Golfinsider

Even the most golf-knowledge challenged planners can rattle off America’s most celebrated golf destinations like Pinehurst, Phoenix-Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Orlando and the Monterey Peninsula. However, the 5 most underrated U.S. golf destinations typically fly under the radar with many planners.

While they don’t always make golf destination wish lists, these places offer great course selection and quality, exceptional value and a wealth of off-the-course activities.

The envelope, please:

Northern Michigan--There are more than 200 courses concentrated in this easy-to-drive area. Capitalizing on miles of Great Lakes shoreline, forests and rivers, designers like Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, and Robert Trent Jones have fashioned some exceptional layouts in this part of the state. Billed as “America’s Summer Golf Capital”, Northern Michigan offers cooler summer days when the thermometer never passes 80 degrees and long days with the sun setting as late as 9:45 so you can play lots of holes. Top courses include Bay Harbor, Grand Traverse Resort and Treetops Resort.

San Antonio, Texas—Offering a year-round temperate climate and terrain dominated by lush, mature trees and rolling hills, the city of San Antonio offers an exceptional line-up of affordable, public access courses. Boasting a 50 course menu, San Antonio offers play on superb public courses such as TPC San Antonio, a two course complex with designs by Greg Norman and Pete Dye, Brackenridge Park, an A.W. Tillinghast design that opened in 1916, Cedar Creek Municipal and La Cantera Resort, home to two 18-hole championship layouts designed separately by Arnold Palmer and Tom Weiskopf.

Gulf Shores, Alabama—Primarily known for its 32 miles of sugar white sand beaches and turquoise waters, this area offers courses such as Kiva Dunes, a “Top 100 Course in America” by Golf Digest that was designed by former U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate, Cotton Creek at Craft Farm and Cypress Bend at Craft Farms, a pair of exceptionally maintained and lush Arnold Palmer designed layouts, Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club, a 27-hole complex surrounded by the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve; Rock Creek Golf Club, which has rolling terrain, pines, and freshwater wetlands, Glenlakes Golf Club, a 27-hole links style course and TimberCreek Golf Club, a 27-hole facility with fairways lined by loblolly pines, dogwoods and magnolias.

Biloxi, Mississippi—A year-round temperate climate and 20 golf courses in the region with designer tags like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Jerry Pate are the draw. Some top courses include The Preserve Golf Club in Biloxi, Shell Landing Golf Club in Gautier and the Bridge Golf Club at Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis.

Kissimmee, Florida—For groups seeking accommodations and golf near Walt Disney World Resort, Kissimmee is a logistical winner. Resort choices include ChampionsGate Resort with two 18-hole championship Greg Norman-designed courses and David Leadbetter Golf Academy, Reunion Resort, where highlights include three championship golf courses designed separately by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson and the ANNIKA Academy and Gaylord Palms Resort, which affords guests preferred tee times and transportation to nearby Celebration Golf Club. Popular daily fee courses with groups are the Harmony Golf Preserve designed by Johnny Miller, Royal St. Cloud Golf Links, a 27-hole complex with numerous Scottish links features and Mystic Dunes Golf Club, an exciting Gary Koch design.