Scarecrow at Gamble Sands
Today’s golf traveler has become more knowledgeable on the go-to bucket list destinations, and their desire to play the best of the best in the world of golf travel at destinations like Bandon Dunes, Pebble Beach, Kohler, Streamsong, Sea Island, TPC Sawgrass, Kiawah Island, and Pinehurst is becoming more appealing than ever before.
These properties have redefined what a bucket-list golf trip can be by combining nationally ranked courses with immersive stay-and-play experiences ensuring they send their guests home with a golf trip they won’t soon forget.
While a trip to these amazing locales is always a good idea, it got us thinking about what other kinds of bucket-list golf experiences were out there that offered incredible experiences while also being a little more affordable than some of their peers.
If you’re looking for some options like these, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorite spots that do just that:
Gamble Sands – Brewster, Washington
Set high above the Columbia River Valley in eastern Washington, Gamble Sands emphatically joined the national destination golf category with the addition of its second 18-hole course, Scarecrow, in 2025.
We would have argued that it already was one before this, but with Scarecrow recently being given the honor of being Golf Digest’s Best New Golf Course in 2025 it has solidified the resort’s position among the elite in the game. The resort feels every bit like a remote pilgrimage, situated on former farm fields (hence the Scarecrow name) with expansive views across desert-like terrain and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.
David McLay Kidd designed both championship courses here along with a terrific short-course layout called Quicksands that is easily one of the better short courses in the country. Both the Sands and Scarecrow courses provide ample fairways and firm turf, offering the ground game potential favored by Kidd, a Scotsman who grew up loving links golf and who has been known for making exceptional experiences that can be played by golfers of all skill levels.
While evolving into a multi-course destination, Gamble Sands remains in the value conversation for bucket list resorts. In 2026, peak season resort guest green fees run roughly $200 to $250, with daily fee pricing being slightly higher, and the rooms in the $300-to-$500 range per night. This is well below what other marquee resorts in their elite subset offer, and the experience and the setting here make this one of the best destinations in golf.
SentryWorld – Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Over the years, Wisconsin has emerged as one of the top states for golf getaways with the emergence of resorts such as Whistling Straits (Kohler), Erin Hills, and Sand Valley. But the first true destination course in the Badger State was SentryWorld, a modern parkland masterpiece originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. that opened in the 1980s. As these other destinations emerged in the marketplace after their inception, SentryWorld decided to renew their focus on being not only one of the best courses in Wisconsin, but in all of golf. We’re happy to report, they’ve succeeded.
SentryWorld is best known for its impeccable conditioning and its legendary Flower Hole, the par-3 16th that has more than 50,000 flowers planted on it annually. But this course is so much more than just this one iconic hole, and as you’ll see in our drone footage below SentryWorld is a nonstop flurry of gorgeous yet challenging holes as this parkland beauty packs quite a punch.
The course has gained more national prominence over the years as it has hosted several USGA championships including the 2023 U.S. Senior Open. Currently, they are preparing for more upcoming majors as they have been selected to host the 2028 U.S. Senior Women’s Open and the 2034 U.S. Senior Open. As part of these preparations, they will be closing the course in 2027 to bring in Wisconsin native and renowned architect Jay Blasi to integrate strategic changes to further enhance the championship experience at SentryWorld. You still have plenty of time to get this on the books for 2026 as we highly recommend that you do so.
When it comes to value, SentryWorld delivers not only a premium golf course, but also a premium experience. Guests will enjoy 20-minute tee time intervals creating a sense that your group owns the course for the day. The day guest rate peaks at $375 in 2026 with stay-and-play opportunities available.
We would call it a value at that rate as it is, but SentryWorld enhances that value even further by providing two on-course refreshment stations that you will go by several times during your round that includes all your food, beverages, and even beers and cocktails all in the price of your round. Combine that with a stay at the comfortably luxurious Inn at SentryWorld and your group will likely start planning your next trip back here as soon as the final putt drops.
