How to host a Golf Trip for the ages
It’s Saturday and you’re standing on the 18th green of a remote golf course surrounded by 11 of your closest mates, some off low handicaps, some high. A few drinks always evens out the playing field, so who’s really paying attention.
For me, weekends away playing golf with a group of your closest mates is one of my favourite past times, and will continue to be for as long as I’m able to play the great game of golf. We’ve developed a certain recipe to a great golf weekend away, which we’ve been crafting over many years, sure to make your next golf weekend away an unforgettable one.
Step 1 - Choosing Dates
Whether it’s a group of 4, 8, 12, 16 or 20 (groups of 4 are always best), locking in a weekend that fits everyone’s schedule is HARD. Planning a weekend away at least 3-4 months in advance is your best bet for availabilities, both in attendees and locations. Messenger polls are a great way to herd your undoubtedly disorganised playing partners to align on a date!
Step 2 - Location location location
Choosing a location that’s not too close, not too far, doesn’t break the bank, is new to most, and decent quality is also no small feat. We like to cast a 2-hour by car radius and look for the best public access golf deals at courses within that range. You want to strike the balance between it feeling like a holiday, but without all the travel logistical hassle.
The trick with choosing a location is to make sure you can find 2x quality golf courses that aren’t too far apart. Before locking in your golf courses, accommodation is a key consideration to avoid headaches being stuck with a lack of options.... stay with me here.
Step 3 - Accommodation
Once you’ve decided on a shortlist of locations, you need to find the best accommodation to fit the group. The best option for a great social vibe is a house, large enough to sleep everyone. AirBnB is great for this with some incredible properties available once you get out of the city. If you’re struggling to find the perfect house, motels can also have sufficient rooms and space to create a good vibe.
Step 4 - Extras
Well done, you’ve done the hard yards of locking in dates, golf courses & accommodation! The next step is to look into extra activities to bring the group together over the weekend.
- Dinners: You may choose to bulk buy all your food to cook in your accommodation, or the best dinner spots in the nearest town. Checking out the local foodie hotspot, pub or the local country Chinese restaurant is always a hit… as long as you temper your culinary expectations.
- Activities: Depending on your timings, you may want to look into extra activities for the weekend. Some great group activities to round out the golf are local wineries, beaches, or even a short hike to burn off the headaches of a post-round celebration.
Step 5 - Budgeting
Whether you decide on a budget at the start, or collate everything at the end is up to you. We typically recommend giving the group a range you’re working within ahead of time to make sure they’re on-board. There’s a couple of things we’ve worked out through years of trial and error which are sure to burst the budget unless you plan for them first.
- Accommodation
- Golf Rounds
- Food & Snacks
- Dinner out
- Activities
- Cabs - Getting a large group to and from the course on a golf trip should never be left to the attendees for multiple liquid reasons. Always factor in cabs.
- Booze: factoring in a per head cost for drinks always makes the weekend easier, and ensures you’re covered when the drinks start flowing
And last but not least…
- The famous “Contingency Budget” - Unexpected cabs, breakages (medical or objects), lost items, snacks or adventures are part of what make golf trip stories timeless. Having them pre-paid helps too.
The Weekend
Kicking the weekend off with the right vibe is critical and an opening ceremony is the perfect way to get it. A b-grade welcome speech by the tour organiser followed by a ceremonial cheers and the random drawing of Saturday’s pairings usually does the trick.
To keep things social, we recommend a 2-ball Ambrose format and if your group’s got a big talent range from top to bottom, splitting into a top and bottom half before drawing names is always a good shout.
Bonus Tip
Need a place to start? A great way to pick a memorable location and reign in the budget is to check out the good folks at Crazy Golf Deals or Great Rounds for epic course discounts. Just make sure the vouchers are accepted on weekends!
Got a story from your latest weekend away? Or maybe you’ve got a blueprint of your own? Either way, we’d love to hear about it! Shoot us a DM with your best! @ScruffysGolf