Where to Go

Specialist Reports Special Interest Holidays Golf Breaks Where to Go 

Mainly offered from the UK by golf specialists are:

Ireland generally on swift tours to cover as many courses as possible. Prices are high as well, as much as £104 a round.

France with an emphasis on areas in the north easily reached from the UK, plus the warmer south. It does not feature in as many brochures as you might expect because some operators find golfers are happy to arrange their own trips.

Italy Barely registers as a golfing holiday destination. The game is in many ways highly elitist and extremely expensive. Tour operators are however beginning to try to develop it.

Spain A number of options which could be arranged direct (the tourist office has golf maps, brochures of golf hotels, plus golfing guides for example to golf in the Balearics, Tenerife,Costa del Sol, and Valencia). Only some of the listed hotels offers facilities for children. The best known names are Costa del Sol, San Roque, Almenara and Valderama.

Portugal The primary destination for golfing with an ever growing number of courses, particularly on the Algarve, good weather, and some hotels which can cater to children. The area round Lisbon is also worth considering, generally just a couple of degrees colder (a bonus in the heat of summer), a little cheaper and less crowded.

Cyprus The courses are generally considered no better than holiday standard and some operators who do offer it, only do so part of the year.

North Africa Tunisia and Morocco do market their golfing holidays (Tunisia in particular as a kind of Costa del Sol before its boom), but the courses are largely considered holiday rather than serious standard and there is a lack of childcare options. However, winter temperatures are higher and green fees lower.

Dubai A few operators recommend this and the weather of course is pretty much guaranteed.

US Oddly not many operators can really pick out places which would suit families, with the emphasis more on really serious golf. There are some options however and numerous resorts such as Palm Springs offer more golf than anything else.

The Caribbean Bermuda is the only island to feature in any of these specialist programmes and there is a lack of suitable childcare.

Mauritius An island which has focused on smarter tourism features in a few of these programmes. Childcare can be excellent but there is the problem of the long flight.

South Africa Well geared to golfing, but in old-fashioned British style, golf hotels tend not welcome children.