There's a big secret emerging on the Emerald Isle: a handful of golf courses in its undiscovered northwest are welcoming golfers with open tee sheets and links as fine as anywhere else - but at a fraction of the cost. Among northwest Ireland's budding golf scene, lies one links jostling for the area's top spot: Enniscrone Golf Club

Greg Blake: "El Chaparral Golf Club near Malaga, Spain is one of the best golf courses i've played on, the service from breakfast thru to the 19th hole is second to none, scenery is amazing, tees to fairways to the greens are in fine condition too, would recommend here to everyone."

Badlands Golf Club is the epitome of what a desert golf course should be, Kevin Iole writes. You frequently have to carry the ball over the rugged desert terrain and, to score well, have to place the ball in the proper side of the fairway. Good shots are rewarded, but errant shots are frequently penal, sometimes exceptionally so.

Reynolds Plantation's Oconee course in Georgia is a classic Rees Jones-designed golf course that has plenty of risk-reward options and uphill approach shots that make the shorter par-4s more challenging.

Dave Dusel: "When going to the Smoky Mountains for golf, bring additional couples and rent one of the many chalets. There are many golf courses in the area and many outlet malls, the wives won't mind if you play 36 holes each day. Almost all chalets have hot tubs, pool tables, gas grills, separate bedrooms with baths and a peaceful setting. With full kitchens, the only meals out could be at one of the many great restaurants in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville."

When Myrtle Beach golf early birds come out to the grand opening of the new Founders Club in February, they'll be met with a golf course seemingly wise beyond its youth.

Much of coastal South Carolina is referred to as the "lowcountry," and you don't get much lower than the state's islands. South Carolina islands positively reek with history and ambiance; you can stand under a canopy of moss-draped oaks and imagine any number of Civil War battles. You don't have to imagine world-class golf courses, though. They're there, and we've played most of them. Here are some of our favorites ...

Legacy Golf Links, near Pinehurst, N.C., is one of those golf courses that mixes playability, conditioning and aesthetics into a nearly perfect cocktail. It beckons to the average golfer, whispers in your ear, tells you it's okay if you're a little erratic today. Don't worry about it. Come on in. It's warm inside. "This is one of the most popular courses around here because it's the friendliest," said member Peter Munster

Crandon Park is one of the best deals in South Florida, when you combine price and the quality of the experience. The course can be a handful, especially if you play it from the back tees, with the near-constant wind that comes sweeping over the unprotected layout.

Rio Secco Golf Club, one of Las Vegas' most prestigious high-end golf courses, is taking your typical caddie experience to the next level. Golfers can now hire a sexy Rio Secco "T-Mate" to accompany them on their round of golf.

PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. has upgraded its three golf courses - the Dye, Ryder and Wanamaker - and expanded its pro shop. The facility's Pete Dye design got the biggest makeover, now boasting a cleaner look

Golf travel buffs are going to love Planet Golf, a glossy, giant-sized coffee table book featuring dazzling photos and information from over 130 of the finest golf courses around the world.

If you're in Michigan's capital, Lansing, for business or at Michigan State University for a Big Ten football game, check our the two 18-hole Forest Akers golf courses. They're two of the greenest and cheapest courses you will ever find.

You won't find many settings more beautiful than where Robert Walker laid out Regatta Bay Golf and Country Club in that strip of vacation land that lies between the rolling dunes of the Gulf of Mexico and the languid waters of Choctawatchee Bay.

One of America's most beautiful cities, San Diego is also renowned for its golf - especially gems like Torrey Pines and nearby La Costa Resort. But when you're not on the golf courses, this Southern California town will keep you busy with great dining and entertainment options

Winter is without a doubt the toughest time of the year for golfers, with even the most devoted duffer having to say goodbye to the game he loves for a few months. But this doesn't have to be the case. Las Vegas has golf weather year round, and several golf packages will have you staying and playing in style.

Two years ago after Hurricane Katrina, the success story of Biloxi wasn't a given. But the coast has used the devastation to galvanize the destination. All the courses, hotels and casinos that were destroyed weren't just rebuilt, but made better.

Spectator sports in the Phoenix-Scottsdale resort corridor used to mean one thing: Spring training baseball. Now, though, in addition to playing great golf courses like Troon North, Boulders South and Raven at Verrado, vacationing golfers are flocking to Diamondbacks, Suns and, yes, even Cardinals games.

Located in the heart of the glorious Texas Hill Country, Barton Creek Resort & Spa combines impeccable service with its classic brand of Austin casual elegance set in luxurious surroundings. Barton Creek has something for everyone and offers superior dining experiences, 72 holes of nationally acclaimed championship golf, and much more.

