Prince Edward Island.
Mention the words "travel golf" and a few destinations typically pop to mind: Arizona, Florida, perhaps Scotland. But what about Vermont, Maine or Prince Edward Island?
Those off-the-map golf spots might surface on the radar screens of New England golfers this summer, when higher gas prices, more-modest consumer spending and a lingering uneasiness about flying could translate to a summer of family road trips.
"The drive market is of the essence right now," said Shane Sharp, editor of Travelgolf.com.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
To be sure, New Englanders from November to April will escape the winter blahs by flying to play courses in Florida, Arizona, California or Nevada.
But from May to October, New England golfers increasingly are content to stay within the region, according to Richard Ireton, director of product development and marketing at Merit Golf Vacations in Melrose, Mass.
"It’s easy for New Englanders to combine a golf trip with a family vacation," Ireton said. "Because it’s so small, you can do a one-week or 10-day trip with multiple destinations. And the feedback we’re getting is that people feel like they miss a lot when they fly in and fly out of places."
While Cape Cod remains New England’s prime golf destination, Ireton said northern New England has grown its reputation for golf in recent years. He mentioned areas around Sugarloaf, Maine, (notably Sugarloaf Golf Club) Killington, Vt., (including Green Mountain National Golf Course), and Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire.
And eastern Canada is emerging as a golf destination too, Ireton said.
New courses have sprouted in Nova Scotia and especially on Prince Edward Island, which has been marketing itself as a scenic, value-oriented, family golf destination. The tiny province’s golf-promotion trade group now has 25 member courses – up from six in 1989. Three new courses there are set to open this summer, according to The Guardian, the island’s provincial newspaper.
Eastern Canada is a natural fit for golfers from the Northeast, who can either hop on a quick flight or make a day’s drive up the beautiful New England coast. And the favorable exchange rate could further entice Americans: Greens fees at many of Prince Edwards Island’s courses are $50 (American) or less, vs. more than $100 on many courses in Cape Cod.
"Prince Edward Island and the Montreal area are easily accessible for golfers from New England," Sharp said. "And courses up there generally are cheaper, even without factoring in the exchange rate."
Outside of the Northeast, staple golf destinations like Myrtle Beach and Florida remain king.
Ireton said the most popular U.S. golf destinations are, in order: Myrtle Beach, S.C., Hilton Head Island, S.C., Florida, Arizona and Nevada. Those areas make up about 70 percent of the travel-golf market, he said.
But there are alternatives. Sharp of Travelgolf.com said the Outer Banks region of North Carolina is great for a low-key golf trip, a family oriented spot where vacationers can mix in a few rounds of golf with deep-sea fishing excursions.
Another emerging spot: Alabama, which offers more-affordable courses along the "Robert Trent Jones Trail," a string of eight championship courses crafted by the legendary designer’s firm. Alabama also boasts a number of quality, affordable courses along the Gulf Coast, Sharp said.
As for international golf destinations, Scotland and Ireland still reign supreme. But increasingly golfers are looking to exotic destinations for beautiful scenery and a unique cultural experience, according to Gil Klappin Jr., president of Carlson Wagonlit Travel/ Donavan Travel in East Greenwich.
"Spain and Portugal are two of the hottest European golf destinations," Klappin said. "There’s just a great variety of golf there, from seaside to mountain courses."
Klappin said the desire for scenic golf also has put other exotic spots on the travel-golf map, such as Australia, New Zealand, British Columbia and the Caribbean, where courses in the Dominican Republic are garnering a growing reputation.
A trip to one of those places, however, lends itself to "couples golf," Klappin said.
"It’s tough for a guy to get away with telling his wife that he’s going to the Caribbean to play golf for a week," he said.
