Golf Vacations

mythachilles asked:


Just curious if anyone has been on any golf trips to Europe. My usual golf trip guys (16 total) are looking to go overseas this time. We have an annual trip in November, but were looking to go in August this year. Just wondering if anyone has been on a golf vacation to Europe and any suggestions, courses (other than the obvious), $$$, etc. Thanks.

Holly

healthnut asked:


I am travelling there in mid Jan for a vacation.

Aaron

vonhiggins asked:


I would want to play 18 holes every other day at some of the best courses, and stay at a moderately priced hotel.

Judith

Reed Langdon asked:


Thinking of places to enjoy a golfing vacation adventure and go somewhere exotic
Consider Thailand as a Golf Vacation destination and you will never forget your experience and the adventure.
In this article I will be talking to you about Bangkok Golf Vacations in particular, although there are hundreds of golf courses throughout Thailand.
First a little about Thailand from Wikipedia. Thailand is home to several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the provincial groups.
The north of the country is mountainous, with the highest point being Doi Inthanon at 2,576 meters (8,451ft.).
The northeast consists of the Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the Mekong river. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat Chao Phraya River valley, which runs into the Gulf of Thailand.
The south consists of the narrow Kra Isthmus that widens into the Malay Peninsula.
The local climate is tropical and characterized by monsoons. There is a rainy, warm, and cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to September, as well as a dry, cool northeast monsoon from November to mid-March.
The southern isthmus is always hot and humid. Major cities beside the capital Bangkok include Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Phuket, and Hat Yai, in Songhla Province.
Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep, is the capital and largest city of Thailand, with an official census population of over 10 million. Bangkok is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand.
Its also in the World Book of Records for the longest named city, Krung Thep is abbreviated.
Bangkok is one of the fastest growing, most economically dynamic cities in Southeast Asia. It is emerging as a regional center to rival Singapore and Hong Kong.
The World Meteorological Organization has dubbed Bangkok the world’s hottest large city. Moreover, it is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Bangkok is also known for relatively low retail prices.
Bangkok is the place to visit for breathtakingly beautiful temples, magnificent palaces, Thai dancers, Thai kickboxing, museums, and island hopping, with
6 international airports , destinations all within one hour or so flights within Thailand. You will also find great bargains while shopping country wide.

Thailand’s new airport is a work of art which stands alone and sets a new international standard for travelers, with all the latest hi-tech equipment , and visitor friendly features no where else to be found, just now opening in July through September.

So, besides the enjoyment of your golfing vacation, you will also be able to enjoy the visit to Bangkok, Thailand in many other ways, not the least of, which is the fantastic Bangkok nightlife and world-class hotels at rates you won’t believe.
All in all, a golf vacation to Thailand is more than just an average golfing vacation, it’s an adventure to remember.
Lets talk about some of the particular Golf Clubs and Golf Courses in Bangkok.
Windmill Park Golf & Country Club: Designed by Nick Faldo, this 18-Hole, Par 72, golf course is very challenging from the back tees. It features a lot of water for most of the entire course and the Par 5 holes are all doglegs. The last hole is probably the biggest challenge where you have to hit onto an island where the clubhouse is also located.
Bangpoo Country Club: This 18 hole course was designed by Arnold Palmer and is one of the most popular golf vacation destinations. It is located about 60 miles southeast of Bangkok. You will not contend with as much water as you will on the Windmill course but wind will be a factor in your golf game at Bangpoo. Wide Fairways make the course a little easier for the average golfer.
Vintage Golf Clubs: There is a lot more here than just golf. It features a glamorous clubhouse with tennis courts, a swimming pool, and even a fitness center. This 18 hole, Par 72 golf course was designed by Arthur Hills and is a rather flat course. However the greens, fairways, and water hazards are well placed. The Par 5 holes will give any golfer the challenge they are looking for and the 18th hole is especially challenging with a narrow green sporting water on two sides.
Bangpakong Riverside Country Club: Built by the Bangpakong River, this 18 hole course presents unique challenges for golfers at any skill level. The river intertwines through the golf course and into some of the greens themselves.
It sports thick rough areas even though the fairways are wide. Golfers will also have to contend with strong winds in addition to the obvious water hazards.
Thana City Golf & Country Club: This Golf Club is located along the Bangna-Trad Highway. A beautiful course designed by Greg Norman gives golfers a chance to play holes of varying skill levels.
There are Par 4, 300 yard holes up to Par 4, 440 yard holes. Very fast greens make this golf course a real challenge.
Dynasty Golf & Country Club: Designed by Dennis Griffiths, Dynasty is an 18-hole golf course about an hour-and-a-half drive from Bangkok. The greens are well placed and the course is fairly flat.
There are creeks that provide good water hazards and the trees and flowers that surround this beautiful golf course are something to be admired.
Subhapruek Golf Club: (Formerly Bangna Country Club). The name, Subhapruek, was given to the golf course by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 1995 and means Beautiful Plants.
This golf course is one of the most beautiful courses in Thailand. Every single one of the 18 holes was designed by Pete Dye as a signature hole. The course presents physical and mental challenges that rival the best golf courses in the world.
Natural Park Ramindra Golf Course: (Formerly Winsan Golf Club until taken over by the Natural Group in 1992) Designed by Jack Niclaus, this 18-hole golf course features holes with sandy wastes, water hazards, and bunkers.
Like any golf course designed by Jack Niclaus, it presents challenges golfers at all skill levels can enjoy. It is located near Safari World, about and hour drive from Bangkok.
These are only a few of the golf courses in and around Bangkok, Thailand. You will enjoy exploring to find other courses such as those I will recommend below. A trip to Thailand for a golf vacation is one you will never forget.

