Travel Tips

Surprises are usually the last thing you’re looking for on a golf trip. No matter where in the world you’re lugging your clubs, and regardless of the time of year, you can never be too prepared for the likes of ugly weather, snarled traffic, allergy attacks, lost luggage, stolen clubs and more. That’s why what you pack for your golf trip should consist of more than just clubs, balls and golf clothes. Other staple items may make your vacation a lot more enjoyable and easy.

Digital Camera
Face it: Your cell phone camera takes fuzzy snapshots, as do disposable cameras. However, a powerful, compact digital camera, such as Sony’s new Cyber-shot DSC-N2, takes vivid 10.1-megapixel shots and high-quality video and can be tucked away in your golf bag or shirt pocket. With it, you can capture that ocean view crisply from the clubhouse terrace or amass footage of your wife’s swing. ($449, www.sonystyle.com)

PDA
When it comes to golf travel, smart vacationers print out and staple together details of their plane, tee time, rental car and hotel reservations, directions to every course they’re playing and maps. But who wants to lug a stack of papers around, risking them getting ruffled or, worse yet, flying out of the car window? Instead, pack a PDA with all of that information stored on it. Preferably, you can get one with built-in WiFi access, such as Palm’s TX handheld. Add GPS software and a course-mapping program, and you’ll always know where you’re headed. ($299, www.palmone.com)

Rainwear
Because weather can get ominous quickly, pack versatile rainwear—something that can easily convert between a jacket, vest or half-sleeves. Fully waterproof, Zero Restriction’s Featherweight Traveler’s Jacket is just that, featuring a high storm collar, zippered, waterproof hand pockets, two-way zipper to release zipper pucker, elasticized waistband, dual-motion cuffs and expansion back pleats. ($300, www.zerorestriction.com)

Insect Repellant
Don’t let mosquitoes ruin your golf vacation. For excellent nonspray protection, take along Bug Band plastic wrist bands, which give off vapors that form a 15-foot protective shield around you for 120 hours, allowing you to swing in peace. ($4, www.bugband.com)

Video iPod Loaded With Instructional DVDs
While it isn’t practical to bring along your entire collection of instructional DVDs, you can easily download them onto a portable video player. The latest iPod comes in an 80-gigabyte model, allowing you to play 6.5 hours of video—or 20 hours of music—on one battery charge. It will also take up little room in your carry-on. ($349, www.apple.com)

Extra Gloves
Always bring two or three extra golf gloves, especially if you’re going to a hot or humid climate. There’s nothing worse than putting on the same glove you wore yesterday, only to find out it’s still drenched in sweat. Try PING’s new M-Flex glove which is made of tightly woven, flexible microfibers. An advanced polymer coating surrounds the microfibers, providing a firm grip in all weather conditions. ($15, www.pinggolf.com)

Cold-Weather Clothes
Weather can turn cold quickly. So it’s always a good idea to bring a golf-specific thermal jacket that’s lightweight and moves with your body during the swing. Sun Mountain’s Cascade half-zip pullover is ideal. Its generous cut gives you full swing range, while the lightweight fleece eliminates bulk. It also has a spill-resistant coating, drawstring waist and two zippered hand pockets. ($60, www.sunmountain.com)

Extra Shoes
Always bring two pairs of golf shoes, especially if you’re heading to the likes of Ireland, Scotland or even Pebble Beach. That way, if it rains, you can give your shoes time to dry out, keeping your feet dry and comfortable. Try a pair of black Etonic G>SOK GT shoes. Why black? Their traditional look, combined with the fact that they’re comfortable, spikeless golf shoes with incredible traction, means they can double as nice casual shoes at dinnertime, so you can pack less. And they feature the GORE-TEX waterproof system. ($125, www.etonic.com)

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Hat
Tilley Hats have an Ultraviolet Protection Factor of 50+, are packable, washable, durable and insured against theft or loss. The brim protects your neck, too. ($74, www.tilley.com)

Sun Protection
Nothing ruins a golf vacation like sunburn. Proderma Products’ SPF 30 Face Stick is perfect for golfers. Like a larger tube of ChapStick, its bottom dial controls the stick of sunscreen. Just rub on your skin and go. It’s easily stored in your golf bag. It’s also nongreasy and quick-drying. ($6, www.prodermaproducts.com)

