In the U.S., Father’s Day is the third Sunday in June. The country adopted a special day to celebrate fathers and paternal figures to complement Mother’s Day in May. Many U.S. citizens set aside a day to honor fathers since 1908, and presidents Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge recommended its observance. However, the first presidential proclamation didn’t come until 1966, under Lyndon B. Johnson’s tenure. In 1972, Richard Nixon made Father’s Day a permanent national holiday. So, what do you give the best dad in the world? An unforgettable getaway to one of the world’s best golf courses paired with a chartered flight in a private plane.
Best Golf Courses for Father’s Day
Augusta National Golf Club | Augusta, Georgia
Home of the Masters Tournament since 1934, the Augusta National Golf Club has one of the best know courses in the world. Originally designed by Jones and Alister MacKenzie, the course was built over a former plan nursery. Incidentally, each hole is named after a tree or shrub. Unlike many golf courses in the country, the course at Augusta National has never received an official rating. The club has about 300 members. Its exclusive membership policies changed in 2012 with the admittance of female members, but female guests were welcome prior to this time. Maybe this Father’s Day, you’ll play alongside members Condoleezza Rice or Bill Gates.
Muirfield Village Golf Club | Gullane, Scotland
One of the oldest golf clubs in Scotland, Muirfield Village Golf Club’s history dates back to 1744. Muirfield hosts several major championships (Jack Nicklaus won his first British Open here) on its link course characterized by uneven surfaces, dunes and sandy coil. The course deviates from standard links courses, as it has two loops of nine holes in which the sets face opposite directions. As of 2014, Muirfield Village Golf Club accepts women as members.
Royal Melbourne Golf Club | Melbourne, Australia
Located in Black Rock, Victoria, the Royal Melbourne Golf Club was founded in 1891, making it the oldest golf club on the Australian continent. It has a private, 36-hole course that includes an 18-hole Composite course that debuted for the 1959 Canada Cup, or Mission Hills World Cup. The West course followed designer Alister MacKenzies strict standards, making it one of the top 10 courses in the world.
Pine Valley Golf Club | Clementon, New Jersey
As one of the best and most exclusive golf clubs in the world, the course at Pine Valley doesn’t need its own website. Only pro golfers and those with the right connections gain admittance into the incredibly private and mysterious clubs on Earth. The male-only membership is by invitation only, but the course is open to female players on Sunday afternoons.
The list of club members is highly guarded
This may be the one course you never get to play on — unless, of course, you’re a pro or have major connections. Pine Valley Golf Club is incredibly private, tough to find, and pretty mysterious (they don’t even have a website), but those who have gotten inside say that it’s the most impressive they’ve ever encountered. Plus, Golf Digest Magazine continually ranks Pine Valley as the best course in America. The club was founded in 1913 on 184 acres of pine lands. Later, an extra surrounding 416 acres were bought to keep the course even more exclusive and hidden.
How do you get in? Well, according to New Jersey News, that only happens if you’re a very good golfer (with at least a 20 handicap) and you won’t be able to bribe your way in without impressive statistics. Basically, they’ll call you if you fit the profile.
If you do get an invite, or are the guest of a member (of which there are only around 1,000), you’ll be one of only 135 golfers on the course on any given day.