At this time of the year, it is difficult not to breeze through your photos, thinking back on the adventures of 2025. Golf is a pursuit punctuated by moments that fit easily into our memories. You might remember the glory of a certain shot or perhaps a rush of ambition followed quickly by a momentary defeat. The days, though, those are the memories that stick out like tabs in a notebook. We remember the anticipation for a trip or a special invite. On cold winter days, our minds wander back to the twilight afternoons of summer, when the sun tilts to a point in the sky where anything in life is possible.
It's good to take stock of the fun we had, the rounds with friends or the trips to places we dreamed about. We reached out to a few friends, near and far, to hear what their favorite adventures were from last year, and they shared some memories (and a few photos) which we have collected below. Now is the perfect time to reflect on the good times and to plan the memories you want to make in 26.
Costa Palmas — East Cape, Los Cabos — Riley Harper
I went down to Cabo with my wife and our then 6-month-old daughter for a few days of relaxation. We stayed at the Four Seasons Costa Palmas, and we couldn't resist bringing our clubs. Despite constant 30 mph winds, we decided to play anyway. It was my daughter's first time on a golf course, and seeing her sit there on the tee boxes while we teed off and making it through an entire round with us made the whole thing really special. Wind and all, that round became one I'll never forget.
Sand Valley — Nekoosa, Wisconsin — John Mooty
We had a chance to spend a few days at Sand Valley in October with a crew of eight guys, all coming in from different states. Some knew each other coming into the trip and some didn’t. After three days of golfing, camping, fishing, and sharing meals together, it reminded me of the power of golf and its innate ability to bring people together, create conversation, and build relationships. A very special trip that will never be forgotten.
Ballyliffin Golf Club — County Donegal, Ireland — Nathan Limbach
My most memorable round of the year was at Ballyliffin in County Donegal in early November. After nearly a year of nursing a wrist injury, I was finally able to swing a golf club pain-free, just in time for a few winter rounds while in Ireland. During one round, classic Irish weather combination of light rain, sleet, snow, and periods of blazing sunshine swept across the linksland created an unforgettable scene. My girlfriend’s face after sinking her first 25 foot putt to finish the round will be impossible to forget.
Kawana Fuji Course — Shizuoka, Japan — Michael Williams
We visited the Kawana Golf Resort this September. It was the most memorable round of the year for me, not just because of the incredible heat, but because of the astonishing beauty of the golf course. The ritual of golf in Japan continues to unfold and delight with its uniqueness. I will never forget being on those green and black volcanic cliffs for the first time.
Western Gailes — Ayrshire, Scotland — Michael Agger
There are certain pieces of land that suit the eye, that seem to sing. Western Gailes is one of those. It lies between the railroad and the sea in Ayrshire, Scotland. We were there in June on a second year of a father-son trip. The wind was ripping — the term “blasted heath” came to mind — and many of us bought winter hats in the shop before heading out. The weather gave the day an edge of chaos. Shots were turned cruelly aside or carried unholy distances. I remember a moment when I was sheltered by the dunes, in the calm, and looked around and realized that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Cape Wickham Golf Links — Wickham, Tasmania — Dave McAdams
As the calendar frigidly turned to 2025 outside of Boston, I was not expecting to play my favorite round of golf in February, in a different hemisphere, on a remote island with a population of 1500, where the humans are outnumbered by wallabies 50-1. Yet here I am reflecting back on a year of golf and the tremendous places I was fortunate to visit, with a day at Cape Wickham Golf Links atop the list. More specifically, the 40+ hole marathon I experienced with friends new and old on the northern coast of King Island, Tasmania, dodging Tiger snake venom and contemplating, panoramically, if it could get any better than this. While the course immediately jumped to the top of my favorites thanks to the utterly enjoyable routing across a jaw-dropping coastal vista, the round was memorable because of so much more. The collective vibe of our seven-some chasing sunset on day nine of a 12-day down under golf odyssey is a feeling that Spencer, Thurbs, Nellie, Jay, Matt, Omar, and I will be chasing again for a lifetime.