Travel Case
Many of the latest golf travel bags double as cart bags. But if you already own a golf bag, you have to transfer all of your clubs, balls, tees, gloves, windshirt, etc., from your regular bag to your travel bag, just to take the trip. Enter Cargo Golf’s X2 DLX Hybrid, an adjustable travel case with a hard top and bottom. It holds any golf bag that measures up to 9.5 inches in diameter, as well as a 48-inch driver. It also adjusts in one-inch increments to hold smaller bags securely so that clubs don’t bang around during transport. Best of all, it collapses to 24 inches for easy storage in any rental car trunk or hotel room closet. ($249, www.cargogolf.com)

Sunglasses
There’s a good chance that because you’re taking a golf trip, you’re heading to someplace sunny. Bring sunglasses. Callaway’s C401-OGN sunglasses will save your eyes while you’re driving on or off the course. They sport oval-shaped lenses and are so amazingly lightweight, you’ll forget they’re on. ($160, www.callawayeyewear.com)

Umbrella
Lightweight and compact, the GustBuster Classic umbrella withstands 55+ mph winds without flapping backward or breaking. The 48-inch canopy has a pinchless opener and collapses so well, it will fit in your golf ball compartment. ($35, www.gustbuster.com)

Rangefinders
Playing unfamiliar courses is tough enough, as yardages are a collective mystery the first time around. Get a battery-operated handheld rangefinder, such as Bushnell’s PinSeeker 1500 with Slope +/-. It doesn’t need pin reflectors to find yardage. Best of all, you can carry it right to your ball–even on cart path-only days. Knowing exactly how far it is to the pin or trap, or factoring in land slope, is just one button away. ($399, www.bushnell.com)

Putting Aid
If you’re like most golfers, your putting is the first part of your game to go–and the easiest to fix. To get you back on the right track, bring along the Ernie Els Rockroller putting trainer which reinforces a perfect putting stroke. It weighs next to nothing and will barely be noticed in your bag. ($59, www.therockroller.com )

 

You know you’ve always dreamed of it–navigating your way around the hallowed humps and hillocks of the Old Course at Saint Andrews. The history doesn’t just accent the Old Course experience. It defines it. Seek out the Elysian Fields. Avoid the dreaded Hell Bunker, where Jack Nicklaus took five shots to escape in 1995. Take the bold line over the hotel at the Road Hole and face the dreaded approach, which has struck fear into the hearts of the likes of challengers from Old Tom Morris to David Duval.

Finally, traverse the Valley of Sin on the home hole. Once you’ve played it, you’re a part of a select and proud golf fraternity that will cherish that experience forever.

But how do you get on? If you’re a forward-thinking planner, you can try to book a time in advance on the St. Andrews Links Trust Website (www.standrews.org.uk). Bookings begin in September for the following year’s tee times. If you’re willing to work with package deals, a number of tour operators offer guaranteed times at the Old Course, but be aware that they don’t come cheap.

The purest way to experience playing the Old Course, however, requires a leap of faith–the Daily Ballot. The Daily Ballot is one of the great traditions in golf, and about half of all available starting times are awarded via the ballot. To put your group’s name in (the ballot requires a minimum of two), either register in person or over the phone by 2 p.m. for the following day’s play. The results are posted at 4 p.m.

Even more exciting is the early-riser walk-on approach. Depending upon the time of year, weather and luck, singles who report to the starter at first light get the chance to fill vacancies in groups. Yes, it happens. Get yourself out of bed, bundle up against the North Sea chill and test your luck with the starter. With any luck, you’ll find yourself part of a memorable match with a mix of locals and tourists. Be aware, however, that the waiting list at the Old Course is exactly that, and patience is definitely required.

If you’re looking to add the Old Course to your personal championship rota, remember that you’ll need a current handicap index card (they will check it). Men require a handicap of 24 or lower, while ladies need a handicap of 36 or lower to try their hand on the hallowed links. As it has always been, the Old Course is closed on Sundays.

Some people remember school days as the best days of their lives. If you’re one of them–and you love golf–you might want to consider a destination golf school for your next getaway.

Know The Faculty. Golf schools are big business, and top golf instructors have become well-known brands. Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Rick Smith, Dave Pelz, Jim McLean. You know what they did for your favorite professionals, and you know they could help you. Well, maybe they could, but do your homework before you expect to queue up behind Tiger or Phil for a lesson with the world’s top teachers. Most schools are led by teaching assistants, usually highly qualified PGA professionals in their own right, who follow a method developed and prescribed by the name on the letterhead. You’ll pony up more than a few extra bucks for quality time with the teachers of the stars.

