Plantation golf course at Kapalua - no. 5
The scenery around par-5 Kapalua's Plantation Course can be somewhat distracting to the task at hand.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club - hole 8
The par-3 eighth on the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. showcases the beauty of the desert.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Boyne Highlands - Donald Ross Memorial GC - 8th
The Donald Ross Memorial Park at Boyne Highlands Resort in Michigan features tribute holes like the par-8 eighth, which is a tip of the cap to no. 11 at Charlotte C.C.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Grand Geneva Resort - Brute golf course - no. 17
The 468-yard, par-4 17th is just one of the holes that lives up to the name of The Brute at Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Baywood Greens golf course - hole 2
The horticulture is a huge part of the maintenance budget at Baywood Greens in Longneck, Delaware
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
St. Anne's Golf Club in Ireland
Open during the week to outside play, St. Anne's is a very playable links course just outside of Dublin, Ireland.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Texas A&M Golf Course - 15th
Despite being on campus, architect Jeff Blume could still get more than 7,000 yards at the new Campus Course at Texas A&M, including 618 on the par-5 15th.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Inniscrone Golf Club - hole 18
Inniscrone Golf Club is a memorable Gil Hanse design near Philadelphia.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Loreta Golf Club Pysely - 18th
The new Loreta Golf Club Pysely shows that the golf scene is growing in the Czech Republic.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Belterra golf course - 18th
The Tom Fazio-designed Belterra Golf Course & Resort near Cincinnati is one of the best public courses in Indiana.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Burnt Pine Golf Club at Sandestin - 13th
Don't miss the sunset view on the 13th hole and Choctawhatchee Bay at Burnt Pine Golf Club in Destin, Florida.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Kaanapali Resort - Kai golf course - hole 7
The par-4 seventh hole on the Kaanapali Kai Course exemplifies Maui golf.
Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
12 Images
The year 2013 was once again a year to remember in my golf travels. I had two big firsts -- playing golf on the island of Maui and visiting the Czech Republic.
Maui, though a bit crowded and commercial, lived up to expectations. The Plantation Course at Kapalua (where the PGA Tour plays its Hyundai Tournament of Champions) has some of the best views of any golf course in the world. And golf in the Czech Republic has come a long way just in the last 10 years, and it's a legitimate golf destination, especially for Europeans.
In between, there was Dublin, Ireland, a trip across the eastern half of the United States, some Midwest golf courses and, of course, golf closer to home, where a the new Campus Course opened at Texas A&M University. Here, then, are a dozen of my favorite golf scenes from 2013.
-- Mike Bailey
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The scenery around par-5 Kapalua's Plantation Course can be somewhat distracting to the task at hand. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The par-3 eighth on the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. showcases the beauty of the desert. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The Donald Ross Memorial Park at Boyne Highlands Resort in Michigan features tribute holes like the par-8 eighth, which is a tip of the cap to no. 11 at Charlotte C.C. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The 468-yard, par-4 17th is just one of the holes that lives up to the name of The Brute at Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The horticulture is a huge part of the maintenance budget at Baywood Greens in Longneck, Delaware Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Open during the week to outside play, St. Anne's is a very playable links course just outside of Dublin, Ireland. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Despite being on campus, architect Jeff Blume could still get more than 7,000 yards at the new Campus Course at Texas A&M, including 618 on the par-5 15th. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Inniscrone Golf Club is a memorable Gil Hanse design near Philadelphia. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The new Loreta Golf Club Pysely shows that the golf scene is growing in the Czech Republic. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The Tom Fazio-designed Belterra Golf Course & Resort near Cincinnati is one of the best public courses in Indiana. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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Don't miss the sunset view on the 13th hole and Choctawhatchee Bay at Burnt Pine Golf Club in Destin, Florida. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
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The par-4 seventh hole on the Kaanapali Kai Course exemplifies Maui golf. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
Mike Bailey is a former Golf Advisor senior staff writer based in Houston. Focusing primarily on golf in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America with an occasional trip to Europe and beyond, he contributes course reviews, travel stories and features as well as the occasional equipment review. An award-winning writer and past president of Texas Golf Writers Association, he has more than 25 years in the golf industry. He has also been on staff at PGA Magazine, The Golfweek Group and AvidGolfer Magazine. Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeBaileyGA and Instagram at @MikeStefanBailey.
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Travel Insider: Mike Bailey looks back on his best of 2013 golf travels
