The early stages of planning an overseas golf trip brings along a range of questions. From when to begin planning a Scotland golf trip, to the hours of the Guinness Storehouse in Ireland, with countless others in-between, there’s a good chance the questions floating in your mind could form a reasonably long spreadsheet. But don’t worry, we’ve answered them all. One of our frequently asked questions is also something that you might not expect us to hear:
“Who should I invite on my golf trip?”
For some of our travelers, the answer to this question is already decided. Maybe it’s a trip you’ve been talking about with your Dad, brother, or regular foursome for quite some time. And yet, for some, the question of who to invite looms large. If that’s the case, here’s a little guidance on who to invite on your golf trip across the pond.
The Life of the Party
Every club or group of friends has that one person. The one who is always in a good mood and just a joy to be around. When they’re a part of your foursome, the game is more fun than ever, and your scores may even agree. If this sounds like someone you know, they should be your first invite for the trip. After a week of golf and travel, having someone on the trip who keeps the mood and spirits in the group high is an invaluable asset. But most importantly for the planning phase, once this person is onboard, the rest of the slots on your trip will fill up in no time.
People with Similar Budget
No one likes to talk about money, but for the sake of your trip, you really should. Ensuring that all of your travel companions are on the same page in terms of budget makes the planning process easier. It also removes it as a stress factor during the trip itself. There is nothing worse than having one member sit out a group dinner or activity during your trip over money concerns. Even though it might be an uncomfortable topic, be upfront from the very beginning with all of your invites about the budget for the golf trip.
Your Couple Friends
Most golf trips to the British Isles start out as the Buddies Trip variety. Over the last several years, however, we’ve seen an increasing number of couples golf trips. Sometimes the buddies have already taken a few trips and have decided they can’t keep leaving the significant others at home. Just as often, however, the very first Expedition is a couples trip. If you’re considering taking your significant other along, here’s the best destinations for a couples golf trip to Scotland, Ireland, and England. But we’d offer one additional piece of advice on the topic: it’s generally good practice to comprise your trip entirely of couples or entirely of buddies. Mixing the two can sometimes make the group camaraderie a little awkward.
Your Pro
Every so often, an H&B Group Captain manages to get seven travelers onboard for their trip but would really like to get to the round number of eight. In that case, there’s one solution which is unique to H&B: Invite your pro.
The opportunity to experience the great venues of the game is something that your pro will never forget. In addition, once they’ve experienced the likes of The Old Course at St. Andrews or Royal County Down, there’s a good chance that they’ll make overseas travel a fixture on the calendar at your club. Of course, this could lead to more trips for you and countless unforgettable memories for your fellow members in the years to come. All because you thought to invite your pro on that very first trip.
But if you’re concerned about the cost, don’t be. Once they join your trip, your pro becomes a part of the H&B PGA Professionals Program, which means we pick up the cost of their entire land package.
When it comes to choosing who to invite on your golf trip, we would be remiss to leave out the flipside of this coin…
Don’t Invite… That Guy
We all know that guy. He’s late for tee times, snaps clubs with alarming regularity, has an opinion on pretty much everything, and generally sucks the life out of your club whenever he’s on the grounds. Believe us when we say, he’ll do the same to your trip. It’s probably a good idea to ensure his invitation is lost in the mail.
Additional Tips
When deciding how many people to invite, think in terms of fours.
Many of the marquee courses sell tee times in four-balls only. This doesn’t mean that a threesome can’t play Muirfield, as an example, but it does mean you’ll have to pay for that 4th unused slot.
Be selective with your invites.
If you cast a wide net from the beginning, there’s a good chance “that guy,” or anyone else you’d rather not travel with, will catch wind and want to be included. Avoid that awkward conversation by keeping your invites close to your chest.
Start a group text or email thread.
Fire off the occasional picture from the courses on your itinerary. Not only will this help build excitement and camaraderie amongst the group before the trip, but it will help you communicate and keep everyone on the same page in terms of preparations.
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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