If you’re reading this, chances are you’re considering or are actually in the early stages of golf trip planning. I’ve done this a few times with groups from as few as 4 to up to 12 and I can tell you first-hand that there is a lot that goes into a well-planned golf getaway.
If you have not started, you may be wondering about everything you need to think about. If you have started, you likely know a lot of the pieces and may be feeling a little overwhelmed. Regardless of where you are in your journey, one thing is true: a well thought and thoroughly researched plan are essential to maximizing your group’s golf getaway experience.
With all of the organization and planning needed for a successful golf trip, how early should you start your planning? That is a great question and one I will help shed some light on. No matter where you are in your journey, Fairway Golf Getaways is here to help with your golf getaway planning and can create the best-available itineraries for you and your golf group.
Using one of my recent golf trip plans, I share the steps, my reasoning, and what I’ve learned about how early you really should lock in who, when, where, how long, and at what cost — especially to avoid last-minute compromises or disappointment.
First things first: WHO & WHEN
From my experience, the very first thing to do is find out who your golf group is and when they are available. In my recent plan, starting nine months out, I spent the first few weeks sending texts and emails and making some calls to see stroke some interest and assess overall availability.
Tracking responses and likelihood to commit, I was able to narrow down the target dates to give us focus. With the dates locked within a 3 week period, it was time for the group to get finalized in so the real fun could begin. When the dust settled, the list of hopefuls dwindled from nearly 16 interested to 8 committed golfers.
With the group and dates (with a little flexibility) confirmed, you are ready to begin the real work of finding where, how long, the courses, tee times, lodging, flights, and more
Lock in WHERE, DURATION, and BUDGET
These three are deeply interconnected: where you go can heavily influence cost per day; how many days you stay multiplies cost; and your budget can constrain both. During my planning, once I had the group and possible date range, I evaluated a shortlist of regions that suited weather, then estimated what accommodation and travel prices looked like. From that, a rough budget and a number of days were set.
If you leave these fuzzy until too late, you might find that preferred courses are fully booked, hotels are scarce or expensive, airfare climbs, or desired locations are just unrealistic.
TIP: be sure to consider climate of the region. For example, the north may not be ideal in the Fall because of temperatures, but you can find good value. On the other end, going to Florida in March/April could get you peak pricing and not as much for your money.
Our Recommendation – When to Start Planning
Let’s see how the size of your group influences the recommended time to plan your trip.
| Group Size | Recommended Timing | What You Gain by Planning That Early |
| Small group (2-8 people) | 6-8 months | decent options for lodging, some options for preferred courses, easier for tee time groups, avoid peak day surcharges |
| Medium group (9-12 people) | 9-12 months | time to reserve consecutive and preferred tee times, lock in lodging, secure group discounts, work around everyone’s schedules |
| Large group (13+ people) | 12+ months | ensures availability at many high-demand courses, better lodging options, better airfare, more time for logistical details (transport, group meals, etc.) |
The highest in demand resorts and courses typically require more than 12 months of planning due to their popularity and exclusivity. For example, a resort like Bandon Dunes, OR may require 18 months or more regardless of group size.
My 9-Month Planning Breakdown
Let’s walk through how a 9-month timeline helped me plan the perfect golf getaway:
- Month 9:
- Polled potential group members
- Nailed down availability (dates)
- Defined budget
- Identified duration of getaway
- Begin destination research (based on availability feeedback
- Months 8-7:
- Confirmed dates (within three week period)
- Finalized location and course recommendations
- Submitted course and tee time requests
- Compared lodging costs (hotels vs vacation rentals)
- Shared budget projects for 4-5 nights
- Months 6-5:
- Finalized duration for 4 nights
- Booked lodging (deposit required for vacation rental)
- Course and tee times were confirmed – payment processed
- Reviewed/booked flights (not everyone booked)
- Requested payment from group for all shared expenses (Lodgings and Greens Fees)
- Important note: some tee times are available 12 months in advance, but others may require third-party vendors to book more than 3 months in advance.
- Months 4-3:
- Researched activities and dining options
- Reserved rental cars
- Began planning game formats for group
- Designed and priced group swag
- Months 2-0:
- Final fine-tuning of schedule
- Order/receive swag items (personalized golf balls and tees)
- Final Deposit for vacation rental
- Flights booked for remaining members (at 15% higher cost than earlier bookings)
- Reserve group dinner
- Check in with group on final preparations and game formats (and buy-in for fun competition)
The 9 month plan for our group of 8 gave me plenty of planning time to find the best courses, lodging, and flights available. It also gave everyone time to budget for the trip expenses and avoid any potential scheduling conflicts.
Risks and Downsides of Planning Too Late—or Too Early
If you plan too late:
- Limited tee-time availability, especially at popular resorts/courses
- Higher lodging and airfare prices
- Fewer lodging choices near the golf courses
- Less time to coordinate schedules; more likely conflicts
- Reduced ability to negotiate group rates
If you plan too early:
- Some pricing (for lodging, flights) may not be published yet
- Rates can change; deposits or “lock-in” prices may require non-refundables
- Course conditions or course availability (due to renovations, seasonal closures) might not be fully determined so far ahead
So the goal is to balance: early enough to secure what matters, but not so early you’re guessing wildly.
My Recommendation: How Early You Should Start
This is not an exact science. Time of year, region, type of courses, and group size are all major factors in determining your planning time. That said, below is a good foundation for when you should start your golf getaway planning:
- If your group is medium to large, and you want good courses + accommodations + comfortable flights, aim for 9 months in advance.
- If you have everything flexible (dates, lodging level, flights), you might be able to do it in 6-8 months—but at this later start you’ll likely start to see fewer preferred options for lodging and tee times.
- For larger groups (12+), iconic or in-high-demand venues, or if the trip overlaps big events (golf tournaments, holiday weekends), 12+ months may be necessary.
Conclusion: The Value of Starting Early
Here are the major payoffs of starting early, from my experience:
- Best choices: of courses, tee-times, lodging, flights
- Better pricing: group rates, early booker discounts, avoiding last-minute premiums
- More flexibility: for people’s schedules; for weather contingencies
- Less stress: you avoid racing to put things together; last minute surprises are reduced
- Budget: more time gives time to plan for bigger budgets
When you start planning early and lock in WHO and WHEN, the focus can more quickly shift to the WHERE, DURATION, and BUDGET.
So whether you are 18 months out from a targeted golf trip, hovering around that 9 month sweet-spot, or are hoping to take a trip in the next couple of months, Fairway Golf Getaways can help plan your group golf trip, find the best deals available, and save you the time and energy needed to plan a proper getaway.