Golf trips make great vacations. Costs aside, what golfer wouldn’t want to play at California’s legendary Pebble Beach Golf Course or at Scotland’s St. Andrews Old Course. Maybe a trip to Australia’s Commonwealth Golf Club, which hosted the 1967 Australian Open, or Hawaii’s Kauai Lagoons Golf Club, which features 18 Jack Nicklaus signature holes, is more to your liking. You may also want to combine a vacation with a taking golf lessons at a golf school. Whatever your golf handicap or interests, golf vacations are fun for singles, couples, or families.
But you have to prepare well for the trip to make it enjoyable. You also have to pack the right clothes for the trip and take other accessories. Whether you’re traveling just for fun or to take some golf lessons, you can never be too prepared for bad weather, snarled traffic, lost luggage, stolen clubs, and so on. Since surprises are the last thing you want on a trip, make a list of things to take with you and check them off as you pack them. Below are some golf items you may want to consider for your trip.
Rainwear
No matter where you’re going you should anticipate the potential for rain, as we tell stu-dents in golf instructions sessions. Rain can happen at any locale. Many golfers have rainwear, which they carry in their bags, but not all do. Foremost, is a rain jacket. Look for one that you can easily convert between a jacket, vest, or half sleeves. Other features to consider on rain jackets are high storm collars, zippered hand pockets, elasticized waistbands, and a two-way zipper to release zipper-pucker.
Instructional DVDs
Whether you’re traveling for golf lessons or to play at a great course, you may want to take some Instructional Videos with you. You don’t have to take all of your golf DVDs just your favorites. They can remind you of golf tips that will help you play better. You can load your favorites on an IPod and then downloaded them onto a portable video player. The IPod should have at least 80 gigabytes of storage and allow you to play on 6.5 hours of video on one battery charge.
Extra Gloves
Another item to add to your checklist is extra gloves. Take at least two or three extra gloves, especially if you’re going to a hot or humid climate. Do you really want to put on a glove that’s still drenched in sweat from the previous day’s match? Buy gloves built to provide a firm grip in all weather and under all conditions. Also consider an extra pair of shoes and an extra hat.
Sunglasses
Most golfers who take trips to play or take golf lessons travel to some place warm and sunny, like Florida or Arizona. Sunglasses will save your eyes whether you’re on the course, out for a walk, or driving around. You want glasses with frames that are not only sleek and lightweight but also comfortable and durable. You also want sunglasses that block 100 percent of harmful blue light rays. Other key features are adjustable nose pieces, nonslip ear tips, and 100 percent protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B radiation. Also, don’t forget your sun block and insect repellent.
Rangefinders
If you’re going to play courses you’ve never played before, add a rangefinder to your checklist. Playing unfamiliar courses for the first time is hard, especially when you don’t know the yardages. Plus, you can’t always trust yardage markers, so consider taking a range finder with you. Some golf courses have rangefinders for their carts but not all. If you don’t own a rangefinder, get a battery-operated, hand-held rangefinder, so you can carry it right to your ball. Knowing exact yardages is a key to scoring well, as we tell stu-dents in our golf instructions sessions.
Putting Aid
Putting is often the first thing to go in your game. It’s also more difficult to putt well on unfamiliar greens. The easiest fix is to take your favorite putting aid with you. Take something that’s lightweight and easy to store, and that reinforces your putting stroke.
Golf vacations can be a lot of fun, whether you have a high golf handicap or a low one. They can include not only playing new courses and seeing the sights. But surprises are the last thing you want on a trip. So next time you take a golf vacation make a checklist of things you want to take with you. The list will help eliminate some common surprises.
