When a group of ladies, some who had never met before embarked on a destination golf vacation nobody expected to leave with lasting friendships. But that is exactly what happened for our group of ladies when we travelled from Halifax to Grand Bahama this past April. Golf is what brought us there, but we left with so much more!

I would accompany them as their golf pro helping them navigate the picturesque golf course and offering tips when called upon.  Many of the ladies had only taken up the game last year, while a few others had been playing for a while. We were so fortunate to be playing golf against the most beautiful backdrop that we decided as a group that scores were not important.

Our golfing group was comprised of women of all ages – from the 30 somethings to very active 70  somethings. We were connected by the golf, but soon bonded over our shared experiences. That is the power of golf. Golf has a way of creating a community of people and the hours you spend on the course can be valuable relationship building time. As we played golf we opened up about our careers, family, travels and laughed a lot.  This spilled into our social time, dinners and lazy afternoons by the beach.

Here are my 4 Tips for a planning a worry-free golf destination vacation:

1. Leave it to the experts. We were fortunate to have a professional travel expert plan our trip, research the resort and answer our questions. We were treated to many upgraded features that made our experience even more memorable.
2. Research golf fees. Ensure all golfers know what the prices will be at the golf course so there are no surprises. Ideally, find a resort that includes golf in the overall price. Don’t be shocked by cart or caddie fees – call the golf club directly for the information. Golf club rentals and green fees can be expensive and varies by destination.
3. Make it fun! Ensure all playing partners know beforehand that scores will not be kept. Then everyone will feel comfortable moving their ball away from obstacles (palm trees and turtles). If you wish to keep score that is fine, but don’t expect your playing partners to play by the rules. Our group planned a fun 9 hole tournament where we had prizes for closest to the pin and most bunkers hit.
4. Plan a few social events together. This could be dinner at a restaurant, a cocktail party or drinks in the resort lounge. Here you have a chance to reminisce about the day’s golf round and make plans for your next tee time.

We have stayed in contact since the trip, sharing pictures and social media updates. We have even decided that some stories are best not shared (what happens in the Bahamas…)  We look forward to playing golf together this summer, but I must confess,  we are already planning our next destination golf vacation. Jamaica anyone?