It has been exactly a week since I returned from my golf break. It was fun, no doubt. Spending time with my friends on the famous golf courses of Portugal was special. But, thinking about it now, I feel we could’ve had an exceptional golf vacation, not just a good one, had I known a few things about planning a golf getaway beforehand.
Golf clubs cost a fortune and I’m sure that those reading this article would have spent a lot of money on their clubs. One of the biggest problems most golf holiday makers face is safe transportation of their clubs on planes. Almost all airlines demand that golf tourists sign a ‘no liability’ form absolving the airline of any responsibility if the golf equipment sustains damage during flight. So, it’s your responsibility to safeguard the clubs and other golf accessories by packing them in a hard case golf travel bag.
Consulting each member of the group to decide every little detail of the vacation won’t work. A consensus is a very hard thing to achieve and if you expect to book tickets, selecting hotels, reserving tee times, etc. after taking everyone’s consent then it’ll take many months to plan a golf trip. Discuss with your friends and appoint a person who’ll be in charge of organizing the vacation. If you’ve taken that responsibility, then ask for ideas and opinions of each member, but the final decision rests with you.
You might be an expert in handling money, but hoping to have a jolly good vacation with friends on a thin budget is rarely possible. Instead of having a tight budget, leave yourself some breathing space and decide on a budget range. After the vacation if you still have a portion of the budget unspent, you can divide it among group members or save it for your next golf getaway with your friends.
Resort and golf course brochures don’t reveal every detail, it’s up to you to contact and find out the rules and regulations that dictate tee time bookings and other golf related issues. You can’t just show up with your friends at a course and expect them to allow you to play. Golf courses have strict rules and you must be well aware of them even before you put them on your ‘Courses to Play’ list. Some courses are open only on select days of the week and some golf resorts give first preference to their guests.
Don’t expect members of your group to think and behave alike – that not possible. While some might be willing to spend less, others may prefer stuff that’ll strain the vacation budget. You can’t do anything about it, so it’s always better to expect the unexpected when on a golf trip with friends.