With winter fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about booking a winter golf trip. The time to plan is now, while prices are still affordable. A winter golf trip is perfect, especially for those who live in northern areas and don’t have the luxury of golfing for months at a time because courses close down for the winter.

The problem with that is a winter golf trip can get expensive. Flights to warm weather areas are usually most expensive, and same with lodging. You’re not the only one trying to catch some sun..

Tips for finding affordable winter golf trips

We have a few tips for those trying to plan a budget winter golf trip. You’ll get the best price or deal if you follow these main points:

To help get your search started, I put together a list of cheaper golf destinations, and even found a few stay and play packages to give you some more inspiration.

Check out these cheap winter golf destinations

Following the criteria outlined above, these are the top options that came up in my research.

Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

An absolute gem of a golf destination. As a quick primer, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a state owned investment featuring a collection of championship caliber golf courses, designed by its namesake. The trail consists of 26 golf courses at 11 sites across Alabama. 

The trail features luxury golf resorts, but if you’re looking to stay on a budget, consider finding a hotel or Airbnb along the way. Also, don’t limit yourself to just one hotel since there are courses spread across the state. You could easily book a variety of accommodations throughout the trip and give yourself the opportunity to play more courses. 

If you plan your trip well, you can play a weekend slate of courses that are all within an hour of each other. That said, to really experience the golf trail, you could easily book a week-long trip and travel the state. Now that would be a fun vacation.

Tucson, Arizona

Phoenix and Scottsdale get all the attention when it comes to golfing in Arizona, but if you’re trying to plan an affordable winter golf trip then Tucson is worth a look. The weather is still great all winter long and there are just so many options. With a mix of decent municipal courses like Randolph (pictured below), luxury resort tracks like Dove Mountain, and semi-private clubs sprinkled throughout the area, there will be plenty of choices for all budgets. Generally speaking, you will still get the desert golf vibe of other neighboring destinations at most of the courses in Tucson.

If you’re looking for a few unique desert courses in the area, Quarry Pines, Crooked Tree and Arizona National all provide picture-worthy holes for the golf connoisseur. Locals also recommend playing Sewalio during the week for a bargain. Also notable is the home golf course of the University of Arizona Wildcats.

Other courses that came up in my research are El Conquistador in Oro Valley, Dorado and Tubac if you’re willing to drive a little further. Since it’s a budget trip you probably will want to golf at affordable courses, however, if you want to splurge for a day any of the resort courses are fantastic. Ventana, Omni, Star Pass and Dove Mountain all fit the bill.

Other than the resorts, all of the courses mentioned so far are very reasonably priced, making them budget-friendly golf courses.

Lastly, it should be noted that there are plenty of other activities outside of golf to keep you and your travel partners occupied. Tucson is also famous for its Sonoran-style Mexican food, offering truly unique regional fare.

Santee, South Carolina

In recent years Santee has really become a golfer’s destination. An hour drive between Columbia and Charleston, Santee sits along the Santee River Valley and Lake Marion, in the center part of the state. Flights into both cities are very affordable too.

With six golf courses right in Santee, golfers of all handicaps will be challenged. Our pick for a must-play round is the Santee Cooper Country Club on the beautiful Lake Marion, offering one of the most scenic rounds in the area. 

There’s even the Palmetto Traverse putting course, with a 35,000 square foot green designed for wild and fun putts as long as 260 feet. Just saying, that could be a fun evening with your travel companions after a round of 18.

Stay and play packages listed offer varying levels of accommodations and include a round of golf per day at very affordable rates. Much more affordable than nearby Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head or Kiawah Island.

Yes, you can play Pinehurst in the winter.

If you don’t mind cooler temperatures, potentially in the 30’s during some winter months, then you can play a landmark course at discounted rates. On the flip side, you could also get lucky and get beautiful weather in the middle of February. Regardless, you’ll be playing golf in the middle of the winter when others can only daydream about hitting the links.

Pinehurst keeps coming up as a golf destination in my research, no matter the time of year. Why wouldn’t it? They call themselves America’s first golf resort and Pinehurst No. 2 is one of the world’s most celebrated golf courses. 

