Before you start planning a vacation, I want you to consider going to an island, but not because you can snorkel or surf ? but because it's the most beautiful golf I've ever seen in my life.

Playing a round of golf on an island is the most peaceful mental game I've been exposed to. Of course, if there are jagged cliffs and shattering waves looming by the green, I'll admit it can get a tad intimidating.

Somehow, though, it's a little easier to accept your ball flying off over a cliff and into the big blue ocean than it is to see it sink into a stagnant pond on a mainland course. It might be the sea air or the fact that when I'm on vacation, nothing seems to matter much, but my game actually improves when I fly away to an island resort and reserve a tee time for the first morning I'm there.

So what do I look for when I want to go on an island golf getaway? Let's take a look at some of the most important criteria for me:

Is it family-friendly? Now I know not all kids belong on the golf course, but I drag my sons and daughter along with me and they hit the ball better than most adult players.

Still, we receive skeptical looks from those who don't know us and assume I'm going to ruin the course with my unmanageable brats. At the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, families get to use the Kiawah Island Family Tee Program from May 29-September 5th.

That means every day between 6 and 7 PM, families can tee up together without being rushed by other players to hurry up to the next hole. It's affordable (free for the kids) and everyone plays from the junior tees to encourage togetherness.

How many courses can I play? When you visit some of the islands, they'll have more than one course ? and you'll want to play them all while you're there! It's not like you can drop by three weeks from today, so you want to get access to the various courses whenever you can.

If you order a golf resort package for a particular island, make sure you have access to the various courses, not just one. They may have different levels of course ? from Championship courses to those for the average Jane.

How hard will it hit my pocketbook? I'm a savvy shopper, whether it's whole grains or a good golf resort, so I want the most play for my money. A good golf resort package will include more than 1 round of golf, and will include green and cart fees, range balls, and a breakfast, dinner, or meal or two along the way.

Of course the costs will vary depending on what time of year that you go, just as it does for any resort vacation. If you go to Kiawah Island in the winter, from January 1-March 15, for instance, you'll only have to pay $303 per person. But an Easter vacation from April 8-21st will go up in price to $446 per person.

There are always variations of packages. You can downsize the amenities and have a smaller villa or fewer meals for a reduced cost. Or, you can super-size your play and get golf instructions, sports massages, and personalized club fitting if you have the money to do it.

What else does the island have to offer? When we went to Hawaii, we loved exploring the flora and fauna on foot and renting mopeds to travel all around from the Pearl Harbor museum to Diamond Head for a beautiful view of Honolulu.

This, of course, was in between our trips to Coral Creek where we enjoyed a PGA lesson and enjoyed fine dining experience while the kids (along with grandma) went to a luau for the night.

Don't forget that planning a trip to an island golf resort is not very different from planning any other vacation. You want the best amenities for the least amount of money and there are always packages available to cater to your needs.