Ask Travelin Joe: Palm Desert, California and High Point, North Carolina

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Joe,
We're taking our annual buddies trip to Palm Desert, California this year. We're open to all types of courses and price ranges, but we like to play the best courses in the area when we travel. Any recommendations?
-- Martin Tardif, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

You definitely won't suffer a drought of quality courses in this desert. Start with PGA West's Stadium course ($99-$159; 760-564-5729, pgawest.com), a brute that will give you bragging rights back home.

La Quinta Resort's Mountain course ($89-$139; 760-564-5729, laquintaresort.com) is another Pete Dye test worth seeing.

Desert Willow's Firecliff ($110-$145; 760-346-7060, desertwillow.com) is a great upscale muni.

Finally, check out Indian Wells Resort's Celebrity course ($120-$155; 760-346-4653, indianwellsresort.com).

Hey Joe,
I'm going with the family to High Point, NC for a couple of days. What are the best courses within about 20 miles? The budget will be about $200 for both rounds.
-- Jesse Whitmire, via e-mail

Play Tanglewood Park's Championship course ($28-$48; 336-778-6300) in nearby Clemmons. This tough, 7,000-yard Trent Jones Sr. effort hosted the 1974 PGA Championship, when Lee Trevino edged Jack Nicklaus to win. Its sibling, the Reynolds, is shorter, tighter and even cheaper — pocket the savings!

Cool stay-and-play deal in Monterey

In Monterey, land of overpriced and inaccessible golf, I've found a cool stay-and-play deal for two killer courses. You can play the renovated Blackhorse and Bayonet layouts, and stay at Inns by the Sea, from $249, golf included.

That would get you nine holes and a handshake at Pebble Beach.

For more information visit Inn by the Sea's web site or call 800-433-4732 and ask for the Bayonet/Blackhourse package.

Course Finder Profile: Bayonet/Black Horse Golf Course

Ask Travelin Joe: Hilton Head and San Jose

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Travelin' Joe,
We have traded our timeshare to Hilton Head during April 18-25. I'd like to get in two rounds while there but don't want to spend our vacation savings to play. Can you recommend three or four public courses that would run around $75 per round?
Mike Payson
Via email

Watch out for a massive Hilton Head hangover the week you're in, as the PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage event at Harbour Town ends on the 19th. From start to finish, it's one giant party. Understand, too, that you're visiting during prime time, so genuine bargains are scarce. That said, there's plenty of good golf on- and off-island for under $100.

For a true Lowcountry test, set your compass to Old South Golf Links ($80-$95; 843-785-5353, oldsouthgolf.com). This 1991 Clyde Johnston design sports outstanding variety, with some holes that skirt the broad waters of the May River and others that play through live oak forests and next to saltwater lagoons. After 12 p.m., the $80 rate is worth every penny.

Hilton Head National ($86-$96; 843-842-5900, golfhiltonheadnational.com) is another solid value. The National and Player nines form the handsome, original 20-year-old Gary Player creation, but the 10-year-old Bobby Weed-designed nine is different -- and equally fun -- with more run-up and shotmaking options.

For real savings, check out Eagle's Point Golf Club ($65-$79; 843-757-5900, eaglespointegolf.com), a 1998 Davis Love III product that's tucked into a modest real estate development, but which features a set attractive holes bordered by oaks and pines, plus a collection of sprawling greens guarded by surprisingly large, deep bunkers. It's a good test at a good price.

Ask Travelin Joe: Scottsdale, Memphis and Palm Springs

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Hello Joe,
I'm heading to Scottsdale in mid-April for a quick five days to get reacquainted with heat and sun. I'm staying at the Westin Kierland. We've been to Scottsdale a few times and have had the opportunity to play most of the great courses -- both Troon North courses, Grayhawk, TPC Tourney Course, We-Ko-Pa, Las Sendas, Wildfire, SunRidge, Eagle Mountain, Estrella -- all great tracks. Do you have any gems that are in the area that we should be looking at? We would love to tackle something new. We really enjoy your column. It's given us great advice on numerous courses.
Andy
Burlington, Ontario (-27 degrees)

Andy, you've played almost as much golf in my hometown as I have! Here are a few more new ones you should try. First, if you were willing to drive out to Estrella and Las Sendas on opposite ends of town, try a few more terrific layouts on the Phoenix outskirts.

