Planning a golf trip: the guide from season to green fee

A golf trip is more than a holiday with clubs in the boot. It lives from course, weather and time window fitting together and that is exactly where it is decided whether you stroll relaxed over the fairways in the end or notice at the first tee that the tee times were already booked out. In this guide I go through the planning with you step by step, from the first idea to the booking. You don't have to be a pro, a clear plan is enough.

Step 1: Choosing destination and travel season

The first step is also the most important. Where and when, both are closely linked. A course on the Algarve or in Mallorca is roastingly hot in high summer, but ideal in spring and autumn. Northern Europe plays best in summer, many long-haul destinations turn the season completely around.

Ask yourself a few questions in advance: do you want to soak up the sun and play relaxed, or are you after demanding championship courses? If you travel in the low season, green fees and hotels are considerably cheaper, but the weather can be more changeable. Anyone who is flexible almost always does better with the shoulder and low seasons.

For the concrete choice of destination by region I have built you a separate overview: golf destinations by country. There you find which countries suit which time of year and which type of player.

Step 2: Calculating budget and green fees

Many people only reckon with flight and hotel for a golf trip and underestimate what comes on top on site. The green fees are often the second-largest item after the journey. Depending on country, course and season they vary widely, from moderate to very high-priced on the well-known signature courses.

For a realistic budget, add up the following blocks:

• Travel: flight or drive, plus a rental car if the courses are spread out.
• Accommodation: hotel, resort or holiday apartment, depending on your travel style.
• Green fees: per round, times the planned number of playing days.
• Extras: cart or trolley, range balls, caddie, tips, catering.

Step 3: Tee times and booking

As soon as destination and period are fixed, it is on to the tee times. Especially in high season and at well-known courses, the good tee times are gone early. Anyone who plans spontaneously either gets nothing left or only off-peak slots in the late afternoon.

There are two basic ways here:

• Hotel-and-course package: you book accommodation and rounds bundled, often through the resort or a golf-travel operator. Advantage: everything from one source, tee times mostly guaranteed, less organisational effort. Disadvantage: less flexibility and not always the cheapest price.
• Put together individually: you book flight, hotel and each round yourself. Advantage: full control, often cheaper, free choice of course. Disadvantage: more effort and you carry the risk of booked-out tee times yourself.

Step 4: Training trips, when it's about the game

Not every golf trip is pure holiday. If you want to work specifically on your game, a real training trip is worth it. Here the number of courses is not the priority, but a good practice facility, a pro on site and enough time on the range.

When choosing, look for a decent driving range, short-game area and putting green, ideally with a coaching offer. Many resorts in mild regions are geared to exactly this in spring, because that is when many golfers come out of the winter break and want to build form. A week of focused training often gets you further than a whole home season on the side.

Step 5: Equipment and luggage

The bag wants to come along and this is exactly where it often gets tricky. Golf luggage counts as oversized baggage with most airlines and is not automatically included in the free allowance. Clarify before booking whether and at what price the bag flies along, and register it in good time.

What to watch out for with bag transport:

• Travel bag with padding or a hard travel cover, otherwise clubs like to arrive damaged.
• Weight limit of the airline checked, a full bag is over the limit faster than you think.
• Delicate items separately: unscrew the driver head or pad it well, gloves and balls into the hand luggage.
• Rental clubs as an alternative: at many facilities you can rent sets, that saves the hauling if you only plan a few rounds.

Step 6: Insurance

A point many skip and later regret. Two things above all make sense: international health insurance for emergencies and cover for your equipment. High-quality clubs are a real value, and on a trip something happens faster than you think.

Some golf-association memberships already contain a sports or liability component, for example for the case that your ball hits someone. Check what your existing insurance cover already includes before you take out something new. For package trips, it is additionally worth looking at trip-cancellation insurance.

Step 7: Platzreife and handicap proof

Abroad as in Germany: many clubs want to know that you can play. On upmarket courses a handicap proof or at least the "Platzreife" (course permission) is often required, sometimes even a certain maximum handicap.

So pack your card with the handicap entry or the digital proof. If you are still right at the beginning, before your first golf trip it is worth looking at the basics, what the Platzreife is exactly and how it works I explain here: the Platzreife (course permission) explained.

Step 8: Etiquette on site

Golf etiquette is similar everywhere, but in the detail every country ticks a little differently. In some places the dress code is stricter, elsewhere particular attention is paid to brisk play and arriving on time for the tee time. A quick look at the facility's house rules saves misunderstandings.

Basic rules that apply almost everywhere: tidy golf clothing, consideration for the group behind you, repair pitch marks, rake bunkers and keep up the pace. Anyone who sticks to the local customs is a welcome guest everywhere and that makes the trip noticeably more pleasant.

Solo travellers and groups

Whether you travel alone or with others changes the planning more than you might think.

As a solo traveller you are flexible but usually cannot rely on reserved fourballs. Many facilities simply assign single players to flights, a good opportunity to meet people. Some golf-travel operators offer trips specifically for solo travellers, including shared rounds.

In a group, by contrast, early booking pays off doubly: four or more consecutive tee times are quickly scarce in high season. Clarify playing standard and expectations in advance, who wants to play relaxed and who is ambitious should be known beforehand, not only on the third hole.

Frequently asked questions

When should I book tee times for a golf trip?

As early as possible, especially in high season and at well-known courses. For sought-after facilities it is worth booking together with the accommodation or taking a green-fee package, so that the tee times are secured.

Do I need handicap proof for a golf trip?

On many upmarket courses yes, sometimes even a certain maximum handicap. Bring your card with the handicap entry or the digital proof and ask about the course's requirements when booking.

Is a hotel-and-course package worthwhile or is it better to book individually?

Packages are convenient and secure your tee times, booking individually is more flexible and often cheaper. A good middle way: choose the accommodation yourself, bundle the rounds via a regional package.

Should I take my own bag or rent clubs?

For one or two rounds on holiday, rental clubs are more relaxed. Anyone who plans the trip around the golf takes their own bag, but then in a well-padded travel cover and with an eye on the airline's weight limit.