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Golf holidays are as popular as ever. Whether your clients are diehard golfers who want nothing more than top-quality courses or all-rounders looking for a mix of activities, our two featured golf destinations deliver.

West Virginia
West Virginia might not be the first place to pop into your head when thinking great golf destinations, but the state offers an array of spectacular mountain courses – all easily accessible via major Interstate highway routes – making it easy to combine golfing with other recreational opportunities, including some of North America’s top whitewater rafting. Among the favourites:

• The Greenbrier: Three championship courses, combined with the history and ambience of “America’s Resort” make this world-renowned resort in White Sulphur Springs a perennial favourite. The Greenbrier also boasts one of the world’s top spas – perfect for both post-round and for the non-golfing members of the party. www.greenbrier.com.
• Snowshoe Mountain: With more than $100 million in improvements in the last few years – including world-class lodging at Allegheny Springs – Snowshoe Mountain is becoming one of the top golf destinations in the Mid-Atlantic. The Gary Player-designed Raven Golf Course is a favourite for West Virginia golfers in the know. www.snowshoemtn.com.
• Oglebay Resort: This municipal park in Wheeling offers three courses, including one by Arnold Palmer and another by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. It’s a family-friendly destination, too, boasting a zoo, a kids’ train ride, the country’s largest holiday light show, museums, environmental education centre, restaurants, clubs and an array of outdoor fun. www.oglebay-resort.com.
• Stonewall Resort: West Virginia’s newest resort (and probably the most accessible for Canadian travellers) offers lodging, dining and golf a step above most state parks. The Arnold Palmer-designed course is receiving rave reviews for its incredible lakeside beauty and long, challenging holes. Plus the spa and nature programs will keep the rest of the family happy while the golfers enjoy a second round. The park is just three minutes off the I-79 Roanoke exit in north central West Virginia. www.stonewallresort.com.
• Twisted Gun: Built on a reclaimed surface mine site in southern West Virginia, this 7,015-yard, links-style course has been named one of the best reclamation sites in the U.S. and has been recognized by the state’s department of environmental protection. And at just US $25 for 18 holes, it's decidedly budget-friendly as well. www.twistedgungolf.com.

For more information about West Virginia golfing, visit www.callwva.com.

Arizona
With more than 300 courses and days of sunshine annually, it’s hardly surprising that the Grand Canyon State was recognized as the number one golf destination in North America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators late last year. Here are just a small handful of Arizona’s top choices, all within the popular Phoenix-Scottsdale-Mesa region – making it easy for your golfing clients to combine their favourite sport with great sightseeing, shopping and dining.

• Arizona Grand Resort: This award-winning course is one of the most challenging in the Phoenix area. Blending traditional links with ultimate desert golf, the 6,336-yard, par 71 course offers sport suitable for players of all skill levels. Savvy golfers plan a post-round treatment or two in the resort’s luxurious spa – a favourite spot of non-golfing travelling companions, too. www.arizonagrandresort.com
• The Legacy Golf Resort, Phoenix: Designed by renowned golf architect Gary Panks, the 6,980-yard, par 71 Legacy course is a favourite among golfers in the know. Indigenous grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees surround the rolling terrain. Its elevation provides exceptional views of Camelback Mountain, Squaw Peak and the downtown Phoenix skyline. www.legacygolfresort.com
• The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa: This Scottsdale resort boasts two championship-level, Jay Morrish-designed courses recognized as among the best in the U.S. and renowned for their breathtaking surroundings and sweeping panoramic views of the Sonoran desert landscape. www.bouldersclub.com.
• We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: This club, developed and owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, is located just east of Scottsdale and boasts magnificent views of the Sonoran desert and surrounding mountains. It consists of two 18-hole courses: the Scott Miller-designed Cholla course and the Saguaro course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, as well as a large practice facility and a full service clubhouse. www.wekopa.com.
• Dobson Ranch Golf Course: This 18-hole championship golf course in Mesa – another hot golf destination – is one of Arizona’s top public courses. It features mature landscaping and large greens, as well as PGA instruction for players of all levels, a lighted driving range and putting green, a fully stocked pro shop and an on-site restaurant with banquet facilities. www.dobsonranchgolfcourse.com.