Royal St. George’s, Royal Cinque Ports, and Princes — Sandwich, England — Nick Sapia
My round of the year was actually three rounds - all in a single day. The inaugural Hagen 54 was hosted by Royal St. George’s, Royal Cinque Ports, and Princes in July - retracing Walter Hagen’s famous day more than 100 years ago where he played all three links in a massive loop up and down the coastline, hopping fences in between courses. Teeing off at 5:30 am with the sun coming over Sandwich Bay was something I’ll never forget. We were treated to a brilliant summer day for twenty-something holes, until the skies opened up and the sunshine gave way to a driving rain that was easily the worst I’ve ever played in. When the final putts dropped on hole 54, it didn’t matter that our rain suits had failed, or that our socks and shoes would need disposing of. We knew exactly what Hagen meant when he said “we did it for fun.”
Royal Liverpool GC — Wirral in Merseyside, England — Omar Rawlings
To get to play Royal Liverpool Golf Club or Hoylake, as it’s known to the Members, is a treat, but to play The Matches at Hoylake with Joe McDonnell, RLCG member consulting architect, and all around history was extra special. Having a history lesson while playing with the club's unofficial club historian was definitely one of my stand-out highlights of the 2025 season. As we turned for home and the sun was setting, it was as if Hoylake was showing off to our guests. Once back at the clubhouse, we had a delicious meal hosted by our host, James Pearson, RLGC and TFC Member. After that, the fun really started with a chipping contest. Needless to say, this experience will stay with me for a long time to come.
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Merion Golf Club, East Course — Ardmore, PA — Jonathan Baker
If an invitation comes across your desk for the opportunity to play one of the greats in the pantheon of American clubs, the most one can hope for is a friendly host, a decent showing, and good weather. My most memorable round of 2025 took place in early May, on the venerable Merion East. However, it was not memorable in the typical Merion way (the history! the routing! the snapper soup!) but rather for the chilly, four-hour deluge in which we played. Not how one draws it up for a perennial top 10! But I was impressed by how well the course held up (false fronts still dangerously false!), and how attentive the caddies remained in their craft despite the pinsheets and scorecards practically disintegrating. They guided us through our match, the Merion reverence and formality never blinking. And the red and orange wicker baskets looked just as handsome in the soupy conditions, and the scotch broom — ablaze in yellow — was magnificent. And although I limped home and certainly envied the groups that were going out the following day under sunny skies, it is impressive when a golf course can still shine brightly through miserable elements. And never in my life has a shower felt so good.
Brautarholt Golf Club — Kjalarnes, Iceland — Eric Stepanian
Rare is the golfing destination that offers such a holistic journey on and off the course. Iceland is that place. Between the lava-crusted coast, eclectic cuisine, and lurking thermal activity, the land of fire and ice is the perfect journey for those looking for a truly immersive experience. Some must-play courses include Brautarholt, Westman Islands, and Keilir GC.
County Kerry, Ireland — Miles Fisher
Sixteen college friends made the long journey to Waterville. The weather greeted us brutally: rain driven sideways by 60-knot winds, the kind that reduces the game to survival. It was only during the fourth match that sky finally lifted and light swept across Ballinskelligs Bay. My partner caught this moment of my caddie and me walking up 17 at Hogs Head. It reminds me that golf, at its best, is less about score than about standing in a place long enough to notice where you are.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club — Southamton, New York — Mike Hoagland
This was not the lowest score I shot all year, but maybe the best round of golf I experienced in 2025. Combining the privilege of playing one of the all-time greats in conditions that demanded even more focus - gusts of 30+ mph made a challenging test all the more difficult. For some reason, I just found a rhythm and played a super satisfying round — like I had scaled a summit or something and could now enjoy the view.
Club de Golf Malinalco — Ixtapan, México — Jon Buscemi
We visited Mexico City in December, and it was the most memorable for me this year. Malinalco has always been associated with magic or sorcery due to the legend that it was the home of the goddess Malinalxóchitl. Old ghosts everywhere, literally. And who will forget the local cactus and mushroom quesadillas and chicharron presado tacos with al minut tortillas.
7 Mile Beach — Hobart, Tasmania — Matthew Burns
My favourite round of the year is 7 Mile Beach. 3 rounds 3 days before opening. Pure Tasmania, all to ourselves. Struggling to lock the back gate, Pacific gull eggs on the fairways. The most exciting new course in Australia and it is completely vacant. Like turning up 3 hours early to a wedding hahaha. Certainly an experience that can’t be repeated or recreated.
