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How to Organize Your Trip
by Gordon Dalgleish — President, PerryGolf
So where do you start. For years you have discussed an overseas golf trip with the “guys”.
Everyone has an opinion and until now most of the proposed participants had an excuse why
they could not go!
Amazingly, everyone seems to be agreeing to a trip next summer, even penciling in dates in
June when no one has a conflict. Softball season is finished, the kids are in camp, the in-laws
always come the week before the 4th of July...we have heard all the excuses.
So what happens next?
(1) Designate one person to organize the trip. There are a
number of moving parts to an international golf trip which
become difficult to manage if different group members are
working in different directions.
(2) Decide where you want to go; Ireland, Scotland or
wherever. What courses are “must plays”. Agree to a general
framework of expectations.
(3) Discuss your budget comfort level. Is it a $3,000 trip or
$7,000. But get a range that all participants are comfortable
with the trip costing.
(4) Research some tour operators (vendors) who specialize
in golf trips. If you have the time and patience you can even
research the idea of booking it yourself. Speak to friends
who travel and solicit their input on vendors, golf courses
and hotels.
(5) Given your group’s budget and time constraints decide
on your course of action. Do I book myself or use a tour
operator. If using a tour operator be sure to get references
and contact them with as concise an outline of your
parameters as possible. Ask for their suggestions and input.
(6) The trickiest part of the entire process can be how to
make apples to apples comparisons of the various proposals.
Each tour operator will have their own format and their own
language. And even though you will have provided identical
input to each, you will inevitably encounter different
interpretations and different recommendations. Some will
be better than others of course but one thing that always
raises a red flag is a price oddly high or low. Supplier costs
are relatively similar for each tour operator so any extremes
you see could be a function of something like a room with a
parking lot view vs a room with a seaside view. You should
never hesitate to ask explicit questions and it doesn’t hurt to
ask one tour operator to help you interpret another operators
proposal. Even with my 30 years of experience this part can
be a puzzle. At the end of the day I would advise you to rely
on the person or company that presents their information
the most professionally and makes good common sense as
to why they are suggesting this or that hotel or route or golf
course.
800.344.5257
PerryGolf.com
(7) The trip should be structured in such a fashion you
can let each of the participants deal directly with the tour
operator for payments, paperwork, etc.
(8) At this point, once all deposits are collected and the trip
is booked you should be able to sit back, relax and enjoy the
good natured banter of a group of friends preparing to travel
overseas for a golf vacation.
Red flags to be aware of as your departure date approaches;
• All tee times should be in place and on your schedule at
least 4- 5 months in advance, usually longer.
• Does the confirmed schedule you have clearly lay out the
golf courses you are playing and at what time; the hotels
you are staying in and what room category…either single
or twin occupancy.
• Is it clear what your transportation in country looks like
and what is included. If you cannot answer yes to all of
the above…..be sure to resolve the area of doubt sooner
than later.