Give the Gift of Golfing “Down Under” This Winter

Golf vacations rate among the best gifts you can give the golfer in your life.  As the long winter months and gift-giving holidays approach, now is the time to look over the options and make reservations while all the options are still open. 

Why not make this a chance to know another country, another continent “Down Under”?  In addition to enjoying the golf venues, golf travel a great way to explore geography and culture.  Below are suggestions for more memorable golf vacations in Australia and New Zealand (photo left)  that you’ll be talking about long after the snow has melted. 

Australia:  The Great Outdoors Beckons

Imagine yourself on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia’s most spectacular natural gifts, swinging your clubs on Hamilton Island, famous for its perfect weather, pristine beaches, and turquoise waters that will inspire you to partake of the multitude of water and land sports for which Australia is famous.

Not far from Melbourne lies the premier resort of Moonah Links, which bills itself as “the home of Australian golf.”  Expertly adapted to the location, it boasts a champion level course and an all-levels course that meanders through the wildly beautiful Moonah woodlands.  Off course, you can ride horseback on open beaches, swim with dolphins, and explore the winegrowing.

New Zealand:  Cinematic Panoramas and Cultural Heritage

For breathtaking golf travel, there is no place like New Zealand.  For example, the course at the award-winning Cape Kidnappers resort is regarded as a “modern marvel,” earning 41^st place in Golf Magazine’s ranking of the world’s top 100 courses.  The surrounding Hawke’s Bay region is an outdoors person’s delight, with crystal trout-filled rivers coursing through rugged mountains and hills, ending in the sea.

In addition to challenging golf, New Zealand offers unparalleled opportunities for trekking, trout fishing, hot air ballooning, etc.  No wonder so many filmmakers choose it when they need spectacular panoramas, as in Lord of the Rings!  For cultural exploration, Maori heritage tours can be arranged.

TIP:  Whatever your favorite golfer’s tastes may be, a professional golf trip advisor can help you arrange golf travel it for maximum impact.  If this is for a spouse, add in opportunities for you to enjoy these exotic venues as well as some good shared experiences as a couple and watch your relationship blossom anew as you explore new horizons.  Instead of being a golf widow(er), you’ll become a golf trip enthusiast!