First is Gold Canyon Golf Resort's 's Dinosaur Mountain course (480-982-9449, gcgr.com; $130-$150 in mid-April) 45 minutes east of Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport. Some swear that this Ken Kavanaugh design is the equal of anything in Scottsdale, while others claim that houses have detracted some from the aesthetics. Undeniably, however, you'll get a fistful of in-your-face encounters with the Superstition Mountains. Bring your camera and your course management skills.

It's a 50-minute trek from the Westin Kierland, but Southern Dunes Golf Club (480-367-8949, golfsoutherndunes.com; $99-$109 April 6-May 3) is worth the journey. Managed by Troon Golf, this one-time private men's club where members included Mark Calcavecchia and Steve Jones boasts a Schmidt-Curley design that's rife with superb mountain vistas, imaginative green complexes and bold bunkering.

Recently restored Papago Municipal (602-275-8428, papagogolfcourse.net; $84-$109) in Phoenix, home to this week's LPGA event, offers 7,300 yards of desert-parkland mix, albeit with minimal facilities for now.

Finally, don't neglect your own hotel's three nines. Kierland's holes (480-922-9283, kierlandgolf.com; $140-$215, with Twilight rates from $85) don't have the space, terrain or drama to be top-tier, but for location, service and fun factor, Kierland's a good choice, especially the Acacia nine.

Hi Joe,
I am traveling to Memphis for a conference, but would like to get in a few rounds of golf. Any suggestions? Our group is not opposed to traveling and would be willing to make a day trip for a good course.
Jason Davis
Via email

You'll more likely to find a vegetarian ordering seconds at one of Memphis' to-die-for barbecue joints than locating a great public course in the area. That said, you won't starve. Start with the spicy, tender, dry-rub ribs at Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous and don't leave town without sampling the sweet-smoky sauce slathered on the meats at Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Q (the original Interstate on 3rd Street is still supreme).

For golf, I recommend Cherokee Valley Golf Club (901-525-4653, olivebranchgolf.com; $39.75-$55.75), 25 minutes away in Olive Branch, Mississippi. A handsome hilltop clubhouse overlooks a variety filled-layout that weaves through forest and wetlands. Both nines end with memorable uphill tests.

If you're looking to mix golf and gaming, a half-hour south and slightly west of Memphis is a handful of good tracks in Mississippi's Tunica area. Best of the bunch is the Links at Cottonwood (662-357-6079, harrahstunica.com; $69-$79), a mostly open, extremely playable 6,989-yard Hale Irwin creation that features a watery closing stretch and a solid quartet of par-3s. Afterwards, Harrahs Tunica and the Sheraton Tunica offer riverboat gambling at its finest.

Roughly 80 miles east of Memphis is one of the state's best values, the Bear Trace at Chickasaw (731-989-4700, tngolftrail.net; $25-$35), a 7,118-yard Jack Nicklaus state park design, but budget cuts may force this one to close after March 31, so if you're thinking about making the journey, call ahead.

Dear Joe,
A friend and I are going to Palm Springs with our families at the end of March. We need some reasonably priced but compelling courses. Also, my kids (12 and 14) will play with us at least once -- they are good for their ages. Any suggestions for family golf?
Rob Ball
Via email

Late March is hopping once again in the desert, as Palm Springs has lifted its 20-year moratorium on college spring break partying. The cone of silence remains in place, however, in the tonier suburbs, so don't fret.

Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta (760-771-0707, trilogygolfclub.com; $60-$109) should be a lot of fun for your brood. There's enough golf from the tips at 7,174 yards to have tested the pros for four Skins Games (2003-2006), including the memorable 2005 edition with Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Fred Couples and Fred Funk. So, with this Gary Panks design, you get famous footsteps, a fair price, plus wide fairways and a plethora of flowers, water hazards and mountain vistas. The similar looking homes framing fairways are a drawback, but mostly this is a treat for all.

