Few sports are as widely enjoyed as golf. Perhaps the most wonderful part of the game is that any golfer can visit some of the world’s most gorgeous courses regardless of talent.
Players of all skill levels can be found taking to the links in countries all over the world. And while there are plenty of great places to play closer to home, there’s something special about teeing off in a new country.
Many resorts are solely devoted to golf. Their program celebrates and shares our love for the game by offering a variety of courses to play 18, 36 holes, or until you can no longer see the ball.
Whether you picked up a club for the first time recently or have been golfing for decades, these are some suggestions if a golf holiday is on your bucket list.
Tips for More Consistent Strikes
But before we dive into the best places for golfing, let’s go over a few basics that will help you strike the ball more consistently.
Hitting the golf ball is easy, but hitting it consistently is a different story. There are many factors that can affect your ability to make consistent contact with the ball, from your grip to your stance to your swing.
But there are a few basic tips that can help you learn how to hit the ball more consistently.
First, make sure you’re using the right clubs. If you’re just starting out, it’s best to use clubs with larger heads and more forgiving sweet spots. As you improve, you can graduate to clubs with smaller heads and less forgiveness.
Second, take some time to practice your swing. Visit a driving range or set up a practice net in your backyard and work on hitting balls with different clubs.
Pay attention to your form and try to keep your swing consistent. Third, invest in some quality golf balls. Cheap golf balls can be unpredictable, so it’s worth spending a little extra to get balls that you can count on. With a little practice and the right equipment, you’ll have a more consistent game in no time.
According to Hitting the Golf Ball, another key thing is to consistently replicate an excellent swing, which only a few people can do. You’ll almost certainly have a bad backswing, a bad downswing, and a bad follow-through if you have a bad stance.
That’s why it’s important to stay consistent with your practice and use quality equipment.
Where to Play Golf While Traveling
The summer of 2022 is ahead of us.
Summer is synonymous with beating the heat. So, of course, the first thought is to jump in a pool or go for a boat ride, but if you know where to play, golf can also provide relief from the sun.
Here are the 10 best places to play golf when traveling, without further ado.
- Scotland’s St. Andrews
The game’s birthplace remains the ultimate golf trip several hundred years later. The Old Course in St. Andrews, which dates back to the 1400s, has spawned six other links trust courses and a slew of charming old (Crail) and new (Kingsbarns) links within a short drive of the Kingdom of Fife.
From the grave of Old Tom Morris to the medieval town’s cobblestone streets lined with churches, golf shops, and small pubs, there are enchanting attractions.
The “Auld Grey Toon” of St. Andrews, home to a centuries-old and highly ranked university, offers far more lodging, food, and beverage options than your average seaside town. However, the game’s soul is strong, and its inviting nature makes it a unique experience for any golfer.
- California’s Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach is one of the most desirable golf destinations. Every golfer dreams of driving down 17 Mile Drive with a tee time.
Pebble is most likely the most significant junction of land and water. The 1919 design by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant was placed #1 on Golf Digest’s list of America’s top public courses.
Carmel-By-The-charming Sea’s downtown flows into the dog-friendly beach made famous by PGA Tour coverage of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Cannery Row, a collection of shops, galleries, and restaurants, is anchored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Golfers can escape the marine layer by heading inland to wineries and upscale golf resorts like Quail Lodge & Club and Carmel Valley Ranch.
- The Golf Hale – The Four Seasons Resort in Hualalai Kailua – Kona, Hawaii
Beginners and experts, basically everyone, will enjoy this new state-of-the-art facility with cutting-edge technology. The TrackMan indoor golf simulator gives you detailed data to help you improve your swing. TrackMan Range is a distance control game that includes interactive games and fun practice.
Additional tools such as “Foresight,” “Gears,” and “SAM Puttlab” are designed to help you improve every aspect of your game. Hawaii’s first TopGolf® Swing Suite® combines practice and entertainment with the latest full swing simulator technology in a relaxed, modern lounge setting.
Test your skills on the resort’s Jack Nicklaus-designed course, featuring lush fairways and oceanfront holes. Then, before retiring to your newly renovated guest room or suite, unwind at the beach, poolside, or with a sunset cocktail.
- Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Bandon, Oregon
When Bandon Dunes first opened in 1999, it was unlike anything golfers had seen in the United States — the walking-only policy, embrace of harsh coastal weather, and rugged imperfections were a slap in the face to traditional resorts.
After twenty years and hundreds of extra course acres, Bandon Dunes is America’s single-greatest destination for golf-loving groups that want nothing more than to tee it up from dawn to night. Furthermore, Bandon has inspired new and established resorts worldwide to rethink what it means to attract avid golfers.
As a result, a wide range of lodgings is available, from single-occupancy lodge rooms to four-bedroom cottages.
