Getting away for a couple of days and hitting the fairways is the perfect weekend for many golfers.
The Algarve, Turkey and UAE have become popular overseas destinations for a golfing holiday, but with many still less willing to travel overseas in the ‘new normal’ it’s a good thing that the UK has a wealth of stay and play options.
It doesn’t have to break the bank either, with some golfing breaks in this country coming in at under £100 for a round or two either side of a night in an on-site hotel.
We’ve picked out some of the best stay and play packages around the UK for a golfing weekend.
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Follow in the footsteps of champions
For those looking to play where the world’s best, both past and present, have had their proudest moments, there is plenty of choice.
St Andrews
Home of the R&A, scene of countless magic moments, from Tiger Woods’ career grand slam completion to Jack Nicklaus’ final Open appearance, as well as being the oldest course in the world, St Andrews’ Old Course is high on many a golfer’s bucket list.
From the notorious Road Hole bunker, to the Swilcan Bridge over the first and last holes, there are plenty of familiar features for golfing anoraks to experience.
Cost: From £275pp – One night, one round
Celtic Manor
It may have been plagued by bad weather that weekend, but the venue for Europe’s 2010 Ryder Cup success still showcased its fantastic credentials as Colin Montgomerie guided his squad to a narrow victory over the USA.
The Twenty Ten Course, opened specially for the event is the pinnacle of the three options at the Welsh venue, but make sure you take advantage of the resorts multi-round deals to experience the Roman Road and Montgomerie courses.
Cost: From £166pp – One night, two rounds
Trump Turnberry
Whatever your views on the man whose name graces the place, Trump Turnberry is a blockbuster of a links course perched on the Ayrshire coastline. The host of four Open Championships, a mainstay in most ‘Top 100 in the World’ lists, it’s one that many want to experience.
It doesn’t come cheap but it’s well worth a splurge with luxurious accommodation located just across the road from the splendour of the Ailsa and Robert The Bruce courses.
Cost: From £390pp – Two nights, two rounds
Save the pennies with these budget options
Golf is often seen as a costly hobby, and it most certainly can be. However, there are lots of options for those looking to keep those purse strings a bit tighter.
Bells Hotel and Country Club, Gloucestershire
One of the cheapest stay and play deals we found the UK, with winter breaks available for less than £20 per person, there’s not much to sniff at when it comes to a break away at this Forest of Dean venue.
The pretty parkland course isn’t a test for the big hitters, with the total yardage only just exceeding 6,000 yards but whether you take advantage of the deals in the cooler months or pay a bit more to stay in the summer, Bells Hotel offers a great value break.
Cost: From £19.95pp – One night, one round (Winter)
Cotswolds Hotel and Spa, Oxfordshire
Not only do golf breaks here include not one, but two rounds at the parkland course, but visitors also have the opportunity to relax and recover in the on-site spa after their round.
With breaks available for under three-figures it offers a great option for the all-round golfing weekend – challenging golf on an undulating course, luxurious spa facilities, and a pretty setting to lay your head at the end of the day.
Cost: From £75pp – One night, two rounds
Macdonald Hill Valley and Spa, Shropshire
Another golf-hotel-spa combination that ticks plenty of boxes. The four-star hotel overlooks the peaceful setting of lakes, gardens and rolling countryside, with its course, designed by Peter Allis, paying perfect compliments to its location.
There are two options to choose from, the par 73 Emerald Championship Course sweeps gracefully around natural hazards, and the par 66 Sapphire Course which is perfect for sharpening your short game skills.
Cost: From £89 – One night, two rounds
Stop and admire the view
A tip-top golf course-hotel combo is what most golf breaks are about, but it’s always nice to take a moment to admire the scenery some courses are surrounded by. Check out these options.
Carlyon Bay Hotel, Cornwall
The county of Cornwall is a holiday destination of choice for many Brits, and for good reason. For golfers, standing at the first tee at Carylon Bay, you’ll know why the region draws so many visitors.
Overlooking the stunning Cornish coastline, views over the cliffs and into St Austell bay, it can be a daunting start to begin with, but learn to appreciate the dramatic topography of the course, rather than fear it, and Carlyon Bay becomes a dream to experience.
Cost: From £110 – One night, one round
Lough Erne Resort, Northern Ireland
Water hazards don’t come much more imposing than those at Lough Erne. The stunning lakelands of the County Fermanagh venue provide a picture-perfect backdrop to any golfing break.
Two Championship level golf courses, the Faldo Course, unsurprisingly designed by Sir Nick Faldo, and the Castle Hume Course, home to the fiendishly difficult Ely Island par 3, offer ample choice in a striking waterside setting.
Cost: From £160 – One night, one round
Old Thorns, Hampshire
Situated on the edge of the South Downs National Park, surrounded by pristine forest, Old Thorns provides a rather tranquil escape for golfers.
With the likes of Seve Ballesteros and Jack Nicklaus gracing the course with their presence for it’s opening back in the 1970s it’s clear that it holds its own against the competition. Fifty years on and Old Thorns remains a cracking option for a golfing stay and play package.
Cost: From £129 – One night, two rounds
Wherever you choose for your next golfing break, whether you travel overseas or opt for a stay and play package, make sure you’re protected with SportsCover Direct’s Golf Insurance.