If you and your kids want to try a more ambitious layout, shoot for SilverRock Resort (760-777-8884, silverrock.org; $165) also in La Quinta. This stunning Arnold Palmer track co-hosts the PGA Tour's Bob Hope tourney and its design sports hazards and mountains galore -- but its six sets of tees make it playable for nearly everybody. Also, play after 1:00 p.m. and it's $95 through April 30.         

Ask Travelin Joe: Phoenix, Palm Springs and Miami

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Joe,
We're coming down to the Phoenix area to catch the FBR Open, and we're staying to play golf for a week. My group is mostly low handicappers, between 3 and 10, and we've got a few top courses lined up. We've got one free day and would like to fill it with one more round. Do you have one hidden gem -- quality and price -- that you can recommend?
Sandy Laird
Englewood, Colorado

The best new course you can play in Phoenix isn't new -- but it is newly public. Southern Dunes Golf Club (480-367-8949, golfsoutherndunes.com; $49-$119) in Maricopa, 25 minutes south of Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport was a private men's club for its first six years of existence, where members included major championship winners Mark Calcavecchia and Steve Jones.

Unfortunately, it's an hour from Scottsdale, on the "wrong" side of town, so the business model didn't hold up -- but the course sure did. This big, bold layout might be the very best work that Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley have done, with broad, sweeping, fescue-framed fairways, deep, artfully contoured and strategically placed bunkers and masterfully crafted undulating greens.

Toss in unobstructed mountain and desert vistas, Troon Golf management and a green fee that's less than half of some of Scottsdale's trophy courses, and you have what I consider to be Arizona's best value.

Hello Joe,
I live in the Seattle area and I am planning a trip at the end of January. I'm kicking around Palm Springs or the Dallas area. Is there something in either of those areas that is both nice and economical? We're a group of six and looking for a package similar to what you would find at the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama. We did that last year but ran into some unfriendly weather. However the tracks and unlimited golf were incredible. We're all low handicappers and looking for a challenge if there is one. I'm also considering Horseshoe Bay in the Austin area.
Jeff Jones
Seattle, Washington

Intriguing options, indeed, but let's break it down. First, you won't find anything remotely resembling the Trent Jones Trail anywhere -- it's one of a kind, even among other Trails. Now, if weather is an issue and you guys are good golfers, I'd forego Dallas and Austin this time around and stick with Palm Springs.

You'll find plenty of affordable, quality public golf in both Texas destinations, but in late January, you're looking at average daytime highs in the upper 50s in Dallas, lower 60s in Austin. Pay the freight and enjoy the 70- to 75-degree sunshine that Palm Springs has to offer.

One option is the Golf Package at Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Villas and Spa (760-341-1000, grandchampions.hyatt.com), which includes golf at Indian Wells Golf Resort, lodging, full breakfast, a sleeve of logo balls and yes -- a GOLF Magazine subscription. Both Indian Wells courses are once and future Skins Game hosts, and you can't go wrong picking either the Clive Clark-designed Celebrity Course or the John Fought-crafted Players Course, each a sturdy, gorgeous test. Package prices start at $331 per person, per night, through February 28th.   

Dear Joe:
We are going to Miami in March. Where would you recommend we play? We played Doral Blue last time.
Chris Kennedy
Omaha, Nebraska

Nothing like starting at the top and working your way down. Fortunately, it's not much of a stumble. Doral's Gold course (800-713-6725, doralresort.com; $175) features strategic bunkering, flat fairways with landing zones shrunk by March winds and water on 16 holes -- in other words, a similar experience to the Blue -- for roughly half the price.

For the ultimate in pampering, check out Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club's Soffer course (305-932-6200, fairmont.com/turnberryisle; $250), complete with waterfalls, tropical vegetation and forecaddies, but you've got to stay there to play there.

For something new, try Normandy Shores Golf Club (305-868-6502, normandyshoresgolfclub.com; $90-$160), a 68-year-old muni in Miami Beach basking in a 2008 Arthur Hills extreme makeover. A great location, risk/reward holes and Sunshine State scenery adds up to pure fun. 

