Many avid golfers that can’t get enough of golf and who are considering uniting their passion of golf with a vacation, can learn how to plan the perfect golf vacation from this article. All that will be left to decide is if you want it to be a family golf trip or a golf buddies trip.

Before you jump in the car or plane to start hitting golf balls in the sunshine of a foreign country or even a different state, the potential golf vacationer has to think about what the ideal golf trip will included so that you can plan the perfect golf vacation.

As with any holiday, planning a golf trip ought to consist of some key elements; how you are going to pay, the estimated cost, the length of stay, any extras, etc. One thing to consider is what friends or family members do if they don’t play golf. The first question to ask yourself is: Will we be golfing in the mountains, by the coast, or on the famous links of Scotland.

Some fundamental planning at the beginning should remove any little problems for a better chance of a perfect golf vacation. When you start to plan the perfect golf vacation it is a good idea to write out some points about an ideal golf trip by dividing the points into separate areas to focus on. Below are a few categories to help you get started:

* Decide on a time of year for the trip (a few weeks / months in the future; a year in the future)

* Decide how many days or rounds of golf the trip will include (don’t overdo it!)

* Set a range of prices for the entire trip ($2000 to $3000, $4000 to $5000, for example)

* How many people who will be in the group

* Decide on who will go on the trip – non-golfing family members, just golfers, etc.

* Get some golf trip information together from golf magazines, library, Web sites etc.

* Ask friends who have been on a golf vacation if they made their own plans, used a travel agent, purchased an all-inclusive golf vacation etc.

Of course, you can follow up this original planning by making all the travel, hotel and golf arrangements on your own. Here are a few tips if you want to take care of the arrangements yourself.

If you are planning to drive to your golf vacation destination, carrying your clubs in the trunk of the car or the back of the SUV solves most of the transportation problems. If this is your method of getting to your favorite golf site, take a few minutes to make sure you have all the clubs in the bag. It may sound strange, but it is certainly no fun to arrive for a few days of golf at a beautiful location only to find that your 8 iron is at home, because your son or daughter took it out of the bag for practice.

One way to begin making your own arrangements, without the assistance of a travel agent, is to contact an organization in the area you are interested in. For example, golfers can get in touch with the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina group that specializes in golf vacations for that area. You can do the same with the many golf courses in Arizona. The Phoenix area has similar assistance available, as do many resort destinations.

In this case, you select your favorite golf courses, then contact your selected accommodation, and ask for the Golf Director. They can book your lodging and tee times right there. This is a combination of making your own decisions while relying on the expertise and local knowledge of golf vacation specialists.

If you really want to do this on your own, you may have a few more challenges and a little more work, but you and your friends may also enjoy the extra bit of freedom and sense of accomplishment. Set your standards high and then back down to a more manageable level if your budget doesn’t look as if it will handle Scotland, Ireland, the Bahamas or a similar overseas destination.

Make sure you have lodging in place, and then plan to play courses within a reasonable distance. Minimum travel to and from golf courses is very important. In addition, you should make these arrangements as early as possible to give you and your friends the best opportunities available. If you wait too long, then decide to go to your original choice of destination anyway, you may end up with less than favorable rooms and less than favorable tee times. Some recommendations for getting the lodging set first:

* Instead of a hotel you could consider a rental house with enough room for everyone

* Make sure there are enough rooms and beds for each person

* Take into consideration the driving time to the golf courses if you go with a rental home over a hotel on or near a golf course

* Early morning tee times may allow an additional 18 holes in the afternoon. Being close to the house makes the course more attractive as it saves time

* Plan for accommodation even earlier if you plan to play golf and watch a major tournament that is taking place in the area. Combining your trip with a PGA tournament adds some extra flare to a golf vacation.

One more thing to take into consideration when you plan the perfect golf vacation; will you play one round a day, two rounds, or can you play as many as you wish? Make sure you have this detail arranged before leaving. Finally, make sure you fully understand what exactly is included in your golf vacation and what is not. Taking a few minutes to get all the details right will eradicate the small problems that you may encounter once you are at your golf destination.

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