Golf bucket list destinations exist without long-haul flights and jetlag. A tour through Europe with selected examples.
Let’s not overuse the cliché \”Why wander far?\” Yet, it boils down to this: in uncertain times marked by global societal erosion, inflation, and soaring energy costs, and with ecological footprints in mind, long-haul flights or heavy fuel-powered sea voyages are less favored among sustainably minded sport enthusiasts — or rather, they should be.
\”Everyone Just Wants to Get Out Again\”
\”Everyone just wants to get out again,\” said a fellow passenger queuing at the Edinburgh airport after the official end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This still holds true today, if not more so, with travel seemingly less restrained now that SARS-CoV-2 no longer dominates the world.
Travel portals note a growing focus on eco-friendly travel and sustainable accommodations. For example, after the pandemic, Booking.com found that 50 percent of travelers in Germany and 71 percent worldwide aim to travel more sustainably, with over 25 percent choosing destinations closer to home.
They Just Want to Play
However, golf travel hasn’t been specifically surveyed. An exclusive golf travel expert, wishing to remain anonymous, shared that ecological concerns rarely affect clients able to afford such destinations. They simply want to play golf.
Fortunately, there is a comforting \”indulgence\” for tee times on dream courses. Golfers can offset the CO2 emissions from travel by contributing to climate, environmental, or sustainability projects via providers like Atmosfair and MyClimate. Spending a few extra euros is well worth the trip.
Links golf on Sylt: The Budersand Hotel – Golf & Spa with the dune course. (Photo: Budersand)
The Good Is So Near
Golf travel remains an ambivalent affair. Honestly, who isn’t tempted by faraway bucket-list destinations? Still, sometimes the good is closer than you think.
Golf Post has featured many happy places: Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land in Thuringia, Budersand Hotel – Golf & Spa on Sylt, Andreus Resorts, and the golf region in South Tyrol. Here is another tour through nearby golf grounds from firsthand experience, without claiming completeness.