Enjoy a Golf Holiday

Fancy a change of scene on the first tee? Looking for a new challenge – or maybe some relaxing golf? Whatever form of golf you want, golf holidays are the answer.

Golf holidays need not be expensive. You do not need to go to the Caribbean to get a good golf holiday. In fact, I recommend staying in your time zone,as the travel will be less stressful, and you will not waste time overcoming jet lag. A time difference of one or two hours is OK, so if you are in the UK, you have the whole of Europe as far east as Greece at your disposal – aid if you are in Germany, you can go further.

Where are the best places for golf holidays? You can't beat Ireland and Scotland for quality of golf and the number of course you can play. Many of the Scottish courses are used for championships, and so are quite expensive, but there are many other courses that are well worth playing at low cost. This includes some of the public courses operated by Edinburgh Leisure, such as Braid Hills, which is short, but a good test of golf.

In the same area is Kilspindie, which is a lovely links course which is also quite short. For a more demanding and more expensive challenge on your golf holiday you can play Gullane No.1, 2 or 3 or Longniddry. All very good.

In Ireland there are hundreds of courses, and almost all are open to all visitors – some of the swankier clubs in Scotland want a certificate of your handicap. You can tour Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland and enjoy great golf.

In England, too, there are many championship courses, suitable for a golf holiday. Many of which will be familiar to you if you have seen the British Open or the Ryder Cup on television. These include The Belfry, which is a very difficult parkland course,Royal Lytham and St Annes, Royal Birkdale, Royal St Georges and Wentworth. Not so well-known but equally challenging are Deal and Rye in the south-east, The Berkshire, Sunningdale, Moretonhampstead in Devon, Royal Ashdown Forest.

Ireland also has a huge number of great golf courses, and there are also some good courses in the south of Spain. Of course, California has some terrific courses, and so does Australia, so when you plan your golf holiday, the world really is your oyster!

Find out the best way to get cheap golf vacations at www.swingingagolfclub.com, the site run by John Hartley who has been a student of golf and an avid golfer for many years, and has played amateur golf at a high level. Having had a lay-off for a number of years, he has been relearning the game, and so is the ideal person to pass on tips and advice on how and where to play.