Golf Holidays – Things To Prepare Before Departure
Planning a standard holiday usually consists of a regular to-do list (visa applications/currency exchange/travel insurance/etc.). For the holidaying golfer, there are a number of additional items on their to-do list to check prior to travel to make sure your holiday goes well. The following should cover the essentials for most golfers.
Health: A basic first aid pack should be included in your suitcase. If you plan to golf most days then any minor injuries can build up over a few days (especially if they don’t get a chance to heal) so pack headache tablets, plasters, insect repellent, indigestion pills, diarrhoea medication, sun block/sun-screen, contact lenses (and spare ones), spectacles and travel sickness tablets. Also include any prescription medicine that your are currently taking (bring enough to cover your stay but not so much as to cause concern to border control/customs).
For extra comfort add some hot and cold packs to your suitcase to help relieve any strained muscles. If you are not used to golfing every day then the muscles could easily be over-exerted.
Tee-time Bookings: Phone or email the courses you are playing to confirm the tee times and bookings are still valid. Take a print out of all the course information you will require. This includes directions on how to get to the course, tee-times, any booking codes or references. You may already have this information if booking via an web-based booking system.
Clothing and Shoes: Check the dress code for each club you intend playing and prepare some suitable clothing. Pack a variety of clothing layers so you may add/subtract garments should the weather require it. Look up the short range weather report to see if you need to alter the balance of items (e.g. to include more layers if it is going to be cold/raining).
Inspect your rain gear for any damage and pack it in with your golf bag (so that it is always to hand). Clean your shoes of any soil (see the paragraph below) and inspect the cleats at the toe of the shoe are in good condition. Rotate damaged cleats to the heel so that the toe of the shoe has enough grip during the transition at the top of your back swing. Pack away wool hats, baseball caps and sunglasses.
Documentation: Check the club websites you are visiting for any dress codes they may have (some of the bigger courses will have codes, especially in the club house). Pack your PGA handicap if you are playing courses with a minimum handicap rule. Prepare any course information regarding tips on how to play the course, out-of-bounds, etc.
Golf Equipment: Check all your clubs are in a fit state and clean clubs and golf bag of any grit. Contaminated soil is a major concern in countries such as Australia and Ireland were farming industry can be decimated by bovine cattle diseases that can be brought into the country by visitors. Golden rule is to clean your shoes & clubs before departure.
Confirm you have an adequate stock of pencils, tees, golf balls, golf towels and gloves for the duration of the trip (you can pick these up at the holiday destination too) and that your umbrella is in working order.
Hopefully this list will go some way to making sure you have a care-free golfing vacation and don’t get caught out by those minor issues that can scupper a good trip.
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