The Top 25 Best Family Golf Resorts

The following destinations were chosen, first and foremost, for their willingness to encourage families to play together, be it on short courses, with family tee times or in kids-play-free programs. Of course, these resorts also have all the amenities modern families expect: spas, waterslides, theme parks, kids' camps and beaches. With all these options, you won't know where to start, but if you ask us, golf takes the cake. Everything else is icing. PINEHURST RESORT Pinehurst, NC Formed in 1895, the nation's most historic golf resort welcomes families with open arms. GOLF: Seven of eight courses (excluding No. 2) have junior tee markers and scorecards. No. 8 is reserved for families after 5 p.m. during the summer and holiday weeks ($175 per family). Eric Alpenfels, Pinehurst's director of instruction, is a U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Teacher. LODGING: The historic Carolina Hotel has family-size suites and sits next door to the Kids Club and West Lawn Activity Center's kiddie pool and playground. BIG DEAL: Kids 12 and under stay, play golf and eat for free with a paying adult. FUN STUFF: Vie for low score on the six-hole putting green; sail on the freshwater lake; enjoy a mother-daughter facial. EXTRA CREDIT: Pinehurst hosts the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships August 2 - 4 (800-ITS-GOLF; pinehurst.com). KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT Kiawah Island, SC An upscale escape on the South Carolina coast with a lowcountry vibe and accessible legendary golf. GOLF: Four of Kiawah's five courses have junior tee markers during the summer: on the front nines of Cougar Point (1,322 yards), Turtle Point (1,262 yards) and Oak Point (1,484 yards); Osprey Point has them on all 18 holes (1,470 yards front, 1,473 back). (Children are discouraged from playing The Ocean Course, which Golf Digest has named the country's toughest resort golf course.) The Tommy Cuthbert Learning Center at Turtle Point holds two-day junior golf camps for intermediate players ages 12 to 17. LODGING: The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a lavish new hotel with an old soul. It has 255 rooms, a family pool, and a nature center. In addition, there are 500 one-to-four-bedroom villas with access to the resort's two pools (but not The Sanctuary hotel pools) as well as discounts on tee times and Kamp Kiawah for kids ages 3 to 11. BIG DEAL: In the summer-long Family Tee program, kids 17 and under play free with a paying adult from 6:30 to 7 p.m. ($45). FUN STUFF: Boogie-board in the Atlantic Ocean; take a nature tour; shoot hoops at Night Heron Park; enter a sand-sculpting contest. EXTRA CREDIT: Tennis, anyone? Kiawah has one of the nation's top programs (800-654-2924; kiawahresort.com). For the rest of the rankings, please visit: http://www.golfdigest.com/gfw/gfwtravel/index.ssf?/gfw/gfwtravel/gfw200705bestresorts.html

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