Is golf your passion? Then consider golf vacations organized for you quickly and economically by the travel professional!

One of the best ways to plan a golf vacation is to work with a travel agent or another professional who specializes in golf vacation packages. Many of these individuals have not only studied the industry and keep up with prices and changes, but have also travelled to the golf destinations and played the courses.

In addition to contacting a group that represents area golf resorts, as mentioned earlier, you may want to work with a travel agent or travel consultant who specializes in golfing holidays. But as with any purchase, you should go with some firm ideas in hand. Spend a little time getting golf vacation information from friends, from Web sites and so on. Then, when you visit with a travel agent or golf vacation planner, you will be able to provide some direction. This removes some of the pressure of just accepting what the agent or consultant has to offer. After all, this is your trip. Customize it as much as possible.

What follows are basic tips about golf vacations that you can take with you to the travel agency. This is not meant as a recommendation for any particular golf course or resort.  Use this information to suggest that you would like “something similar to this.” This will not only help you but it will make the agent’s job easier. A reputable travel agent or consultant wants to please the client and they will be able to do this better with suggestions from you.

Some of the best golf resorts have very reasonable package prices. For example, you can spend three nights in Orlando, Florida and play four rounds of golf for less than $400. Of course, you will have travel expenses (car, plane) but the price is not out of reach for most golfers. Another great example: the many great courses in Arizona or California.

You may want to start your planning with some golf courses from a list of the top 100 public golf courses in the United States. Many golfers are surprised at the famous name courses that are available for golf vacations. These can be excellent destinations for a golf vacation and will give your agent some idea of what to look for.

• The Homestead – Hot Springs, Virginia
• Spyglass Hill – Pebble Beach, California
• The Prince Course – Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
• Wolf Creek – Mesquite, Nevada
• PGA West – La Quinta, California
• Tanglewood Park – Clemmons, North Carolina
• The Broadmoor – Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Horseshoe Bay Resort – Horseshoe Bay, Texas

The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to planning for a golf vacation. There are more than 31,000 golf courses to choose from around the world, in locations as exotic as the Bahamas, Mexico and Europe. In addition, the number of golf courses open to the public in the U.S. has exploded in recent years. Many of these courses are located in some of the most beautiful places in the U.S.