Booking an International Golf Trip
Top 5 Tips for Booking an International Golf Trip
K Club in Ireland. The site of our first international golf trip 2023.
We have been wanting to host a group of golfers in a great location for a golf trip for years. We are finally putting it into action and we are heading to…Ireland! As we continue to plan this trip, we realize how much work goes into it and we thought it might be helpful to have a short list of the 5 most important things to know or keep in mind when planning an international golf trip.
Work with a reputable company
When booking an international retreat, you can always plan all the logistics yourself but that’s a ton of work, hours, and money that you could be doing something else. Our opinion: leave the planning to the experts. It will be worth the extra money you play to have someone else handle the dirty work. We decided to work with a company called Perry Golf. Perry Golf was established in 1984 and they are one of the leaders in golf trip planning in Europe. We were recommended by a golf student and after a great conversation with the owner, Gordon, we realized it was important to have someone on the ground who knew what they were doing. This company handles accommodations, tee times, transportation, and logistics for all of our guests. This takes a huge weight off our shoulders.
Get recommendations on your retreat or trip leaders
Your retreat leaders should not only be knowledgeable about golf but also have experience leading and traveling with groups, knowledge of local customs, and most importantly, they need to be enjoyable to be around. If you don’t know your retreat leader, you should at least have a reference or know something about them before signing on.
Make sure your passport is up-to-date
This may seem like a no-brainer but I have heard of experiences where all the travel planning had been done, deposits paid, flights booked, only to find out 2 days before the trip that passports are expired! Ouch! Which leads to the next point…
Know your cancellation policy
These trips take a ton of logistical planning so very often there is no refund the 60 days leading up to the trip. Life events can sometimes be tricky when it comes to health, travel, and family so know what you are getting into before you book. We ALWAYS recommend on a trip over $3000, that you purchase travel insurance. There are multiple ways to insure your travel so you aren’t out the full amount if something happens to derail your plans.
Be prepared for golf, golf, and more golf
Keep in mind that when traveling to Europe, you will very often have to walk 18 holes. More often than not, courses in the UK do not have carts and you will have to walk the entire 18 holes. This can be physically exhausting for many people, especially when you are playing multiple days in a row.
International travel can be tricky and intimidating and adding in golf can make it even harder to organize. We hope these little tips will help you as you plan. If you are interested in joining us on our Ireland Golf Trip, we have 14 spaces available, click the button to view the itinerary and reserve your spot!