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The Best Golf Destinations in April (2027 Honest Guide)

August 31, 2026·10 min read

By the FairwayPal Team — built by golfers who've organised too many trips across too many WhatsApp threads.

Updated

April is the month the golf map reopens. The desert is still good, the Carolinas hit their absolute peak, Scotland and Ireland come back to life, and for a few weeks you have more genuinely excellent options than at any other point in the year. It is also the month with the most moving parts: the Masters distorts one corner of the Southeast, Easter shifts the desert pricing calendar, and Myrtle Beach is at its most expensive. Here is how to read it.

The cheat sheet

Top three April picks: Pinehurst (its best month), Kiawah Island, Scottsdale in the second half of the month.
Strong second tier: Myrtle Beach (peak but pricey), Scotland and Ireland from late April, the Algarve.
Skip in April: South Florida (heat and humidity building), Cabo (climbing), Bandon early in the month.
Watch the calendar: Masters week hits Georgia and western South Carolina. Easter ends the desert peak, so late April is the desert value window.

1. Pinehurst (its single best month)

If you only take one thing from this guide: April is Pinehurst at its peak. Highs of 70 to 75°F, cool comfortable mornings, dogwoods and azaleas flowering through the village, and the courses in the best condition they will be in all year. The sandhills in spring are genuinely beautiful in a way photographs undersell.

Book early. April tee times on No. 2 go months ahead, and the stay-and-play packages that make Pinehurst affordable sell out first. See our Pinehurst destination guide and the Pinehurst vs Pebble Beach comparison.

Best for: heritage-minded groups, milestone trips, father-son trips, anyone who wants the golf itself to be the story.

2. Kiawah Island (Lowcountry spring)

April on Kiawah is close to perfect. Temperatures of 72 to 78°F, low humidity before the summer sets in, the maritime forest in full leaf, and the Ocean Course playing firm without the winter wind chill. Charleston is at its best in April as well, which matters enormously if partners are on the trip.

This is peak season, so pricing reflects it, but the value proposition holds because the conditions are as good as they get. See our Kiawah Island destination guide.

Best for: mixed groups with partners, milestone trips, groups who want a serious course and a great city in one trip.

3. Scottsdale (excellent early, great value late)

April splits neatly in two in the desert. The first half runs 80 to 85°F and is close to ideal golf weather. The second half climbs toward 90°F and above, which is playable with an early tee time but hard work in the afternoon.

The pricing runs the other way, which creates the opportunity. Scottsdale's peak season ends around Easter, and rates fall sharply afterwards. Late April is one of the best value windows in the Scottsdale year: genuinely good conditions at a fraction of the February price. Take the 7 AM tee time and it works. See the Scottsdale destination guide.

Best for: value-conscious groups, bachelor parties late in the month, groups who tee off early without complaint.

4. Myrtle Beach (peak conditions, peak prices)

April is Myrtle Beach at its best and its busiest. Temperatures of 70 to 78°F, courses in top condition after the mild winter, and the whole East Coast golf population arriving at once. Green fees are at their annual peak and tee sheets fill 90 days out.

The honest note: Myrtle Beach is a value destination that stops being one in April. If price is the group's main driver, November delivers most of the same experience for roughly half. If conditions matter more, April earns its premium. See our Myrtle Beach destination guide and the Myrtle Beach vs Pinehurst comparison.

Best for: large groups, bachelor parties, East Coast access, groups who want volume of golf.

5. Scotland and Ireland (late April, shoulder pricing)

From roughly the third week of April, links golf becomes a genuine proposition again. Temperatures of 10 to 14°C (50 to 57°F), daylight past 8 PM, courses recovered from winter, and crucially, shoulder-season pricing. Tee times that are impossible to secure in July are available, and green fees and accommodation sit well below the summer peak.

Set expectations honestly with the group before you book: April links weather is variable, and a round can deliver still sunshine and driving rain within two hours. Pack for both and it is a wonderful trip. See our Scotland and Ireland guides.

Best for: bucket-list groups on a budget, experienced golfers, groups who genuinely do not mind weather.

Why there is no May to August guide

It is deliberate. May behaves like a later April: the Carolinas stay in their March to May window and links golf in Scotland and Ireland is fully open, so this guide and the destination guides cover it. June to August is a different decision, not four separate rankings, because the map splits in two:

  • Too hot or too risky: Scottsdale runs 100°F+, Pinehurst sits at 85 to 95°F and humid, and the Southeast coast is in Atlantic hurricane season, which builds from June to its peak from August to early October. Myrtle Beach is the exception for heat-tolerant groups: summer has its lowest green fees.
  • At its best, at peak price: Bandon Dunes is in its June to October window, and Scotland and Ireland are open with long days but peak crowds, so tee times are hardest to get in July. Pebble Beach plays, but the marine layer greys out June to August.

