Planning your next golf trip should be exciting, not overwhelming. What starts as a great idea in the group chat can quickly spiral into a headache of coordinating schedules, budgets, and battling for tee times. This guide will walk you through exactly how to book a golf trip from start to finish. We’ll cover everything from choosing your destination and crew to locking in the logistics and managing the money, so your only worry is sticking that approach shot on 18.
Before you even think about destinations like Bandon Dunes or Pinehurst, the most important step is getting your group on the same page. The dynamic of the group will define the entire trip, so it’s important to align expectations from the very beginning. A trip can fall apart quickly if one person is imagining a budget-friendly weekend of 36 holes a day while another is expecting a laid-back, resort-style vacation with fine dining.
Get a clear picture of who is serious about going. A simple message in the group chat like, "Hey everyone, seriously thinking about planning a golf trip for this fall. Who's genuinely interested?" is a great starting point. Once you have your core group, you need to understand everyone's non-negotiables. Consider factors like:
The best way to sort this out is to ask. A quick poll in your group chat or a shared document where people can list their preferences can prevent a lot of friction down the road. The goal is to design a trip that everyone will enjoy, not just the low-handicapper who lives and breathes golf.
Once you understand the group, decide on the trip's purpose and budget. Is this a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to a world-renowned resort, or is it a more frequent, budget-conscious long weekend? Setting a realistic, all-in budget early is probably the most important action you can take. This isn’t just the cost of golf, it's the total estimated cost per person.
Think about breaking it down like this:
Having a loose budget helps narrow down your destination choices immediately. A $1,000 per person budget points you toward different options than a $5,000 per person budget. Transparency here is your best friend.
With a vision and a budget, the fun part begins: picking a place. The options can feel endless, but they generally fall into a few categories.
As you weigh your options, put them through this checklist:
You’ve picked your destination. Now it's time to make it happen. Organization and a clear timeline are your best tools during this phase.
A good plan follows a logical sequence. Trying to book things out of order can lead to problems, like having flights but no tee times.
You essentially have two choices for booking your golf:
Your lodging choice sets the tone for your downtime. Consider these options:
Pro Tip: Before you book, pull up Google Maps. Map the distance between your potential lodging and ALL of the courses you plan to play. A seemingly perfect house isn't so perfect if it adds 45 minutes of driving to each end of your day.
With everything booked, the final step is managing the small details that make a trip run smoothly.
Money can be a source of stress if not handled well. Designate a trip "treasurer" to handle group payments. I highly recommend collecting estimated costs for the big-ticket items (golf and lodging) upfront. This prevents you from being on the hook for thousands of dollars.
For on-trip expenses like meals, gas, and groceries, use an app like Splitwise. Everyone can log what they paid for, and the app keeps a running, transparent tally of who owes who. This completely avoids the awkward financial reckoning at the end of the trip.
Create a master itinerary in a shared Google Doc or Sheet. Include flight arrival/departure times, lodging address, rental car info, tee times, pairings, and dinner reservations. This single source of truth prevents a thousand questions and keeps everyone on the same page.
Don't forget to plan the on-course games! Decide ahead of time what formats you’ll play (Nassau, Stableford, team best-ball, etc.) and what the stakes are. Establishing this beforehand makes the first-tee experience smooth and fun.
Finally, as the trip architect, remember to build in some breathing room. A 36-hole day followed by a late steak dinner sounds epic, but trying to do that every day is a recipe for exhaustion. Schedule some downtime. Let the group recharge. After all, the point is to enjoy yourself.
Booking a great golf trip comes down to solid planning. By sorting out your group's expectations, picking the right destination for your budget and vibe, and locking down the details well in advance, you set the stage for an unforgettable experience on and off the course.
And when you’re finally standing on that bucket-list course, you can take all the guesswork out of how to play each hole. We designed Caddie AI to be an on-demand expert right in your pocket. Instead of wondering about the smart play on an unfamiliar hole or what to do from a tricky lie in the rough, you can get instant, simple advice. This allows you to play with more confidence and focus on what the trip is all about: hitting great shots and enjoying the game with your friends.
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