Source: Top 100 Golf Courses
5. Jack’s Point
Location: Queenstown, NZ.
In late December 2022, I flew from Sydney to Queenstown to visit this stunning mountain town on the South Island of New Zealand called Queenstown. It is home to the breathtaking Jack’s Point Golf Club, nestled amidst the ‘Remarkables’ mountain range and alongside the shimmering Lake Wakatipu. The clubhouse features a modern, simple design with a fantastic bar and a local community vibe, especially during the holiday period.
The course is seamlessly integrated into its natural surroundings, winding through native grasslands, rock formations, and bush, all the way to the shores of Lake Wakatipu. At Jack’s Point, you won’t need a ball tracer for your videos, the mountain range does the job for you. The 7th hole is a standout par 3, with a wedge shot down towards the water. I nearly got a hole-in-one, which would have been a story to boast about forever!
Jack’s Point is truly a hidden gem, and I don’t think any course in the world competes visually with what this place naturally offers. It was so good, I had to play it twice!
Source: Pebble Beach Resorts
4. The Links at Spanish Bay
Location: California, USA
The Links at Spanish Bay is part of the Pebble Beach resort and sits on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula. I had the pleasure of playing it on a perfect bluebird morning with hardly any wind, making for ideal conditions. The ocean views are truly breathtaking and can be seen on most holes. At times, it feels as though you’re playing right on the beach, with the waves of the Pacific Ocean just steps away.
The par-3 8th hole remains one of the greatest holes I’ve ever played. Situated parallel to the famous 17-Mile Drive and the ocean, you hit over marshland to a green surrounded by bunkers. It almost feels like an island green until you get closer. I found myself in the bunker long and managed to get up and down for one of my favourite pars I’ve made.
During the round, we were fortunate enough to witness a solar eclipse while on the course, which was a surreal experience. A kind woman even brought us glasses from her home so we could safely watch it unfold. It was an experience I may never get to have again.
The course is incredibly fun and more golfer-friendly than its neighbouring golf courses, Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, which are notoriously tough. One of my favourite parts of the clubhouse was the large painting of a cricket game in the bar area. As a cricket fan, it really struck a chord with me. This is a course I could play every day for the rest of my life and never get bored.
Source: Top 100 Golf Courses
3. Shadow Creek
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Shadow Creek offers a completely unique golfing experience like nothing I’ve ever had before. It’s the Disneyland of golf! As soon as you drive through the gates and enter the property, it feels like you’re in another world, completely different from the surrounding desert landscape. It’s almost as if you’ve suddenly teleported to Magnolia Lane and are about to play at Augusta National, especially when you eventually arrive at the beautiful white clubhouse. The course is so green, tree-lined, and full of beautiful flower beds scattered throughout the complex.
Shadow Creek is all about the experience. You receive first-class service as you step out of the car, then enter the largest changing room I’ve ever seen, equipped with everything you need for a round of golf. As you look at the lockers, you’ll spot names like Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, and Tiger Woods.
When you get to the range, music is playing while you hit balls on the perfectly manicured grass, and you get to see your golf cart, all set up and ready for you. If you’re lucky, you might even spot Michael Jordan’s Carolina Blue personal golf cart parked outside.
The course itself lives up to the entertainment value, offering a true test of golf. There are amazing holes that present plenty of risk/reward decisions, adding to the excitement. The fairways are like carpets, and the greens are incredibly fast. The best part of Shadow Creek is that it feels like you have the course to yourself, as it’s very exclusive, with only a limited number of tee times available each day. Shadow Creek is truly a one-of-a-kind facility, and I would highly recommend it if you ever get the opportunity to experience it.
Source: Pebble Beach Resorts
2. Pebble Beach Golf Links
Location: California, USA.
Anyone who plays golf likely has Pebble Beach somewhere on their bucket list, as it’s such a historic venue that is open to the public. It has hosted numerous majors, and many of golf’s greatest players have won there, which gives the place a unique aura, especially for an amateur golfer stepping onto the course. You can’t help but feel that every shot you hit has been played before by legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to being like them.
The course is tough, with tiny, firm greens, making it a challenge, but it’s the only course I’ve played where I didn’t really care about my score. I just wanted to take it all in and be as present as possible.
Holes 4 through 10 make up the best stretch of golf I’ve ever played, and every moment feels like a “pinch me” experience, it’s truly magical. My excitement for playing the famous 7th hole was off the charts, and it didn’t disappoint. I hit a low draw into a middle pin with the wind coming off the right, then sank a 10-footer for birdie. In that moment, I felt like I had completed golf!
Playing holes 17 and 18 was especially meaningful, as that’s where champions have been made at Pebble Beach, especially during the majors. You can picture the iconic shots they’ve hit on TV and try to imagine yourself in those same moments.
Pebble Beach encompasses everything that makes golf such a special sport, and it’s incredible to see such a historic masterpiece open to the public. I’ll definitely be back at some point to experience it all again. As Jack Nicklaus once said, “If I had one round of golf to play, I’d like to go to Pebble Beach,” and I couldn’t agree more.
Source: Poppy Hills
1. Poppy Hills
Location: California, USA.
Poppy Hills is a golf course that many golfers may not have heard of, but it holds a special place in my golfing heart. Nestled within the forest of Pebble Beach, it boasts a stunning design and breathtaking natural beauty. The course features a tree-lined layout, with each hole offering a unique experience. It has wide, sweeping fairways and expansive greens that provide a variety of pin positions, a trademark of the course’s designer, Robert Trent Jones Jr.
I’ve never had as much fun on a golf course as I did during the afternoon I spent at Poppy Hills. It was an unexpected treat, considering the neighbouring golf courses I had played during the same trip. The course exudes an aura reminiscent of Augusta National, with its majestic, towering, tree-lined fairways framing each hole. The sight of the yellow pin flags on the large greens only adds to the experience, evoking a feeling of tradition and championship-level play, much like The Masters.
This course is completely unique to what you can find in my home country of England, where such a style of golf course doesn’t exist. I played well, which certainly enhanced the experience, but there was something about the course itself that truly connected with me in a way I’ve never felt anywhere else. I look forward to playing Poppy Hills again in the future, and it’s the course I’ll always mention if anyone asks what my favourite is!
Will Buttleman is VPAR’s Social Media and Events Manager.
A former professional cricketer, Will played for Essex County Cricket Club from 2018 to 2023 before joining the VPAR team in 2024. During his cricket career, he competed in First Class, List A, and T20 matches, contributing to the club’s recent successes.
Now, Will’s focus has shifted to golf. He plays off a VPAR Handicap of 4.5 and is aiming to reach scratch in the near future. His favourite course is Poppy Hills, a hidden gem just above Pebble Beach, and his top venue to work at is Waterville Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland.
Whether you’re seeking top golfing destinations, a fresh perspective on the ever-changing professional game, or betting tips for major events, Will offers valuable insights. For him, golf is more than just a sport – it’s a lifestyle, and he loves sharing that passion with the VPAR community.
