Golf Holidays – Pre-Trip Checklist To Ensure A Great Golfing Vacation
Preparing for a regular holiday consists of a fairly standard to do list. A golf holiday requires some extra action items to confirm in the week before departing that will help the holiday go smoothly and ensure you get to golf. The following items cover the fundamentals for most holidaying golfers.
Medication & First Aid: A simplified first-aid kit should be prepared for packing. If you intend golfing each day then any minor injuries can really take their toll over your holiday so prepare to bring aspirin, plasters, insect repellent, indigestion tablets, diarrhoea medicine, sunscreen, contact lenses (and spare ones), spectacles and travel sickness medicine.
The first aid kit could be purchased on arrival at your holiday destination but in truth that would be cutting into your holiday time and may work out more expensive (depending on the destination). After your holiday the first aid kit can be useful or kept in your car. For extra comfort during your holiday, try to also bring hot and cold packs (there are several varieties; re-usable/single use/etc).
Tee-time Bookings: Phone or email the courses you are playing to confirm the tee times and bookings are still valid. Take a print out of all the course information you will require. This includes directions on how to get to the course, tee-times, any booking codes or references. You may already have this information if booking via an web-based booking system.
Garments: Pack enough layers of tops, t-shirts, polo shirts and socks for your trip. Factor in the possibility of being rained on given the destination and ensure you have enough clothing to last the trip. Layers work better than bulky clothes as you can add/subtract a t-shirt/top depending on the weather.
Pack your rain gear in with your golf bag so that it is always there (don’t leave it in your suitcase). Repair any broken cleats on your shoes. Pack away sunglasses warm woolen hats (if needed) and baseball caps. Make sure all clothing, especially shoes, is clean and free of soil (see below).
Documentation: Read over the golf course websites you will be visiting to see if they have any course guides, specific rules (out-of-bounds/dress codes/etc) and yardage information. If you are used to playing in meters as opposed to yards (or vice versa) then prepare your own crib sheet for yard-to-meters translation. Check if courses require proof of your handicap and pack away your P.G.A. handicap proof. This can be required on championship courses.
Golf Equipment: Count and clean your clubs prior to departure. Airport Border control at some countries (British Isles, New Zealand, Australia) are rightly concerned about contaminated soil containing remnants of mad cow disease so are prone to checking visitors sports shoes and equipment for soil. If soil is found then they will provide cleaning facilities before allowing you entry to the country.
Then there is the regular golf paraphernalia to stock up on. Check you have plenty of pencils, tees, golf balls and gloves.
The intention of this checklist is to guarantee you get to spend as much quality time as possible golfing during your vacation. Have a great holiday and don’t forget your umbrella!
Looking for European golfing breaks? For the perfect golf holiday Algarve, Estoril and the other Portuguese regions have it all. Visit the Golf Holidays Portugal Guide website to learn more.