Ask Travelin' Joe: Cabo San Lucas, Hilton Head and Fresno

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Joe,
My wife and I are going to Cabo San Lucas this winter and I'm looking for a course to sneak out on while she's getting spa treatments. Any courses you can recommend that are worth playing but won't break the bank?
E.J. Costello, via email

Finding value-priced courses in Mexico's high-end Los Cabos area is like trying to find an honest politician -- they do exist, but they're not plentiful. In Cabo there are few bargains, but now at least there's a new quality option: Club Campestre San Jose ($160-$220; 01152-624-1425327, golfcabosanlucas.com). This Nicklaus Design product is located between the airport and the main resort area. Afternoon rates start at $160. Fees drop if you arrange to play multiple rounds. Sea of Cortez views are free.

Dear Joe,
I am going to Hilton Head Island and I am on a tight budget. What courses do you recommend for a 16 to 18 handicap?
Ed Meyer, via email

My value pick is Hilton Head National ($58-$64; 843-842-5900, golfhiltonheadnational.com), an engaging 27-holer that successfully merges mounds and marshland. For a more dramatic Lowcountry romp, try Old South ($55-$70; 843-785-5353, oldsouthgolf.com), but expect to surrender a few extra spheres to this salt marsh -- and lagoon -- laced track.

What's New This Month?
Ridge Creek Dinuba Golf Club
Dinuba, CA
Green fees: $51-$75
For tee times call 877-465-3891 or visit golfridgecreek.com

Fresno is the raisin capital of the U.S., so it's no surprise that the newest wrinkle to its golf scene is pretty sweet. Located 30 miles south of downtown in the heart of the Central Valley, Ridge Creek Dinuba Golf Club offers a taste of English heathland. From flat, boring terrain architect John Fought crafted a vast, gently rippling layout with roomy fairways and gigantic, subtly contoured greens. Given the ever-present winds, Fought provided ample space for any class of golfer to blast away with his driver and still find his ball. Admittedly, that ball might be resting in one of the many steep-lipped bunkers scattered across the layout, but at least it's playable.

The strategic bunkering constitutes much of the challenge and variety in the course, but it's pretty clear you're in for a fun day when you compare the daunting yardage from the tips (7,482 yards) with the gentle slope rating (just 126). With a back nine that dishes out two par-4s checking in at 500 yards and a par-5 that runs 648 yards, your driver is sure to get a workout. But there's something to be said for a course that allows the rest of us to bash away with impunity and still walk off No. 18 smiling.

Ask Travelin Joe: Palm Beach, San Diego and Mexico

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Joe,
I'm headed to Palm Beach for a visit with the in-laws over Christmas. What's the absolute best bargain down there-and I'm looking for a good test of golf, not a par-3 or executive course.
Dave Lyon
Evanston, Ill.

For that part of the Sunshine State, my default mechanism for value is always pegged 45 minutes north of the Palm Beaches, at PGA Golf Club (800-800-GOLF, pgavillage.com), in Port St. Lucie. I'm partial to the Wanamaker, by a dimple's width over the Ryder -- both are Tom Fazio designs that max out at $70 on the weekend through December 25th, but the low-profile Pete Dye course there for the same price might be best of the bunch.

If you're sticking closer to the family -- and that's your call -- go with North Palm Beach Country Club (561-691-3433, village-npb.org), a Jack Nicklaus redesign right on U.S. 1 and the Intracoastal that boasts heavily contoured greens, a watery finish and fees under $100 through January 11th.

Hi Joe,
My Oklahoma State Cowboys are bound for the Holiday Bowl in San Diego and I'm following along. A few of us want to tee it up. We all know about Torrey Pines -- and the fight for tee times -- but are there any hidden gems out there? It's a Christmas present, so I've got one trophy course in the budget.
Bill Banks
Oklahoma City, Okla.

