If you are a golfer that really enjoys the game and you want to combine your love of golf with a vacation, then this article will give you some ideas to plan the perfect golf vacation. The initial idea opens up dozens of possibilities for a family trip or a golfing-buddies trip.

Before you jump in the car or plane to start hitting golf balls in the sunshine of a foreign country or even a different state, the potential golf vacationer has to think about what the ideal golf trip will included so that you can plan the perfect golf vacation.

The same with any vacation, you have to include some key elements when planning a golf trip; how long will you be staying, how do you plan to pay for the trip, what is the estimated cost, what other extras will you include, and so forth. The most important consideration is if any of your family or friends don’t golf, then what other activities would they enjoy. The next thing to consider is where you want to play golf; near the beach, in the mountains, or on the links of England or Scotland.

Some basic planning will eliminate many small problems and can greatly improve the chances of a worry-free vacation. As you begin to plan the perfect golf vacation it may be best to write down some thoughts about an ideal golf trip, breaking the subject into a few areas to focus on. Here are some categories to get started with:

* Set a general time of the year for the trip (a few months in the future; a year in the future)

* Decide how many days and rounds of golf will be included in the trip (don’t overdo it!)

* Decide on a range of prices for the full trip ($1500 to $3500, $4000 to $6000, for example)

* How many people who will be in the group

* Decide on who will go on the trip - just golfers, family etc.

* Get some golf trip information together from golf magazines, library, Web sites etc.

* If you have friends who have been on a golf vacation, ask them if they made their own plans, purchased a golf package vacation, used a travel agent, etc.

Of course, you can follow up this original planning by making all the travel, hotel and golf arrangements on your own. Here are a few tips if you want to take care of the arrangements yourself.

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.

When making your own arrangements without using the help of a travel agency, you could contact different organizations in the area that you will be visiting. An example of this is that you can contact the Myrtle Beach group in South Carolina that specializes in golf vacations. You can do this with the golf courses in Arizona as the Phoenix area offers the same assistance, as do the many golf resorts in the state.

In this case, you select your favorite golf courses, then contact your selected accommodation, and ask for the Golf Director. They can book your lodging and tee times right there. This is a combination of making your own decisions while relying on the expertise and local knowledge of golf vacation specialists.

By doing most of the planning yourself, you will no doubt have a extra challenges and work, but you and your group will have the benefit of more freedom and a sense of achievement. Remember to set your standards as high as you want and then decrease them to a controllable limit if you realize that your budget will not stretch to an overseas destination like the Bahamas, Scotland, or Spain.

Make sure you have lodging in place, and then plan to play courses within a reasonable distance. Minimum travel to and from golf courses is very important. In addition, you should make these arrangements as early as possible to give you and your friends the best opportunities available. If you wait too long, then decide to go to your original choice of destination anyway, you may end up with less than favorable rooms and less than favorable tee times. Some recommendations for getting the lodging set first:

* Consider a rental house with enough room for everyone

* Try to have a separate bed for each person

* Think again about the driving time to the golf courses if you choose a rental home over hotel lodgings on or near a golf course

* Early morning tee times may allow an additional 18 holes in the afternoon. Being close to the house makes the course more attractive as it saves time

* If you want to play golf and watch a major tournament that is taking place in the area then plan for lodging even earlier.

Another item you might want to settle when you plan the perfect golf vacation: Do you get one round per day, two rounds per day, or can you play as much as you want? Be sure to have this settled before you leave. Tip: 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 golf destination.

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