5 Most Common Golf Vacationers

Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand

One question I often get from people who don't know a golf club from a baseball bat is: Why do you travel around the world to play golf when you have several perfectly fine golf courses within 5 minutes of your house?

I don't want to go all philosophical on you, but the reason for travel by golfers can be summed up in this simple phrase: "Be fearless in pursuit of what sets your soul on fire."

In my three decades of spanning the globe to play golf, I've identified five types of golf travelers:

1. The Vacationer--Most likely the golfer is married to a non-golfer, who prefers a stone massage at the spa rather than roaming the fairways. The couple plans the golf trip with the distinct theme of compromise in the air. Golfer searches for a resort with a highly ranked spa and great golf (or some super tracks nearby) and they enjoy the best of both worlds. It has been my experience (with Mrs. Guru) that the non-golfer's needs come first and the golfer is seemingly happy as long as the fairways are wide, the greens are true and the beer is ice cold at the 19th hole.

2. Trophy Hunter--These are the individuals who more than likely have a large map in their office dotted with tiny flags denoting the Top 100 courses they've played around the world. It's an admirable goal for the golf fanatic and I've known more than a few golfers who pursue playing the most highly ranked courses. When they travel, the goal is to plant flags on their map when they return. From the Old Course at St. Andrews to Royal County Down in Ireland to Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, the trophy hunter wants to play them all during his golf travel career.

3. Buddy Tripper--Typically a group of men who generally want to play golf (up to 36 holes a day), drink beer and single malt scotch at the 19th hole, enjoy a steak, lobster or pasta dinner and repeat that day several times. Scotland and Ireland are great buddy trip destinations because the courses are often close to each other and there's an abundance of 19th holes, whiskey distilleries for tours and pubs where the pints flow freely. In the U.S., top buddy trip destinations include Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

4. Adventure Traveler--I'm seeing more of this type of golf traveler in recent years. In addition to playing great golf courses, they want to incorporate exciting off-the-course activities in their itinerary such as wine tours and tastings, safaris, river rafting, hot air ballooning and bicycling. This traveler often gets just as excited in finding a great Cab or Chardonnay as they do in slamming in a 20 foot birdie putt. Some destinations vying for the adventure traveler include South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

5. Event Traveler--This ultimate multi-tasker likes to attend major golf events and tee it up in the area. They'll select events like the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, Solheim Cup, Open Championship, The Masters and PGA Tour and European Tour tournaments, then arrange to attend for a few days and play golf at nearby notable courses.

5 Great Adventure Travel Golf Destinations

Are you looking for new golf vacation frontiers?

Here are five destinations where the golf road is a little less traveled. Places where you'll find superb golf and activities and attractions that'll enhance your visit and create lasting memories: 

South Africa--Situated at the tip of the African continent, South Africa has the perfect blend of luxury, soft adventure, championship golf courses, the finest wines in the Southern Hemisphere and the opportunity to see the Big Five (elephant, leopard, buffalo, lion and rhino) in the their natural habitat on safari. You'll test your skills on fairways where Zebras are likely to roam alongside or tee off from cliffs offering stunning panoramas. Accommodations in South Africa encompass beautiful lodges, boutique hotels and upscale, amenity-rich resorts. For wine lovers, South Africa has been producing wine for more than 350 years and has some of the most picturesque wineries on the planet.

New Zealand--Active volcanoes, spectacular glaciers, rugged mountains, gorgeous beaches, vast plains and lush forests make New Zealand a photogenic paradise. World-class golf architects like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Doak andRobert Trent Jones Jr. have capitalized on New Zealand's amazing topography by designing courses at incredible, awe-inspiring locations. Set near either snow capped mountains or isolated coastal stretches, these courses, provide inspirational natural backdrops with breathtaking scenery. Better still, the courses are uncrowded and fun-to-play. To compliment your golf excursion, New Zealand has tours of its fabulous wineries in 12 wine regions and other activities like whale watching, helicopter tours, scenic train trips and boat cruises, diving, surfing and tours of "The Lord of the Rings" film locations.

Canada--From the dramatic Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links courses in Nova Scotia (created by Bandon Dunes developer Mike Keiser) to Western Canada's courses set against backdrops of soaring mountains and lush pine forests, this country has lots to offer golfers. While golf is often overshadowed by hockey and winter sports, the spring, summer and early fall are great times to tee up. You can stay and play at legendary resorts like the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, which is styled after a Scottish Baronial castle, and Jasper Lodge, an iconic luxury mountain resort on the shores of Lac Beauvert.

Australia--Aussies absolutely love golf. It's the country's number one participant sport. For golf vacationers, the combination of world-class golf, fine wines, unique cuisine, beautiful coastlines, a relaxed lifestyle and a welcoming, golf knowledgeable citizenry makes Australia a fantastic choice, especially for couples. There are more than 1,800 courses to choose from in Australia. The best courses are in a small area of Melbourne known as the Sand Belt, where legendary layouts like Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath and Commonwealth are located.  Wine tours are popular with more than 60 wine regions. Australia has an outstanding outdoor dining lifestyle so you'll enjoy some of the world's best food and wine amid magnificent surroundings.

Italy--One of the great ways to "work-off" all the sumptuous pastas and delicious wines in Italy is to play golf. There are more than 250 golf courses in the country. Most of the courses are located in the Lake District north of Milan, in the Tuscany region around Florence and near Rome. Italy has become bullish on golf and attracting golf vacationers in recent years. It will host the Ryder Cup matches in 2022 at Marco Simone Golf Club near Rome.