Fall Golf Bucket List: 10 Courses You’ve Got to Play
October 23, 2025
Cool temps, warm colors — these 10 fall golf courses are worth the trip before winter hits.
By Kyle Moss
When people say “fall is in the air,” a lot of different things could come to mind. When golfers say it, it’s usually a statement filled with optimism and delight. And that’s because there is a magic to fall golf that no other season can touch. It’s an ideal time when the weather hasn’t turned over to winter just yet, leaving plenty of time for another round or two.
Sure, the temps are dropping and life is busy and October leaves are getting in the way and many golf courses overseed, but don’t make the mistake of putting your clubs away too early. As the summer heat gives way to a crisp breeze and low humidity, tens of thousands of golf courses across America undergo a spectacular transformation that is every bit as much about aesthetics as it is about golf. The fairways are framed by a fiery palette of golds, crimsons, and russets, turning every walk from tee to green into a feast for the eyes. It’s the time of year when the air is clear, the humidity is gone, and conditions are absolutely ideal to hit your golf ball.
But a truly great fall golf destination must offer more than just beautiful foliage and scenic views. To be considered for your travel worth, it needs to pair world-class scenery with a course design that is both engaging and rewarding for all golfers. We’ve searched for courses that happen to feature fun and challenging layouts, ensuring that both the seasoned veteran and the casual weekend player will find their game tested and their spirits lifted if they choose to plan fun fall trip away from home.
From the dramatic elevation changes of the Payne’s Valley Courses that showcase panoramic autumnal vistas, to strategically placed bunkers and water features that demand your attention in Myrtle Beach, this list represents the best courses in or near your state, with the ultimate blend of perfect beauty and exceptional golf architecture. Each of these fall golf trip destinations offers great golf packages for a group — but also works if you want to check in as a solo player — and proves that autumn might just be golf’s most underrated season. When the pace slows, the scenery dazzles, and every hole feels like a postcard.
1. Treetops Resort – Masterpiece Course
3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord, Michigan, 49735
Green fee: From $102
Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., this property overlooks the Pigeon River Valley, featuring lush forests and rolling hills with a variety of great holes.
Book your tee time now >
2. Jack Frost National Golf Club
1 Jack Frost Mountain Rd., Blakeslee, Pennsylvania, 18610
Green fee: From $45
Unique to Northeastern Pennsylvania with beautiful landscapes and views on the crest of Jack Frost Mountain. Has an elevation of 2000 ft and the natural Oak Forest highlights the movement of each golf hole.
Book your tee time now >
3. Gold Course at The Golden Horseshoe
401 S England St, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185
Green fee: From $78
Designed by father-and-son duo Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Rees Jones, and offers 45 walkable holes completely free of surrounding real estate.
Book your tee time now >
4. Killington Golf Course
4763 Killington Rd, Killington, Vermont, 05751
Green fee: n/a
Takes full advantage of unique mountain terrain and includes snowmelt streams on the ground, a 2,000′ elevation, and signature vistas.
Book your tee time now >
5. Sunday River Golf Club
18 Championship Dr, Newry, Maine, 04261
Green fee: n/a
This Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design winds through the Maine woods and overlooks the Sunday River Valley with the Mahoosuc range towering above.
Book your tee time now >
6. Thistle Golf Club
1815 Olde Thistle Club Road, Sunset Beach, North Carolina, 28468
Green fee: From $120
This 27-hole Scottish-links design includes generous fairways, large Bermuda greens, five sets of tees and 12-minute tee times intervals.
Book your tee time now >
7. Pronghorn Club – Nicklaus Signature Course
65600 Pronghorn Club Dr., Bend, Oregon, 97701
Green fee: From $125
Picturesque scenes and flawless conditions define this parkland style course, with the Cascade mountains in the backdrop and rock features scattered throughout.
Book your tee time now >
8. Payne’s Valley Golf Course
1250 Golf Club Drive, Hollister, MO, 65672
Green fee: From $150
Located at Big Cedar Lodge and right next to Ozarks National, this is the first fully public-access course in the world completed by Tiger Woods’ design firm TGR Design and is definitely worth a visit.
Book your tee time now >
9. La Cantera Golf Club
16641 La Cantera Pkwy, San Antonio, Texas, 78256
Green fee: From $99
This dramatic Hill Country layout rambles over dramatic up and down terrain. Majestic live oaks line the housing-free fairways as the playing field winds amidst rushing streams and limestone rock outcroppings.
Book your tee time now >
10. The Golf Club at Equinox
108 Union St, Manchester Village, Vermont, 05254
Green fee: From $76
Combines a dramatic blend of past and present in one of the most picturesque mountain settings in the country, which boasts challenging play on every fairway, bunker, and green.
Book your tee time now >
