The perfect golf getaway is not the same for every group. That is the reason we focus on custom made trips, designed around your specific needs, instead of pre-packaged trips. It takes a bit more time, and planning, but the resulting trip will be perfect for your group and make your trip the most memorable experience possible.
As you get ready to book your trip, here is just a small sample of the things we will ask you, and you will want to think about before chatting with us, in order to get that perfect trip in place for your group.
As you get ready to book your trip, here is just a small sample of the things we will ask you, and you will want to think about before chatting with us, in order to get that perfect trip in place for your group.
Figure out the group leader
Why a group leader?
Our experience, and the experiences of our clients, is that having a single point person who can "herd all the cats" makes the most successful trips. Everyone's opinions need to be taken into account but trying to get everyone to agree to everything can be an impossible, slow and painful process. A good group leader balances everyone’s needs and helps us get you the best trip in place.
Why a group leader?
Our experience, and the experiences of our clients, is that having a single point person who can "herd all the cats" makes the most successful trips. Everyone's opinions need to be taken into account but trying to get everyone to agree to everything can be an impossible, slow and painful process. A good group leader balances everyone’s needs and helps us get you the best trip in place.
Where do you want to go?
Do the talking up front with the group and decide on your location – we can make it happen for you!
- Is it Scotland or Ireland? Maybe Cabot? How about something really exotic like Asia?
- There are so many great choices, and we would be happy to discuss them with you, but in general, you probably want to narrow your options down to 1 location, or possibly 2 options.
Do the talking up front with the group and decide on your location – we can make it happen for you!
Dates / Time of year:
There are pros and cons to all times of year and depending on what your group is looking for, we can help recommend the best times for you at your preferred location.
- High season can have better weather but that will come at the cost of more people plus busier courses and hotels, thus less availability and higher prices.
- Off season can mean better pricing and smaller crowds but off seasons are off seasons for a reason – sometimes the weather can be a bit more unpredictable.
- Shoulder seasons (if they exist where you are travelling) can offer that interesting mid ground of slightly better pricing than high season with somewhat more consistent weather and smaller crowds but, as an example, going to the beach in Spain may not be possible in shoulder season even though the weather is good for golf.
There are pros and cons to all times of year and depending on what your group is looking for, we can help recommend the best times for you at your preferred location.
What course do you want to play?
This is the key element of the planning because golf is why you are going (for the most part….). Making great decisions at this point will make the trip a memorable one that everyone will enjoy.
A few key things to consider include:
This is the key element of the planning because golf is why you are going (for the most part….). Making great decisions at this point will make the trip a memorable one that everyone will enjoy.
A few key things to consider include:
- Do we want a bunch of courses in one area to minimize travel or are more spread-out course choices ok?
- Are you planning around a specific course (or 2) that you absolutely MUST play?
- You won an Old Course time and need to build around that very specific round.
- You absolutely need to play Valderrama.
- You read the great Tom Coyne book “A Course Called Ireland” about fantastic hidden gems you must see and play.
Some finer details you then want to consider are:
- How many rounds in total and per day for the trip? We HIGHLY recommend no more than 18 holes per day. You can get away with maybe a day or 2 of 36 if you insist but we have learned over the years that groups appreciate the opportunity to explore the destinations they are visiting and not just run from course to course where we find you end up exhausted and not remembering the greatness of each course anyway.
- Do we play every day, or do we want days off for more sight seeing?
- Are you looking to play all the “top courses”
- Do you want to explore a mix of some hidden gems (we can help with those recos) that offer a more unique golf experience and maybe even a slightly lower price?
What type of accommodation do we want?
Now that you’ve decided on your courses (or the “must have courses” at least), you can start to think accommodations. In this area, options are limitless. Everything from inns to hotels to villas to castles may be available to you depending on where you are going.
The key things we suggest you consider are:
Now that you’ve decided on your courses (or the “must have courses” at least), you can start to think accommodations. In this area, options are limitless. Everything from inns to hotels to villas to castles may be available to you depending on where you are going.
The key things we suggest you consider are:
- Location – do you want to be in the middle of all the action, close to the courses, in a quiet out of the way location etc.
- Quality of accommodation – using a hotel analogy, are you looking for 4*, maybe 5* deluxe or is simple and clean all you need?
- Amenities – what types of things do you need to make you trip memorable? Rooms with views of St Andrews Old Course, spas, suites or basic rooms, self catering options, on site restaurants etc.
Often time we hear “the hotel isn’t too important because really, all I do is sleep there”. That may be true for some people but keep in mind how much time you will be golfing (or doing other things) and you may be surprised how much time you actually will be spending at the hotel. The perfect hotel, or other accommodations, can really enhance a trip. Accommodations that don’t have all the amenities and / or location you prefer may save a few bucks and seem like a good deal but is it really?
What type of transportation do we want?
There are 3 main options you can consider:
Self Drive Rental:
Transfers:
Dedicated coach and driver
Having a driver at your beck and call seems to many like a luxury but it actually can be quite economical and practical, especially for groups of 6 or more.
There are 3 main options you can consider:
- Self Drive (ie: rental vehicle)
- Transfers (private, or not, transfers to and from your locations)
- Private coach and driver
Self Drive Rental:
- Often the most economical (although not always) you do need to keep in mind that there may be long drives and maybe that extra pint in the clubhouse after the round won’t be possible for the driver(s)
Transfers:
- You can arrange transfer to and from the airport and courses, even between hotels if you are changing during the trip. We do find these work well in places like St Andrews and the Algarve where all you really want is to get back and forth to the golf / airport and will be hanging out in the town your hotel is in for the remainder of the time.
Dedicated coach and driver
Having a driver at your beck and call seems to many like a luxury but it actually can be quite economical and practical, especially for groups of 6 or more.
- It may not be a whole lot more expensive than the other 2 options. In a larger group the cost is split across more people and it may actually be not that much more expensive than 2 or 3 rental vans or individual transfers.
- Having a local, and usually very personable and friendly, driver adds great value to the trip with interesting stories about the places you are traveling and some awesome recommendations of site and food.
- They will always be ready in the morning to take you to your round and there when you finish. They might even run an errand (did someone say beer run..) to help you out while you play.
- You can enjoy some beverages, cards or whatever during some of the longer drives you may need to take (depending on your course and hotel options of course).
- While there are time limits to how long they can drive per day you often you can at least get dropped off for dinner somewhere and then only need to figure out how to get home (and the driver will have reco’s for that as well!!).
Once we get the core trip booked for you, we will look at even finer details like caddies, tours, restaurant or spa reservations, tickets to local sporting events, etc, etc etc. No detail is too small when it comes to your perfect trip and we will work with you from start to return to make sure everything is in place to make your groups trip the best it can be.
Give us a call, be ready to answer some of the above questions, and get ready to plan your golf trip of a lifetime!
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