Do you love Golf? Consider Golf Packages for Your Next Vacation

Are you wondering how to spend your next summer vacation? Maybe you are considering lounging by the beach in Fiji, or exploring the beautiful Great Barrier Reef in Australia?   All great ideas, but if you love golf, having you considered combining your love for the sport with a holiday and exploring the great value for money golf packages offered by many resorts and golfing associations in many countries throughout the world?

Scotland, Ireland, the World is a Tee!

Perhaps your family would like to visit the British Isles this summer. Did you know that there are wonderful golfing venues in Scotland, Ireland and throughout the United Kingdom that would please not only your family, but provide you with the golfing experience of a life time? 

 Imagine it! Scotland the birth place of golf and therefore one of the most popular golfing destinations, and home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.   With Scotland golf packages to suit every budget, from personalized tours to luxury tours, you can’t go wrong in sampling the delights of this beautiful country.  Whether you are travelling alone or travelling with family, your itinerary can please everyone. (And do watch out for the Loch Nest Monster while you are vacationing)

Leprechauns are thought to have pots of gold with them, and the Irish golf courses are considered by many to be a golfing treasure chest of some of the finest golf course gems in the world.  With such a fantastic recommendation, a trip to the Green Isle when on your summer golfing vacation makes great sense.

Golfing Packages Make Planning Simple

Golfing Packages are becomingly increasingly popular among golfing sports fans around the world. Accommodation, green fees and food costs are all included together with a planned itinerary. Online golfing associations who are experts in arranging all the details of a perfect package deal to almost any location in the world, are readily available to offer advice and assistance in planning the details of your trip.

Research and Choose Carefully

Before you book one of the hundreds of golf packages available, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions and do lots of reading. Enjoy researching the fantastic options available and then go do it.   Book your vacation and enjoy an experience of a lifetime confident your every desire is catered for.  

Golfing Packages in Arizona... An Enthusiasts Dream Destination

Ask any golfing enthusiast about their ideal holiday and they would probably tell you it would be to visit a golfing resort and take advantage of complete golfing packages on offer at most resorts.   They would probably suggest that among the best in the world are those in the state of Arizona

Why Arizona?

Arizona is one of the south western states of the USA.   Arguably best known as the home of the Grand Canyon, Arizona has been nicknamed   “The Grand Canyon State”.  Arizona is a desert state with a magnificent rocky desert landscape.  It is known for its hot summers and mild winters.    Combining golf vacations with such magnificent geographical features ensures an unforgettable golfing experience.

The Landscape Experience 

A decision to combine a holiday and a golf trip to Arizona won’t disappoint those who choose to visit the state.  Arizona has over 400 golf courses located throughout the country.   Whether the choice is made to visit a golf course in the alpine country or on a desert style fairway, there will be an option to satisfy every budget and preference.  

The Climate Experience

Arizona’s unique climate enables visitors to enjoy the golfing experience all year round.   Even in the coldest months between November and February the average temperature is a mild 60 degrees Fahrenheit.     During the hot summer months the temperature may exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.     

Choosing a Package Holiday

Most people who head to Arizona for a golfing holiday experience take advantage of one of the golfing package holidays available throughout the State.   They provide cost effective accommodations and golfing options that cater to everyone.   There are a variety of fairways to choose from, some of which are listed on the PGA   internationals listings.   These may be more expensive than some of the lesser known courses, but all offer year round deals, which are very popular with visitors.  These deals may include extra free days and the opportunity to play free of charge at other resorts. 

The Complete Arizona Holiday Experience

Purchasing a comprehensive holiday package which combines a holiday and the opportunity to play Arizona golf at some of the most beautiful fairways in the world promises an unforgettable holiday experience.   Unique weather conditions and  some excellent deals offered by the golfing resorts all year round,  provides incentive for golfers to return to Arizona regularly.

Finding The Perfect Golf Packages

Are you passionate about golf or know someone who is? Golf is a great sport because it’s something you can do on your own or make into a sociable occasion.  It can be played in most weather and any day up until sundown. If you’re thinking about looking into golf packages, here are some things that you should think about when planning.

What Do You Need To Consider?

The most basic considerations are much the same as for any holiday; Where should I go? When is the best time of year? How long should I say? What will be the cost?  You may also need to think about the rest of your party. If it’s a pure golf addicts' trip then there’s no need to make allowances for non-players who will need to be entertained while the golfers are golfing.

One of your biggest decisions will be whether or not to organize your own trip—including booking the courses and arranging the green fees—or to take advantage of one of the many integrated golf packages that are now on offer through regular high street travel companies or through dedicated service providers. The advantage of the latter is that they are mostly online and include photographs and reviews of the courses and trips available.

