At some point, every golfer with kids starts doing the math. The solo buddies trips are great, but they’re getting harder to justify. The family beach vacation is fun, but you’re sneaking looks at nearby courses the whole time. What if there was a trip that didn’t require you to choose? Turns out, there is. And the number of resorts that do this well has never been higher.
What Makes a Golf Resort Actually Family-Friendly?
Not every great golf destination is a great family golf destination. Before you book anything, here’s what to look for:
A short course or junior-friendly layout. Par-3 courses, pitch-and-putt tracks, and beginner-friendly 9-hole options are non-negotiable if your kids are new to the game. Championship courses are great, but if your 8-year-old can’t play them, they need somewhere else to be while you do.
Non-golf activities that entertain. Pools, lazy rivers, kids’ clubs, biking trails, beach access—whatever form it takes, there needs to be a real answer to the question “what do the non-golfers do while I’m out there?” If the honest answer is “sit in the room and watch TV,” pick a different resort.
Multi-room or villa accommodations. One hotel room for a family of four is a recipe for a short fuse. Villas and suites with separate bedrooms, living areas, and kitchenettes make a week-long trip feel sustainable instead of claustrophobic.
Junior programs and kids’ clubs. The best family golf resorts have structured programs that let parents disappear to the course guilt-free, knowing their kids are occupied and supervised, not just “allowed” on property.
Flexible dining options. Fine dining every night sounds great until you’re at a white-tablecloth restaurant at 7 pm with a 6-year-old who’s been awake since 5 am. Resorts with casual dining, pool bars, and in-room kitchen options are your best friend.
The 10 Best Family Golf Vacations in the US
1. Pinehurst Resort — Pinehurst, North Carolina
If there’s a Mount Rushmore of American golf destinations, Pinehurst Resort is on it. With 11 courses ranging from the legendary No. 2 (host of multiple US Opens) to The Cradle, a nine-hole short course that’s practically designed for first-timers, there’s something for every skill level in your group.
For families, what makes Pinehurst work is the resort village surrounding it. It’s walkable, charming, and full of things to do when golf isn’t on the agenda. The Carolina Hotel has a gorgeous pool, lawn games and croquet on the grounds, a spa for whoever needs a break from the rest of the group, and a general low-key Southern hospitality that makes it easy to slow down. Kids 12 and under play for free with a paying adult, and nearly every course offers forward tees so younger golfers don’t feel in over their heads.
If you’re looking for a first real family golf vacation, somewhere with enough variety for every golfer in the group and enough off-course activity that nobody feels like a passenger, Pinehurst is the place to start. Check out Pinehurst’s own family vacation itinerary for a great starting framework.
Best for: First-time family golf trips, multi-generational groups, junior golfers
Don’t miss: The Cradle short course—nine holes, walking only, and genuinely fun for all ages
2. Kiawah Island Golf Resort — Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Kiawah has two personalities, and both of them are great for families. There’s the serious golf side: five championship courses, including the Ocean Course, which has hosted the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup and ranks among the most challenging layouts in the country. Then there’s the everything-else side: miles of pristine Atlantic beach, biking trails through maritime forest, kayaking, paddleboarding, dolphin encounters, and Kamp Kiawah, a kids’ program that keeps younger guests busy so parents can actually play.
Kids 17 and under play for half price with a paying adult (the Ocean Course excluded, which is probably appropriate). Villas and private homes on the island sleep large groups comfortably. And the overall vibe—quiet, natural, unhurried—is a genuine antidote to the chaos of everyday life with kids.
Best for: Families who want beach + golf in equal measure, serious golfers with non-golfing spouses
Don’t miss: Renting bikes and riding the island trails—it’s a great family activity between rounds
3. Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate — Orlando, Florida
Here’s the move if your family is split between a golf trip and a Disney trip: ChampionsGate gives you both in the same zip code. The resort sits about 7 miles from Walt Disney World, which means you can book one trip and negotiate a deal—a couple of days at the parks, the rest of the time at one of the most comprehensively family-friendly golf resorts in Florida.
