Top 10 Destinations for Spring Break Golf Getaways

Spring Break with its glorious prospects of no classes, no tests and no term papers is just around the corner. Students (or those still students at heart) who prefer vacations with golf clubs in tow might like to know the best locales to tee-it-up that also have multiple options for fun once the sun goes down. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Gulf Coast to the Caribbean, here are the "Top 10 Destinations for Spring Break Golf Getaways."

1. Kauai

The intoxicating beauty of Kaua'i is impossible to resist, and the courses and resorts there are equally spectacular. Imagine standing on lush, green fairways of Seashore Paspalum turf atop red-faced cliffs overlooking the turquoise Pacific Ocean. The rigors of college recede from your thoughts. Now, imagine capping a round in one of the luxurious resorts where lomilomi massages, Mai Tai cocktails, live music featuring slack key guitar notes wafting on the breezes await. Yes, this is the golf spring break of your dreams. You just might never go back to school!

2. Gulf Shores, Alabama

With 32 miles of sugar-sand beaches, nine stellar golf courses and over 22,000 rooms - from high-end beach front condos to private homes and chain hotels - the Gulf Shores of Alabama is spring break heaven. Kiva Dunes is a Top-100 Course You Can Play and shouldn't be missed, but the area also has four "Honours" courses and four other layouts that give all the golf a vacationing student would want. Golf packages are custom-made and can be developed at golfgulfshores.com, with rates in March under $70 per golfer per night. A trip to Lulu's (run by Jimmy Buffet's sister) will get you in a coastal mood, or go wild and crazy at Flora-bama, the state-line scene where the locals hang out, and the music is always lively.

3. PGA National Resort & Spa

For students wanting the Full Monty of a real PGA TOUR experience, PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida offers its "PGA Honda Classic Experience" stay-and-play package. It's as close to a PGA experience as one can get without going through Q-School. Take golf's version of the SATs against The Champion Course (host site of the PGA TOUR's Honda Classic) with the famous "Bear Trap." After the round, lounge in the magnificent zero-entry pool and soak up those south Florida rays. The fun iBAR in the lobby is the perfect spot to recount your fortunes or misfortunes on The Champion's Bear Trap and hoist a microbrew or two. In addition to The Champion, the resort boasts four other courses. Nearby downtown Palm Beach has scores of lively bars - ideal for "off-campus" hi-jinks.

4. Pristine Bay Resort

Want a March golf adventure extraordinaire? Pristine Bay Resort on Roatan - an idyllic tropical island 40 miles off the coast of Honduras - recently announced its Perry and Pete Dye-designed golf course overlooking the shimmering Caribbean Sea, The Black Pearl, is now open for public play. The course starts at the ocean's doorstep and rises into the island's rolling foothills before taking golfers on a wild ride back to the seaside clubhouse. It features one of Dye's signature island greens, and 14 holes with unfettered views of the ocean and Meso-American Barrier Reef. The resort will set-up packages with golf, food, lodging, transportation, diving (considered one of best locales in the world), zip-lining and even swimming with dolphins. Now that's a college vacation to remember!

5. Saddle Creek Resort

Saddle Creek Resort is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada - only an hour from Sacramento and two from San Francisco. Take a breather from the rigors of college with a round of championship golf then relax in your luxurious, course-side bungalow - equipped like a dorm suite fit for royalty. Want a break from the collegiate staple of beer and more beer? Try one of the 20 vineyards in Calaveras County (www.calaveraswines.org) with an abundance of wine tastings available. Be the only one in your Psych 101 class to know the difference between Petite Syrah and Pinot Noir. Plus, Saddle Creek is student-wallet friendly.

6. Mississippi: Dancing Rabbit, The Azaleas Course and The Oaks Course at Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia, MS

Mississippi has quickly become known as one of the top golf destinations in the country. The prices are as friendly as locals are polite. Under those balmy southern skies, try golf at The Azaleas and The Oaks both of which cover 14,000 breath-taking yards with more than 700 acres dedicated to golf. Both courses are regularly ranked among the top casino courses in the country. Stay-and-play packages start at $137.98 per night, per person and include one night lodging, breakfast for one and a round of golf with shared cart and range balls. Feeling lucky? Pearl River Resort offers two casino/hotel properties featuring Las Vegas-style gaming at the Silver Star Hotel & Casino and Golden Moon Hotel & Casino. Test whether your statistics-class professors knew what the heck they were talking about.

7. Half Moon Bay Golf Links

Located 40 minutes south of San Francisco, Half Moon Bay Golf Links is set against the dramatic sea cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and home to 36 holes of championship golf. They "team up" with The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, located on-site, and other area hotel partners to offer an "unlimited golf package" so you can tee-it-up from early morning to happy hour. Just steps away from the golf course and hotels is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with horseback riding, bike riding, surfing, whale watching, and even Segway tours of the coastline giving you the all spring break fun you'll need and memories to last all the way to finals.

8. WaterColor

Spring Break and the Gulf of Mexico go together like Snooki and hairspray. A great bet for accommodations and golf is The WaterColor Inn and Resort, located right on the water. The resort features two of Florida's highest-rated courses. Camp Creek is a Tom Fazio masterpiece while Shark's Tooth, a splendid Greg Norman design, is a private club that resort guests can assess. When that glorious Panhandle sunshine recedes, try Fish Out of Water for special deals on drinks and Raw Bar from 9 p.m. to close. The lounge area offers half-off cocktails, wines, and an assortment of local seafood to help you forget college cafeteria fare.

9. Bayonet Black Horse

Who needs mega-expensive golf at Pebble Beach when you have Bayonet Black Horse? Located two hours south of San Francisco, Bayonet Black Horse is considered the "Best 36 Holes" on the Monterey Peninsula with green fees that won't have you forego buying textbooks in the coming quarter. Numerous reasonably priced hotels and motels are a short drive away. If you're into racing, the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (www.mazdaraceway.com) is located eight miles from Bayonet Black Horse and offers the chance to reenact your personal version of "Gone in 60 Seconds."

10. Mystical Golf in Myrtle Beach

Mystical Golf might offer the best deal in golf travel! With three award-winning courses -- The Witch, Man-O-War and The Wizard -- its "Anderson Ocean Club Mystical Special" stay-and-play package is available through Sept. 7, 2011 for as low as $184 person in a shared suite. All rated from 4 to 4-1/2 stars from Golf Digest and named "The Best Value in America" by GOLF Magazine, the three layouts are superb. The package includes three rounds of golf (one per course), three nights' accommodations at the Anderson Ocean Club right on the Grand Stand (50 miles of beach!) with breakfast and lunch each day. You'll have a great time and still have money left over for fun back on campus.

David Wood is the author of Around the World in 80 Rounds, now available in paperback on www.Amazon.com.