Top Father’s Day Picks – Best Golf & Fishing to Share with Dad

Top Public Golf Courses in the USA:

Check out this guide at: Ruba – Best Public Golf Courses

1. Pebble Beach Golf Links – Pebble Beach, CA. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,828. One of the most iconic golf resorts in the USA, Pebble Beach Resorts is home to four courses, each offering a unique heritage, breathtaking beauty, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Pebble Beach Golf Links has been recognized by Golf Digest as the #1 Best Public Golf Course. In 2001 it was recognized as the Best Golf Course in the US, the first public course ever to win. You’ll pay dearly to treat Dad: greens fees are a staggering $495 (plus $35 cart fee for non-resort guests). But the entire course hugs the coastline, offering breath-taking views throughout your round. The course was designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant and opened on February 22, 1919. You can bring the whole family as the resort offers plenty for golfers and non-golfers alike.
   
2. Pacific Dunes – Bandon, OR. Par: 71. Yardage: 6,633. Bandon Dunes offers a hint of golf as it was when it first started in Scotland, on wind-swept, rugged land near the coast. Pacific Dunes was the second of the four courses at Bandon Dunes to open, in July, 2001. The creators describe it as more “discovered” than “built” as the fairways and natural sand bunkers were left largely unchanged from their natural placements. It’s a short but challenging course, especially when the wind picks up. And be prepared to walk – carts are only allowed for medical reasons.
   
3. Whistling Straights – Haven, WI. Par: 71. Yardage: 7,514. Whistling Straights is one of two courses associated with the nearby American Club, owned by Kohler. The Course is reminiscent of the UK and Ireland’s seaside courses and will be home to the 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships, as well as the 2020 Ryder Cup. The course was designed by Peter & Alice Dye and lies along 2 miles of Lake Michigan coastline. Green fees are pretty steep at $340 ($230 for Twilight).
   
4. The Ocean Course – Kiawah Island, SC. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,356. The Ocean Course is the most famous course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, near Charleson, SC, which opened in 1974, and known in part for its presence in the 2001 film, Bagger Vance. You and Dad will have a view of the Atlantic Ocean, but beware of the winds. The course is even a Certified Audobon Cooperative Sanctuary. This is one of the toughest resort courses to play, so if you’re up for a challenge, go for it.
   
5. Bethpage State Park (Black Course) – Farmingdale, NY. Par: 71. Yardage: 7,366. The Black course is the most difficult of Bethpage State Park’s five eighteen-hole golf courses. It was the first publicly owned and operated course to host the US Open in 2002 and thanks to the great crowd turnout that year, it will again host the tournament this year. The course will re-open after the Open on June 27. If you’re a NY resident it costs just $60 to play this course on weekends. Non-residents are charged $120. To make a tee time, your driver’s license has to be in their online system. Or, you can simply walk up – but be warned, this means you’ll have to spend the night in the parking lot the night before!
6. Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (No. 2) – Pinehurst, NC. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,335. Pinehurst Resort is home to eight golf courses, the first of which opened in 1898. It was initially founded by soda fountain magnate James Walker Tufts. The most famous course at Pinehurst (No. 2) was completed in 1907 and was designed by Donald Ross. This year, you can treat Dad to a special Father’s Day event at the Pinehurst Resort, including 3 nights accomdation, 2 rounds of golf (one at No. 4 and one at No. 2) with caddies, VIP room access during the US Open, and special dinners and receptions with James Dodson and the McRae Family. Prices for the weekend’s festivities start at $750 per person. Once you’re done golfing, there’s plenty of other activities including tennis, pools, and a spa.
   
7. Bandon Dunes – Bandon, OR. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,732. Bandon Dunes is the second course on this list from the Bandon Dunes Golf complex. It was the first course constructed in the complex, completed in 1999. It features shrub-lined fairways and numerous pot bunkers. Like the Pacific Dunes course, Bandon Dunes is in the Scottish style and is very mentally challenging, especially when the winds pick up. During the summer, a day guest pays $275 to play while a resort guest pays $220.
   
8. Shadow Creek – North Las Vegas, NV. Par: 72. Yardage: 7560. Shadow Creek Golf Course was built by well-known casino mogul Steve Wynn in 1989 out of a barren desert flatland. The course is well-lined by trees and berms, giving a sense of privacy in the expansive surrounding desert. It was once one of the most exclusive golf courses in the world, with tee times by invitation only and spaced one hour apart. Today all guests of any MGM/Mirage property are welcome to play, but with greens fees at $500, the course rarely sees more than a couple dozen rounds each day. Like the rest of Las Vegas, playing the Shadow Creek course is a dramatic experience, with each several holes grouped together in a certain “theme” and no hole visible from any other. If you can afford to cough up the greens fees, it’s a definite Father’s Day experience!
9. TPC Sawgrass (Player’s Stadium Course) – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,215. Known as the inaugural Tournament Players Club (TPC) course and home of the PGA Tour Headquarters, the TPC Sawgrass is home to The Players Championship and is known for being one of the toughest courses in the world including the (in)famous par-3 hole 17. Like all TPC courses, the TPC at Sawgrass is built in a stadium style to accommodate lots of fans. You can book packages including 2-nights and 2 rounds of golf starting at $495 per person, making it a pricey but fantastic experience.
   
10. Arcadia Bluffs – Arcadia, MI. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,298. Built overlooking Lake Michigan, Arcadia Bluffs golf course is open daily from mid-April to mid-November to the public and players are given GPS-equipped golf carts or caddies upon request. The restaurant is only open from May through September, but this won’t affect Father’s Day plans. At $180 per round in the summer ($110 Twilight) this is a doable Father’s day gift, but not a course you’d want to play every day. While you’re there, try out the full practice range or the separate short game facility.
    