Locals do special occasion golf at Maderas Golf Club (888-712-1746, maderasgolf.com, $170-$210) a few miles inland (and out of the fog belt) from La Jolla and downtown San Diego. Johnny Miller was a celebrity design consultant, and it would help to hit irons the way Miller did in his prime to succeed at this hilly, drama-filled layout that's criss-crossed by creeks and canyons. Some point to a few design quirks -- well, I do, anyway -- but no matter how you feel about the layout, at least the tranquil setting, flawless conditioning and superior clubhouse and service make you feel like you got your money's worth from what's unquestionably a pricey round.

Dear Joe,
I want to do a south-of-the-border sunshine run after the New Year. I'd like to tee it up at a big-time track, but my wife is more inclined to the spa and eco activities. Have you got a destination that will work for both of us?
Greg Layton
Denver, Colo.

My first thought was the Fairmont Mayakoba (800-540-6088, fairmont.com/mayakoba) and I believe my instincts were right, because they're offering something called the Sweet Deal Package that will have you both meeting up for dinner in good spirits. You get unlimited golf on a PGA Tour course, called El Camaleon, which demands straight hitting (Fred Funk and Brian Gay have won the past two years) on a Greg Norman design that blends jungle holes with seaside tests.

Several holes feature limestone canals cutting through them, while the par-5 opener sports a cavern in the middle of the fairway. She gets spa deals and a boat tour with an ecology expert. Rates start at $459, four-night minimum.

Take it From Joe: A Holiday Gift to Yourself

The holidays don't have to be all about the kids and the in-laws -- throw a golf break into the mix and you could find that most sublime of combinations: 18 holes followed by eggnog! With Christmas one month away, here are four of my favorite resorts that combine distinctive golf with a cheerful holiday aura.

Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa
Phoenix, Ariz.

Local legend has it that Irving Berlin penned "White Christmas" while sitting poolside at this desert retreat that opened in 1928. Architecture buffs will love the only major hotel that was directly influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, but golf architecture fans will warm to Forrest Richardson's restoration of the Adobe course, where Clark Gable once lost his wedding ring (it was found and returned by a Biltmore employee). The newer, hillier Links course is a fun holiday treat as well.
Rates at Christmas start at $319 per night. 602-955-6600, arizonabiltmore.com

The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs, Colo.

Some years it snows on Christmas at The Broadmoor, while other years it's 70 degrees and sunny. A huge plus to playable days is that you can tee it up for $100 at the resort's original 1918 Donald Ross design. Snow or shine, you'll enjoy the resort's Holiday Musical Show, which in 2008 features Academy Award-winner Maureen McGovern.
Package prices start at $170 per person, based on double occupancy. 719-634-7711, broadmoor.com

The Hotel del Coronado
Coronado, Calif.

Here's a bit of trivia: America's first electronically lighted outdoor Christmas tree was unveiled at this San Diego institution in 1904. The Holiday season hasn't slowed down since. Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners are celebrated in the hotel's historic Crown Room and among the other attractions are an oceanfront ice skating rink. Golf on the Coronado Muni course less than a mile away features glorious Bay views and a green fee of $25 -- that's so cheap, you can give away tee times as Christmas gifts.
Rates start at $270 per room, per night. 619-435-6611, hoteldel.com

Boca Raton Resort & Club
Boca Raton, Fla.

Architect Addison Mizner's pink-hued playground will put anybody in the holiday spirit. All the club's Resort course is missing is poinsettias -- it's a showcase for virtually every other type of flower, tree and shrub. A marina, a half-mile of private beach, Spa Palazzo and superb dining options round out the holiday offerings. Who needs snow?
Rates start at $259 per night. 888-491-2622, bocaresort.com

Ask Travelin' Joe: Orange County, Calif., Tuscon and Missouri

If you want to ask Travelin' Joe a question, e-mail him at askjoe@golf.com.

Dear Joe,
My boss and I are attending meetings near Orange County, Calif. and were curious on your thoughts on the best course to play. Strawberry Farm is not available, but we were looking at Coyote Hills or Oak Creek and/or possibly making the drive to Trump National.
Daniel Robison
Via email

You can't go wrong with any of the O.C. tracks you mentioned, but if you want maximum views for maximum dollars, make the drive to Trump. Six weeks ago in this space, I also recommended Arroyo Trabuco and Tijeras Creek. If you're looking for a shorter commute, both the Ocean North and Ocean South courses at Pelican Hill Golf Club (877-735-4226, pelicanhill.com; $235) in Newport Coast dish out rolling Tom Fazio designs with stunning Pacific views. Twilight rates are $135.

