How to Book a Golf Holiday That Plays Out Beautifully

Booking a great golf holiday is not just about the tee times and the flights. It is the whole feel of the trip, the way the round fits into the day, the way the hotel matches your group, the way every transfer, every bag, every dinner is quietly handled so all you have to do is play, unwind and enjoy. It is knowing which course peaks at your dates, which academy suits a nervous beginner, which resort's spa will make your non golfing partner never want to leave, and how to bring multiple courses into a single stay so you play three or four in a week without ever changing hotel. It is the difference between a golf trip you book and a golf holiday you remember.

Whether you are dreaming of a golf trip with the boys, a girls golf trip, a luxury family golf holiday, a couples' escape, a winter sun golf package or a proper once in a lifetime golf and culture adventure, this is what I do. And this is why to book yours with me.

A Scot in Northern Ireland, and properly hooked on the game

I grew up in Scotland, so the home of golf is in my bones. Over the years I have organised corporate golf events at the Old Course and the Jubilee at St Andrews, at Royal Troon and at Turnberry, and I have taken part in women into golf initiatives that got me and dozens of other players out onto the course. I've had lessons on and off for twenty five years, but in the last two years I have properly caught the bug, and now I'm at the range or on the course at Royal Belfast Golf Club several times a week, still improving, still loving every round, well nearly every one!  That relatively new player's perspective is one of the things my clients tell me they most appreciate, because I really do understand what it feels like to be picking up the game, or picking it back up, or bringing someone with you who is.

I also celebrated a big birthday at Gleneagles and have been back several times, so I know it inside out.  I now live in Northern Ireland, on the doorstep of Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, two of the finest links courses on earth. I know the great Scottish and Irish courses, the hotels that suit each type of group, and what to do beyond the fairways, the whisky trails, the seafood suppers, the coastal drives and the country house evenings that turn a golf trip into a proper adventure.

Further afield, I have been lucky enough to stay at Sandy Lane in Barbados more than once, so I know that side of the golf holiday too, the resort, the beach, the service, the vibe, and I also know what it is to be the one enjoying everything beyond the golf while others play. My most recent trip took me across Egypt's Red Sea coast to play four rounds at Cascades, Hidden Cove, El Gouna and Ancient Sands, and that trip is fully written up in another  blog if you'd like a read. Egypt was amazing, memorable and whilst the championship golf courses were great fun there is also so much more to that area than just the golf. 

For everywhere else on the golf map, I partner with the best golf travel specialists in the business, the people who have built the relationships, negotiated the rates, and know every course from Belek to Bandon Dunes. In particular I work most closely with Golf Escapes, who I know very well and who I recently travelled with across Egypt, giving me a genuine feel for the calibre of trip they curate. That combination, my personal course and resort knowledge, my player's understanding of what actually matters when you're on holiday, and my expert supplier partnerships, means you get bespoke golf holidays built by someone who has walked the ground and gets the game.

Choosing the right golf resort, my most asked question

Nine times out of ten, the question I am asked is not about the course. It is about the resort. And the single best piece of advice I can give you is this: for a golf holiday of four nights or more, choose a resort with multiple courses on site or a short shuttle away. Belek in Turkey, Quinta do Lago in Portugal, Cascades in Soma Bay, El Gouna, Sandy Lane and Casa de Campo all do this brilliantly. It means you play a different championship course every day without a long transfer, your non golfing partner stays put in a spa or on a beach they've made their own, and the whole rhythm of the week is calmer and more luxurious. That is the single most important choice you will make.

The Golf Classics

The heartland of golf, and for good reason. These are the destinations that have shaped the game and continue to define it.

Scotland. The home of golf, and still the most stirring golf trip in the world. St Andrews with the Old Course and its six sisters, Turnberry with its lighthouse and links, Royal Troon on the Ayrshire coast, Gleneagles for the full country estate experience with three championship courses in one glorious setting, and the East Lothian coast for Muirfield and North Berwick. A golf pilgrimage, wrapped in whisky, castles and some of the warmest hospitality on the planet.

