First and foremost, our Gold & Silver Medal program has always been about the golf. That's still true, but this year we noticed that in a highly competitive market, resorts are using heavenly extras to attract guests.

Several top-shelf properties now offer quick massages near the 1st tee to ease your jitters. Bath butlers stand by to draw your aromatherapy soak, and concierges do everything but hit difficult shots for you (if you ask, they might do that too). The courses in the restaurants can be as memorable as those outside, from the first sip of a signature cocktail to the last bite of a sumptuous dessert.