When putting together your group for an overseas golf trip, there’s several things to consider. The question of who to invite on the trip is perhaps the most important of all because, as we’ve explained here, it’s the one decision that can truly make or break your trip. Oftentimes, when someone approaches Haversham & Baker to plan their golf trip, the pressing question related to invites is not so much the “who” but the “how many.”
What is the best group size for an overseas golf trip?
As with many things related to planning an overseas Expedition, there is no set answer to this question. But there are a number of helpful guidelines to keep in mind when deciding on the size of your group for a golf trip across the pond.
Even Fours
When choosing how many people to invite on your golf trip, it’s a good idea to think in terms of foursomes. Some of the marquee courses sell their tee times as four-balls only. This doesn’t mean that you can’t book a tee time at those courses if you only have seven in your group, but it does mean that you’ll still have to pay for the unused slot. On the other hand, many of our odd numbered groups in the past have enjoyed the opportunity to play with local members (you’re all but guaranteed to have the fourth slot filled), or have invited their H&B Driver-Host along for a round. Both of which can be rewarding experiences.
Rounding your group off to an even number also has a benefit on the accommodations side. If you’re planning on double occupancy, you can avoid sorting out who wins (and perhaps pays for) the one single room at the hotel.
Room on the Tee Sheet
To state the obvious, the larger your traveling party, the more tee times you’ll need. Given the popularity of many golf courses in Scotland and Ireland, landing multiple slots on the tee sheet within a short window of time may be a challenge. It’s one thing to secure two or three tee times near one another, it’s quite another to land seven.
Rooms at the Inn
Just as the size of your group will determine how many tee times you’ll need, the same holds true for rooms on the accommodation side of things. If you’re traveling with a party of 28, all of whom desire single rooms, there are some properties that simply won’t be able to accommodate the group. That is unless you’re planning to construct a new wing of rooms on their behalf.
This is where the service and expertise of an H&B Expedition Planning Manager is invaluable. They have their fingers on the pulse of availability at the best golf hotels in Scotland, Ireland, England, and Spain. As a result, they’ll save you valuable time by sharing early on in the planning process what options are available and which will be the best fit for a group of your size.
Who is Behind the Wheel
Transportation may seem like an unlikely thing to consider when determining your group size, but it should absolutely be a factor. If your party consists of only a few travelers, the additional cost of hiring a Driver-Host versus doing a self-drive may be prohibitive for some in the group. On the other hand, the cost difference between doing a self-drive or hiring a Driver-Host is negligible at most for groups of eight. Yet our travelers would overwhelmingly agree, as evidenced in the video below, that the value added to your experience by traveling around the country with a local Driver-Host simply can not be overstated.
What Can You Manage
Chances are that if you’re reading this post, you’ve been nominated as the Captain of your upcoming golf vacation. It can be a thankless task and, whether you like it or not, many details fall on your shoulders. That includes managing the rest of your travel party while you’re on the trip itself. From making sure everyone is up and in the lobby on time, to organizing the matches and groups at the course, being Group Captain carries a lot of responsibility. That’s probably why your friends nominated you in the first place; they know you’re the only one equipped for the job.
Of course, you’ve tapped Haversham & Baker to lighten the load on the frontend. If you’ve enlisted an H&B Driver-Host as well, they’ll certainly do what they can to assist during the trip. But an important question to ask when determining your group size is how many of your friends do you want to have to manage while overseas.
For all of the reasons above, the average group size for an H&B Expedition is 8 travelers. Some are smaller, many are larger, but two foursomes seems to be the magic number for most of our groups. But whether you’re a traveling party of 2 or 20, our Expedition Planning Managers will put the same level of service and expertise to work on your behalf to craft an unforgettable experience on your golf trip across the pond.
For more insight on planning your golf trip across the pond, visit the pages below, read our reviews, or have a look through our Yardage Book, where you’ll find answers to many of our most frequently asked questions.
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