Image: Sueno golf club, Belek.
I’m a member of a golfing society of mates who play two or three times a year, including an annual trip abroad. We’ve been playing for over twenty years, and nothing excites me more than the build up to a golfing expedition to foreign lands.
Not only is the weather better, but the courses are usually stunning and in great shape, you drive a buggy, and mostly the courses are empty, except for Spain.
Spanish costas
Spain was once the go-to venue for UK golfers, and our society followed the crowds for many years. However, as time passed, the growing popularity of Spanish golf meant escalating prices especially when you included the cost of food, drink, and car hire.
The advent of all-inclusive deals, and a greater choice of golf resort hotels and cheap flights, has opened the market in terms of geography, and delivers terrific value for money.
Image: Gloria golf resort old course, Belek.
Turkish delights
Turkey became the first venue for our society trips abroad with its purpose-built golf resorts, great hotels, and high-quality courses just outside the front door. We’ve had some great trips to Turkey in the past, but prices started to rise sharply. The hotels started to demand a seven day stay, which wasn’t always possible with a group of ten or more.
Image: Assoufid golf club, Marrakech.
Go Morocco
To help find better deals we used a golf holiday company who suggested a venue we would never have considered for golf – Marrakesh. Morocco has now become our favourite location. We’ve been stunned by the quality of the courses and hotels and the prices are still very acceptable. There’s an amazing number of courses within 20-30 mins of the main hotels and with all the transfers included, there’s not much to dislike.
Mad dogs and sunshine
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to play abroad and want to feel like you’re a millionaire, go for it. Hopefully, you won’t be disappointed. And if you’re prepared to travel out of the main season and tee off at the time of day when ‘mad dogs and Englishmen’ get their sunshine, the courses are virtually empty.
There’s plenty of golfing holiday companies that can help and advise you on the options and you don’t have to break the bank for some memorable golf. You can pay a lot more on a trip to UK venues than many overseas trips, depending on your travel needs.
Image: Blacksearama golf course, Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria.
European tour
It’s my turn to organise our society trip for 2024 so I’ve started looking at the next foreign locations for our society tour. Cyprus and even Bulgaria are starting to get the golfing bug now so maybe we can try something new. I’ll let you know where we land.
Play well wherever you travel
Neil Hart is a co-inventor of the PuttBANDIT ball marker and an enthusiastic golf traveller
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