Planning a golf holiday? What to keep in mind

Golf holidays are a great way to combine your favorite sport with a trip to a new country or location.

There are over 35,000 golf courses globally which make your choices endless! Many of them are close to amazon resorts that make for great travel destinations for the whole family.

But what should you keep in mind when planning a golf trip?

We have helped countless people plan their golf trip and created this guide to keep in mind when planning a golf trip!

Keep reading.

Pick your playing partners

This sounds elemental. But It’s worth emphasizing! You’ll be spending a lot of time traveling, playing, and hanging out together.

Make sure you pick playing partners that you don’t mind having around and know how they’ll react on the golf course.

Like during most holidays, not everything will always go as planned. When playing golf, it’s elemental to keep your cool and focus on the shot ahead instead of getting worked up by a playing partner who is stressing you out.

If you can, get in a couple of rounds together before planning a trip. You wouldn’t want to spend time and money on a journey you won’t enjoy because of a poor playing partner choice. 

Pick a destination

Golf is a global game. Over 60 million people play it worldwide, and you have over 35,000 courses to choose from.

You’ll need to decide whether you want to play multiple courses or stay at a resort and play the same course multiple times.

Both are great.

Also, consider the weather condition in the part of the world you’ll be playing.

It will affect what clothes you’ll need to pack but also what you can expect from your game!

Your ball will travel further the higher you are and the hotter the weather. The opposite is true if you’re playing in cold weather conditions.

Arrange for transport

Luckily, most airports already have a process in place to make sure your golf clubs arrive safe and sound at your destination.

Just drop your clubs at the oversize luggage counter, and they’ll be on their way.

Make sure to invest in a proper travel bag for your clubs, so they stay protected during their journey.

Alternatively, you can also choose to rent clubs at your travel destination. Most courses will offer you those options, and if you don’t mind playing for different clubs, that might be a good choice.

Note that most players will prefer using their own gear for obvious reasons. For many, the experience of playing on a new course, potentially in a different climate, already adds enough new variables to their game.

Also, don’t forget to pack a couple of extra balls, just in case the pro shop at the course you’ll be playing doesn’t stock your favorite brand.

Practice

Playing abroad or during a golf trip is fun. It’s even more fun if you’re playing well!

Spend a couple of extra hours at the range and refine your game. If you can, have a look at the course layout of the courses you’ll be playing and practice particular shots you’ll be expected to hit.

Maybe that’s a 180 yards par-3 over water or a 250 yards drive to clear a fairway bunker.

How far does your driver usually carry? Are there holes you’ll have to hit a 3-wood off the tee instead?

Try to dial in your game before the trip. When the time comes, you’ll have a bit of extra confidence, knowing that you’ve practiced this shot on the range beforehand.

Play conservatively

Playing a new course, potentially in new weather conditions, with clubs haven’t used before or playing partners you’ve never played with, adds many variables to your game. Have a variety of clubs in your golf bag including a sand wedge loft.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy your golf trip either way, but there are a couple of things you can do that will make for a more relaxed playing experience.

When you’re playing any course for the first time, play conservatively.

That means to lay up if the hole is further than your most comfortable distance or aiming for the middle of the green instead of the flag.

This reduces the risk of getting worked up over chunked shots and makes for a better experience on the golf course overall.

Who knows, maybe a more conservative approach will also result in your scoring lower. This is something we recommend to anyone – not limited to whether or not you’re on a golf trip!

Plan activities for after your round

Ok, your trip might be all about playing golf, but there are only so many hours you can actually spend on a golf course each day!

Look for things to do after your round!

Maybe your golf course is near a beach, or there are other attractions near to it.

Unless you have planned for holidays in a spa resort where you’ll most likely spend the rest of your day getting pampered and massaged, you might need to do some additional research on your travel destination.

It’s also worth renting a car at the airport.

This will allow you to arrange your own transport, visit other travel destinations in the surrounding area, and play different courses in the same proximity.

In many countries, golf agent services are pretty standard. They will arrange all your transport for you, and you’ll just need to tell them where to go next and when to pick you up again.

Alternatively, you can sign up for a guided golf tour that already plans the whole literary for you. This depends solely on your preference.

Have fun!

Most importantly, have fun! Don’t care about your score or if you’re playing above your handicap. Enjoy the opportunity to be on a golf course with your friends and family and overall to be on holiday.

You can also try new playing formats to spice things up. Try Bingo Bango Bongo, or play skins!

After all, that’s what golf is about! Have Fun!