Where riding and golf genuinely coexist in the same week — and the courses good enough to build a day around.
Very few places do mountain biking and serious golf equally well, and that combination is most of what we're asked for. The trick is that golf should never become the trip's centre of gravity unless someone wants it to. On most itineraries it's one round, well chosen, usually at the end.
Golf AlcanadaMallorca, Spain
Robert Trent Jones Jr. on the coast, and the only seaside course on the island. Eighteen holes, then lunch at the clubhouse over the Bay of Alcudia — the restaurant does Galician-style grilled meats and it's better than it needs to be.
MallorcaRTJ Jr.Seaside
Playa GrandeDominican Republic
Robert Trent Jones Sr., ten holes hard against the Atlantic, and the reason people call it the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean. Private club access and preferred tee times through the resort.
CaribbeanRTJ Sr.Oceanside
AntognollaUmbria, Italy
A Robert Trent Jones Jr. course set in a valley framed by wooded hills and a medieval castle. Widely rated among the finest in Italy, and a short drive from the Umbrian estates.
UmbriaRTJ Jr.Valley
Circolo Golf Villa d'EsteLake Como, Italy
One of the oldest and most prestigious courses in Europe, above the lake. Two mornings here is not too many.
Lake ComoHistoricLakeside
Royal AberdeenScotland
Inside the world's top hundred, and reachable from the Cairngorms. The links counterweight to a week of Highland riding.
ScotlandLinksTop 100
The Golf Club at Dove MountainTucson, Arizona
Tom Fazio, dramatic elevation changes, ocean-free desert views on all eighteen. Cart and caddy, and a very good way to close a riding trip.
ArizonaFazioDesert
Argentario Golf ClubTuscany, Italy
Eighteen holes winding through Monte Argentario with the sea, the lagoon, and the Orbetello reserve in view. Challenging and unusually pretty.
TuscanyCoastalPar 71
OlgiataRome, Italy
Just north of the city inside a private estate, oak-lined and serene. The West Course has hosted multiple Italian Opens.
LazioChampionshipPrivate estate
Kauri CliffsNorthland, New Zealand
Ranked inside the world's top forty, on six thousand acres of coastal farmland above the Pacific. Worth the flight on its own.
New ZealandTop 40Clifftop
