Are you looking for tips for planning a couples’ golf weekend? Check out these 8 tips that will make your weekend memorable!
Mini breaks are growing in popularity as the normality of the post-COVID world begins to take shape and we’re able to travel and enjoy our surroundings again. These weekend-long holidays that focus on destinations that are within a few hours’ drive are a fun and relaxing way of spending quality time together with a loved one and exploring your surroundings.
If you and your significant other both enjoy playing golf, a couples’ golf weekend can be one of the most perfect getaways you can have together. You’ll get to spend time in the great outdoors together on the course, and enjoy the local sights off the course, away from your normal lives and chores that you face at home every day.
Set Your Budget
As with any holiday, you’ll want to make sure you don’t spend too much or go too cheap and not enjoy it. Set a budget and use that to determine the choices you make in how you’ll get around, which hotels you stay at, the restaurants you’ll eat at and even what courses you’ll play. The budget is the key to making decisions for your trip. Even if it’s just a weekend, you should still set a budget and stick to it. If you’re taking your golf cart along on a trailer and have some room in your budget, why not do some shopping before you go and consider picking up some new golf cart accessories and supplies, particularly since you can get them all in one place.
Go With Another Couple
There is more than one advantage in inviting another golfing couple along with you. You can share expenses like fuel and often booking together will make some things cheaper. Apart from the company and the memories you’ll make together, you’ll also have a full four-ball when you hit the golf courses. Of course, going with another couple might mean there’s less chance for the weekend to be a romantic getaway, but there will be plenty of opportunities for that when its’ not a golf weekend!
Choose Your Destination
You can either choose the courses you want to play first and then worry about the location, or you can choose a destination first and then find the golf courses. Either way, the destination is an important part of the trip. Decide how far you want to go and work your way from the closest destination to the furthest until you find somewhere that sounds intriguing and you’re both keen to visit. Apart from the golf courses, look for a nice and affordable hotel and restaurants that appeal to you, and make reservations in advance to make sure they can accommodate you for your chosen weekend.
Research the Courses
Now comes the fun part! Decide how many rounds of golf you want to play on your weekend away and start to have a look at the golf courses in the area. Look at the online reviews, price per round, difficulty level and par and find courses that suit your skill, ability and preferences. A common mistake people make when planning a golf weekend is wanting to play at big signature courses but not considering that they might not enjoy them because the course might be too difficult for their abilities. The popularity of these signature courses might also mean that the course is going to be very busy, which will decrease the enjoyment of a relaxing round of golf. This is the reason you’re going, so do your research and make your bookings before you leave home.
Check the Weather Report
Don’t get caught in the rain by not checking what the weather report looks like for the weekend that you’re planning for. Look at what the chance of rain is for the weekend, but also consider other factors, like wind as that will affect how much you enjoy your time on the course. Don’t be afraid to plan an indoor backup activity for wherever you’re going if the weather doesn’t cooperate with your golf plans for the day. There’s nothing wrong with a round of indoor mini-golf or driving practice if you don’t want to endure the wind and rain outside.
Make a Packing List
Don’t get to your destination and realize you’ve forgotten to pack something important for the trip. There are plenty of templates available online for packing for a trip that you can use to make sure you pack everything you need. A great way of packing for your couples’ golf weekend is to make two separate lists – one for your normal weekend trip clothing and items and another for your golf kit and check through them twice before you zip your bags closed.
Take Extra of Everything
You’re not going to be in a familiar area, and the price of equipment might be more than you’re used to, so you don’t necessarily want to replace things while you’re on holiday. While you’re packing your golf equipment, take a few more of everything. This means a few extra golf balls, tees, and an extra glove. It might seem excessive but if you have a bad round and lose some golf balls or break some tees, you’ll be thankful you put a few extra in.
Plan Your Other Activities
It’s not just golf that you should plan for on your weekend. Just like those inside activities you should plan for in case of bad weather, have a look at your destination and the interesting things they might have to see and do there and work some into your weekend. If you book an early tee-off time, it should be pretty easy to have some free time in the afternoon to visit some of the local museums or tourist attractions. If it’s just the two of you, why not book a romantic meal while the kids aren’t around?
Your couples’ golf weekend away is a wonderful opportunity to spend some real quality time with each other enjoying the sport that you both enjoy and taking a break from the fast pace of the day-to-day life that so often makes spending this quality time together so difficult.
