How to prepare for your next golf break

You’ve browsed our site, spoken to our Golf Travel Experts and picked your courses. You’re good to go! Well, almost...at Golfbreaks, many of our packages have some great additional benefits which can be included in your trip.

Away from the course, this may be an upgraded hotel room or a round of drinks included in the price. However, there’s plenty we can do to also enhance your on-course experience. Speak to your expert to see whether buggies are included in your price. They’re a welcome addition to any round, particularly in hotter temperatures, and it often makes sense to book these well in advance, rather than hoping for one to be available once you’re on site.

Similarly, check to see if range balls are included in your package. Getting a good warm-up can be the difference-maker when you’re playing against your mates, particularly if you didn’t head into the golf trip on top form!

Another way to gain an advantage over your group is to scout out the golf courses beforehand. The Golfbreaks website is filled with information about our venues, giving you a good overview of each destination. However, if you’re looking to really gain a leg up, why not check out your courses on YouTube.

More often than not, our golf courses have been played by some of the world’s leading social influencers, including our friend The Jazzy Golfer, and this can be a great way to get familiar with a course before you step foot on the property. Taking it one stage further, for the true golf geeks, Google Earth is a brilliant tool for really getting to know a course. You can zoom in and pick your lines off each tee box beforehand… if you’re really getting impatient in the build-up to your trip!

Great news! Your pre-round planning went perfectly, and you managed to claim the spoils from your group. Where next to celebrate? As mentioned earlier, check with our team as to whether you have drinks discounts as part of your package, and be sure to kick back and talk your friends through what truly helped you make the difference en route to victory.

Once the gloating has come to a close, you’ll likely have two choices – back to the hotel or out into the local area. These options will differ greatly depending on where you're headed on your trip. For those stepping away from the hotel for the evening, our local guides for some of our hotspots including Vilamoura, Murcia, Lisbon and the Costa del Sol will give you an insight into the best places to visit. In busier months, you may want to check in with the bars and restaurants early to reserve your table.

The unique nature of every trip makes it tough for us to offer a blanket recommendation for what to do following the round, but the best place to start is always to chat with your Golf Travel Expert. Our team have been to every venue in the portfolio and are unrivalled when it comes to chatting through your evening options.

Much like the post-round planning, it really does pay to make sure you’ve got your travel plans sorted early. Check our website for any changes to local rules or entry requirements, and we’d always recommend visiting the Foreign Travel Advice website to ensure you’re fully up to speed on anything you might need on your way to and from your destination.

Once again, speak with your expert to see whether transfers are a part of your package. Many of our leading destinations such as Portugal and Turkey have these included, helping to really take the stress out of your journey to and from the venue. If you don’t have transfers included already these can be easily added post-booking if desired. Additionally, the team will be able to advise on how to pick up local buses, taxis, trains, or car hire too from all the major airports around the world.

The last thing to consider on travel is whether you’ll need to get around once on your trip. This is obviously not as much of a concern for UK trips, particularly those on-resort, but if you’re heading overseas, you need to consider how you’re getting to the course each day if it’s not based on-site. Many areas such as Vilamoura offer a free shuttle service between courses – but again, chat with your Golf Travel Eexpert to confirm before you fly!

Ok, you’ve done the admin. You know the course, you know how you’re getting there, you even know where you’re going for dinner. Do you still remember how to swing a club?! Fortunately, the internet isn’t short of golf instruction for those who may only play once a year or so on a golfing holiday.

However, for those that might want to put a little more practice in, why not book an overnight UK golf trip ahead of your bigger trip abroad. We’ve got prices starting from less than £75 for UK-based breaks, and these can be the perfect warmup for a bigger trip. The UK section of our website is overflowing with incredible offers, with our book online functionality for selected venues allowing you to get this all sorted in a matter of minutes.

Last big tip from us. Buying golfing gear on-trip can be expensive, be that loading up on golf balls, or replacing that putter which mysteriously ‘broke’ following the first round…

Our friends at Callaway have a huge choice of products across their site, with many of the world’s best, including Jon Rahm, trusting their equipment implicitly. Their Chrome Soft Golf Balls are some of the best on the planet, and you’ll likely find them at least 25% cheaper when buying before you go – versus in the club shop after 9 holes!

Lastly, and often much forgotten – have you got your glove? There’s nothing in golf quite like the feeling of a brand-new glove, and if yours has been sweatily scrunched up at the bottom of your bag for 12 months, it’s probably a good idea to treat yourself to a new one. Your hands (and your friends) will thank you!