- How much golf should I plan to play? It is easy to get carried away when planning a golf vacation. For example, you might think that you could play two rounds per day for the entire length of your five-day trip. That may sound like a lot of fun, but that’s a total of ten rounds – and that is a lot of golf for anyone. The best plan is to book plenty of tee times, but not so many that you’ll wear yourself out. You could try to book one tee time per day, and maybe pick up a couple of extra rounds while you are on the trip, if you feel up to it. Of course, there is room for personal preference here, so think about your own personal tastes and decide how much golf you’ll want to play during the trip. One other consideration to make on this point is other attractions that are in the area. If there are other, non-golf things you would like to do, make sure to build those into your schedule.
- Where should I stay? In most cases, you’ll want to stay as close to the golf course as possible, to save on travel times. If the course has lodging right on site, be sure to consider this option (depending on costs, of course). It is great to be able to walk out of your hotel room and head right to the golf course for your round. Also, when you ‘stay and play’ in the same place, there are often discounts available to save you some money on the overall trip. Some golf facilities in tourist destinations even have more than one course, meaning you could have a great golf vacation without having to leave the property at all.
- How should I travel with my clubs? If you are driving to your destination, you’ll simply be able to pack your clubs in your vehicle and head off. On the other hand, if you are going to fly, you’ll want to think about how you can get your clubs to the destination safe and sound. One option is to buy a travel bag and bring the clubs with you on the flight. You’ll need to pay to check your bag, of course, but you should be able to keep your clubs in good condition throughout the trip by using a quality travel case. As another alternative, there are now services that will allow you to ship your clubs ahead to your destination. There is a little bit of administrative work to do ahead of time if you are going to use this option, but you might find it less stressful than taking your clubs on the plane, especially if you have flight connections to make on the way.
- How can I adjust quickly to playing golf in a new place? One of the surprising challenges you’ll find when you take your first golf trip is learning how to adjust your game to the new location. You might have to deal with a different elevation than you are used to at home, or different weather conditions. Also, the grass may be different, which will affect your short game more than anything else. If possible, try to schedule a day of practice at your destination before your first round. This will let you hit some putts and chip shots to get used to the grass, and you’ll be able to see how the ball flies through the air on the range. When the time does come to play your first round, you will be in a better position to play a great round thanks to your preparation.
For experienced golfers, taking golf vacations tends to be one of the most exciting parts of playing this game. There are a number of great golf destinations, both in the United States and around the world. If you get a chance to take a trip which is focused on playing as much golf as possible in a beautiful place, you will be in for a great experience. In fact, you’ll probably want to book your next trip as soon as you return back home!
Of course, if you’ve never before had the chance to take one of these trips, you might have a few questions. Let’s see if we can answer some of those questions in the content below.
You don’t necessarily have to travel a long distance for your first golf vacation. If there is an area relatively close to home with a few great courses to play, consider taking a weekend trip just to get some experience with this kind of travel. Most likely, even a short trip will be enough to get you hooked on the idea of taking more golf vacations in the future.
