HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT GOLF TRAVEL COMPANY

Golf International - Honored for Excellence in Tourism

Golf International was the recent recipient of the prestigious 2005 - Icons of Scotland Award, presented by the Scottish Government, Tourist Board and Scotland Magazine, for excellence in tourism through consistently providing the most memorable Scottish experience. We are the only American travel company to ever be honored in this way and trust this award will be further assurance to our clients, past present and future, that in choosing Golf International to handle your travel arrangements, you have selected the very best.


Your golf trip is a very important event.

You have a passion for golf and this may very well be the realization of one of your life long dreams. It's your vacation and you have worked hard for it...don't you deserve a trip which is absolutely perfect and provides you with fond memories enough to last a lifetime?

Arranging an international golf trip without professional help is not a simple thing.

For the same reasons most of us go to a mechanic when our car breaks down and a doctor when we aren't feeling well, the path to a successful golf trip is best handled by a qualified specialist.

Any golf trip involves the coordination of a myriad of details. On an international golf trip the details multiply... the entire process becomes increasingly difficult to coordinate due to differences in time.

You will need to determine the availability of the various golf clubs you wish to play (each with its own rules and regulations concerning visitors). You must find and reserve the most suitable hotels and book a car rental which will be large enough for golfers, luggage and clubs. You need to determine driving distances and be certain of driving directions to be sure you make that starting time. The list of details is endless.

If you choose to make your own arrangements, be prepared for a frustrating experience which will be very time consuming. It is less than likely that you will be successful in obtaining the courses you want to play and for all your trouble, you could end up with a nightmare of a trip which is not what you wanted at all. And to whom will you turn when you discover you have no hotel reservations or a golf club can find no trace of your booking?

The way to avoid all of these problems is to use the services of a professional golf travel company which can take care of all of the details. Selected carefully, the right company will provide you with a trouble free trip where all you have to worry about is your golf game.

How do you go about selecting the right company? The following few pointers will set you off in the right direction....

1.Look for a company which specializes exclusively in golf travel.

Golf travel is probably one of the most highly specialized areas of the travel business and it takes a dedication to the subject not found among generalist, to handle a trip properly.

2.Find a company that has at least 5 years experience in golf travel.

It takes at least that long to build the local contacts and relationships needed to get the job done.

3.Check into the company's reputation and track record.

Although past performance can be no guarantee of the future, better to go with a company that has established a good, solid reputation.

4. Compare Brochures and Advertisements for professionalism.

Poorly prepared promotional material including brochures, advertising and web-sites, could be an indication that a company is less than professional in its approach to business and may not be professional in planning your trip.

5.Is the company a member of any professional associations?

Membership in professional and trade associations is usually an indication that a company abides by that organizations code of ethics and business practices. Check your travel company out with the associations they claim to belong to.

6.Check with the tourist board of the country you plan to visit.

Tourism is very important to any country and every tourist office wants it's overseas visitors to have a good experience. Although tourist offices are not allowed to show an preferences or favoritism in recommending travel companies, they should let you know of any which may have a poor record for client satisfaction.

7.Check with friends or others who may have taken a similar trip before.

There is no better indicator than personal recommendation. Any company which has satisfied others, should be able to satisfy you.

8.Ask for references.

If a company is proud of it's past performance record they will have no hesitation in providing you with references.

9.Be wary of addresses that are P.O. Boxes.

Although it's not necessarily so, a company using a post office box rather than a street address may be a part-time company, operated from the kitchen table of somebody's home.

10.Be wary of companies with no offices in the U.S.A.

More overseas operators with no U.S. base of operations are running classified ads in American golf magazines to attract business than ever before. Their claims to experience and knowledge about golf travel may or may not be true. But what recourse will you have if their promises are not kept or if you are disappointed with their arrangements?

Wouldn't it be wiser to use an American company?

11.Ask your chosen golf travel company if they have local overseas offices in the countries you are visiting.

Most do not, instead entrusting their clients to a representative agent, a third party, middleman who may represent many different companies. With little or no control over their representative, your golf travel company may just be hoping that everything works out okay for your trip.

12.Don't let price alone be the deciding factor.

If you are comparing the proposals of other golf travel companies, price alone should not be your guide. Compare the different itineraries very carefully looking at the various hotels which may have been offered and the types of rooms, the type of car rental and what is included, any other services which may be offered.

Can all that has been proposed be delivered, or is there a bait and switch game being played? Do you feel comfortable with the lower priced company and their reputation?

Good value is important, but if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is.


Following these few guidelines together with a good dose of common sense, should help you choose a company which is reputable, experienced and will provide you with a dream trip rather than a nightmare.

10 GOOD REASONS WHY
GOLF INTERNATIONAL
SHOULD BE YOUR GOLF TRAVEL COMPANY

Reason # 1......EXPERIENCE
More than 20 years of planning and operating golf trips to the world's top international golfing destinations has given us the experience you need to be assured of a trouble free trip.

Reason # 2......REPUTATION

Golf International arranges thousands of golf trips every year, many of which are for clients who have traveled with us frequently before. Others come to us because we were recommended by past clients. Golf International has earned a reputation among our clients which is second to none.

Reason # 3......EXPERTISE

By focusing our business exclusively on golf travel and offering only a limited number of European countries, we know our products inside and out. With this intimate knowledge and the innumerable contacts we have established over the years, we can often accomplish the impossible. We know how to get the job done and if we can't do it, chances are no one can.

Reason # 4......SERVICE

With Golf International, service comes above everything else and it is our highly personalized service which sets us apart from the rest.

Reason # 5......ACCESSIBILITY

Our New York offices are open 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. From 9:00 a.m until 7:00 p.m., Mondays thru Fridays, our qualified staff is available when you need us. Of course our information packed web-site is available to you all of the time.

Reason # 6......WE ARE ON-THE-SPOT

Golf International is the only American golf travel company to maintain and operate overseas offices in both Scotland and Ireland. The local staff we employ are there for only one reason....to make certain your trip works perfectly.

Reason # 7......PROFESSIONALISM

Golf International takes great pride in the lofty professional standards we have set for ourselves. We are active members of the most important industry associations including ASTA (The American Society of Travel Agents); BBB (The Better Business Bureau); NGF (National Golf Foundation) IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) and AAGTO (American Association of Golf Tour Operators).

Golf International is also a recommended golf travel company for the tourist offices of each and every country we offer.

Reason # 8......FLEXIBILITY

We are determined to make your trip the best you have ever taken and we happily adapt, modify and change anything to make absolutely certain that your Golf International trip is a perfect fit.

Reason # 9......WE CARE

Your trip is made up of numerous details, large and small, which are attended to meticulously by our knowledgeable staff. We plan every trip as though it was our own because we care and care very much about you and your trip.

Reason # 10.....REFERENCES

We encourage you to check with others about Golf International and will happily provide a list of past clients, tourist offices and other references, upon request. We know the closer you look, the better we look.

Your trip is an important event and deserves the attention of the best. Shouldn't that be Golf International?

GOLF INTERNATIONAL
The Most Trusted Name In Golf Travel
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