Links Golf Travel – Tips to an Affordable and Fulfilling Trip - Part 3

This is the final installment of the three part series, Links Golf Travel – Tips to an Affordable and Fulfilling Trip. In the first two installments (Part 1 and Part 2), we discussed saving money by avoiding travel compaines and if you do use a travel company, opt for the self-drive option. Other tips centered around lodging and scheduling tee times. In this post, we discuss tips for airline reservations, travel between courses, and trip transportation.

7. For optimal savings, airline reservations should be made well in advance, preferably in December or January. Sometimes a window opens in the spring that can have the lower rates found in December and January. The availabilty of cheap rates in the spring is strictly a function of the percentage of seats sold in December and January. Get commitments early from those planning to travel. The best way to solidify your trip list is for a potential traveler to make the plunge and buy the ticket in December or January.

8. Do yourself a favor and plan your travel times between venues with a cushion for traffic delays, narrow roads, and rest stops.

9. The best way to travel with up to four golfers is an 8 passenger minivan. This vehicle will handle clubs, bags and up to four, possibly five golfers. For larger groups use an eight passenger minibus and a cargo van. The cargo van rents cheaper than the bus and will carry all luggage and gear. It will also carry three people. These are only available in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the Republic of Ireland bars foreigners from renting cargo vans. For even larger groups a fifteen or seventeen passenger bus can be utilized.

10. Good luck! If you find this process exasperating, “The Secretary” will do your planning for you at a fraction of the cost of a golf travel company. With the above described process our group played 12 courses, 12 nights lodging, airline tickets, ground transportation including fuel for vehicles for less than $3,500 including airfare. Included were Connemara, Enniscrone, Carne, County Sligo, Donegal, Royal Portrush, Portstewart, and three rounds at Ballyliffin. Try doing that with a golf travel company. They will charge you that for three or four top courses and a couple of nags.

What are your tips or questions? I would love to read them; just leave a comment.

Links Golf Travel - Tips to an Affordable and Fulfilling Trip - Part 2

In the first part of this series, Links Golf Travel – Tips to an Affordable and Fulfilling Trip, I discussed the best way to save money is to self-plan your trip. The second tip was if you decide to use a travel company, save money by opting for the self-drive option. The third tip was to stay in Holiday Houses which are "self catered". Tips four and five expand on lodging options and tip six focuses on scheduling tee times.

4. If you prefer a bed and breakfast to the holiday house concept, expect to pay a little more for the privilege of having a full hot breakfast in the mornings. These are also found on the government sponsored travel websites. There is an atmosphere of charm in the interaction with locals that is found in bed and breakfast styled accommodations. I would recommend trying this option for a portion of your stay as visiting with your hosts and other guests can enrich your experience immensely.

5. If you prefer a hotel, choose clean highly recommended three star hotels rather than four and five star hotels. You will be using the hotel only for sleeping, so as long as they are clean and comfortable this is all that is important. Go to travel company websites and check the postings by people who have used these accommodations. For example, I had planned to use one particular hotel on our last trip but found it to have bad postings and as a result booked elsewhere.

6. Plan your golf around the “hardest to get” courses first. Once these tee times are secured you will go to the second hardest and on down to the easiest last. Look for early or late afternoon tee times for reduced rates. Look also for courses with all day rates anytime you plan to play two rounds in a day. Plan your lesser known courses for weekends as weekends go at a higher rate at big name venues.

In the last part of this series, I will provide tips on airline fares and transporation during your trip. If you have any tips you would like to share or any questions, please post them. I would enjoy reading them.