At first glance, pulling off an ace golf trip may sound like a walk in the park. After all, you know what the group’s primary concern is: golf, golf, and more golf. But, behind the scenes, there’s a lot of leg work that needs to be done to make sure it all goes smoothly. Golf trips are often locked into tight schedules, so one hiccup can have a domino effect that turns the whole thing into a swing and a miss. To make sure that never happens to you, we’ve got five tips on putting together the perfect golf trip, straight from a golfer’s mouth. 

1. Put travel information in the palm of their hand

This one might sound like it applies to any vacation, but when you throw golf into the mix, it becomes even more important. Generally, golfers have to carry a lot of bags, move around a lot and keep to strict tee times – this can create a stress-filled nightmare quickly if people are unsure of what they are supposed to do. 

How do you get around this? Make sure every member of the group – not just the lead – can find out where they need to be and when at all times. Whether that’s using a shared folder, an app like Vamoos, or something else. And if you can send the group on-the-day reminders of their tee times and travel info, you’ll get major bonus points.

2. Keep on top of unexpected costs

Golf holidays, particularly ones to prestigious courses, are some of the most expensive vacations you can take. So getting lumped with a bill for something you didn’t expect can leave a sour taste after a trip. Golf comes with a whole host of added extras to think about. You’ve got club transfers, buggies, caddies, club hire, food at the course, lockers, taxis, and more.

The important thing to bear in mind is that most golfers don’t mind paying for these things, as long as they know about them before the bill comes. There’s nothing worse than turning up to a jaw-dropping golf course only to find out that caddies are compulsory and they only take cash. It can be really embarrassing for your clients and push them off schedule if it holds things up. 

3. Food and drink are almost as important as the golf

If there’s one thing golfers generally love, it’s a good feed and an ice-cold pint to wash it down. Before the round, during the round, after the round: they love it. Of course, this isn’t true of all golf travellers, but it’s common – especially for large groups and golf societies. 

So research what’s going to be available for your group as they move from course to course. Does the hotel do breakfast? Is there a halfway house at the course? If so, does it take card? Where’s the nearest place to eat after the round? These are all things golfers want to know. If you can give them that info, and therefore make sure they always know where they can grab a bite and quench their thirst, you’ll be in their good books. 

4. Location, location, location

Golf trips that last a week or longer often feature five or more rounds of golf at different courses. This is something the golfers have likely considered themselves when choosing where they play, but you still need to make sure you find them a top-notch place to stay that’s not too far from where they’re going. 

If the courses they are playing are spread out, you may want to plot them on a map, find the centre point, and look for somewhere nice in that region. If there aren’t that many courses, or they’re all fairly close – like in Portugals’s Algarve or USA’s Mrytle Beach – you can just optimise their accommodation for comfort. 

You may think that comfort goes without saying, but when golfers finish that 18th hole after five straight days of golf, they’ll almost certainly be thinking about heading back for a shower and a lie-down. 

5. Off-the-course entertainment can make or break a trip

There are a lot of golf packages out there that offer daily golf or even unlimited golf. They sound like great value – and they are – but any seasoned golf traveller will tell you that there is such a thing as too much golf. Even if you’re using buggies, daily golf takes its toll, so smart to consider other things that your group can do. 

Proximity to the beach or pool, local sights, wine tours, and top-notch dinners are all things golfers tend to enjoy. Having some of these things lined up as alternatives when your party is suddenly too tired for their ninth round in a row can save the day. 

Need some help putting these tips into action?

The Vamoos app is loaded with features that will make putting these tips into practice super easy. If you’d like to find out more about how it works, you can book a free demo using the link below. 

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