Top Fishing Experiences in the USA:

Check out this guide at: Ruba – Best Fishing Experiences

1. King Salmon Fishing in Alaska. Known for its gorgeous landscape and stunning wildlife experiences, Alaska is the #1 fishing destination for anglers around the world. There are tons of guided fishing companies to take you out on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers to experience the thrill of battling the famous king salmon which can reach 70lb. Fishing in the shadow of Alaka’s towering Denali (Mt. McKinley) is surely an experience your dad will appreciate for years to come (and not just for the salmon he’ll ship home!)
   
2. Salt Water Fishing in the Florida Keys. Fishing & the Florida Keys go together like PB & J. The only tough decision here is whether you want to hire a backcountry guide to take you through the mangrove shorelines and Keys wilderness or if you’d prefer to hop aboard a Party Boat or Deep Sea Charter for some offshore angling. Common catches in the Keys flats include barracuda, bonefish, permit, redfish, shark and tarpon and backcountry fishing in Florida Bay gives you a shot at black drum, ladyfish, pompano, redfish, sheepshead, shark, snapper, snook, tarpon and trout. If you and Dad are more novice fishermen, the party boats are the perfect choice. Depending on where your boat anchors, you’ll have the chance to reel in mackerel, grouper, yellowtail, sheepshead, sailfish, wahoo, big king mackerel, or even blacktip sharks. If your dad is a more serious fisherman, however, consider the deep sea charters which offer the chance to fish at depths of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Seasoned anglers will delight in the challenge of the hunt for dolphin (the fish), marlin, sailfish, shark, tuna and wahoo. Whatever you choose, you and Dad are pretty much guaranteed to have a great time.
   
3. Bass Fishing in Lake Dixon, San Diego. There are almost as many opinions on the best place for bass fishing as there are anglers. Lake Dixon, however, has been known for years as one of the best spots to bring in record-breaking size bass. In the last three years this tiny (70-acre) southern California reservoir has produced three bass in the Top 16 of all time, in part thanks to its 80-foot depth. This is a strict catch & release lake, based on a general understanding between the local fishermen, so no matter how big the fish you wrangle, be sure to throw it back.
   
4. Trout Fishing in Yellowstone. Yellowstone’s unique geolandscape results in abundant flowing water and highly prolific hatches, making it the ideal spot to angle for fly fishing trout. As master angler Craig Mathews says, “There is no best time to fish Yellowstone,” thanks to the above factors. At over 2.2 million acres, you are sure to find the perfect spot in the park for you and Dad. Visit this site for more information about the Park Service’s regulations and environmental preservation efforts: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishing.htm.
   
5. Walleye Fishing in Minnesota. As a result of its over 10,000 lakes, many of which are moderately deep with gravel, rock or sandy bottoms, and its colder waters, Minnesota enjoys a large and healthy walleye population in a number of its larger and smaller lakes. All About Fishing’s website offers the following advice for fishing Minnesota walleye this summer: “Fish shallow in the mornings and evenings and move deeper as the sun rises. Use lures that mimic crawfish as this is a favorite food of the walleye. Follow points and rocky or gravel structure deeper until you establish the proper depth.” For much more on fishing in Minnesota, visit their website: http://www.aa-fishing.com/mn/minnesota-fishing.html.
6. Tarpon Adventures in Galveston, Texas. For the best in Texas saltwater fishing, try Capt. Jim Leavelle’s tarpon adventures and wade fishing in the Baffin Bay Complex. Capt. Leavelle is deeply involved with Texas’ fishing industry and even founded the first online booking service, www.texasfishpros.com At just $600 for up to 4 people for a full day of fishing, this is an affordable chance to fish tarpon with one of Texas’ most renowned fishermen.http://www.tarponadventures.com/ .
   
7. Rogue River Wilderness Adventures in Oregon. Rogue River Wilderness offers some of the most exciting whitewater rafting, fishing, and hiking trips in Oregon, complete with fantastic wildlife viewing and trips catered to all groups and skill levels. The company was even named one of National Geographic’s Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth for 2009. The company specializes in salmon and steelhead fishing and offers custom single and multi-day trips. The highly trained guides provide all the gear you’ll need and the luxurious boats are designed for just two fishermen and a guide each. The trips offer the perfect mix of outdoors adventure and exceptional service and quality, including delicious meals and well-appointed wilderness lodges each night. You’ll learn a variety of the best techniques for salmon and steelhead fishing including fly fishing, spin casting, bait bouncing, and pulling plugs. There’s a choice of trips to fit your wallet and time constraints so check the website for the perfect trip for you and your dad this Father’s Day: http://www.wildrogue.com/rogue-river-fishing-trips.htm.
8. Fishing in Maine. Maine’s gorgeous and varied landscape, ranging from rugged coastlines to tranquil forests, makes it a top place for every angler to visit. There is a variety of fishing in the state, so part of what will determine your trip is the time of year you visit. If you’re going for Father’s Day, try relatively unknown Pierce Pond in Somerset County for good-sized brook trout and salmon. Allagash Lake is one of Maine’s best fly fishing sites, but be prepared to trek into a rugged and primitive spot 80 miles north of Greenville to enjoy it. One of the best places in Maine to fish is without a doubt Kennebec River, home to one of the largest wild trout populations in the eastern United States. Whatever you decide, you’re sure to enjoy fishing in the Pine Tree state and your dad will too.
   

What are your favorite places to take Dad? Let us know! And whatever you decide to do for Father’s Day, be sure to thank Dad for all he’s done for you!