Ireland. The wild, romantic sister. Ballybunion, Lahinch, Waterville, Old Head of Kinsale, Portmarnock, and up on the Causeway Coast in my own Northern Ireland, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, two of the finest links on earth. A golf holiday in Ireland is as much about the pubs, the music and the craic as it is about the courses, which is exactly the point.

Portugal. The Algarve is the reliable heartbeat of European golf holidays, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, Monte Rei and San Lorenzo, all top rated resorts with easy flights from the UK and Ireland. Add the Lisbon coast for elegant links and the Douro Valley for wine paired golf, and Portugal quietly does it all, brilliantly.

Spain. The Costa del Sol lives up to its Costa del Golf nickname. Valderrama, Real Sotogrande, Finca Cortesin and La Reserva, all within striking distance of Marbella's finest hotels and beaches. Head north for the wilder, more scenic golf of the Basque Country, or south east for the year round sunshine of Murcia.

The New Wave, the smart bookings of the moment

The destinations that have moved from insider tip to firmly on the map.

Turkey. Belek on the Antalya coast is now one of Europe's most complete golf destinations, Carya, Regnum, Cornelia and Titanic all offering multiple championship courses within a single resort, at genuinely brilliant value. A superb autumn and spring choice.

United States. The bucket list level of the game. Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula, Bandon Dunes on the wild Oregon coast, Pinehurst in North Carolina, Sea Island in Georgia, Streamsong in Florida. For the golfer for whom money is no object, this is where dreams live.

Canada. A rising star, particularly Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, now widely rated among the finest links experiences in the world, and Muskoka's stunning summer golf.

Italy. After the Ryder Cup came to Rome, Italy is having its moment. Marco Simone, but also stunning courses across Tuscany, Lake Como and Sicily, where golf slots effortlessly alongside vineyards, art and food you will never stop talking about.

The Caribbean. Sandy Lane in Barbados sits at the top of the tree, and I know it well. Three courses, from the historic Old Nine to the Tom Fazio designed championship Country Club, up to the extraordinary Green Monkey, carved out of a former limestone quarry and one of the most jaw dropping courses on earth. Add Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, Baker's Bay in the Bahamas, and the Sandals resorts across the islands, and this is winter sunshine golf at its most glamorous.

Also worth knowing: Cyprus for winter warmth and Aphrodite Hills, Croatia for the rising Adriatic golf scene, France for Bordeaux vineyards and Chantilly, and Morocco for winter sun at Royal Golf Marrakech.

Winter Sun Golf, when home is grey

For those who want to play through the British winter, the world's warm weather golf destinations get more brilliant every year.

Egypt. My most recent, and I am obsessed. Read the " I flew to Egypt for a golf trip and came home obsessed with everything else"  blog for the full picture. Championship golf on Gary Player designs at Soma Bay, Gene Bates and Fred Couples at El Gouna, at prices that quietly outshine most of the winter sun competition. Ideal for October through April.

Tunisia. The quiet gem, Hammamet and Djerba offer elegant, well established courses with proper winter warmth and a lovely value proposition.

Thailand. The winter escape for those who want golf with a cultural adventure. Hua Hin has some of the best courses in Asia, Phuket combines golf with beach luxury, and Chiang Mai adds golf to a northern Thailand itinerary.

Vietnam. The rising winter golf story, Danang and Hoi An now offer world class golf paired with UNESCO sites and beach resorts, at prices that still surprise in the best way.

Also worth knowing: Cape Verde for winter warmth close to home, the Canary Islands for a shorter flight option, and Dubai for guaranteed sunshine with a bit of glamour.

Long Haul Luxury Golf

The trips of a lifetime, where the destination and the golf hold equal weight.

The Middle East. Dubai's Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates, Abu Dhabi's Yas Links, Doha's ever expanding golf scene, all wrapped around some of the most extraordinary hotels on earth. Ideal for the golfer who wants five star everything without the longest flights.

