For golfers that are passionate about the game and who are thinking about mixing your devotion to golf with a vacation, then you will find out how to plan the perfect golf vacation in this article. This will then give you the potential to organize a family golf trip or a golf trip with your buddies.

Before you rush off to the first tee in the sunshine of some other state or even another country, the golf vacationer must take the time to plan the perfect golf vacation by considering what should be included in the ideal golf trip.

The same with any vacation, you have to include some key elements when planning a golf trip; how long will you be staying, how do you plan to pay for the trip, what is the estimated cost, what other extras will you include, and so forth. The most important consideration is if any of your family or friends don't golf, then what other activities would they enjoy. The next thing to consider is where you want to play golf; near the beach, in the mountains, or on the links of England or Scotland.

Some fundamental planning at the beginning should remove any little problems for a better chance of a perfect golf vacation. When you start to plan the perfect golf vacation it is a good idea to write out some points about an ideal golf trip by dividing the points into separate areas to focus on. Below are a few categories to help you get started:

* Set a season of the year for the trip (a few weeks in the future; a few months in the future)

* Decide how many days or rounds of golf the trip will include (don't overdo it!)

* Set a range of prices for the entire trip ($2000 to $3000, $4000 to $5000, for example)

* Decide on the number of people who will be in the group

* Decide on who will go on the trip - non-golfing family members, just golfers, etc.

* Start gathering golf trip information from magazines, library, Web sites etc.

* Ask friends who have been on a golf vacation if they made their own plans, used a travel agent, purchased an all-inclusive golf vacation etc.

One way to plan a golf trip is by making all the arrangements yourself; travel, accommodation, and golf activities. Below are some tips if you decide to make your own arrangements.

If you are planning to drive to your golf vacation destination, carrying your clubs in the trunk of the car or the back of the SUV solves most of the transportation problems. If this is your method of getting to your favorite golf site, take a few minutes to make sure you have all the clubs in the bag. It may sound strange, but it is certainly no fun to arrive for a few days of golf at a beautiful location only to find that your 8 iron is at home, because your son or daughter took it out of the bag for practice.

If you are not using the services of a travel agent, then you should make your arrangements by contacting a local organization in the area that you want to visit. As an example, golfers can contact the South Carolina group that specializes in golf vacations in Myrtle Beach. You can use this method for other areas as well, like golf courses in the state of Arizona. The area around Phoenix has comparable assistance as do the many golf resorts in the area.

You would first select your golf courses and then make contact with the Golf Director at your choice of accommodation. They will be able to book your tee times and your rooms right over the phone. This combines your own decisions and using the expertise of golf vacation specialists and their local knowledge.

If you really want to do this on your own, you may have a few more challenges and a little more work, but you and your friends may also enjoy the extra bit of freedom and sense of accomplishment. Set your standards high and then back down to a more manageable level if your budget doesn't look as if it will handle Scotland, Ireland, the Bahamas or a similar overseas destination.

After you have secured your lodgings you should plan to play golf courses that are within a realistic distance - the less traveling that you do between courses is important. As well, you should have made these arrangements at the earliest possible date to ensure that you get the best opportunities. If you wait until the last minute and then you find that you want to change your original destination, you will probably end up with unsuitable rooms and less convenient tee times. Below are some recommendations for booking your lodgings first:

* Consider a rental house instead of a hotel for larger groups

* Make sure there are enough rooms and beds for each person

* Consider the driving time to and from the golf courses if you choose a rental home over hotel rooms on or near a golf course

* Consider early morning tee times that may allow an additional 18 holes in the afternoon. Being close to the house makes the course more attractive (it saves time)

* Plan for accommodation even earlier if you plan to play golf and watch a major tournament that is taking place in the area. Combining your trip with a PGA tournament adds some extra flare to a golf vacation.

You should have all the details sorted out by now, but don't forget for the perfect golf vacation you need to know if you will be playing only one round per day, or if you are free to play as many rounds as you like. Lastly, you will need to comprehend what is and isn't included in your golf package. By taking a few more minutes over the details you will eliminate the problems when you arrive at your golf destination.