The golf is serious: 36 holes of Greg Norman-designed championship golf, a 9-hole par-3 course perfect for kids, and the David Leadbetter Golf Academy on property if anyone wants a lesson. The family amenities match it step for step: a 15-acre pool complex with a 125-foot corkscrew waterslide, Orlando’s only resort wave pool, an 850-foot lazy river, a Camp Omni kids’ club with organized daily activities, an arcade, and mini golf. Villas sleeping up to eight guests have full kitchens, which is worth its weight in gold on a family trip.
Best for: Families with young kids, anyone blending a golf trip with theme park time
Don’t miss: Crane’s Adventure Golf, a family-friendly miniature golf course
4. Westin Kierland Resort & Spa — Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is one of the great American golf cities, and the Westin Kierland is the family-friendly answer to the question of where to base a desert golf trip. The Scott Miller-designed course is excellent, but the resort goes further than most for families: a lazy river, a surf simulator, a kids’ activity camp, and family golf carts that actually fit four people and four bags—a small detail that makes a real difference when you’re trying to play together.
Beyond the resort, the Phoenix-Scottsdale area gives you plenty of options for off-course days. Old Town Scottsdale is walkable and fun, the Desert Botanical Garden is legitimately interesting for kids, and there are enough hiking trails at varying difficulty levels to fill an afternoon without anyone complaining too much.
Best for: Families who want warm weather year-round, golfers who want access to multiple Scottsdale courses
Don’t miss: Kierland is a great home base for exploring the area, but don’t miss booking a tee time at one of the other legendary Scottsdale courses nearby.
5. The Broadmoor — Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Broadmoor is one of those resorts that would be on every list regardless of golf, but the golf is excellent—three courses, including the East Course designed by Donald Ross, set against views of the Rocky Mountains that make it very hard to focus on your swing.
For families, the altitude and outdoor setting are the real selling points. Zip-lining, falconry lessons (yes, really), hiking, fly fishing, paddle sports on the lake, tennis—there’s a full outdoor adventure program that gives non-golfers more to do than just wait. The resort itself has an indoor/outdoor pool complex, multiple dining options at every price point, and a kids’ program that’s well-run. If you have older kids who are outdoorsy as well as golf-curious, The Broadmoor hits a rare sweet spot.
Best for: Families with older kids, outdoor adventurers, late summer/fall trips
Don’t miss: Combining a morning round with an afternoon hike along the Cheyenne Mountain area trails
6. Wild Dunes Resort — Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Wild Dunes sits 30 minutes from Charleston, which instantly makes it one of the more culturally rich golf resort destinations in the Southeast. The resort itself has two Tom Fazio-designed courses, including one that plays along the Atlantic.
Family golf packages here are fantastic, where kids up to 15 play free after 5pm, junior club rentals are purpose-built (not just cut-down adult clubs), and family lesson packages run around $95. The beach access is right there, and Charleston is close enough for a day trip to historic downtown, the aquarium, or any number of solid restaurants. It’s a smaller, more relaxed resort vibe than some of the mega-resorts on this list, which some families find they prefer.
Best for: Families with golf-curious kids, anyone who wants a beach resort with serious golf nearby
Don’t miss: A day trip into Charleston—it’s one of the most kid-friendly historic cities in the country
7. Sea Island Resort — Sea Island, Georgia
Sea Island Resort is the kind of place people go back to for decades. Three championship courses, including Seaside and Plantation, sit on a barrier island off the Georgia coast where the scenery alone is worth the trip. The golf instruction program here is outstanding. Kids’ lessons are tailored to ability level, and the teaching staff is great at making the game accessible to first-timers.
Off the course, the beach is spectacular, and the resort’s activity offerings cover nearly every interest: tennis, kayaking, sailing, bike rides along the coast, and a full-service spa for the adults who need a quiet hour. The whole island possesses a low-key, unhurried quality that’s increasingly hard to find in popular resort destinations.
Best for: Families who want a quieter, more intimate resort experience; serious junior golfers
Don’t miss: Sunrise on the beach before a morning round—one of those moments that makes the whole trip worth it
8. Destination Kohler — Kohler, Wisconsin
Midwest families who don’t want to fly to Florida or Arizona should have Kohler on their shortlist. The Kohler resort is anchored by Whistling Straits, host of multiple PGA Championships, but the full golf offering, including Blackwolf Run and other courses on property, gives you multiple rounds without ever leaving the resort.