Other recommended Golf courses you can search for online before booking your Bangkok, Thailand golf vacation.
Green Valley Golf Club, Rose Garden Golf Club, Kiarti Thanee Country Club, Royal Gems Golf & Sports Club, Krisda City Golf Club, President Golf & Country Club, Krung Kavee Golf Club, Pinehurst Golf & Country Club, Lakewood Golf & Country Club, Panya Indra Golf Club, Lum Luk Ka Golf Club, and Navatanee Golf Club.

Note from the author:
Although there are many excellent choices, my personal favorite is Pinehurst Golf & Country Club, minutes from Don Mueng International Airport, great accommodations in a country setting , excellent service with a smile, and moderately priced to fit within your budget.
Just watch out for the water traps. I’ve donated 100’s of golf balls over the years.

Cory

Tara Mathews asked:


Are you planning a discount golf vacation? There is nothing like taking a good golf trip to unwind from the daily grind. Customized golf vacations provide comfort, quality locations and pre-confirmed tee times.

Discount golf vacations include exciting destinations such as Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and England and of course, the United States. Some of the courses include Loch Lomond, St. Andrews, Royal County Down, Tralee, Royal St. George’s, Royal Liverpool, Ganton, Wentworth, Valderrama, San Lorenzo, Cabo del Sol, Royal Melbourne, Pebble Beach and Palm Springs just to name a few.

Imagine playing golf at some of the major golfing destinations in the world with up to fifty percent off tee times with immediate online booking. If you are budget conscious and playing golf off-season appeals to you then you could be in line for great savings on your discount golf vacations. The fall season is the prime season in just about any location.

Do your research on the internet to locate discount golf vacations and discount tee times along with hundreds of hotel and resorts to choose from. Some companies offer the same old boring stay and play packages while others offer more adverse and custom golf holidays just about anywhere in the world.

Some travel companies allow you to mix and match your discount golf vacation to whatever you desire. Others arrange your preferred tee times, your accommodations and car rental as well. Many of their travel brochures contain beautiful color photos of the best golfing destinations in the world, not just North America.

If your discount golf vacation is planned properly, you can feel like a tour pro on some of the most exclusive courses in the world. Some vacations packages arrange your tee times while others let you book your tee times. In some cases, booking a vacation package is the only way you will be able to play on some of the more exclusive courses.

If you plan to take part in other activities while on your discount golf vacation then you will want to book your holiday in a location or resort that offers a variety of things to do. That will just take some research on your part before booking the trip.

There are many choices of destinations for your discount golf vacation. We are going to focus on a golf trip to the Bahamas. The best time to go is off-season when there are fewer tourists. This is a good destination to take your family because there are many things for the family to do while you enjoy your golf game. If your family enjoys golf then they can join you on the links! The Bahamas are a great place to go and relax, unwind, enjoy the sun and sand and play some golf on gorgeous courses.

To truly enjoy your discount golf vacation you must make sure that everything is taken care of right down to the packing your clubs. Do your research and due diligence before booking your trip. Use the internet and call the travel companies that are providing the holidays to ask as many questions as you can. Enjoy your trip!

Ryan

Gentle Island asked:


Imagine an island golf destination that has been voted number one in its nation - not once, but twice in a row. Imagine more than 26 golf courses on that island. Imagine vistas of white, champagne, pink and red beaches; or ocean waters extending far, far beyond the horizon. Imagine a day of golf that leads gracefully into a night of fine seafood dining at a five-star golf resort.

The island isn’t Hilton Head, its Prince Edward Island…and the country is, of course, Canada.

A Prince Edward Island golf vacation offers ocean panoramas and courses created by renowned designers including Robinson, Hurdzan and Fry, Tom McBoom and others.