With all that notoriety comes an entire industry centered around golf. Outside of Pinehurst, which has 9 courses itself, there are plenty of acclaimed golf courses playable at cheap rates. 

To get a good deal you just need to travel at the right time of year, which is why I included Pinehurst Village on this list. Pinehurst operates year round, as do many neighboring courses. They often offer stay and play packages during off peak months, typically in the winter, for much better rates. 

The Best Affordable Winter Golf Vacations in Mesquite, Nevada

Mesquite is described as a little golf oasis, only about an hour north of Las Vegas. Seriously, this is a winter golf destination worth checking out. 

Late November through late February are considered their cool season, with an average temperature between 40-65 degrees. Again, not the warmest weather location, but certainly warm enough to play golf especially in the winter.

Now for golf. There are nine courses within ten minutes of most lodging sites. Each course has unique offerings but most are nestled around the Virgin Mountain foothills offering sweeping terrain views. The Coyote Springs Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus designed course, has breathtaking mountain views and is surrounded by eleven lakes.

Then there is the Oasis Golf Club, which has two courses, and one of them was designed by Arnold Palmer.

Another can’t miss round is at the Wolf Creek Golf Club (below). Considered by many to be a bucket-list course, there are elevation drops and canyon views everywhere. Try and pick just one signature hole, you can’t.

As for places to stay, the Eureka Casino has a sportsbook and plenty of table gaming options. The Rising Star Sports Ranch would be a great accommodation plan for those who want to stay active after their golf round that day. They have basketball courts, horseshoe pits, pickleball courts and even their own putting green.

Check out these winter golf getaway packages

Booking your winter golf vacation around the destination is usually the best way to find great deals. It’s also smart to look at places with the best stay and play packages for around the time you want to travel. A few of the destinations I listed above have great deals.

Affordable Winter Golf Packages in Orlando

First point to make here, there are a lot of places to stay in Orlando. You could very easily get a group together, split a house rental for a few days and then rent a van to transport everyone. That way you can play whichever courses you please.

Also of note, Orlando typically has a lot cheaper flights than other Florida winter destinations. If you’re in the market for an affordable winter golf vacation, an inexpensive flight is a great start.

Shingle Creek in Orlando always has a stay and play package available on their website. At the time of writing they had a deal for all in taxes and fees at roughly $330 for two people, two rounds of golf, and one night stay. Definitely worth checking out.

Florida Golf Vacation Packages

Florida is a big state and there are many affordable vacation golf packages outside of Orlando. Generally speaking the best winter deals will be in the northern part of the state, since the weather isn’t as warm as the southern cities. Not as many people are looking to book trips here and courses are looking for ways to get people out.

For instance, the Perdido Bay Country Club resort offers a stay and play package for less than $125 a day.

In St. Augustine, the World Golf Hall of Fame offers packages starting around $700 for a three night stay at nearby accommodations and two rounds of golf at King & Bear and Slammer & Squire. King & Bear is designed by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, not too shabby for an affordable golf package.

Looking for more information on golfing vacations in Florida?

Winter golf getaways at the Robert Trent Golf Trail

There are a couple really affordable winter golf packages offered here. Two Days or More starting at $75/day with unlimited range balls and cart.

There’s also the Winter Unlimited Special where you play unlimited golf with a cart and range balls, starting at $95/ per person per day.

CasaBlanca Resort Stay and Play Golf Package in Mesquite

Check out this deal for $99/night:

Pair up with a buddy or your spouse and you have one of the most affordable golf packages available. 

Affordable Santee Winter Golf Packages

Golf Santee is offering a few different stay and play packages during winter months. Three nights of lodging and three rounds of golf start around $240 per person. Other longer trip packages at nicer accommodations range up to $400+, still not bad all things considered.

As you can see, playing winter golf doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. There are plenty of courses offering great deals to get players out there. Take the time to plan your trip using the tips above and you (and your wallet) should be in good shape.

See ya out there!