days immersed in a single place. Resort golf perfected this model, and for good reason. It minimizes friction, maximizes repetition, and allows golfers to settle into a rhythm—same bed, same breakfast, same walk to the first tee. That experience still matters deeply, and we continue to evaluate those trips with the same rigor and respect they’ve always deserved. But as the way golfers travel has evolved, that traditional framework no longer tells the full story of how many of today’s best trips are actually being planned and played.
Increasingly, golfers are thinking bigger. Instead of anchoring themselves to one resort, they’re stitching together multiple destinations into a single, extended journey—trips that move across regions, architectural styles, and golfing cultures. These itineraries demand more effort and more intention. They involve rental cars, repacking bags, managing fatigue, and sequencing tee times with precision. But in return, they offer something a single-base trip often can’t: range. Range of terrain, range of design philosophy, and range of emotional pacing. Recognizing this shift, we’ve begun formally rating multi-destination golf trips alongside traditional stay-and-play experiences, using a framework designed specifically for the way these trips actually unfold.
Why Multi-Destination Trips Deserve Their Own Ratings
A trip that spans multiple destinations isn’t simply a longer version of a resort stay—it’s a fundamentally different experience. When you’re on the move, the evaluation extends well beyond the quality of individual courses. The connective tissue between stops becomes just as important as the golf itself. Drive times matter. Transitions matter. The order in which courses are played can elevate the experience—or quietly undermine it.
Great multi-stop trips strike a delicate balance between contrast and cohesion. They introduce variety without chaos, challenge without burnout. One destination might emphasize minimalist design and walking culture, while the next leans into championship scale or visual drama. The best itineraries understand how energy ebbs and flows over a week or more, pairing demanding rounds with lighter days, short courses, or intentional recovery windows. Above all, the trip needs a narrative—an arc that builds naturally rather than feeling like a disconnected checklist of great courses. That storytelling component is something a single-resort rating simply isn’t designed to capture.
A Flagship Example: Wisconsin as a Multi-Destination Trip
Few itineraries illustrate the value of a multi-destination rating better than a Wisconsin trip that links Sand Valley, Kohler, and Erin Hills. On their own, each is exceptional. Together, they form a journey that showcases the full breadth of modern American golf—architecturally, emotionally, and experientially.
Sand Valley is an ideal starting point. Its minimalist design, generous playing corridors, firm turf, and walking-only ethos create an atmosphere that feels both relaxed and intentional. It’s a place that lets golfers settle in, shake off travel, and reconnect with the fundamentals of the game. From there, the transition to Kohler adds texture and intensity. The golf becomes more visually dramatic, the conditioning more refined, the resort experience more polished. It’s a shift—not a jolt—that raises the stakes without overwhelming the player.
Erin Hills provides the exclamation point. Vast landforms, exposed terrain, and major-championship pedigree give the final stop a sense of scale and seriousness. It’s demanding, both physically and mentally, and it feels earned by the time you arrive. The drive times between these destinations are manageable, the architectural contrast is intentional, and the overall progression makes sense. That escalation—from ease, to drama, to gravitas—is the story of the trip. And it’s precisely the kind of story that disappears when each destination is evaluated in isolation.
How We Rate Longer, Multi-Stop Trips
When we evaluate a multi-destination trip, we widen the lens. Course architecture and conditioning still matter deeply, but they’re viewed in context—how they interact over time, how variety is introduced, and how replay value holds up across a full itinerary. We look closely at trip design, paying attention to sequencing, travel efficiency, and whether the routing enhances or detracts from the overall experience.
Lodging takes on added importance in longer journeys, especially for groups. The quality, comfort, and suitability of accommodations at each stop can influence everything from sleep quality to group morale. Food and off-course experiences matter, too—not as afterthoughts, but as essential components of recovery and rhythm. And then there’s the intangible layer: vibe and logistics. Pace of play, walking culture, caddie programs, and the friction introduced by travel all shape how the trip actually feels day to day.
Crucially, the final rating is not an average of individual destinations. A great multi-stop trip is more than the sum of its parts. Our score reflects how successfully those parts combine into a single, cohesive, and memorable experience.
What This Means Going Forward
By introducing formal ratings for multi-destination golf trips, we’re acknowledging how golfers actually travel today—and giving proper credit to trips that require ambition, planning, and thoughtful execution to pull off well. These ratings are meant to help answer the bigger questions that matter when you’re investing real time and energy into a long journey. Is the extra travel worth it? Does the variety justify the complexity? Will the trip feel expansive and memorable—or quietly exhausting?
Some trips are about immersion. Others are about exploration. The best long-form golf journeys manage to deliver both. And now, finally, we’re rating them with that reality in mind.