There are golf courses you play for the scorecard, and then there are golf courses where you occasionally forget about the score because the view has stolen your attention.
That is the appeal of building a holiday around golf. A morning on the course doesn’t have to mean sacrificing the rest of the trip. Done well, a golf holiday can give you beaches, food, culture and extraordinary landscapes — with a tee time somewhere in between.
From tropical Costa Rica to the desert landscapes of the UAE, these are six destinations where the surroundings are almost as compelling as the game.
Costa Rica: Golf Between Rainforest and Pacific Ocean
Costa Rica isn’t usually the first destination associated with a golf holiday. That’s part of its appeal.
Along the country’s Pacific coast, resort courses sit among tropical vegetation, beaches and dramatic coastal scenery. Guanacaste is particularly attractive if you want golf to be only one part of the trip rather than its entire purpose.
Play in the morning and the rest of the day can belong to the beach, wildlife, rainforest or simply doing very little beside a pool.
The Costa Rica Tourism Board is a useful starting point for planning the wider trip, particularly if you want to combine the coast with national parks and other parts of the country.
Thailand: Make Golf Part of a Bigger Journey
Thailand works particularly well for travellers who don’t want to spend an entire holiday inside a golf resort.
Courses can be found around Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, which makes it relatively easy to incorporate golf into a more ambitious itinerary.
That might mean several days of city life followed by the coast, or combining early tee times with afternoons devoted to markets, temples and Thai food.
The important consideration is climate. Thailand’s weather varies considerably by region and season, so don’t assume that the ideal month for one part of the country will necessarily be ideal somewhere else. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has destination and seasonal information that can help when building an itinerary.
New Zealand: The One for the Scenery
Some golf trips are really landscape trips disguised as golf trips.
New Zealand is one of them.
The country’s appeal comes from the sheer variety surrounding its courses: rugged coastline, rolling countryside, mountains and enormous skies. It’s the kind of destination where the drive between rounds can become as memorable as the golf itself.
Rather than choosing one resort and staying there, consider turning the journey into a road trip. Pick a small number of courses you genuinely want to play and leave enough space between them to explore.
South Africa: Golf With a Wild Side
South Africa offers a combination that’s difficult to replicate elsewhere: a serious golf trip that can also become a safari, wine and food holiday.
Leopard Creek Country Club, beside Kruger National Park, is perhaps the most dramatic example of how closely golf and the country’s landscapes can meet. But South Africa’s golf possibilities extend far beyond a single famous course.
For a longer trip, the Western Cape offers another compelling combination of courses, vineyards, coast and Cape Town.
United Arab Emirates: Desert Golf After Dark
The UAE offers almost the opposite experience: immaculate green fairways appearing against desert, water and futuristic city skylines.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi both have internationally known courses, but one of the more interesting possibilities is playing later in the day. Floodlit facilities at selected clubs make evening golf possible, which can be particularly appealing when daytime temperatures climb.
It’s an entirely different atmosphere from a traditional early-morning round — and exactly the kind of experience worth seeking out when travelling somewhere new.
Vietnam: Add a Round to a Southeast Asian Escape
Vietnam has become increasingly interesting for travellers who want golf without making golf the only reason for travelling.
Courses can be incorporated into trips around several parts of the country, but the central coast is especially appealing. A round can sit alongside beach time, Vietnamese food and visits to historic destinations rather than dominating the itinerary.
For us, that’s the sweet spot of a golf holiday: you should still be excited about what happens after the final hole.
Before You Fly With Your Clubs
Golf equipment is where an otherwise beautifully planned trip can become expensive surprisingly quickly.
Never assume your golf bag is included in your normal baggage allowance. Airline policies differ, and limits on dimensions, weight and sporting equipment can change. Check the operating airline’s current rules before booking — particularly if your itinerary involves multiple carriers.
A protective travel cover is worth considering if you’re bringing your own clubs. Remove loose accessories, secure anything that can move inside the bag and make sure your contact details are attached somewhere that won’t disappear with a luggage tag.
There’s another option that the original golf traveller sometimes overlooks: don’t bring them.
If you’re only playing once or twice, check whether the course offers club rental. Travelling lighter may be worth more than having your exact set waiting on the first tee.
Choose the Holiday First
Unless you’re travelling specifically to play a famous course, reverse the usual planning process.
Ask where you’d genuinely like to spend a week even if you never touched a golf club.
Then look at the golf.
That’s how you end up with a trip that still works when the weather changes, someone doesn’t feel like playing or you discover that the little restaurant down the road is considerably more tempting than another afternoon at the driving range.
The best golf holiday isn’t necessarily the one where you play every day. It’s the one where golf gives you another reason to experience somewhere you already wanted to see.
Originally contributed by Emily Wilson. Refreshed and updated by Divine Magazine.