Golf holidays abroad in Winter
Golf holidays abroad in Winter are a great idea but where do you go to?
Over my 30 years of experience, in Golf, I have travelled well and visited lots of courses in many different countries.
These vary from North America, Africa & most of Europe, some of which were my private Golf holidays. Although I have organised many trips for several categories of golfers including;
some of my pupils, members of the clubs that I have worked at, and some amateur / professional tournaments. These Golf trips have been from as little as 2 players to 108 players. I always believe that nothing is impossible.
Before you dive in, you should ask yourself the following questions.
What is my budget?
Where do you want to go?
How long do you want to stay?
When you arrive at your destination, What do you want to do? Do you wish to stay at the resort and play or travel to courses?
What kind of temperature are you looking for?
Are you also looking for a Gourmet experience?
Do you just want a holiday or are you looking for a training camp?
There are many other questions to find answers to but the above list should give you a good start. Then you need to decide where to go and choose which travel company will help you organise it all.
I have used many different travel companies in the past, to organise my Golf holidays abroad in Winter, and all of them have done a good job.
Let’s start by adding detail to some of those questions from before.
What is my budget?
This is an important question to start with. The budget will determine a lot regarding where to go, where to stay, where to play etc.
How long do you want to go on holiday? Are you flexible with the dates?
Can you afford only to fly economy or would you prefer to pay for business/first class?
What kind of temperature do you hope for?
Do you need to travel far to the sun? If you are looking for 30°+ then look at places like Dubai, Thailand, China or South Africa. Just be aware of the travel time to reach your destination.
For Winter temperatures of 20°+ and shorter travel time, then look no further than Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia. A little further away to Florida may also be a good idea.
Are you wanting a mix of Golf & Culture?
If this is important to you the Egypt, Morocco, Turkey or Thailand are excellent places to discover culture and history.
Most hotel resorts do day trips by bus to popular tourist attractions.
Do you desire a Gourmet experience?
This will very much depend on your own palate.
If you are a fish & seafood lover then try somewhere like Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, The Canary Islands or Florida.
When you prefer meats, try Morocco, South Africa, Spain or Florida.
Are you prepared to travel to and from the courses?
There are lots of Golf resorts, around the world, that have multiple courses on them or only a short shuttle service away.
Ask yourself if you are prepared to travel, and how far you are prepared to travel, to each course.
Golf resorts with multiple courses on them can be found in most countries. It just depends on what you are expecting.
My favourite destinations are;
Turkey – imparticular the area of Belek.
There are lots of fantastic courses and hotels, all on one stretch. I have been to Turkey on many occasions and it never disappoints.
The only downside in Winter is the weather. It may be a little unstable but that usually means that it may rain one day in the week. It is usually between 15°- 25°
Most of the resorts have fantastic practice areas, great courses and wonderful hotels. The people & staff make you feel really welcome and nothing is too much trouble.
I can recommend the following hotels: Sirene, Kempinski, Xanadu, Regnum Carya & the Maxx Royal.
My recommendations for Golf are PGA Sultan, Pasha, Montgomerie, Lykia Links, Cornelia, National & Sueno Pines.
The Pamukkale Tour or The Antalya Waterfall Tour are excellent ideas for your day off from Golf.
Another favourite of mine is Florida – Golf around Orlando is great.
Most people have heard of Orlando as a destination but not many people see it as a golfing destination.
I have been a couple of times and I really enjoy American hospitality.
Orange County National Golf Center has 2 great courses, Panther Lake and Crooked Cat. I prefer Panther Lake as each hole is totally unique. The International course at Championsgate is fantastic, a true test of your game.
Of course, Golf around Orlando wouldn’t be the same without visiting Disney. The Palm course is an excellent experience but I prefer the Magnolia course. Bay Hill is also worth a visit.
My hidden Gem recommendation is Falcon’s Fire. I loved playing this course. Legends course at Orange Lake Resort is also an unknown gem.
My final choice would be Morocco – The area of Agadir is excellent.
The weather is a little more stable. Tends to be around 20° – 25° but can get warmer around noon.
The courses here are great. Golf Club Med, Les Dunes, Golf du Soleil & Royal Golf Club are all great to play. Golf du Soleil definitely has the best terrace for the apres golf drinks and the Championship course can be quite challenging.
A great excursion from here is to Marrakech to visit the city and its markets. Then why not finish off the day with a typical Moroccan meal at Riad Kniza Restaurant.
If you have any questions on where to go for Golf holidays abroad in Winter and what to do when you get there, either comment below or get in touch.
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