Crowbush Cove, boasting 18 holes over 6,901 yards, features nine water holes and eight holes near the famous dunes on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. World famous, it has been awarded a 5-star rating from Golf Digest and is listed among the “Sweet Sixteen” top courses worldwide.

From sunrise to sunset your choice of fairways for your PEI golf vacation comes with any number of backdrops including coastal dunes, breathtaking ocean views, and lush forests and rolling farmland. Wildlife abounds and you may well catch a peek at the endangered Piping Plover.

A vacation in the smallest of Canada’s provinces need not be limited to golf. Prince Edward Island teems with as much or as little activity as desired. From simple walks along miles and miles of beaches, to hikes along nature trails; from cycling tours to paddling or deep sea fishing, there is something for every outdoor enthusiast.

Shopping, arts, crafts, music festivals and the finest of seafood dining are also requisites for any Prince Edward Island vacation be it golf or otherwise.

And as varied as your choice of golf courses for the duration of your vacation are the accommodation options offered by the island. From campgrounds to bed and breakfast through hotels and the finest of five star resorts, your vacation is truly your own creation.

This summer, set a course for a golf vacation to rival that of Hilton Head. Make it a Prince Edward Island golf vacation.

Roger

Jim Johnson asked:


Fun and exciting golf vacation packages from all over the world are available just about year round. No matter where you want to vacation, you can usually find a golf package nearby to satisfy your inner golfer. But golf travel also has its own set of challenges too, so here are some tips on how to make your golf vacation a fun and successful one.
Almost everyone prefers to take their own golf clubs with them as they travel. And most likely, your travel arrangements will involve a flight to your destination. Unfortunately though, airlines will not allow you to bring your golf clubs on board with you as carry-on luggage. So that means that you will have to check your clubs in with regular baggage instead. And here is where a little advance preparation can come in handy.
If you’ve ever watched baggage handlers as they load and unload an airplane, you know that they are not especially gentle with the baggage. So if your expensive golf clubs are in with all the suitcases, you can count on your clubs being tossed and thrown around throughout the journey. Some golfers have even found that their clubs were pretty well destroyed at the end of the flight because of the rough handling that they received.
In order to avoid that, there are golf travel cases that are available to help protect your clubs as they go through baggage handling. Generally, these golf cases fall into two categories, either hard or soft. The hard cases are the most expensive, perhaps costing even several hundred dollars, but they do a very impressive job in protecting your clubs. In fact, the case itself is almost indestructible. So if you happen to travel a lot and take your golf clubs with you, a good hard golf travel case can be an excellent investment.
If you can’t afford the extra money for the hard golf travel case, there are also soft ones that are available that can do a very good job too. Of course, the protection is not quite up to the standards of the hard case, but the soft golf travel cases usually handle most baggage situations that they will encounter very well.
You also have to be prepared for the possibility that your golf clubs could be lost in transit, as this sometimes happens. So before you leave on your trip, check to see if your homeowners or property insurance will ensure your clubs in transit. If not, carry with you the receipts for your golf equipment so that you can easily and quickly prove ownership and value of your clubs if they happen to be lost.
In order to have the most fun while on a golf vacation package, you’ll need to be prepared for whatever weather you may encounter at your destination. So before leaving, it’s a good practice to check online to see what the upcoming forecast for your vacation destination is going to be. Then make sure that you pack accordingly. There is nothing more uncomfortable for a golfer than playing a round of golf in very cool weather with not enough warm clothes on, or playing in very hot weather with clothes that are too heavy and insulated.
Finally, it’s a good idea to choose a destination that has activities that can be enjoyed other than just playing golf. Sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate with your plans and you may not be able to play at all on some days. So having other points of interest in the area can save the day in such situations.
Hopefully these ideas and suggestions can help you better prepare for your next golf vacation, and help you have a great time on your getaway.

Emma

Randall Ulbricht asked:


