Back to School - College Courses offer Unique Stay, Play Opportunities for Traveling Golfers

When it comes to time-honored and storied traditions, no sport matches college football. Army-Navy, Michigan-Ohio State, The Red River Shootout (Texas-Oklahoma), Texas A&M's 12th Man, and Florida State's Chief Osceola are but a few of the well-known rivalries and rituals.

Another college football tradition catching on faster than alternate uniforms is fans bringing their golf clubs on game day weekends. And why not? Fall is one of the best times to play, college golf courses are getting better and better, and many of these clubs offer exceptional stay-and-play options allowing players to tee it up and easily make the tailgate festivities and game.

So what are the top college courses with stay-and-play options? It's a list as competitive as any college football national poll.

Traditions Club

Located in the shadows of Texas A&M University, the Traditions Club sports a Jack Nicklaus/Jack Nicklaus II Signature design that's both challenging and breathtaking. Taking advantage of stately hardwoods, natural water features and surprising elevation changes, the golf course is a shot-maker's paradise. The club has hosted some marquee college tournaments, including the 2011 Division I Women's Golf National Championship and the annual "Mo" Morial tournament.

Home to the Aggie golf teams, the Traditions Club has two-, three- and four-bedroom cottages available for rent during game day weekends. All are located on the course and come complete with the comforts of home like cable television, washer and dryer, outdoor kitchens and other amenities. Another bonus: On Friday evenings before the game, the Aggie football team takes its pre-game meal at the club. Be sure to place your order before they arrive.

For more information, visit www.traditionsclub.com.

Karsten Creek

Designed by Tom Fazio, Karsten Creek is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and like a five-star linebacker, the course is tough and tenacious all the way to the finish. There are many aspects that make it so appealing - zoysia grass fairways, a challenging layout where players like Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Charles Howell III and other Cowboy greats honed their craft, and Lake Louise, which looms large on the finishing holes.

Hidden in thick Black Jack trees, and overlooking the 18th fairway and aforementioned lake sits three guest lodges. Each multi-level lodge contains six rooms with two queen-size beds and many appointments. Every level of the lodges also features a common area perfect for entertaining or mapping out a golf/tailgate/game plan.

For more information, visit www.karstencreek.com.

Boar's Head/Birdwood Golf Course

Once 500 acres of rich farmland, the par-72, 6,907-yard Birdwood Golf Course is the official home of the University of Virginia golf teams. Once part of an "upland wilderness" land patent in the 1700s, the land the course now occupies was acquired by the university in 1974. Ten years later, they opened this Lindsay Erwin design to the public. Over time, the club has stayed true to its wilderness roots; Birdwood is a certified member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.

The layout is the star attraction of Boar's Head Inn, a charming retreat in the heart of Charlottesville. Southern Colonial touches are prevalent throughout Boar's Head, which features 175 guest rooms and suites. Each room offers antique furnishings complemented by modern conveniences sure to please before or after a round of golf, or a Cavalier victory. Golfers can also head over to the new Pete Dye-designed Full Cry Golf Course at Keswick Hall. Opening in October, Full Cry is the centerpiece of a boutique inn set in Virginia's bucolic Hunt Country and is just minutes away from campus.

For more information, visit www.boarsheadinn.com.

Conference Center and Inn at Clemson University/The Walker Course

The Clemson football team might have Howard's Rock at their football stadium, nicknamed "Death Valley," but the Clemson golf teams have The John E. Walker, Sr. Golf Course and its famous 17th hole. This par-3 is striking, with a glistening Lake Hartwell as a backdrop and four bunkers protecting the back of the green. From the tee, the green complex looks like the school's proud Tiger Paw. This DJ DeVictor layout is a lot more than that one hole, as it is regarded as one of the finest tests in South Carolina.

The Conference Center and Inn at Clemson University is a sanctuary that has won numerous awards for its lodging and meeting spaces. Each one of the 62 rooms and 227 suites provide views of either the golf course or Lake Hartwell. Situated near campus, it's a fine gathering place before heading to "Death Valley."

For more information, visit www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/madren.

SouthWood Golf Club

The Florida State Seminoles might be the hottest ticket in college football - a national championship and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback will do that - but what's also a hot commodity, especially on game day weekends, is staying and playing at SouthWood Golf Club.

Located a short drive from FSU, SouthWood was once the official home of the Seminole golf teams. Designed by Fred Couples and Gene Bates, it takes full advantage of the land's rolling terrain and majestic oak trees draped with Spanish moss. An example of this is at the par-4 ninth, nicknamed "Live Oak Bend." Be sure the camera is charged and ready for this hole.

Behind the Low Country-style clubhouse are five cottages that blend in with the other buildings on-site. Each is decorated and furnished with classic decor, and contains a living area, bathroom and efficiency kitchen.

For more information, visit www.southwoodgolf.com.

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