How to Plan the Perfect Golf Vacation

Many avid golfers that can't get enough of golf and who are considering uniting their passion of golf with a vacation, can learn how to plan the perfect golf vacation from this article. All that will be left to decide is if you want it to be a family golf trip or a golf buddies trip.

Before you jump in the car or plane to start hitting golf balls in the sunshine of a foreign country or even a different state, the potential golf vacationer has to think about what the ideal golf trip will included so that you can plan the perfect golf vacation.

As with any holiday, planning a golf trip ought to consist of some key elements; how you are going to pay, the estimated cost, the length of stay, any extras, etc. One thing to consider is what friends or family members do if they don't play golf. The first question to ask yourself is: Will we be golfing in the mountains, by the coast, or on the famous links of Scotland.

By doing some vital planning now, you will be able to eliminate any problems that may crop up to improve your chances of enjoying a problem free vacation. To start to plan the perfect golf vacation, it may be best if you jot down some ideas about an ideal golf trip to help you stay focused. The following categories will help you get started:

* Decide on a time of year for the trip (a few weeks / months in the future; a year in the future)

* Decide how many days or rounds of golf the trip will include (don't overdo it!)

* Set a range of prices for the entire trip ($2000 to $3000, $4000 to $5000, for example)

* How many people who will be in the group

* Decide on who will go on the trip - non-golfing family members, just golfers, etc.

* Start gathering golf trip information from magazines, library, Web sites etc.

* Ask friends who have been on a golf vacation if they made their own plans, used a travel agent, purchased an all-inclusive golf vacation etc.

Of course, you can follow up this original planning by making all the travel, hotel and golf arrangements on your own. Here are a few tips if you want to take care of the arrangements yourself.

If you are planning a golf vacation in the same country and you decide to drive there, you can take care of your transportation needs by carrying all your golf gear with you. If this is the mode of transportation you decide on, before you pack, check to see if your golf clubs are complete. After all, it wouldn't be nice to arrive at your beautiful golf retreat only to stand on the first tee and realize that your driver is not in the bag because your son or daughter borrowed it for a golf lesson.

When making your own arrangements without using the help of a travel agency, you could contact different organizations in the area that you will be visiting. An example of this is that you can contact the Myrtle Beach group in South Carolina that specializes in golf vacations. You can do this with the golf courses in Arizona as the Phoenix area offers the same assistance, as do the many golf resorts in the state.

In this case, you select your favorite golf courses, then contact your selected accommodation, and ask for the Golf Director. They can book your lodging and tee times right there. This is a combination of making your own decisions while relying on the expertise and local knowledge of golf vacation specialists.

You may find yourself with a few challenges and extra work if you do the planning on your own, but you will take pleasure in the extra freedom and sense of success. You can set your sights high and then retreat to a more realistic level if your budget isn't enough for a golf trip to Scotland, Portugal, or Hawaii.

Once you have your accommodation in place, you should plan to play courses that are within a practical distance; the least amount of traveling to and from the golf courses is essential. These arrangements should be made as early as possible so that your group has the best opportunities to be had. If you change your mind and you wait too long to change your plans, you could end up with undesirable rooms and tee times. Here are some recommendations for acquiring the accommodation first:

* Consider a rental house instead of a hotel for larger groups

* Try to have a separate bed for each person

* Think again about the driving time to the golf courses if you choose a rental home over hotel lodgings on or near a golf course

* Consider early morning tee times that may allow an additional 18 holes in the afternoon. Being close to the house makes the course more attractive (it saves time)

* Plan for lodging even earlier if you want to play golf and watch a major tournament that is taking place in the area. Combining your trip with a professional tournament adds some extra flavor to a golf vacation.

One more thing to take into consideration when you plan the perfect golf vacation; will you play one round a day, two rounds, or can you play as many as you wish? Make sure you have this detail arranged before leaving. Finally, make sure you fully understand what exactly is included in your golf vacation and what is not. Taking a few minutes to get all the details right will eradicate the small problems that you may encounter once you are at your golf destination.