Your perfect golf vacation with your friends starts and stops with you. Toss the vacation package brochures in a heap and design your own ideal golf getaway. This is the final of four articles to assist you in providing an outing for yourself and your friends that will make you want to do it every year (as we have for 19 years running).
From the last article, you are now at the minus one month point. So far you have rallied the troops, picked the dates, selected the lodging and golf courses and are in the final preparation stage. You will soon see your friends smiling faces at the airport baggage claim. The final preps and smoothly running the whole show are child’s play. The tough part was getting your bunch of friends to buy the tickets to enjoy the event. Here are a few things you will want to do before the scream of the aircraft’s tires on the tarmac.
Transportation. The limiting factor is arrival and departure from the airport due to clubs AND suitcases. If you can just barely stuff everyone in the vehicles at this point, the rest of the week is gravy. From your experience, you know that when you pack up four guys to go golfing locally, you will entirely fill the trunk of a full sized car. With that in mind, you should plan on a full sized car for every three people. We use one minivan/SUV augmented with cars for our adventures. Just make sure you allow for the limiting case. You need to arrange these rental vehicles ahead of time, but you can only drive one yourself. Here is the minus one-month mandatory. When you figure out your vehicle requirements, contact the group to arrange among them and you who will contact and rent the remaining vehicles. There will probably be some in your group that have existing discounts and can score a great rate. Hash this one out via email.
Entertainment. Unless you are going to the deserts in Arizona or get exceedingly lucky, you will have a rain day or two. You will also have a bunch of time at night after golf (after you have all told your lies). We suck that time up pretty effectively watching the golf channel, ESPN, playing cards, or watching videos. The latter is what you can address ahead of time. We have a guy that is pretty good at selecting movies to watch and we task him to bring them with him. Movies like “Gladiator”, “Miracle”, etc. are big. More risque’ titles are optional. On severe rain days, we also have gone bowling (a real hoot), done the local movie theater, and toured the area.
Checklists. After about ten years of being asked twenty times per day where we were playing the next day, or when we had to leave, or what was for supper, or who stole my teddy bear, I finally started typing out these things. I make a copy of each and post sporadically throughout the house. I make individual laminated cards and hand to each golfer. Know what? It reduced the questions to half and now when asked, I say that I can’t remember, let me walk over to the frig and read it for you. Here are the things I prepare ahead of time:
Listing of course, tee times, course contact number, and departure time. I base departure time on MapBlast directions and factor in a stop for ice for the coolers and if we will need to hit range balls.
Listing of the menu for the evening meals. If this is your first time, keep the menu simple and make sure you have the recipes in hand. With any size group, you are going to have a chef or two and this won’t be a big deal.
Multiple copies of the “order sheet” for sandwiches. For most of our noon meals between rounds, we dine on our self-prepared, gourmet sandwiches prepared the night before. As you saw from the previous articles, I solicit what the group wants and have that on the shopping list. What winds up being the least confusing way is to have some sheet for people to circle or fill in to specify what sandwiches they want for the next day. You rotate the preparers (two is best) every night and with that sheet, they manufacture the gourmet feast. (Don’t discount this! The sandwiches you make will be superior to anything short of the full meal at the course AND you will not have to wait on it if you are pressed for time between your rounds.)
Biggy! We did not keep a record of our scores for our first few years. Big mistake. What great history we tossed out. Keep a record! I prepare a hard copy sheet to fill in as we go. It allows us to follow who is the overall stroke leader and gives us all ammo to use in negotiating the next day’s bets. I take this home and plant it permanently on our golf website.
Expenses. I pay for everything with minor exceptions and collect everyone’s share the final evening. That keeps it simple. I currently use a spreadsheet to administer this. It works great. I would provide this for you, but this article format doesn’t allow. Before that, I simply used pen and paper and got it to within a penny. My point is that from the minute you start your adventure, keep a tally of what you have spent! Streamline course check in by paying for everyone, buy all the food and drink, buy all the gas, etc. If someone pays for anything, log it in immediately. If you are religious in this, you will have no complaints, only praise.
Things nobody else will bring but you:
Several decks of cards, poker chips
Cribbage boards
Screw driver and pliers (you never know)
Pens, pencils and permanent markers (you will need all)
Over the counter pain killers
Band-Aids
Game
Arrival. So here you have a rambunctious group of friends descending on the Mecca of golf. You have motored to the house your staying in and it is the mad dash to the best room to be found. NOT. To avoid any hard feelings between the lodger that got the queen bed and the lodger that got the twin bed, simply set up a quick draw out of the hat. For subsequent years, do the same, but use the seniority system. Once a person misses, he goes to the end of the list.
Once you have dumped your bags in the drawn rooms, it is time to go shopping. With the template I gave you in the last article, and with your modifications based on menu and orders, grab one or two volunteers and get what you need.
This is the conclusion of my recommendations on how you can have the best golf outing or outings you have ever had. Since I have folks coming to enjoy my preparations for 19 years should be testimony to you. At least give it a shot once. It won’t be perfect, but my guess is that it will be superior and more remembered than anything you can buy as a package. Go for it!

Julio

justin asked:


Im going to a golf school and playing about 6 rounds of golf in 7 days any ideas on what to pack?

Jeffery

etchasketch547 asked:


We are planning a trip there, my wife broke her foot 4days ago and I’m afraid she is going to be bored and taking the vacation a waste of money since she is not one to just sit around and relax (she runs, swims, bikes, hikes, etc.).

Yolanda