Seven steps to plan your golf getaway
Are you itching to book a getaway for 2025? Nearing the end of the calendar year, there’s a lot to think about. There’s all the holiday preparations - the gifts, the gatherings, and the traditions.
If you’re like me, I’m escaping from the holiday rush by daydreaming about my golf plans for 2025. Why not take an awesome girls golf trip next year? You deserve it.
Here are 7 steps to plan your golf getaway
(And if you’d rather not plan a single thing, and you just want to book it and follow the itinerary, there are some great trips being announced soon… I’ll link them below).
Get a group together
With busy schedules that fill up quickly, you may need to solicit interest a few months in advance of when you want to go. Nailing down a date can be challenging the more people you have.
Consider keeping the group to 4, 8 or a max of 12 people.
If you have multiple “planners” in the group, it’s nice if you can divide the logistics tasks across 2 or 3 people. A collaborative approach here is ideal so that it’s not all on one person to plan.
2. Determine a budget
Float the numbers for the budget within the group and make sure everyone is on the same page. It may work best to agree on a budget within a certain range. Then in the next steps play the game to see how much value you can get out of that number. Remember to consider all of the expenses: airfare, lodging, food & drink, and the golf.
3. Decide on a destination
When considering a destination, keep in mind the time of year you are planning to go. You’d probably want to stay away from Florida in the heat of summer, for example. On the other hand, if it’s peak golf season at your targeted destination then you can expect prices will be pretty high.
Here are some popular year-round golf destinations:
Scottsdale, Arizona
Palm Springs, California
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Las Vegas, Nevada
Orlando, Florida
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Remember to look close to home: Some of my most fun golf memories have been made just a few hours drive away from Cincinnati, so you might to google “stay and play golf near me” to see if there are some local-ish tracks that would be fun to check out.
4. Book accommodations & tee times
If your destination has “stay and play” discount packages then you’ll book your lodging and tee times all on the same booking checkout page or phone call.
Plan as much as you can in advance. A travel agent will be able to coordinate a lot of it for you, but it may come with the cost of the commission. If you prefer to book directly with the golf course and hotels, then you could save some money versus going through a travel site.
Are there any other attractions that your group wants to check out while you’re in that area? Remember to buy tickets for those attractions or make those spa appointments well in advance.
I recommend planning food ahead as well. If you have access to a kitchen, save money by making breakfast & lunches at the vacation home. If you will be eating out, make reservations where you are able.
5. Plan to pack your clubs
There are two main types of golf travel bags: soft shell or hard shell. Hard shell can help protect your clubs better through air travel. However, in my experience, the hard-shell is very cumbersome to manage through an airport. The case itself is a lot heavier than the soft-shell bag and it has absolutely no give. The soft-shell is a lot easier for my 5’4” frame to manage, to be honest.
Check with the airline ahead of time to see what is their policy in the case of damage. You might consider using a shipping service such as ShipSticks.
6. Pack for your trip
You don’t want to be doing laundry on your getaway - so plan to pack a golf outfit for each day you’re there. Check the weather and pack layers. Don’t forget things like windbreakers, hats and gloves, if needed. Other items you’ll want to pack:
Golf shoes
Sunblock
Sunglasses
Advil - you’ll probably be playing a lot more than usual and you might be sore!
7. Make memories
One of my favorite things to do is take First Tee Photos! Standing at that first tee, maybe in front of a clock or other signature course landmark, smiling as you are just about to embark on the new challenge that’s ahead of you… makes for GREAT memories.
Aaaand… if you save your scorecards, later in the year you can make a holiday ornament by following my blog post: Turn your scorecard into a holiday keepsake.
If you want it all done for you…
Check out these two organizations who are announcing trips for 2025 very soon. You’ll pay a premium to attend these retreats, but you will have every detail planned for you. I have never been on one of these trips but they look so fun! I have heard really great things about them both.
Tori Totlis - check out her Retreats & Tournaments, they sell out quickly!
Fore the Ladies - has several trips planned including Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst and Scotland - check out their events page.
Iron Lady Golf - another fabulous organization which has 4 major trips planned for 2025
If you know of other coordinated women’s golf trips that you’d recommend, leave a comment.