Select A Campus. A campus needs to meet your educational and extracurricular standards. The on-campus facilities are important–does the school relegate students to a runway tee at the back of the range, or has it gone the extra mile and built a quality learning area that tests and develops shotmaking and short game skills? Is the learning method high-tech, high-touch or a little of both? What are the extracurricular activities? If you want to enjoy nightlife as part of your educational experience, look to Las Vegas or Miami. If it’s seclusion you seek, consider a mountain or desert hideaway. There’s something for every type of student.

Know Your Needs. What’s your major, and what do you plan to do when you graduate? Education today is all about specialization. Speak with a representative of the school, and be as specific as you can about what you expect to gain from the experience and how much time you intend to put into independent study once you return to the real world. Some schools offer special short-game programs. Others focus on driving or iron play. You can get a liberal arts-like full-game overview at some schools. When you know what you want, you have a much better chance of getting it.

Outside The Classroom. All golf schools must eventually face the fact that students play golf on the course, not at the learning center. What courses does the school offer access to? Are daily rounds included in the price, or will they hit you for hundreds more dollars? Do instructors accompany students on the course, or is the golf on your own? All work and no play make school a chore.

If you want to maximize fun and minimize panic on your next golf vacation, then prepare up front. That is, think about where you’re heading and what’s unique about that place. Then imagine everything you might encounter on your journey, and address your concerns before you walk out your front door. Work the trip chronologically through your mind, and use the Internet as much as possible. As the time of your trip approaches, start a running checklist of everything you need to pack, keeping it on your nightstand so it’s conveniently located.

The first thing you’ll probably want to do is buy plane tickets, if needed, and then rent a hotel room. The rule of thumb on plane fares: The earlier you buy your tickets, the lower the price. If you’re a risk-taker, you might wait for last-minute specials. But the downside is that your route might not come down in price, forcing you to shell out top dollar to an airline. Sign up for price-saver e-mails from all of the airlines, as well as e-mails from discounters like travelzoo.com. Monitor them regularly for deals to your destination, or try an all-encompassing travel search engine, such as kayak.com or airfarewatchdog.com, which finds nearly every airline’s current fares, then sorts them into one list. Booking your plane flights online usually saves you money and time over buying them on the phone. Many airlines now charge roughly $15 per ticket to book tickets through their phone operators. You can also select your seat, print out the plane tickets and not have to worry if the phone operator got it right. One other tip to save you airport time: You can check in on your home computer within 24 hours of your flight and forego long airport lines. And on the way home, assuming you didn’t lug your laptop and a printer with you on vacation, use the airport check-in kiosks. The lines for those are usually shorter than other check-in lines, and in many cases, you still can change seats, check your luggage and speak face-to-face with an airline representative.

Your computer may also be your best travel agent for hotels, too. Consider using a professional tour operator for international golf trips (haversham.com and perrygolf.com are excellent). They not only have contacts and employees in popular golf destinations, but also the connections and know-how to make your trip a relaxing pleasure—and without being a lot more expensive than if you tried arranging everything yourself. If you already know where you want to stay, visit the hotel or resort Website and see if it’s offering golf stay-and-play specials. Even if it isn’t, the online room rates often undercut prices that the hotel quotes over the phone. Some golf resorts will book your tee times over the Web, especially if you signed up for a stay-and-play package.

In fact, check the Internet for golf courses wherever you’re headed in the United States. Assemble a list of all courses at your destination using golflink.com, which has organized links to nearly every U.S. course. Then visit the Website of any course you’re planning to play. Write down the address and phone number on a list that you’ll take with you on your trip. When calling courses to schedule times, asking how long rounds typically take that time of year and that day of the week is a great idea. You may discover that you’re scheduling your round on a league day. This is important because if you’re planning to play another course later that day, you’ll need the tee times spaced adequately apart to allow you driving time between courses. If you’re on a budget, arrange to play a less-expensive course in the morning during prime hours, then a pricier resort layout later for twilight rates. Also, ask if the greens are being aerated that day. Why waste your time playing a great course that has temporary greens?