Where Should You Stay?

Golf is played all over the world and virtually every country can now offer you a wonderful variety of golf courses to choose from. And if you’re looking for a wide variety of attractions beyond the golf course, one place you might consider is the British Isles.

Golf in Scotland offers the experience of courses in unrivalled settings - green glens, deep, grey lochs   wind-blown links on rugged coastlines and of course, the home of golf itself at St Andrews. Golf Scotland offers the sport to suit all budgets.  For instance, you can stay in humble but cozy and welcoming bed and breakfast houses or in the opulence of the Gleneagles Hotel and its world class course.

If the weather of the Highlands isn’t your thing, then consider the regimented and well groomed courses set in the gentler countryside of England and Wales where courses are differentiated more by their design than their location.

If links golf is your passion, then Ireland should be your destination as there are more links courses there per head than anywhere else in the world as well as plenty of excellent parkland courses. Golf Ireland offers superb value for money for excellent scenic and picturesque courses in a country famous for its welcoming its visitors with wide open arms.

Myrtle Beach: Ultimate Family Golf Getaway

Looking for a really great family golf travel idea?  It’s not too early to start thinking about great spring and summer opportunities . . . mull them over during the holidays and then get those reservations confirmed!  (Tip:  

Travel insurance is a good idea to in case you have to change them.)

What could be better for family ties than combining adult golf with mini-golf for the kids?  For family fun, golf, and mini-golf, you can’t beat coastal South Carolina.  Just head to Myrtle Beach, especially to the area known as the Grand Strand.  Your kids will be thrilled at the sandcastles, ice cream, and fun.  

A jaunt down U.S. 17 will have them hanging out the windows betting to stop at gargantuan mini-golf courses with pirate ships and mythical creatures.  TheHawaiian Rumble, home of the pro mini golf master’s tournament, features a volcano that gushes steam and flames though the five courses at Captain Hook’s generally rates higher with visitors.  You can choose from Jurassic, safari, and other themes that will delight the kids.

Of course there is more than golf in Myrtle Beach.  There’s the beach of course, and other family attractions such as Ripley’s Aquarium, where you can get close up and personal with stingrays and sharks, and Brookgreen Gardens, with its trails, gator tours, and regional zoo.

After you’ve thrilled them with mini-golf, why not introduce them to real golf. In Myrtle Beach you’ll find great golf schools, including ones that will take parents and children.  The Classic Swing, for example, has been repeatedly recommended by Golf Magazine for its excellent instruction.  

If you can fit some time in for grown-up golf, the choices are too numerous to mention, and range from highly ranked public courses to award-winning landscaped layouts.  Traditional folks love the Legends at Heathland, for a taste of Scotland, while others discover the challenge of several great courses rolled into one at the World Tour Golf Links.

 You’ll find lodging to fit all family budgets, from economy to luxury.  A good golf trip planner can help you find the golf package that meets your needs, from the kids to the adults.

Who knows?  By spending quality time with the family this way, you might even turn some of those little putters into great golfing buddies for more serious 

golf vacations.

Gift Books for Golfers: The Wonderful World of Golf

 As the holiday season nears, what can you give the golfer on your list.  When golf trips are not in your shopping budget, consider a great book on golf travel around the world.  When golfers aren't playing golf, they love watching it and reading about it! 

Here are some books to stir the imagination of the golfing enthusiasts you know.  List prices are noted, but you can find some significant discounts.  Check out your local bookstores as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Powell's for gorgeous coffee table golf books that even non-golfers would be tempted to leaf through. 

THE TRADITIONAL GOLFER.  For the more traditional golfer, the one who loves a bit of history, who thinks that links courses are the real golf, we recommend these: 

The Spirit of St. Andrews by Alister MacKenzie and Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. (Foreword)

Hardcover, 29.95 

True Links by George Peper and Malcolm Campbell Hardcover, 40.00 

Another Journey through the Links by David Worley and Peter Thomson

Hardcover, 65.00

 THE VANGUARD GOLFER.  Is your golfer the cutting-edge type, always looking for what is new or exciting,  imagining what the "best course ever" might look like? Try these: 

Dream Golf: The Making of Bandon Dunes, Revised and Expanded by Stephen Goodwin. Hardcover, 24.95 

Golf's Dream 18s: Fantasy Courses Comprised of Over 300 Holes from Around the World by David Barrett

THE ADVENTURE GOLFER.  Perhaps your golf fanatic is dreaming of swinging clubs in all 50 states or on distant shores--if so, these could get him or her planning the next 10 years of golf vacations!

