The Game and The History / Golf Destinations

Golf Destinations

For those who want to take their knowledge of the game and its history to the golf course and try it for themselves, there are more than enough golf courses to choose from. Today there are more than 30,000 golf courses worldwide, though it is estimated that less than 1 percent of the world’s population plays golf.

PLACES TO PLAY

It is not much of a challenge to find a golf course these days. Even the residents of smaller, rural towns can drive just a few minutes in any direction and come across a golf course that is open to the public. Some estimates state that golf is played in nearly 200 nations around the world, though only a fraction of one percent of the earth’s surface is devoted to golf courses.

For example, according to www.golfdigest.com, there are only three or four populous places on the earth where golf is not played. Players hit the little white ball as far north as Greenland and as far south Argentina. There are as many golf courses in the United States as there are in most of the other countries combined.

PUBLIC GOLF COURSES

What is a public golf course? These are courses for the public, the common man, the every day Joe who wants to enjoy the game. Contrast this with private courses and club courses, which require you to be a member or play with a member. These latter courses can be more expensive to play.

The National Association of Public Golf Courses, www.napgc.org.uk, based in the United Kingdom, has more than 100 members. This group hosts about 20 competitions during the year, all played on courses open and available to the golfing public. For instance, 2006 events included both Men’s and Ladies’ Championships of England, as well as Junior Championship, Senior Championship and the UK Public Courses Championship.

In the United States, the USGA, www.usga.org, oversees the country’s Public Links Championship. The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship has been contested since 1922 “giving exposure to many public golf course players who may not otherwise have an opportunity to compete in a national championship.” Interest in this unique competition grew because of the huge numbers of players who took up the game after World War I. These people played on municipal courses and daily-fee courses around the country.

It is said that only about half of the 140 people who played in the first competition wore golf shoes. Today more than 6,000 play in the annual tournament. What distinguishes this championship from others supervised by the USGA? One example from the early years involved the President of the United States. Warren G. Harding expressed interest in playing in the Public Links Championship, but his membership in at least one private club eliminated that possibility.

According to the USGA, this tournament continues to attract bus drivers, waiters, college students and firemen, all looking for the opportunity to win a prestigious national event. The Public Links has been the first step in some professional careers, including that of Masters winner George Archer.

DAILY FEE GOLF IN THE U.S.

Following are some examples of the excellent opportunities to play golf on a public course in the United States.

Alabama boasts some of the best golf vacation opportunities in the country, many of them on public golf courses. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail contains 18 perfectly-manicured courses created by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr. This trail extends about 100 miles through Alabama and offers tests and challenges for golfers of all levels.

Public golf courses in the state of Illinois date back as far as 1893, when a group of enthusiasts built a course near Downers Grove. As far back as 1925, a public course, Jackson Park, was the busiest public golf course in the world.

Georgia is a mecca for golfers, with the site of the Masters in Augusta, the Atlanta courses and the many public courses that sweep through the Georgia pines.

According to most counts, California has nearly 600 public courses at which a golfer can play for a daily fee. These courses are located on the seashore, in the mountains, in municipal parks and at many other gorgeous locations.

Many of the championship golf courses used for USGA tournaments are public courses. Some of the more famous names are Bethpage State Park in New York, Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, Cog Hill in Illinois, Torrey Pines in California and Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon. These well-known courses may carry a slightly higher daily fee, but they are open to the public.

A few examples of the most affordable public courses:

The River G.C. in North Augusta, S.C. - $37-$45

El Diablo G.C. in Citrus Springs, FL. - $25-$35

Pilgrim’s Run G.C. in Pierson, MI. - $35-$45

Cobblestone G.C. in Kendallville, IN. - $34-$38

Red Hawk Ridge G.C. in Castle Rock, CO. - $40-$50

PRIVATE COURSES AND CLUBS

In contrast to the daily fee and municipal courses in nearly every community across the country, a certain section of golfers get their enjoyment at a private course or country club. What sets these sites apart from public golf courses is an annual membership fee. In addition, many of these clubs have a spending requirement for members. Non-members may get the opportunity to play these courses, but this usually requires an invitation from a member. Most clubs insist that a non-member only play with a member in the group.

For example, Firestone Country Club, long used for professional tournaments such as the World Series of Golf, is a private club. So is Canterbury in Cleveland, Ohio. Castle Pines in Colorado, site of a number of professional tournaments, is a private club. However, a brief look at the list of golf courses in every state shows that the public courses outnumber the private courses by a large margin.

GOLF VACATION SITES

So, with this information in hand, where are some good places to go for a golf vacation? Again, the choices are numerous, more than one golfer could get to in a lifetime of play.

Following are some of the best public golf courses. These are in the Golf Digest top 100.