You can also save time by foregoing phone calls to each individual course and instead calling a tee-time booking agent for that area, which may also have prereserved times or the clout to squeeze you in exactly when you want to play. Google an agent by searching your destination plus the words “tee-time booking agents.” Be aware that some work only with specific courses, and all charge nominal service fees.

Once you’ve booked your plane, hotel and golf, start preparing for all the other potential headaches you’re likely to encounter on your trip. Again, think chronologically. If you’re renting a car, which you should do online (and print out your reservation confirmation to take with you on your trip), find out whether there are toll roads leaving the airport. If so, remember to keep change in your pocket—”exact change” lanes can save you time on toll roads.

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Wherever you’re heading, get an idea for how the weather will be when you’re there (use weather.com). Find out the daytime high forecasts for your golf rounds, and check the low temperatures at night. See what the usual weather for that time of year is, too. That way, you’ll know which clothes to pack, whether you can just layer your clothing (which saves suitcase space) and if you need to bring along rainwear, an umbrella, extra golf shoes or a few golf gloves. By ditching the extra golf gear, you may save weight in your golf bag so that it won’t surpass the airline’s free weight limit. Speaking of which, you can skip lugging altogether. If you’re only playing one or two rounds, call ahead to inquire about the course’s club rental charge. It may be worthwhile. Or, if you want your clubs, but don’t want to haul them yourself, call a golf bag delivery service (sportsexpress.com or luggageconcierge.com) that will ship your bag in advance, making sure its arrival coincides with yours. That will surely save you time and a lot of potential hassles at the airport.

If you’re staying at a resort, call and find out the dress code both around the resort and at its restaurants. This can save you from having to buy clothes once you’re there. Also, find out if the resort has Web access for guests and whether the access is provided in your room or elsewhere. Many hotels now feature free use of computers in the lobby or office, so that guests don’t need to lug laptops with them on their trips. Also, find out in advance about local restaurants, determining which are worthwhile and which to avoid. Make reservations, if necessary, and get directions up front.

If you’re heading out of the country, find out what currency you’ll need and what the exchange rate is. Credit cards are convenient, but not accepted at every small restaurant and shop. Many foreign establishments accept U.S. currency, but then overcharge you for the exchange rate. Visit x-rates.com where you can get up-to-the-minute exchange rates and see photos of what your destination’s currency looks like, so that you don’t get taken by shifty cabbies. Also, remember to see what power plugs are used in your hotel—they likely differ from the wall sockets in your house. Either purchase a universal power plug adapter (pcuniverse.com) before you go, or simply don’t take anything that needs to be plugged in. You can also check with your hotel to see if it loans free adapters. In addition, make sure that your passport is current; passport rules have recently changed. In fact, children now need passports to travel even to Canada, starting in 2007. Will you need a phone card on the road, to call back home? If so, remember to buy one, making sure that you know how it works before you leave for your trip. In fact, some need to be activated in the United States. If yours falls into this category, remember to activate it before heading to the airport. Your cell phone may or may not work overseas, depending on its technology. To be sure, call your cell phone carrier and ask. Verizon customers leaving the country can call customer service before going. Tell them your trip dates, and they’ll temporarily activate a special discount fare for you to use out of the country, at no additional cost. If you’re renting a car overseas, make sure your insurance policy covers that. Otherwise, know your transportation options. And if English is not the primary language there, write down the practical terms you’ll need to get around.

After you’ve made your reservations and tee times, print directions to all of the courses you plan on playing. Use mapquest.com for driving directions from the hotel to a course, from one course to another and from a course back to the hotel. Then staple the directions together, in order of where you’re going, along with your plane e-tickets and hotel information. This will save you time and hassle, once you’ve hit the road.

One final word of caution: Odds are you’ll run into some kind of obstacle during your trip. Just take it in stride, relax and have fun!

 

There are golf photos, and then there’s golf photography. Like models, some courses beg to be photographed. If you can’t snap a good shot on the 18th at Pebble Beach, you’re in the wrong game, my friend. The contrast of vivid green fairways, shimmering water and cloud-flecked blue skies can make an artist of just about anyone.

Unfortunately, not all courses are Pebble Beach. Or Kapalua Plantation. Or Pacific Trails. Or River Valley Ranch in the mountains of Colorado. A dramatic physical location may inspire you to reach for the camera, and the more dramatic it is, the more easily you can capture it on film (or, more accurately, on digital storage card). But no matter where you go, to make your golf course photos truly snap, you have to do a little work.