Mauritius. Year round golf at Constance Belle Mare Plage, Anahita and Heritage, on courses that flow between the sugar cane and the Indian Ocean. Combines beautifully with a beach and spa holiday, and works for both couples and families.

South Africa. The full range, from the immaculate Fancourt in George to Leopard Creek beside Kruger, and the vineyards of the Cape Winelands. Where I send anyone who wants championship golf, exceptional food and wine, and the possibility of a safari to finish.

Also worth knowing: Bali for warm weather adventure golf, Sri Lanka for a cultural and golf combination, and Australia and New Zealand for those with the time to build a proper Southern Hemisphere odyssey.

Golf, plus the everything else

The best golf holidays are rarely just about the golf, and this is where I love my job the most. Weaving in what makes the trip yours.

Golf and spa. For couples where one plays and one does not, or the golfer who wants to earn a proper spa day. Egypt's Cascades Thalasso, Portugal's Six Senses Douro, Mauritius's Constance Spa, all designed for exactly this rhythm.

Golf and culinary. For food lovers who happen to play. Tuscany, the Basque Country and Sicily, with rounds slotted between long lunches, wine dinners and Michelin starred evenings.

Golf and wine tasting. A whole holiday category of its own. Bordeaux, Tuscany, the Douro, the Cape Winelands, Napa. Vineyards you can play through, then taste through.

Golf and cruise. One of my specialisms, and beautifully underrated. Pair a Silversea or Regent voyage with rounds at ports of call, or use an expedition cruise as your foundation and bookend it with golf.

Golf and safari. The classic South African combination, and probably my favourite. Championship golf in the Cape, a wildlife odyssey in Kruger or the Sabi Sands, connected seamlessly by private transfer or light aircraft.

Golf and luxury chill. Sometimes the point is simply to play a great course, then lie on a beach for the rest of the day. The Caribbean, Mauritius and the Maldives (yes, there is now a course, and yes, it is spectacular) do this to perfection.

Not a golf holiday? Add golf to any trip

One of the loveliest things about being a specialist in this game is that golf does not have to be the whole reason for your trip. If you are booking a luxury ski week, a cruise, a wellness escape, a beach holiday, a city break or a full expedition adventure with me, I will happily weave in a round or two along the way. A morning at Pevero on a Sardinia sailing trip. A round at Emirates Golf Club on a Dubai city break. Golf in the Cape on the way to safari. A twilight round on a Caribbean cruise stop. If there is a course near where you're going and you fancy a swing, I'll build it in. Golf is part of every trip I curate, whenever you want it to be.

An honest word on price

The most searched question about a golf holiday is how much one costs, and I understand why. The honest answer is that a golf holiday is one of the most flexible luxury trips you can build. A week of golf in Turkey or Portugal in shoulder season can be beautifully affordable. A week at Sandy Lane, Pebble Beach or with a private jet transfer between courses will look very different. And most of my bookings sit somewhere thoughtfully in between, at the level where the golf, the hotel, the food and the service all match.

What booking with me actually gives you is the confidence that every pound, euro or dollar is working, and that nothing on the itinerary is a compromise. I'll always be honest with you about where to invest, where to save, and how to shape a trip that matches your budget without ever feeling like it does.

What booking with me actually looks like

A proper conversation about who is coming, what you want and how you want the days to feel. My personal recommendations, drawn from my own visits, my supplier partnerships and years of matching golfers to the right course, resort and destination. Every flight, every internal transfer, every tee time, every dinner reservation quietly handled. My contact details on your phone, so you have someone to call if anything at all needs sorting while you are away. A trip that flows, from the first flight to the last putt.

I look after golfers of every level, from those still building their game to serious low handicaps, and I plan for every kind of golfing group, the boys' trip, the girls' trip, the family holiday, the couples' escape, the corporate golf day and the once in a lifetime bucket list adventure.

Wherever you want to play, I will curate the trip that plays out beautifully.

Get in touch and let's  start planning your golf holiday.

#CuratedTravelByClaire