By Ryan Plank
Which U.S. cities are best for a golf-centric celebration with the guys?
Ahead of the wedding season, LawnStarter ranked 2024’s best bachelor party destinations for golfers.
We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on three categories: Play, Stay and Party. More specifically, we factored in golfer-friendliness, bachelor party-friendliness and hangover cure index, among 12 total metrics.
Los Angeles
While LA is a great place for a golf-focused bachelor party, it’s also known for being very spread out and having terrible traffic. To avoid spending more time on the freeway than the fairway, try the golf facilities at Griffith Park (two 18-hole courses and two 9-hole courses) and Industry Hills Golf Club (two 18-hole courses and a premium practice facility).
LA is a great place for a golf-focused bachelor party – with a little planning for the commute. Roberto Nickson // Pexels photo
Again, with efficiency in mind, it’s best to pick a neighbourhood or two to focus your nightlife activities. Hollywood and Downtown are sure bets for a good time. Echo Park and the Sunset Strip are always hip. Redondo Beach and Venice are top choices for laidback vibes and ocean views, while Santa Monica has plenty of high-end options.
San Diego
Do not miss Torrey Pines Golf Course. This 36-hole golf facility is perched on the coastal cliffs of the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and offers some of the most incredible views you’ll ever see from a golf course. Host to two U.S. Open Championships, the annual Farmer’s Insurance Open, and your bachelor party weekend round of golf, this iconic coastal golf course will deliver a golf experience you and your buddies will never forget.
San Diego, Calif., offers both celebrated golf and plenty of fun away from the links. Lucas Fonseca // Pexels photo
San Diego is also home to a thriving brewery scene, so you’ll have plenty of options in the evening when reminiscing on your round over a cold one. The Gaslamp Quarter is a nightlife hotspot for bar hopping, and Encinitas Ale House features an impressive 500 beers on draught.
Las Vegas
Wynn Golf Club and Shadow Creek Golf Course are two of the most premium golf courses in the country and can’t-miss experiences if you can swing it, but they sport the price tags to match. For something a touch more wallet-friendly, try the legendary Bali Hai Golf Club.
Las Vegas, the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ scored an ace in ranking after a winning finish in both the “Party” and “Play” categories. Julian Paefgen // Unsplash photo
Las Vegas is also home to one of the most impressive Topgolf facilities you’ll ever visit, complete with two pools and a movie theatre-sized screen for watching sports. Just outside the city, Angel Park is another loaded golf option with two 18-hole courses and a fully lighted par-3 course with tee times into the night.
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More cities to consider
Venturing past the West Coast? Other cities making the cut were Orlando, Florida, loaded with courses to fit whatever golf experience you’re looking for, and Houston, Texas, where – after you swap your golf spikes for your party shoes – you can check out Downtown and Midtown for upscale hangs or Morningside Drive for your own pub crawl.
The Upshot
You wouldn’t bet against Las Vegas coming in atop a list of the best bachelor party destinations — they don’t call it Sin City for nothing. However, you might not have expected it to be the best bachelor party destination for golf lovers.
The Entertainment Capital of the World scored an ace in our ranking after a winning finish in both the “Party” and “Play” categories, thanks to a thriving party scene surrounded by plenty of legendary courses.
Orlando, Florida, played runner-up due to a hole-in-one in the “Stay” category and a strong showing in “Play” — despite a “Party” score just outside the top 20.
Houston was no slouch and took home the bronze medal with solid scores across the board.
Two SoCal hotspots — Los Angeles and San Diego, home to some of the most iconic courses on Earth and nightlife to compete with the best — rounded out our top 5.
Behind the ranking
First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the best bachelor party destinations for golfers. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into three categories: Play, Party, and Stay. The categories, factors, and their weights for each of the 200 biggest U.S. cities can be found here.
Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1) and the lowest “Worst” (No. 200).
Final thoughts
When it comes to planning a bachelor party, there are many different ways to play. If you’re a golfer, there’s no better way to celebrate than enjoying as much golf as you can manage by day before enjoying the local nightlife in the evening. It doesn’t hurt if you can combine the two with night golf or golf-forward bar experiences like Topgolf, Drive Shack or golf simulators.
Even if your preferred destination has the climate to support year-round golf, most of the turf you’ll find on a golf course goes dormant in the winter (as does the nightlife in many cities) and won’t provide the best golf experience in the colder months. To enjoy the best golfing conditions and ensure the liveliest after-round atmosphere, plan to play in the spring, summer, or early fall.
With that in mind, winter is a great time to plan and book your outing. Don’t forget: You’ll need to book tee times and make sure the course is prepared to welcome a larger group long before you arrive at your destination.
The same can be said for many of the best travel and lodging deals, extracurricular events like concerts and sporting events, and even renting vehicles or booking transportation to get from course to course. Whether you’ll be bringing your own clubs or using rental sets when you arrive, make sure you have the details ironed out ahead of time.
This story was produced by LawnStarter and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
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