By Julie L. Moran
If you're booking a pricey resort to gain access to a specific course or courses,
oftentimes you can use one night's stay (provided there's no minimum stay where
you're headed) to play one or more rounds at one - or a round at two - of the
courses you seek. The best way to maximize this is one round the day of
arrival and the other round the next morning.
Most resorts have mid- to late-afternoon check-in and late morning or noon
checkout, although many excellent resorts will kindly allow you late check-out if
you request it from the front desk. This will give you an extra hour or two so
you can come back and shower, pack, etc...after that last round. In peak seasons,
this may be more difficult to do, but it never hurts to ask.
Even if you must check out at the usual time, which may not leave you with
enough time to play a round and then return to your room to pack and check
out, you can pack the night before and take your bags to the concierge or bell
hop for storage (note: often a bell hop will pick your bags up from your room for
you and take them to storage, even if you've already headed out to the course,
if you call for a bell hop before leaving your room). If you won't return from the
course before check-out time, check out before hitting the links. To save even
more time, some places allow you to check out via your television, and some even
slip your bill under the door early on the day of your departure, so you can
examine your charges before you leave.
Just be sure that if you're heading home that day, you leave plenty of time to
get back in and head for the airport or train station, etc. - allow enough time
in case of a frost or rain delay in starting your round ...or
slow play. 
More Travel Tips by Julie L. Moran
