Reading a golf package: what is included and what costs extra

On paper a golf package often looks simple. Five rounds, one price, done. What ends up on your bill, though, depends on things that are not always in the offer. This guide shows you what to ask before you book.

What a green fee package contains

Some golf courses also sell rounds as a package. Instead of five single green fees you buy, for example, a package of five 18-hole rounds. Such a package can be cheaper than the single rounds. How much you save depends on the course, so work out the price per round yourself.

There are also offers with unlimited golf. They pay off if you like to play more than one round a day. With such offers, ask exactly how you get the tee times for them. A package replaces buying the rounds, it does not replace reserving the tee times.

What surprised me in Vietnam

On my last trip to Vietnam the caddie was included in the green fee. I knew that. But nobody had told me that a tip for the caddie was compulsory. Only on the course did I also learn that I was not allowed to bring my own snacks or water. I had to buy everything directly from the club. In a hot region that adds up when every bottle of water is sold at a premium.

Costs like these are not limited to Vietnam. Depending on the country and the club there can be service fees for the booking, fees for the locker room or for balls on the driving range. Some clubs require you to have your clubs cleaned after the round and charge extra for it.

The costs to ask about first

• Caddie: Is the caddie included in the green fee? Is a tip compulsory, and how much?
• Buggy: Is the buggy included, compulsory or available for an extra charge? On some courses buggies are booked out quickly, so reserve one together with the tee time.
• Rental clubs: What does a set cost per day? Which brands and models are available?
• Driving range: Are the balls included or do they cost extra?
• Food and drink: May you take your own water onto the course?
• Fees: Are there service fees for the booking, for the locker room or for cleaning the clubs?
• Transfer: If the hotel is not right at the course, how do you get there? Not every golf course has its own shuttle, and not every taxi is big enough for several golf bags. A rental car with enough space or a golf transfer is often the better choice.

Walking, buggy or trolley

Whether you walk or ride depends mainly on the course. If you set off without a buggy on a course with a lot of climbing, you may soon wish you had decided differently. In hot regions such as southern Spain, Egypt or the Emirates a buggy is often a matter of common sense and not just comfort.

For me a trolley is the good middle ground. An electric trolley takes the weight off you, and you still walk the course. Ask beforehand whether good rental trolleys are available or whether to bring your own.

The dress code is part of it

Almost every golf course expects tailored trousers or golf shorts and a polo shirt with a collar. Exclusive clubs go further, down to the length of socks or the colour of clothing. If you ignore the rules you may be turned away at the first tee. So read the dress code before you pack and not at the course.

Checklist to take with you

Copy these questions into your e-mail to the course or your travel agent.