                                              

Planet Golf USA: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses in America  by Darius Oliver (Author) and Ben Crenshaw (Foreword)

Hardcover, 60.00

 

Planet Golf: The Definitive Reference to Great Golf Courses Outside the United States of America  by Darius Oliver (Author) and David Scaletti (Photographer)

60.00, hardcover

 

World Atlas of Golf: The Greatest Courses and How They Are Played by Mark Rowlinson (Editor)

Hardcover, 39.95

 

Who knows?  Even if you are not a golfer, taking time to look at some of these classy, well photographed and expertly written golf books could change your mind--and you'll be asking Santa for your own set of clubs and planning your own golf trips!

From Ryder Cup Watcher to Wales Golf Vacationer

The breathtaking finish of the 2010 Ryder Cup was matched only by the scenery of this very special course. 

After being glued to the TV (or telly, as you will) to watch this nearly century old rivalry, I came away with renewed admiration for US Open Champ,

Graeme McDowell, who led his European team to victory on the last day with an absolutely unforgettable putt.  

I also came away with a new fascination for the host country.  I am definitely moving

Wales onto the “must do” list of golf trips. The Twenty Ten Course just blew me away with those “risk-and-reward” dilemmas that makes the game as great for us amateurs as it is for the pros.

It is the first course to be built specifically for the Ryder Cup, with a par of 71 and 7,493 yards off the back tees.  Punctuated by water hazards and six signature holes, the course offers a both a links-like feel with some long rough and greenside swales. 

Of course this is only one of the courses to be tackled at the Celtic Manor Resort.  Colin Montgomerie, the European captain, designed one which is named in his honor as well.  A living golf legend, Monty shows his traditionalism in design, adding deep pot bunkers to give a links feel.  Panoramic views abound, as do dramatic tee shots and downhill shots.

The Roman Road course rounds out the world-class offerings at Celtic Manor.  Golf Monthly named it the top inland course in Wales as soon as it opened, which tells you something about the level of design and management that can be expected.

Luxury accommodations can also be expected, including two spas with all the trimmings, from spa treatments and plunge pools to the latest in fitness equipment with instructors on hand.  While working on your putting, why not work on your image as well at the award-winning salon?

There’s no doubt that the Ryder Cup spotlight has changed Wales tourism.  Now that the championship crowds have died down, golf vacations without the hubub will be the rule there.  With castles, beaches, mountains, and of course the rolling countryside, Wales offers great opportunities for exploration. 

That’s one of the great things about the game, eh?  Golf gives us a chance to enjoy the sport as well as virtual or actual golf trips

to some of the most beautiful spots in the world.  And from what I saw during the Ryder Cup, Wales definitely is one of them!

Golf and Snorkel Year Round in the Sunny Bahamas

As autumn leaves swirl, it’s time to plan golf vacations where the sun shines all year round.  Just 55 miles of the east coast of Florida lies a golfer’s paradise:  the Bahamas.  With an average winter temperature of 70 degrees, the skies are nearly always blue, the grass is always green, including on the golf courses. 

While there are 700 spectacular islands in the Bahama chain, the major golf attraction is on Grand Bahama Island, which beacons to golfers from all around the world.  Great golfing can be found in Freeport, the “second city” in Bahamas, after Nassau.  This island city was transformed just 50 years ago from swampland to international resort by a wealthy Virginia lumberman.

 The result is a unique blend of cosmopolitan world-class resorts, historical charm, and tropical easy going manners.  In addition to fabulous golfing, visitors stream to Grand Bahama Island to enjoy water sports on endless beaches with emerald green waters. 

The best way to see the variety of marine life is up close and personal by snorkeling and diving, of course.  You can take a short catamaran ride to a shallow coral reef and feed tropical fish right out of your hand!  Tropical gardens and quaint fishing villages make island touring fun—and a photographic delight.

Freeport boasts two championship golf courses, both integrated into the luxury resort, Our Lucaya, considered number one in the Bahamas by LINKS magazine and named one of the top 100 golf resorts by The Golfer.  The Our Lucayan Course, designed by Dick Wilson, is a lush, tree-lined course with tropical greens and doglegs that will get you to hone your swing.  The Robert Trent Jones, Jr. sculpted the Reef Course which opened in 2000.

When golfing a la Freeport, it is easy to transform golf packages into something-for-everyone vacations, from spas to casinos, water sports to shopping and dining.  The 7.5 acres of soft sand beaches offer a different kind of sand trap for the dedicated golfer, as does hopping island nightlife.  You are likely to be tempted. 

Finally Freeport offers the opportunity to combine golfing travel with weddings and honeymoons.  Why not get married right there on the beach--and enjoy a round of golf in the afternoon?  Of course this is best advised for golfing couples!