By Julie L. Moran
Established Golf Travel Agencies and Tour Companies
For your convenience, I've listed a few agencies and tour operators that have
been around for a while, and are legitimate agencies and that cover some of
the more popular golf destinations in the U.S. However, this list is by no means
exhaustive, and there are many other excellent agents and companies out there.
For the entire United States, you can contact
Golf Digest Golf and Travel Club at (800)
GD-EAGLE or P.O. Box 4011 Harlan, Iowa 51593. They do charge an annual
membership fee, but members receive discounts at over 2,000 golf courses and 1,500
hotels in the U.S., as well as airfare and car rental discounts. This is especially a
good value for frequent travelers.
Another national company is Preferred Golf, which offers
golf packages with discount greens fees and accommodations as well as airfare.
2134 Tremont Center, Columbus, Ohio 43221 or (614) 481-8845. For those who travel to
the most upscale golf destinations, Great Golf Resorts of the World
offers golf packages (you still save money but these are top-of-the-line accommodations
and golf courses) at exclusive golf resorts throughout the world. (800) 442-4479
or 111 Presidential Boulevard, Suite 222, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania 19004.
For the southeastern U.S. contact the Southern Living Travel Service
(yes, in conjunction with the publication of the same name), which offers golf travel
packages for many popular destinations in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida,
and other southern locales featuring terrific golf courses. This is a good choice for
those traveling with non-golfers, since arranging golf is part of what they do, but
their emphasis is on romantic or classy or otherwise unique getaways. (800) SL-TRIPS,
1760 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
Also serving the southeast
(certain key golf destinations in the Carolinas and Florida) is Golfpac,
which offer golf and accommodations packages as well as some all-inclusive packages
and car rental. (800) 327-0878, P.O. Box 162366, Altamonte, Florida 32716-2366.
Saving Money With Non-Profit Golf Associations
Some popular golf destinations have begun to form non-profit golf
associations with member golf courses and hotels teaming up to
offer money-saving packages. You may want to contact the
Convention and Visitors Bureau or Chamber of Commerce for
your chosen destination to see if they have any information or special
golf packages, since these organizations usually are aware of these liaisons
and encourage them as they obviously promote local tourism. In fact,
some of these are a division of a Convention and Visitors Bureau or
similar general tourism association.
A few examples in the Southeastern U.S. include Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
(800) 845-4653, which has numerous hotels and golf courses that offer money-saving packages;
the Williamsburg Golf Association at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia (800) FOR-GOLF;
Hilton Head Central Reservations in Hilton Head Island, South
Carolina (800) 845-7018, and Florida's First Coast of Golf, Inc.
(800) 877-PUTT for Amelia Island and Jacksonville Florida and
surrounding locations.
These non-profit golf associations which promote and/or offer area golf packages
are becoming increasingly popular, and their numbers are growing nationwide. So
it certainly doesn't hurt to ask if your travel destination offers such golf
packages. 
More Travel Tips by Julie L. Moran