If summer is your only window, pick from the second list and book early. If you can move by a few weeks, September gets you the same links courses with thinner crowds and shoulder pricing.

Destinations to skip in April

  • South Florida: heat and humidity build through April and the snowbird season ends. It is not bad, it is just clearly worse than it was in February and worse than the Carolinas are now.
  • Cabo San Lucas: still good but warming, and the value proposition weakens as the Carolinas and the desert offer better weather for less.
  • Bandon Dunes: early April is still wet. Late April and May start to work, but June through October is the real window.
  • Anywhere within 90 minutes of Augusta during Masters week: accommodation is scarce and priced accordingly, and it is the first full week of the month.
  • Northeast US: courses are opening but conditions are soft and greens are still recovering. Give it another month.

Booking timing

April demands the earliest booking of the spring. Pinehurst and Kiawah want 120 days out for the packages that make them affordable, and Myrtle Beach wants 90. Scotland and Ireland in late April should be booked four to six months ahead, partly for the tee times and partly because flights are the expensive component.

Scottsdale is the exception and rewards waiting. Rates fall after Easter, so a late-April desert trip can be assembled 30 to 45 days out at a real discount. For flights and bag fees, see our flights guide.

Pick a destination. We'll plan the rest.

5 questions. Dual itinerary for golfers and partners. One link the whole group can vote on.

Start Planning

Common Questions

April golf destinations FAQ

What is the best place to play golf in April?+
Pinehurst is the standout. April is its best month, with highs of 70 to 75°F, dogwoods and azaleas in flower, and the courses in peak condition. Myrtle Beach is at its best too, though it is also at its busiest. Scottsdale is excellent early in the month and starts getting hot after Easter, but prices fall as the season ends. Kiawah Island and Charleston are lovely at 72 to 78°F. Scotland and Ireland reopen properly in late April at genuine shoulder pricing. April is the widest choice of any month on the calendar.
Does Masters week affect golf trip prices?+
Yes, but locally rather than nationally. The Masters is played in the first full week of April at Augusta National. Accommodation within about 90 minutes of Augusta becomes both scarce and extremely expensive, and airfares into Augusta, Atlanta and Columbia rise for that week. Pinehurst, Myrtle Beach and Kiawah are far enough away that the effect on them is modest, though courses across the Southeast do get busier because the tournament puts everyone in the mood to play. If your trip is anywhere in Georgia or western South Carolina, check the dates before you book.
Is April a good time to golf in Scotland or Ireland?+
Late April, yes, with realistic expectations. Temperatures run 10 to 14°C (50 to 57°F), daylight stretches past 8 PM, and the courses have recovered from winter. The real appeal is price: April sits in shoulder season, so green fees and accommodation are well below the June to August peak, and tee times at courses that are impossible in summer become available. The trade is weather variability. April on a links course can deliver a beautiful still morning or horizontal rain, sometimes both in one round. Bring proper waterproofs and treat any good weather as a bonus.
Is Scottsdale too hot in April?+
Not for most of the month. Early April runs 80 to 85°F, which is close to ideal, and late April climbs to 90°F and beyond, which starts to feel like work by the back nine. The upside is that Scottsdale's peak season ends around Easter, so rates drop sharply in the second half of the month for weather that is still genuinely good. Late April is one of the best value windows in Scottsdale all year, provided your group is happy with an early tee time and accepts that the afternoon will be hot.
Is April a busy month at Myrtle Beach?+
It is the busiest golf month of the Myrtle Beach year, along with March. The weather is excellent at 70 to 78°F, the courses are in top condition, and every golf group on the East Coast has the same idea. Expect green fees at their annual peak, packed tee sheets, and a need to book 90 days out rather than 30. If value matters more to your group than perfect conditions, Myrtle Beach in November delivers 80% of the experience for roughly half the price.

Keep Reading

Related guides

Best Golf Destinations in March

The month before, when the desert is still king.

Best Golf Destinations in September

The autumn equivalent, when links golf peaks.

Best Golf Destinations in October

The other great Pinehurst month.

Myrtle Beach vs Pinehurst

The two top April picks in the Carolinas, compared.

Golf Trip Flights and Bag Fees

What the travel actually costs, especially transatlantic.

Golf Trips With Non-Golfers

April is the best partner month in the Carolinas.