Golfing Around – the Group Holiday with a twist!
Most of us did the whole 18-30 thing as teenagers/young adolescents, but what to do when you’re nearing the ‘over the hill’ stage? (Pun intended).
The answer is clear, simple and in plain green and white…golf! As the summer months draw nearer, it’s the prime time to pack up your clubs and your flip flops and embark on a different type of holiday. Even if you’re not a self-professed golfing expert, there’s something in this for all the group, and a little bit classier than another trip to Zante.
Things get better: there has been a soar in the popularity of golfing holidays over the past few years, and the demand has been heard and answered by our overseas friends. Often, you can get a brilliant all-inclusive deal at a stunning resort for under £500/person, meaning you can have a mish-mash of all the sunbathing, eating and drinking of a chilled all-inclusive holiday, with a couple of rounds of golf thrown in on the side. Here we’re going to take a look at some of the best destinations for such an all-round winning getaway for you and your mates.
Belek, Turkey
Situated in Antalya on the south coast of Turkey, Belek is deemed one of the most beautiful settings for a golf holiday. With an impressive fourteen golf courses along the ten-mile strip of pristine beach, it really is the best of both worlds. There’s an abundance of resort hotels to choose from, most are luxury 5* all-inclusive, and when we say all-inclusive, we are talking your room, food (most have a la carte restaurants too), drink and unlimited golf! The southern Turkish region of Antalya is renowned for its love of tourism, and nothing is ever too much for the staff there; everyone is truly catered for. So, if stunning, Mediterranean beaches and lush green golf courses with a sprinkling of sunbathing, fine dining and a fairly lively nightlife appeals to you, Belek is the choice for you my friends!
Spain
Spain is a different kettle of fish, instead of one superior golfing area, Spain has many and with multiple resorts in each: Seville, Valencia, Tarragona (not the herb), Palma and of course, Marbella to name a few – mainly along the Costa Del Sol coastline. Closer to home, the Spanish resorts are the perfect answer to a long-lad’s-weekend away, ideal for things like stag dos! With too many hotels and resorts to list, they range between 3-5 stars, self-catering to all-inclusive and on the beach or slightly in-land, you really are spoilt for choice. Probably best to opt for a half-board or self-catering, and hop into town or down to one of the marinas of an evening and sample some local tapas and sangria delights.
The Algarve, Portugal
Fancying something similar to the Spanish set-up but maybe a tad more upmarket? Literally, cross a measly little border into Spain’s sibling Portugal. The Algarve has always been a firm favourite with the golfers, and once again, is perfect for one of those smaller weekender getaways with your mates. So join the club and experience the multiple world-class courses, combined with the sun, sea and sand, once again you’ve got it all rolled into one and no two days need be the same. If you get bored with the golf or have some less-enthusiastic members of the team, there are plenty of sights to explore, hidden beaches and of course, a real buzz after dark. Everyone’s a winner (off the course at least).
Cancun, Mexico
Ok, so a little bit more long haul right now, but for a real mashup of the nightlife, beaches and golf courses, you’ve got to head to Cancun! The scenery is just plain breathtaking, the resorts are another level of luxury, the beaches pure white sand. This option is obviously the least wallet-friendly, but most resorts are all-inclusive, so no need for wads of cash for spending money (unless you’re venturing out for the bars and clubs). If you’re going to fly this far why not make the most of it? Cancun would be the choice for longer stays, 10 days-2 weeks; you could get used to the time difference, have a week of hard-core golfing, and then a week of partying/sleeping the days away by the pool in the beautiful sunshine.
Here we go, just a little reminder of insurance things to bear in mind…check that golf as an activity is covered on your policy – good news Alpha customers, it’s covered as standard on all of ours. However, if you are an avid golfer with some rather nice clubs and equipment, we’d recommend you getting some proper golf insurance for these!
Happy golfing!