The Gambit Golf Club has been known for nearly a decade as a nice piece of property with management issues that have kept it from reaching its full potential. A new owner has the drive, vision and bankroll to fulfill that potential, and the metamorphosis to bona fide golf destination has already begun.

Southern Louisiana and Mississippi offer more than just great golf courses. Anglers know the fishing action here is world class too. Golfers can fly fish the flats of the Chandeleur Islands or rent a charter boat to go fishing in the waters near Biloxi.

After taking hits from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Contraband Bayou Golf Club in Lake Charles, La., is back on track and quickly earning its reputation among Gulf Coast golf courses as a must-play.

Pawleys Plantation makes most lists of the top-10 golf courses in Myrtle Beach for a reason. This Jack Nicklaus design is one of the finest golf courses on the Grand Strand, combining classic, lowcountry views with excellent golf.

As a golf vacation destination, Sedona may be no Phoenix-Scottsdale, but it has enough good golf courses to keep things interesting. Plus, Sedona's resorts and thriving art scene and stunning natural terrain makes for a well-rounded golf trip.

Philadelphia carries a reputation of being a fat, cheese steak guzzling East Coast City. Only now it has tons of hot restaurants and nightclubs. It's a great scene for discovering underrated golf, and Baltimore golf courses like Pete Dye's Bulle Rock are only a quick drive away.

Situated on 650 acres, with 70,000 square feet of conference and meeting space, Doral boasts a plethora of first-class amenities highlighted by five championship golf courses on property, including the famed Blue Monster, host of the 2007 WGC-CA Championship, and the Greg Norman designed Great White Course.

The 24th annual World Amateur Handicap Championship was played last week on nearly 70 courses in Myrtle Beach and featured close to 3,800 golfers ranging from scratch to blindingly awful. For all of you amateurs curious what all the fuss is about, I've compiled a concise list of "likes" and "dislikes" from my first appearance ...

Truly a sight to behold, the area around the Great Smoky Mountains in east Tennessee is also great for golf. Notable courses include: Patriot Hills, Gatlinburg Municipal Golf Course and Clinchview Golf Club.

Grand Cayman may be a small Caribbean island, but it packs a big punch. Not only does it boast great golf courses, but excellent dining can also be found in the restaurants at resorts such as the Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt Regency.

While scorching summer temperatures are keeping golfers away from southern destinations like Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas and Scottsdale, another destination equally rich in golf is just starting to heat up: northern Michigan.

There was a time Rancho Las Palmas Resort was lost among the golf courses in the Palm Springs area. But a new ownership group has the course on track for a 180-degree turnaround. Golf here is suddenly in the Coachella Valley's big leagues.

Coastal Georgia offers excellent golf and even better views. Hampton Club and Sea Island on St. Simons Island are some of the best golf courses in the area, and there are many more fine rounds within easy distance.

First Coast golf already has the PGA Tour playground Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass, but the new Panther Creek Golf Club in the wilds of western Jacksonville might be an even bigger brute, and a blast to play.

The Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne is Miami's only AAA Five Diamond resort, and it's a beauty. The resort overlooks the bay and the ocean, and has a Prada Beauty spa, excellent restaurants, and access to the nearby Crandon Park, a Robert Von Hagge/Bruce Devlin design that's one of Florida's top municipal golf courses.

Canada has some of the most under-rated golf courses in the world, with a few of its courses able to hold their own with the best of Ireland and the Carolinas. Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club is just one of Canada's golf courses more than worth the price of a ticket.

Tee times for the opening and second round of the 2007 PGA Championship to be held Aug. 9-10 at Southern Hills C.C. in Tulsa, Okla. All times are CST. ...

Emerald Bay is one of those pretty golf courses situated on the north side of U.S. 98 as you cruise through sunny Destin, with the Gulf of Mexico to the south and Choctawatchee Bay to the north.

Lake Tahoe golf is recovering from the wildfire that destroyed 254 homes, left viewers nationwide with images of is a smoky, fiery catastrophe zone, and threatened to crush the crucial summer tourist season in the rare West Coast area where the temperatures are comfortable and the scenes often breathtaking.

It isn't often that a Pete Dye-designed golf course is considered the "weakest link" at a resort - unless of course it's in Kohler, Wis., where Dye is featured exclusively on the town's four courses.

Golf Digest's Top 20 Public Golf Courses lists household names: Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. But, just ahead of Harbor Town in Hilton Head, lies one gem you probably haven't seen much press on: Tullymore Golf Club, in the central portion of the golf-saturated state of Michigan.

Luxury golf resorts such as Bay Harbor, Treetops and Grand Traverse have transformed northern Michigan golf in recent years, but 80-year-old Belvedere Golf Club remains a favorite among old Wolverine State golf hands like Tom Watson