Tim BrancoForget Trying to Book your Dream Golf Vacation Alone
More and more golf travelers are finding few choices at golf’s most storied destinations for a golf vacation. In the past, booking online direct may have worked for the most part, but today it’s an entirely different game best left to the pros.
As golfers, we yearn to find new places to play, and new horizons in the game to discover. Once hooked on golf, we all watch the game played by professionals at some of the most incredible destinations worldwide.
Golf travel has become one of the largest economic sectors in the golf industry across the globe. While we all have our own “bucket list” of places to play in the U.S. and abroad, that list in many ways is pretty much the same for us all.
Having said that, the one thing that the coronavirus left us all with after years of being cooped up, is a new sense of urgency to finally fulfill the destinations on that list.
The Old Course, St. Andrews
The very words “golf bucket list” have brought millions of golfers to the same reality: If not now, when?
This has created a major issue with many of the top golf travel destinations that none of us ever expected to see. Fully booked hotel accommodations, limited access to tee times, and having to settle for second or even third choices on dates, prime seasons, and preferred courses.
Travelers planning a golfing vacation to prestigious courses in Ireland, Scotland and other UK destinations have seen this trend now for over a year. The same is true at top U.S. destinations, like Pebble Beach, Kohler, Bandon Dunes, Big Cedar, Pinehurst, and many others as well.
The reality is that open reservations during prime times with preferred tee times are a hot commodity. For some playing pre-dusk tee times is fine, but for most, the full experience with a great itinerary is a must.
Some of the UK’s top venues are selling out, not just this year, but well into 2024, due in part to growing confidence in international travel among wealthy Americans.
The days of booking your own “bucket list” golf travel vacations today are best left to the seasoned professionals, who have built their business models on having the access to the top golf travel destinations in the world.
They are well connected, deeply vested, and have years of experience at successfully building great golf travel memories for their clients. Many have garnished top hotel bookings in prime periods and reserved already the very best in tee times at many of the greatest venues, including the Old Course, New Course, Jubilee Course in St Andrews and have access to many of the greatest British Open venues as well.
It is not only their investment in inventory that keeps their golf travel business vital, but more importantly, it’s their long-standing personal relationships with many of the hotels and courses in prime golf travel locations, who they have worked with in good times and bad, that are key today to getting that perfect golf vacation.
In most cases you will find better value, more secured itineraries and most importantly, concierge service for your dream golf experience.
Planning Far Enough in Advance
The first step to any magnificent golf journey may start with the internet for research on where to go.
The next step and the most important with trips like this, is talk to a golf travel professional. Few travel professionals have the extensive golf knowledge of golf tour operators, who will most times already know all the answers you need.
Depending on your golfing destination, you will most likely need to book at least 8 months to 16 months in advance, which will ensure that you get to play on the courses you want to at the time of year you plan to go.
Also, booking far in advance allows you to get better rates, find better airfare, accommodations, and most important prime course tee times.
Note: Many well-connected golf tour operators have pre-planned group excursions to Ireland, Scotland, and top UK destinations multiple times yearly. They may have openings in these trips or cancellations you could take advantage of as well.
The best way for overseas travelers to get a spot on the Old Course is via an authorized provider golf travel professional. Sean Winton at Distincte Travel for decades has provided custom packaged golf vacations worldwide.
Reach out to Sean for any questions on any of the top destinations in golf: https://www.distincte.com
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