The Clubhouse

10 Winter Stay-and-Play Golf Resorts Where It's Actually Warm

October 2026

If you're Canadian or from anywhere in the northern US, you know how it goes. By January your clubs have been in the garage for two months, and the closest you've come to a real round is a simulator bay. So let's fix that with a winter stay and play: book a room at a golf resort somewhere warm, walk out to the first tee, and forget about the weather until your flight home.

I love stay-and-play trips because they're about the easiest golf trips to plan. No driving around between courses and no debating where to stay. Pick the resort and most of the trip is planned. At a lot of these places the courses are resort guests only, so booking the room is how you get the tee time anyway.

Every spot on this list is on Past the Pin, has at least one course right on property, and is actually warm in January and February. I split it into two groups: six for when you want to splurge, and four that are easier on the wallet.

Full honesty: I haven't played most of these yet. I've done Palm Beach and Scottsdale, and the rest are very much on my list. These picks come from the research behind each destination page and from what other golfers have told us. If you've played any of them, leave a review and help everyone out.

One note on pricing: our price tiers show peak green fees ($ under $100, $$ $100–$200, $$$ $200+). Winter is peak season at every one of these places, so expect to pay the listed price.

The splurge picks

1. Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic ($$$). If you ask around about Caribbean golf, this is the answer you'll hear most. Casa de Campo has three Pete Dye courses on one property. Teeth of the Dog is the famous one, with seven holes right along the Caribbean Sea, and it's a top 50 course in the world. Dye Fore sits on cliffs 300 feet above the Chavón River, and The Links is the more relaxed inland course. One course a day for three days is your whole trip. The La Romana airport is basically next door, too. Best November to April.

2. Streamsong Resort, Florida ($$$). This is about as close to Bandon as you can get in January. Streamsong is in the middle of Central Florida on old mining land, and it looks nothing like the rest of Florida: big sand dunes, firm fairways and zero condos. Red (Coore & Crenshaw) and Blue (Tom Doak) are both top 50 in the world, Black (Gil Hanse) is a short ride away, and The Chain is a walkable short course for the afternoons. The lodge is the only place to stay, and it's out in the middle of nowhere, so plan on staying put. A fourth course, Bone Valley, opens in 2027. Best November to April.

3. Cabot Citrus Farms, Florida ($$$). Anyone who's read my take on Cabot Cape Breton knows I'm a Cabot guy, so this one is high on my list. Cabot Citrus Farms is about an hour north of Tampa, with two full courses, Karoo and Roost, plus sandy ground and elevation you would never expect from Florida. The short courses might be the best part. The Squeeze is a 10-hole loop for after your morning round, and The Wedge is an 11-hole par 3 course that's lit up at night. Stay in the on-site cottages and play until you can't see anymore. Best October to April.

4. Mauna Kea Resort, Big Island of Hawaii ($$$). It's warm, it's beautiful, and if you're from the US you don't need a passport. Mauna Kea is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course from 1964, and the par 3 3rd, over a Pacific inlet with waves crashing below, is one of the most famous holes in golf. The resort's second course, Hapuna, climbs up into the hills with ocean views the whole way. From December to March you can also watch for whales from the course. If the group wants more golf, the Mauna Lani courses are just down the coast.

5. PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida ($$$). Five courses, and all of them are resort guests only. That includes The Champion and the Bear Trap (holes 15 to 17) the pros play every year. The Palmer and Fazio courses are a lot more forgiving, and The Match is a 9-hole short course made for a few beers and a casual afternoon. I've done Palm Beach and loved it, and you're only about 20 minutes from all of it, so check out my Palm Beach newsletter for where to go at night. Best October to April.

6. Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico ($$$). El Camaleón is Greg Norman's course at Mayakoba and was the first PGA Tour stop in Mexico. You play through mangroves and jungle and around a huge cenote before finishing along the beach. Mayakoba is a whole resort area about 45 minutes south of the Cancún airport, so it's an easy trip to pull together, and anyone in the group who'd rather hit the beach than the course is covered. Best November to April.

The value picks

7. The Wigwam, Arizona ($). This is the best value on the list, and it's not close. The Wigwam is one of Arizona's original golf resorts, just west of Phoenix, with three courses on property, and all three come in under $100 even in peak season. The Gold Course is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design and one of the most well-known public courses in the state. The Red is the most forgiving and the Blue is short and fun. You can play 36 a day for less than one round at the big Scottsdale names. If you want one splurge round, I'd make it We-Ko-Pa Saguaro. I played it and it was awesome: real desert golf with no houses, just you and the cactus. Best October to April.

8. Hard Rock Hotel at Cana Bay, Dominican Republic ($$). Hard Rock Golf Club at Cana Bay is a Jack Nicklaus course at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, and green fees are included when you stay at the Hard Rock or one of its partner resorts. All-inclusive with golf included means nobody's splitting a bar tab or paying for tee times. Spend what you save on a round at Corales or Punta Espada, both nearby, and if the group wants a night out, PGA Ocean's 4 has a 9-hole course you can play under the lights. Best November to April.

9. Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, Puerto Rico ($$). Caribbean golf at mid-range prices, and if you're from the US you don't need a passport. Rio Mar is a beach resort on the northeast coast, right next to the El Yunque rainforest, with two courses on property. Greg Norman's River Course has a river running through it, and the Ocean Course by Tom and George Fazio has Atlantic views and usually plenty of wind. It's under an hour from San Juan, so a long weekend works. Go between December and April and skip hurricane season.

10. The Westin Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, California ($$). The desert in winter is great golf weather: sunny, dry, and mountains everywhere you look. This resort in the Palm Springs area has two mid-range courses on property: a Pete Dye course with island greens and waste bunkers, and an easier Gary Player course with big mountain views. The Palm Springs airport is about 15 minutes away. If you're brave, splurge on the Stadium Course at PGA West and take your shot at the island green on 17. Best October to April.

Honorable mentions

A few tips before you book

  • Book early. This is peak season at every place on the list, and the best spots fill up months ahead. A lot of these courses also use dynamic pricing, so the longer you wait, the more you'll pay.
  • Check whether the courses are guests only. At PGA National and Quivira you can't play without a room, so book the stay first and the tee times right after.
  • Ask about stay-and-play packages. Most of these resorts bundle the room and the golf together, and it's usually cheaper than booking them separately.
  • Check passports. Hawaii and Puerto Rico are passport-free for US travelers. The Dominican Republic and Mexico aren't, so make sure everyone's is up to date before you book anything.
  • Take an afternoon off. You came for the sun, so spend at least one afternoon at the beach or the pool. Your back will thank you on day four.

When you've picked your spot, build the trip in the trip planner and send it to the group chat. Or browse all of our destinations if none of these are quite right.

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