Four Golf Top 100 courses, a 13-hole par-3 course, a 100,000-square-foot putting green, and a fifth 18-hole course, Sheep Ranch, will open soon.
The best non-golf amenity on the property is the beautiful walking trails. Those who like to drink can go to the Bunker Bar, which keeps the lights on until the early morning hours.
- Tara Iti: New Zealand
New Zealand’s north and south islands each offer magnificent golf courses. The aerial views of Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers, two of the North Island’s coastal wonders, are legendary. Their lodgings are equally as pleasant.
Tom Doak’s private Tara Iti (relatively close to Kauri Cliffs) has boosted the area’s reputation, with Coore & Crenshaw and Tom Doak planning to open public courses nearby. The South Island has Jack’s Point and The Hills, with the Remarkables Mountains as a backdrop, and Queenstown.
Jet boating, bungee jumping, and skydiving are all popular activities. You might as well visit both islands if you’ve come this far.
- Ayrshire and Kintyre: Scotland
Visitors who travel to this line of coastal links south of Glasgow are treated to the birthplace of the Open Championship. Prestwick Golf Club, which hosted the first Open in 1860 and was once only 12 holes, is now a raw and rugged full 18 with heavy Old Tom Morris influence.
Royal Troon, a regular on the current rota, is located on its northern border. Then there’s Turnberry, one of the most famous golf hotels globally, situated in a more remote part of Ayrshire to the south and has been delighting visitors for over a century.
Golfers seeking excitement will rent a helicopter to fly over the Firth of Clyde to the Mull of Kintyre, the southernmost part of the Kintyre Peninsula, where the fabled Machrihanish and rough contemporary Machrihanish Dunes are reminiscent of Paul McCartney.
- Canada’s Cabot Links: Inverness, Nova Scotia
It wasn’t easy to imagine a sequel to Canada’s first true links course, the Cabot Links, when it opened in 2012. Then came Cabot Cliffs, which was named GOLF’s Best New Course in 2015.
It’s breathtaking, towering over the Gulf of St. Lawrence while whisking golfers through pine-studded highlands, valleys, and Scottish-style dunes. Cabot Links is a Rod Whitman design that sits atop a 200-acre sandy strip discovered by resort co-founder Ben Cowan-Dewar — the land has always been intended for a golf course.
As one leaves Cabot Links, a magnificent smile spreads across one’s face, knowing that one has just completed one of the finest four-hole closing stretches in the world. According to all accounts, Cabot Cliff’s holes 15 through 18 are the closest approximation the Eastern Seaboard has to Cypress Point.
- Golf Courses on the Mountains
Let’s look at some of the most interesting golf courses on the mountains.
The Canadian Rockies in Alberta
Quebec’s premier ski destination transforms into a world-class golf destination in the summer. The Laurentians’ mountain air is fresh and refreshing at 875 meters (2,870 feet). The laid-back environment is another benefit.
The top courses, including Le Maitre (a private club available through the Fairmont), Le Geant, Le Diable, La Belle, and La Bete, are all worth your time. For their English translations, brush up on your French.
Mountains of Blue Ridge
The Blue Ridge Mountains stretch across much of eastern America, but the best golf can be found in Virginia, North Carolina, and Northern Georgia.
While traditional private clubs anchor North Carolina’s mountain communities, the Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville Municipal Golf Course, and Mount Mitchell offer a pocket of public golf (in nearby Burnsville).
Virginia has two five-star resorts, one historical (The Homestead) and the other modern (Primland).
British Columbia’s interior
Western Canada’s rough topography is generated by the collision of four separate mountain ranges. Tobiano near Kamloops and Greywolf on the edge of the Canadian Rockies are two of the most magnificent golf courses in the world. Wineries provide the summer dipping sauce in Kamloops and the Okanagan Valley.
Best Golf Clubs
To get the most out of your time on the course, you’ll need your own set of golf clubs with various irons, wedges, and woods to fit your level of experience and style of play.
When looking for the right set of clubs, consider the number and type of clubs, the skill level for which the clubs are designed, and whether or not a bag is included.
- For example, the 16-club set from Strata is the ideal entry-level golf club set for someone looking for all of the essentials in an affordable, ready-to-swing package from a reputable brand.
- Also, Wilson’s 10-club full golf club set will pleasantly surprise value shoppers and weekend warriors. A large driver for a long-distance even on off-center tee shots, a fairway wood, and a forgiving 5-hybrid are among the woods.
Conclusion
The summer is to begin, so you still have plenty of time to plan your vacations for the rest of it. Rather than lying on a Caribbean beach, why not plan your vacation around one of your favorite hobbies: golf?
Get some golf gear and accessories, practice hitting golfball tips, and mix some active adventures with any of these stunning locales to make the most of your trip this year.