While there are many companies that claim to specialize in arranging golf tours, they often don't have the expertise needed to adequately assess the quality of the golf courses they promote. Whether you're looking for short golf breaks or you want to take an extended vacation to play the world's best golf courses, you need to a guide that provides you with information on the top destinations for golf holidays and the best golf courses at those destinations. Luckily, there are online resources available that can provide you with a trove of information and essential tools to support you in planning your itinerary. Here is a guide to help you separate the best from the rest:
1. Real Ratings from Real Golfers: Many sites provide golf course ratings, but very few can claim that the site's staff have visited virtually all of the courses listed. As with restaurant guides and travel guides, the best online golf guides are those that use the same standards and criteria across the board.
2. Rating Scale: Look for a rating scale from 1 to 5, with 1 representing a basic course and 5 representing the best of the best. Beyond that, there should be an indication of which course rank highest within their rating.
3. Course Type: The guide should provide you with information about the course, such as whether it is set by the sea and amidst the sand, above cliffs, open parkland, wooded parkland, mixed parkland, heathland, or desert.
4. Walking the Course: A good guide will provide you with detailed information about the experience of walking the course. It should tell you, for example, if the course is flat, if it has gradients to climb, or if a golf cart is recommended.
5. Practice Facilities: The guide should indicate whether the golf course has full practice facilities with a covered driving range, a driving range and putting green, or only a basic putting green and chipping area.
6. Hotels: If you're on a golf holiday, you're going to want to stay in a hotel nearby, or take advantage of stay-play offers. A good guide will provide you with some of the better hotels and resorts in the area you're planning to visit.
7. Greens Fees: A comprehensive online guide will list greens fees for all of the golf courses covered.
Needless to say, a good online golf resource will also offer intuitive navigation, such as the ability to search top golf courses using maps, as well as other golf resources, such as golf-related news, tournaments, and even a golf encyclopedia. Using this kind of resource will help you find clusters of great golf courses and ensure that your golf holidays will always be filled with anticipation and excitement.