Eventually the most avid golfers decide to travel and play golf, combining a vacation with a few rounds of golf on one of the world's best courses. But this dream trip should not be taken lightly. With golf holidays, the trip should be planned carefully, and the plan should include these and other key items: length of stay, how to pay, what will family members or other members of the group do while the golfers are playing? Careful thought should be given to the details of the trip. In fact, a written list of the main items is a great idea.

For starters, here are a few tips that can help make the trip go more smoothly:

• How many days or rounds of golf (don’t overdo it!)
  
  
• A range of prices for the entire trip
  
  
• Who will go on the trip – just golfers, family, friends etc.
  
  
• Ask friends if they made their own golf holiday plans, used a travel agent, purchased a golf package etc.

After some preliminary planning, in many cases you can contact the resort or club you have chosen and ask for the Golf Director or vacation director. These professionals can often secure your lodging and tee times immediately, taking care of a couple of key elements of great golf holidays. The combination of making your own careful plans and getting at least some assistance from a travel or golf tour professional will go a long way toward making the vacation more enjoyable.

Choosing A Destination

By most counts in golf guidebooks and from golf associations, there are more than 31,000 golf courses around the world. Many of the golf courses considered the best for golf holidays (by globe-hopping players) are in England, Scotland and the U.S. But there are many excellent courses in locations outside these "traditional" spots. Several golf courses and resorts on the top lists can be found in Australia, Canada, Portugal and Spain. As the game of golf continues to grow worldwide more of the favourite courses showing up on the “top” lists are in places such as the Dominican Republic, France, Argentina, South Korea and China.

Golf holidays are available as a package at nearly every destination, even those that are not Palm Springs, Las Vegas and the Caribbean. These trips are generally quite affordable. For example, one company offers a three-night package that includes golf and hotel, at a major resort, for $799 per person (double occupancy). Tip: Prices for most golf holidays vary with season, with the course you choose to play and the level of accommodations. Lodgings are always considered in these family-oriented programs. For example, a golf resort in a popular area of North Carolina has two-bedroom condominiums in the $400 to $800 range. (£200-£400).

While many golfers who go on a golf holiday close to home will drive a personal vehicle, some of the most exciting golf holidays involve travelling to another country or continent. If your golf holiday will include air travel, here are a couple of basic tips that can smooth the airport/airplane process:

• Ask about airline company requirements for transporting golf clubs and about Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) regulations.
  
  
• It is possible you will have to pay extra for oversized luggage or pay shipping charges when clubs are checked in. If you are not sure, ask.
  

Whether it's a short drive to one of your favourite courses, or a flight to some distant resort, careful planning can make the golf holiday even more special.