Find The “Magic” Light. This may be the golf course photographer’s most vital secret. Magic light occurs when the sun is low to the horizon. This light occurs during the first hour and last hour of daylight. Try both to get a sense of how the shadows fall across the property. The golden light adds to the clarity and definition of any landscape. Be aware of your own shadow, and keep it out of the shot.

Elevation Is Your Friend. No matter how good it looks to your eye at ground level, a golf hole will look better if you can get a little bit above the features you’re photographing. Prop yourself in the base of a tree. Scale a hump or hill off the fairway. Stand on the back of a golf cart. The pros take ladders, and you’ll quickly learn the reason.

Compose The Shot. Sometimes it’s depth you’re after. Other times, you may want to highlight a specific feature, such as a greenside bunker or the general movement of the land. Compose your shot to highlight your target. If it’s depth you’re after, make sure there’s something behind the prime subject–a tree, a mountain, a pond. Use a small aperture setting to capture it all. If you’re out for a ground shot—the early morning dew on the grass or fog rising from water–use the golf course in a supporting role.

Respect The Design Of The Course. There’s nothing more gratifying than finding the perfect angle to showcase a great golf hole. Odds are, you won’t find that looking over at a hole from an adjacent fairway or shooting through a stand of trees behind the green. Your angles should suggest the true orientation and strategy of the hole. Get creative, but capture the real golf hole, not just a golf landscape.

Keep People Out Of Your “Beauty” Shots. That’s not to say you don’t want to record your friends in the beautiful places you visit. But if you’re out to portray the magnificence of the course, there’s nothing a person can add.

The PGA Tour is a showcase for many of the greatest cities and areas in the United States. Okay, the Tour may have abandoned D.C., and its decision to put Chicago on an every-other-year rotation is curious at best. Still, there are plenty of great places to catch an event. With all due respect to San Diego, Hilton Head, the Florida stops and New Orleans, however, no city on the PGA Tour tops Denver from a golf spectator’s unique perspective.

The INTERNATIONAL has it all. Start with a solid field that’s expected to get a lot stronger next year when the event moves into a new slot the first weekend in July. Throw in a golf course that’s among the most scenic of courses anywhere, with views–and a couple of climbs–that will take your breath away. In addition, the unique, modified Stableford scoring system ensures that your favorite players will be shooting for the pins just about every time.

The INTERNATIONAL has earned a reputation as the most hospitable stop on Tour for the golfers. The tournament staff have perfected the spectator experience as well. There are plenty of shady spots to relax, take in the view, watch the play and even sample one of Castle Pines’ famed ultrarich milkshakes.

If you want to squeeze in some family vacation time, set off to the spectacular 14,000-foot summits of Pikes Peak or Mount Evans. Take in a Rockies game at Coors Field in the hopping LoDo section of Denver. Book a rafting or fishing trip, and enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Bring your clubs, too. You can tee it up at the historic Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, where Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam each won their first major titles. Closer to the tournament venue, there are several quality layouts, including Red Hawk Ridge in Castle Rock, Bear Dance in Larkspur and Arrowhead in Littleton. Definitely consider booking your tee times in advance. www.golfintl.com

No one here would ever blame you for opting for that second 18, but if you’re looking to add a little adrenaline to your next golf trip, check out these exotic locales and the thrills they can serve up.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific, has become a links-lover’s paradise. Landlubbers will never tire of the dramatic ocean views on courses by Fazio, Nicklaus, Weiskopf and other top designers. But for those with a little Hemingway in their blood, Cabo is a true paradise. The warm waters off Cabo are often called “the marlin capital of the world.” Tuna and wahoo also abound.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The World Cup came to Vista Vallarta, a 36-hole facility in the Sierra Leone foothills above Puerto Vallarta, and the golf is indeed world-class. The adventure? A zip-line tour through more than two miles of rain forest canopy. Get in touch with your inner primate, and get a unique look at an endangered ecosystem.

St. George, Utah. The golf is great–Coral Canyon and Entrada at Snow Canyon lead the way. Gamblers can make an easy trip to nearby Mesquite in Nevada. And intrepid souls–with hearty soles–can venture into the mind-bending slot canyons of nearby Bryce Canyon National Park. The Narrows Trail is gentle at the start, but the river has carved a canyon some 2,000-feet deep in places.