If you’re a golfer, golf travel
is intrinsically fun. After all, what could be more fun for the typical
golfer than the chance to play golf courses outside your ordinary
experience? Thus the very idea of doing something to make your golf
holiday more fun may seem a bit unimportant, but these tips to make your
packing and travel easier and to help you find your way around some of
the most popular golf trip venues in the world can reduce inconveniences
and make your golf trip more fun.
Book Your Tee Times at the Same Time You Make Your Reservations – or Earlier
Whether
you’re traveling for Scotland golf or heading to Arizona golf courses,
the major courses will have tee times booked weeks and even months in
advance. It’s nearly as hard to book a tee time at the Old Course at St. Andrews
as it is to schedule a personal audience with the Queen. In fact, if
you’re hoping to tee off at any world-famous championship course you’re
better off booking your flight and hotel reservations after you’ve got
your tee times scheduled.
Check With the Airlines About Carrying Your Clubs With You
Every
airline has its own rules about golf clubs and equipment as baggage.
Some require a hard-shell case. Others will accept a soft-shell golf
case but it must have a specific type of tag. The last thing you want is
to have your golf clubs left behind at the gate, so check with the
airline well before flight time and make sure you comply with their
requirements to the letter.
Pack Extra Golf Balls if You’re Heading Overseas
In
places like Scotland and Ireland, golf balls can be a bit pricey, so if
you have room to pack one extra thing, make it a sleeve of golf balls.
Let a Professional Travel Agent Set Up Your Golf Vacation
Unless
you know the area you’re going to visit well, let a travel agent who
specializes in golf travel set up your tee times and choose golf courses
for you to play. In areas that are well-known for golf, such as Myrtle Beach,
there may be dozens of golf courses where you can conceivably tee off.
Many golfers never get beyond some of the bigger names because they have
the advertising budgets to court the golf critics. That also means that
there are dozens of undiscovered gems that might offer exactly the kind
of golf experience you enjoy.
If
there’s golf travel in your future, take the time to plan ahead and
call in help from a pro to help you pick out the best places to show off
your best golf profile. You’ll have more fun, honest!