The family angle here is less about a beach or pool scene and more about a luxurious, all-inclusive resort experience in an unexpected place. The Kohler Waters Spa gives non-golfers something to look forward to. The dining at the resort and in the town of Kohler is excellent. And the sheer golf variety means everyone in the group can find a layout they’re comfortable with.
Best for: Midwest families, serious golfers who want a bucket-list course without flying far, shoulder-season trips
Don’t miss: Playing at least one round at Whistling Straits
9. JW Marriott Desert Springs — Palm Desert, California
The California desert golf scene is legendary, and Desert Springs gives families an accessible entry point that doesn’t require booking months in advance or spending a fortune on tee times. Two championship courses are on property, with the Palm Course being the more family-friendly of the two. Kids 15 and under golf free with a paying adult after 3pm, and the daily golf clinics are complimentary—a detail that makes a real difference if you’re trying to get a couple of kids into the game without paying for private instruction every day.
Three outdoor pools, a world-class tennis center, and the general Southern California desert setting (there’s a reason people go back to Palm Desert every year) round out the package. The Coachella Valley is within reach of Joshua Tree for a day trip, and the resort area has enough shopping, dining, and spa options to keep any non-golfer content.
Best for: West Coast families, groups with varying golf ability, winter and spring trips
Don’t miss: Hole 17 on the Palm Course—an island hole with a waterfall that’ll be the most-photographed moment of the trip
10. Boyne Highlands Resort — Harbor Springs, Michigan
If you’ve never thought of Northern Michigan as a golf destination, Boyne Highlands will recalibrate your expectations. Four championship courses, clean Great Lakes air, and a resort that goes out of its way for families: there’s a Nike Junior Golf Camp for kids aged 10–18 who are serious about improving, a “Fore Ladies Only” program for golfing moms, and “Funday Sunday” where a family of four plays The Moor course for the price of one adult round. That’s not a typo—it’s one of the better family golf deals in the country.
Off the course, the options are excellent: horseback riding, zip lines, hiking, tennis, and the beach on Lake Michigan. In summer, the sunset from the shoreline is something your family will talk about for years. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a short drive away, and if you haven’t watched your kids run down a 400-foot sand dune into Lake Michigan, you’re missing one of childhood’s better experiences.
Best for: Midwest families, summer trips, multi-day packages, junior golfers
Don’t miss: The sand dunes at Sleeping Bear—plan a half-day there and you won’t regret it
Traveling With Golf Clubs as a Family
A solo golf trip with your own clubs is already a minor hassle at the airport—oversized bag fees, the anxiety of watching the baggage carousel, the grimace when your travel case comes out looking like it lost a fight with someone else’s luggage. Now multiply that by two, add a stroller, a carry-on for each kid, and all the miscellaneous family travel gear that somehow ends up in the cart, and you’ve got a recipe for a stressful travel day that starts the vacation on the wrong foot.
This is exactly the problem ShipSticks exists to solve. Ship your clubs directly from your front door to the resort—they arrive before you do, waiting for you when you check in. No oversized fees at the ticket counter. No wrestling bags through security. No holding your breath at baggage claim. Just walk off the plane, head to the resort, and start the trip the way it should start.
On the way home, same deal: ShipSticks picks up from your resort and delivers back to your door. You travel home light, with zero golf-bag-related stress, and arrive back to real life a little more rested than you would’ve been otherwise.
For family trips specifically, this is transformative. You’re already managing more people, more bags, and more logistics than a solo trip. Taking the golf clubs completely out of the airport equation lets you focus on the actual travel experience. Grab a coffee, get everyone through security without a circus act, and board the plane without having checked seven bags.
Get a free quote and see what it costs to ship your clubs to your next destination. For most trips, it’s comparable to what the airline would charge for oversized bags—and it comes with door-to-door delivery, complimentary insurance, and the peace of mind of knowing your clubs are already waiting for you at the first tee.
