What Makes a Golf Holiday Worth Travelling For?

A truly great golf holiday will involve more than just playing golf. The quality of the courses, hotel, weather, and people you are with will be important. As well as getting a good amount of playtime.

It can be surprisingly easy to create a golf holiday which appears great on paper but is very work-like. Flying early, playing courses all over the area and a busy itinerary can cause a holiday to feel very much like work.

So, what actually makes a golf holiday worth the money?

Choose the destination before the courses

If you love traditional links golf, challenging coastal courses and historic courses then Scotland is ideal. Portugal offers great golfing with great resort facilities and the chance to have a beach holiday too. Similarly, Spain has great golfing opportunities, from busy coastal resorts to quiet golfing destinations.

Think about the type of holiday you want.

If you are going with friends who enjoy eating and partying then a remote golf resort may not be the best place. Or if you want a relaxing holiday and are staying in the centre of a busy tourist spot you could get frustrated.

Think carefully about when you travel

Whilst some places will have great weather for most of the year, the actual golfing conditions may not be great throughout the year.

Some southern areas of Europe can be very hot in the summer causing uncomfortable afternoons on the course. Northern areas can have short days with heavy rain during the winter.

Spring and Autumn can be a great time to play golf, offering a balance between nice weather and availability of courses.

Also, consider if the courses will be closed for maintenance during the time you are visiting. You don’t want to travel hundreds of miles only to find several of the greens have recently been hollow-tined.

Look for variety across the courses

Playing the same type of course everyday can get monotonous.

A better holiday may include a championship course, an easy resort course and a variety of course. Maybe a beautiful coastal course.

This means people of different abilities can enjoy their golf.

You don’t necessarily need to play the most expensive courses. There are some hidden gems offering great conditions and memorable courses.

Looking up recent reviews of the courses and facilities can help prevent any disappointment.

Don’t overlook the accommodation

A comfortable hotel can really make a difference.

After playing for 4/5 hours you will probably want to relax in a nice hotel, eat a meal and spend time with your travel companions.

Consider the location.

Whilst saving money on your hotel may seem a good idea you could end up spending an hour in a taxi every morning. This can become tiring and expensive over a few days.

When comparing the best golf holidays, look at the complete package rather than focusing solely on the number of rounds included.

Accommodation standards, transport arrangements, course access and meal options can all influence whether a particular trip represents good value.

Leave time to enjoy the destination

Playing 36 holes a day sounds great.

However, after 3 days of getting up early, walking miles and having a busy evening you may not feel the same.

Many golfers prefer to play one round a day.

This gives you time to explore local towns, have a meal or enjoy the hotel facilities. If you are travelling with partners/friends who don’t play golf then this becomes very important.

Maybe include a completely free day in longer holidays to help you feel more relaxed.