French Lick Resort – French Lick, Indiana
Boston Celtic legend Larry Bird may be the person who put the town of French Lick, Indiana on the map, but once you stay at French Lick Resort, you’ll realize there is a new reason why this town will stand out in your mind for the rest of time.
The resort features two championship courses that provide dramatically different experiences. The Pete Dye Course at French Lick provides a mountainside layout that is a modern, visually intimidating layout carved into the southern Indiana hills. While Dye has many legendary designs, this is often the most underrated of them all as this course is the definition of bucket list golf. As you’ll see in our drone footage here, this layout is both a beauty and a beast and you’ll quickly see why the Senior PGA and LPGA, Korn Ferry Tour and Big Ten Conference have all made this the home of their championship events.
Providing a totally different yet equally enjoyable experience onsite, golfers can enjoy The Donald Rose Course at French Lick, offering a classic Golden Age design from one of the game’s most revered architects. This course features plenty of elevation changes and 80 deep-faced bunkers alongside plenty of thick rough to give you plenty to pay attention to throughout your round. These two championship layouts will be at the heart of your stay-and-play at French Lick, and the resort also features the recently added fun short course known as the Sand Creek. The Valley Links Course is a great little 9-holer, and they also can include nearby Sultan’s Run Golf Club into your stay-and-play experience here.
The picturesque Dye Course balances nicely with the Ross Course, which maintains many elements of its original 1917 design. You can play both through their Hall of Fame, One-a-Day Golf Getaway or Southern Indiana Golf Sampler packages. Combine that with a stay at either French Lick Springs Hotel, West Baden Springs Hotel, or Valley Tower Hotel, throw in some premium dining experiences, and maybe try your luck at the onsite French Lick Casino and you’ll be in store for one of the best golf trips in the United States.
BOYNE Golf – Petoskey, MI
Michigan is a renowned golf hot bed, and BOYNE is the unquestioned standout amid a state that has more public golf courses than any other state in the country. That’s saying a lot, but BOYNE Golf backs it up as they have a collection of 11 golf courses (yes, you read that right!) spread across three resorts situated between the shores of Lake Michigan and the lush, rugged hills of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
The star of the show here tends to be Bay Harbor Golf Club, which features 3 9-hole layouts known as the Links, Quarry, and Preserve, paired together in 18-hole layouts. With epic views of Lake Michigan, these 3 courses offer unique routings on an incredible piece of land, and we highly recommend including at least one loop here in your golf package. Nearby, you can also enjoy Crooked Tree Golf Club which sits a little more inland overlooking Little Traverse Bay, giving you great vistas around this woodland beauty.
The other main golf hub at BOYNE is The Highlands which features 5 fantastic layouts with The Heather, Arthur Hills, Donald Ross Memorial, The Moor, and the newly added Doon Brae short course.
Each course provides a unique charm that fits perfectly into the overall experience here, and the value is insane for what you pay and what you get. And last but not least, you can enjoy The Alpine and The Monument courses at BOYNE Mountain as these layouts take advantage of the natural elevation changes of their topography to round out the golf experience at BOYNE.
There are stay-and-play packages at multiple BOYNE Properties with the three hubs being Boyne Mountain, the Inn at Bay Harbor, and The Highlands. They are all only about 15-20 minutes apart, so setting up a stay-and-play with rounds at all three locations is very doable.
While peak pricing can climb to over $400 per round at Bay Harbor, tee times at other courses in the portfolio can drop to less than $100, so the value of the overall golf experience here is beyond exceptional.
You simply cannot go wrong with any of the courses you include in your package here as every course in their portfolio is a joy to play and we find many golfers can’t wait to go back and experience all that BOYNE Golf has to offer.
Bay Harbor Golf Club
Finding bucket-list value
While we’ve outlined a few of our favorite bucket list value destinations for you here, you’d be surprised how often you can find value at most of the top facilities in golf. If you ever need any help with planning for a trip, feel free to reach out to our Publisher Kelly Fulford at kelly@golfstayandplays.com as he’d be happy to share some advice on how to best enjoy these above destinations as well as any other properties you may have questions about.