Staying cooped up in quarantine is out, and getting out and exploring the world on your terms is back in a big way. What better way to celebrate the end of the pandemic than with the golfing trip of your dreams?
If you’ve never gone golfing outside of your city, then vacating planning around the game of golf might feel a little tricky. Thankfully, we’ve taken all of the guesswork out of it for you. Read on to learn how to plan the perfect golfing trip!
Executive Decisions Rule
You’ve heard the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen,” and when it comes to travel planning, it’s super applicable. It’s so easy to get wires crossed when several people get involved in the travel planning process. Instead of making it a group effort, select one person in your group to make all the decisions when it comes to planning.
That doesn’t mean that no one else has input, but only one person should be bringing ideas to the group and booking reservations. This helps prevent missed reservations or double booking.
Consider the Weather
As a seasoned golfer, you know that there’s nothing worse for your game than bad weather. That’s why it’s always important to consider the seasons when planning your trip. Not only will this help you avoid golf courses that are buried in snow or experiencing triple-digit temperatures, but it’ll help you plan what to pack.
If you’re going international, remember that destinations south of the equator have opposite seasons from those in the northern hemisphere. In addition, it’s important to have a good understanding of when a particular region has severe weather. For example, the southeast’s “Dixie Alley” has two different tornado seasons.
Choose Your Destination
The biggest decision you’ll make about your trip is where you’re going to visit. If you’re looking for a leisurely trip, select a single metro area that has multiple attractive golf courses available to explore. If you have more time or ambition, you can plan a longer trip with multiple stops featuring multiple golf courses.
There are many different places across the world that feature incredible golf courses. One of the biggest destinations on every golfer’s bucket list is the birthplace of golf itself, St. Andrews, Scotland. The Old Course in St. Andrews has been around since the 1400s and has inspired many trips.
Want to stay stateside? Consider classic destination options like Pebble Beach and Augusta, Georgia.
Set a Budget
If you’re traveling with a group or by yourself, there’s one thing that you must abide by if you want your trip to be stress-free: the budget. Meet with your fellow travelers to determine how much each of you are willing to spend on the trip and set the budget based on the responses.
If you want to stretch your budget as much as possible, consider looking into package deals, especially if you’re looking internationally. Finding the best golf package in a given area isn’t that much additional work, and it can make for a truly memorable trip.
Create a Relaxed Schedule
It’s super tempting to pack your trip full of different golf courses in order to maximize your time. The reality is, you’re probably going to need just as much time playing as you’ll need exploring the local area and relaxing over dinner. Efforts to play consecutive rounds of golf are further complicated by regional highways and speed limits.
In order to create a balanced schedule, survey the fitness level of all attendees, and check out distances between potential golf courses and the roads that lead to them. Then, tack on additional time to allow a little extra padding.
Make Reservations
If you’re planning on visiting a golf course, there’s likely a reason for that. With that in mind, you shouldn’t leave things to fate and show up to any golf course, let alone a world-famous one, without reservations.
Golf courses have a few different price models, but it frequently comes down to peak and off-peak season pricing. Visiting during the off-peak season will save you some money, but you might also have to deal with less than ideal weather. You can also try visiting a local golf trade show in your area to see what deals you can score, many courses are willing to haggle when it comes to price.
Finally, if you need a caddy or equipment, be sure to ask the course if you need to reserve that ahead of time.
Practice Before You Go
No one expects you to be a golf pro on your trip, but if you want to make the most of your time, then it’s important to work on your game as much as possible before you head out. Look into getting a membership at your local golf course to help hone your skills. If you’re new to the game, you can even work with a coach to get up to speed.
Packing Tips for Your Golfing Trip
Unless your lodging has laundry service, you’ll need to pack one golfing outfit for each day that you head out to a course. Check dress codes at each course you plan on visiting to avoid any hiccups, and be sure to share that information with your fellow travelers. Don’t forget to pack casual clothes for nights on the town and meal times.
Finally, pack up your golf bag with everything you’ll need to play. You’ll save by purchasing at home and bringing it on the road. If you run out of supplies, you’ll be able to hit the golf course’s store to refill your supplies.
Make Going Golfing on the Road a Lifetime Habit!
Planning a golfing trip is an exciting process that is best suited for those who are great at handling smaller details. All you need to do is a little research and budgeting, and you’ll be on your way to the first of a lifetime full of incredible golfing trips. Sounds like it’s time to tee up!
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