Pebble Beach Golf Links - Pebble Beach, California

Pinehurst Resort & Country Club - Pinehurst, North Carolina

Harbour Town Golf Links - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Blackwolf Run (River Course) - Kohler, Wisconsin

Bay Hill - Orlando, Florida

Otter Creek – Columbus, Indiana

The Harvester – Rhodes, Iowa

Sugarloaf Golf Course – Carrabassett Valley, Maine

Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club – Jackson, Wyoming

Bay Creek Golf Course – Cape Charles, Virginia

This list includes just a fraction of the public golf courses available for wonderful golf vacations.

But how do you get all the arrangements in order for a pleasant golf vacation? One of the best ways is to work with a travel agent or another professional who specializes in golf vacation packages. Many of these individuals have not only studied the industry and keep up with prices and changes, but have also travelled to the golf destinations and played the courses.

A golf vacation does not have to be an extremely expensive adventure either. Many of the best golf courses and resorts have very reasonable package prices for the golfer who can only visit occasionally. For example, you can spend three nights in Orlando and play four rounds of golf for less than $400. Of course, you will have travel expenses (car, plane) but the price is not out of reach for most golfers.

If you would rather play at one of the favorite sites for a golf vacation on the east coast, try Myrtle Beach, where golf packages start at $200 for three rounds of golf and lodging. Playing in the Arizona desert sun is also an option. Several companies offer golf packages at the numerous Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson courses. These folks will provide a quote that includes lodging and golf. Just ask.

You can certainly try a golf vacation in the country where it all began. Golf packages for Scotland’s many fine courses are available through several companies with decades of experience helping players travel to the home of golf. A sample itinerary for St. Andrews and other links courses includes six days of golf with rental car. The Glasgow/Edinburgh airport is hub for the trip. Tourist class/guest house rates begin at about 1271 English pounds. This package includes such famous courses as Carnoustie and Prestwick.

TAKING YOUR CLUBS ALONG

If you are planning to drive to your golf vacation destination, carrying your clubs in the trunk of the car or the back of the SUV solves most of the transportation problems. If this is your method of getting to your favorite golf site, take a few minutes to make sure you have all the clubs in the bag. It may sound strange, but it is certainly no fun to arrive for a few days of golf at a beautiful location only to find that your 8 iron is at home, because your son or daughter took it out of the bag for practice.

It is probably a good idea to pack plenty golf balls, gloves and tees as well, so you will not have to spend extra cash for these items when you arrive. Keep those dollar bills for drinks, tips and other items.

CLUBS ON THE AIRPLANE

If you are flying to your destination, the challenges of taking clubs along become a bit more complicated. But over the years, several companies have made this task much easier. The first thing you will want to do is decide what type of club carrier you will need.

These come in two basic types: hard and soft. Hard bags may be the obvious best choice because they will provide ultimate protection for your clubs. These special cases are a bit more expensive than soft cases and may set you back $200, $300 or more. But this can be money well spent if you have an expensive set of clubs. The hard case will more than pay for itself if you are a frequent air traveller and golfer. If you decide to use a soft case, leave the clubs in your golf bag, put the rain hood over the clubs and then place the entire set in the travel bag.

Some tips and pointers for taking your golf clubs with you:

Make sure you understand the airlines requirements for taking golf clubs along. Ask about the airline company requirements and the Transportation Safety Administration regulations.

Be prepared to pay a little extra for oversized luggage or to pay shipping charges when your clubs are checked in. If you are not sure, ask. It is better than being surprised.

Golf clubs are not permitted as carry-on luggage. Be sure that you sign a damage waiver if you use a soft bag for sending your clubs. Most airlines will not take them unless you do this.

Be prepared to have all your luggage checked for security reasons, including your golf clubs. Allow plenty of time for this process.

WHEN YOU GET THERE

There are a few simple things to think about once you arrive at your golf destination. The first thing you should do is to try to relax. It is easy to get excited and rush to the course, then play poorly. This is a sure-fire way to start your vacation on the wrong foot. It may be best to make sure all your possessions are safely stowed in your room and to make sure your golf clubs arrived safely.

A quick check of the clubs and bag is probably a good idea. Some people have reported that the clubs and bag were in fine shape when they arrived, but golf balls and other small items were missing from the bag. This is rare, but it can happen.

One question you will have to answer when you play at a new course: Should we walk or ride? The vast majority of vacation golfers ride, using one of the electric carts provided by the course. Generally this is part of the golf package if you have worked with a travel agent or the resort. But make sure your golf cart is part of the package so you will not be surprised by having to pay the extra fee when you get to the clubhouse. Again, this is usually not a problem, but it is better to make sure.

Another item you might want to settle when you are planning your golf vacation: Do I get one round per day, two rounds per day, or can I play as much as I want? Be sure to have this settled when before you leave. Make sure you understand what is included in your golf package. A few minutes for the details will eliminate many small problems once you get to your dream golf destination.

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