Have you just recently picked up the sport of golf and are looking to take things to the next level? Do you want to find a way to improve your game and squeeze in a miniature vacation with friends?
If so, then you need to learn all you can about planning golf vacations. These allow you the chance to enjoy some of the finest courses and get away from the stress of everyday life. All it takes is a bit of planning at the front end.
See below for several tips on how to plan a golf vacation with your family, friends, or coworkers for a trip you won’t soon forget.
1. Set a Golf Trip Budget
You’re going to enjoy this trip. That’s a guarantee! However, it makes it a bit harder to come back knowing that you might’ve overextended yourself during your stay.
Golf trips are notorious for costing a fair amount of money, but they don’t have to. If you set a budget for your golf vacation ahead of time, then you have something to hold yourself accountable to.
A golfing trip budget is actually really easy to take care of. Since you’ll be aiming to play golf at least once a day, you can break the budget up by the number of days you’ll be there.
Be sure to factor in things like the cost of the course, restocking on golf balls, paying for drinks, entertainment outside the golf outing, and so forth. Give yourself some wiggle room. Don’t create a budget that’s too unrealistic to follow.
2. Gather a Headcount
Before you get into planning the details of your trip, you will want to see who all can make it.
Try to aim for a group of 4 or smaller if you’re looking to golf together with the entire trip. If you bring more, you can swap people out in different groups each day.
Next, try to get everyone to commit to a certain date for the trip. You’ll want to give yourself as much time to plan as possible. That way, you can book all the golf courses you want, find a proper place to stay, raise funds, and so on.
Once you have a firm headcount, you can start to talk through things like destination, courses they prefer to play at, how many times you want to play, and so on.
3. Start Small
While it might be tempting to book a golfing trip like visiting the ancient lands of Scotland or obtaining the beauty of New Zealand, it’s better to start small for your first trip.
If you consider yourself a beginner, then start by booking a staycation at courses in your town or scheduling a weekend getaway in a nearby golfing hotspot.
Also, for your first trip, you might want to view the golfing part as the secondary aspect of the trip, not the primary.
In other words, view this trip as a vacation in which you get to golf every day, not a golfing trip with a few other things sprinkled in. This will allow you to enjoy playing, improve your game, and lead to less frustration for you and your group.
If you book a major golfing trip from the get-go, then all other small golfing getaways will be a let down of sorts. Work your way up to the exotic golf trip a year or two down the road when your skills have improved.
4. Choose a Location
Any experienced golf vacationer will tell you that you choose the location first, courses second. Be sure to factor in the time of year when selecting your destination.
For example, if you’re wanting to book a trip in the winter, then choose desired cities in states like Florida, Arizona, or Texas. If you’re reserving one for the summer, then you might try states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan.
When thinking through the destination, be sure to consider other means of entertainment nearby. For example, you have the beach if you book in Florida, you could organize an Arizona outing during MLB spring training, etc.
5. Research the Courses Before You Book
Everyone knows that each golf course is different. However, if you’ve just started golfing, you might not know the extent of how different some courses are.
Don’t ever book an outing for your golf trip without researching more about the course first. For example, you’d be in for a world of hurt if you were expecting golf carts on a course that requires its players to walk the entire course.
What if you accidentally book a par 3 course when you didn’t intend to? What if you make reservations and find out that it’s only a 9-hole course?
Check the online reviews of any course you’re interested in. How satisfied are previous players? What comments did they have in regards to the course’s condition?
To ensure your golf vacation is satisfactory, you’ll want to do a bit of homework before booking the courses. Make sure to get input from everyone that’s going.
Enjoy Planning Golf Vacations for Your Group
Remember, planning golf vacations should be a fun adventure, not a chore. Give yourself ample time to save up money so that you can have the best experience possible.
Be sure to read this article on the best GPS golf apps that you should download before you go on your trip. This will help you keep score and improve your game while playing on the different courses.
For more inquiries, please feel free to reach out to us via our contact us page and we will be happy to assist you further.