Preparing for your first golfing holiday to Ireland

Travelling can always be a bit of a chore, particularly when flights are involved, and things can get even more complicated when you are carrying all of your weighty golf essentials. But by following our tips, you’ll have a smoother trip and ensure that you don’t leave anything essential behind.

The first thing you need to invest in for your holiday is a good quality carry case for your golfing equipment. Purchase a bag with wheels to make it easier to transport your clubs and accessories, and go for a sturdy case to prevent any damage that could be incurred when the baggage handlers load and unload your clubs onto the plane.

Think about which clubs you want to take. Can you really afford for your best clubs to go missing en route to your destination? Slimming down your equipment will mean less weight to carry around with you while you’re away too. If the facilities are there, you may want to consider hiring clubs on your arrival, for even less hassle, and baggage costs, at the airport.

Remember to take your handicap certificate with you. These will be available completely free from your local golf club. The vast majority of clubs will ask to see this certificate before you are allowed to play on their course, so keep this in a safe place along with your other travel documents.

Another essential thing to remember are your golf shoes. Again, the majority of clubs require these to be worn at all times on their greens, so don’t be tempted to save room in your luggage by leaving these behind. You should be able to purchase shoes upon arrival at most courses if you are really struggling for space in your case, but they will tend to be a little overpriced at the resorts.

Remember to take out insurance for your trip. Although it can be tempting to save on this cost, golf insurance is now so mainstream that you should have no trouble acquiring cover at an affordable price. Try specialist travel insurers like AA Travel Insurance who will allow you to add golf cover to any of their cheap holiday insurance packages.