Just east of Anaheim is Black Gold Golf Club (714-961-0060, blackgoldgolf.com; $92-$120) in Yorba Linda, not far from the Richard M. Nixon Library and Birthplace, which offers an unimpeachably solid Arthur Hills design set among steep hills and pumping oil wells.

Hey Joe,
I'm getting married in Tucson and am getting the guys together for a round of golf before the wedding. We want to play a good, quality course but don't want to break the bank. I was reading up on Randolph North in the city. It's listed as an LPGA Tour stop as well as a former PGA Tour stop. Any suggestions?
Drew Igana
Via email

If you're saving your dough for the wedding cake, centrally located Randolph North (520-791-4161, tucsoncitygolf.com; $42-$70), that formerly hosted the Joe Garagiola Tucson Open and the Seiko Match Play, is a good bet. Its equally priced, shorter, but more interesting sibling, Dell Urich, was the scene for LPGA events in 2003 and 2004. Both are parkland layouts.

If you want to sample a modestly priced desert design, try Crooked Tree Golf Course (520-744-3322, crookedtreegolfcourse.net; $35-$48), a sturdy layout with mountain views and no homes that can be walked after 2 p.m. for $18.

Dear Joe,
We're planning a trip to Missouri. Can you recommend courses in the Branson area?
Patrick Ginnelly
San Antonio, Texas

Branson Creek (417-339-4653, bransoncreekgolf.com; $48-$99) in Hollister is absolutely worth the splurge. Ranked No. 76 among GOLF Magazine's Top 100 You Can Play, this heavily undulating Tom Fazio design stretches more than 7,000 yards from the tips and sports panoramic vistas of the surrounding Ozark hills.

A notable newcomer is the Payne Stewart Golf Club (417-337-2963, paynestewartgolfclub.com; $50-$65), a rugged, sandy test that pays homage to the late Missouri native. Nine holes are currently open (1-8, 18), with the balance slated to debut in May 2009. 

Poplar Creek, the Place to Play by SFO

Surely, Poplar Creek Golf Club isn’t the greatest course in the Bay Area, which is home to meccas like San Francisco Golf Club, Olympic and Harding Park. But considering that two of those three tracks are impossible to play for most folks, Poplar Creek is definitely a good option if you’re flying into San Francisco Airport and have a few extra hours. The course is just a couple of miles from the terminals; it’s super cheap ($35 on weekdays); it’s superbly maintained; and it’s darn fun and not too hard.

I recently played Poplar Creek with some high-school buddies after I landed at SFO. I had a few hours to kill before a business meeting, so before flying I called my friends, and they arranged to play hooky from work.

It had a fun opening hole. After slicing a drive on the straightaway 490-yard par 5, I had 235 to the green. I pushed my three-wood a bit, heard a monstrously loud “DING” and watched the ball ricochet sideways off a huge electric wire tower. Thankfully, my ball ended up in the fairway, and the towers didn’t come into play the rest of the day.

The course is relatively flat and short (par 70, 6,042 yards), but there are lots of fun doglegs, and the par 3s, which range from 136 to 210 yards, are a strong challenge. There’s also a good bit of water with five lakes, two waterfalls and some streams.

Poplar Creek is one of California’s most popular tracks, logging about 100,000 rounds each year. One of this year’s rounds was one of the greatest ever played anywhere. In September, Adam Ichikawa, 17, a senior at Mountain View High, shot a 12-under 58 in the second round of the 54-hole San Mateo County Championship. While breaking the course record by four shots, Adam made 10 birdies, one eagle and seven pars. Adam ended the 54-hole event with a 12-under 198, and he won the title with a par on the second hole in a sudden-death playoff.

– Course Finder Profile: Poplar Creek