5 Fantastic Couples Golf Trips

For couples seeking a destination for a golf trip, a typical check list might include great golf, fantastic scenery, romantic settings, spas, beaches and winery tours and tastings to name a few.

Here are five destinations that include the necessary elements for a fun and memorable couples golf trip:

Portugal

After a few days in the romantic, historic port city of Lisbon, most golfing couples are drawn to the Algarve coast with its golden sands, aquamarine waters, natural rock arches and caves. There are 42 9-hole or 18-hole courses along this beautiful stretch of coast, which is dotted with quaint seaside villages dotted with marinas, boutique shops and restaurants. The Algarve has superb dining options with six Michelin star restaurants in the region. Healthy and light, the cuisine in the Algarve is dominated by fresh grilled fish and seafood stews. In addition to a wide variety of beach activities, there’s a bevy of historic attractions as well as boat trips through caves and rock formations, dolphin watching and shopping excursions.

Spain

In the land of sangria, tapas and paella, there are more than 430 golf courses in popular tourist areas like the Costa del Sol, Canary Islands and Balearic Islands. Spain has wonderful cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Valencia that are an absolute joy to walk and enjoy great dining and shopping. For golf, it has some of the best courses in Europe highlighted by Real Valderrama, PGA Catalunya, Real Sotogrande and Finca Cortesin. Dining in Spain is a sport unto itself with spectacular urban and coastal restaurants serving fabulous food. Sightseeing, visiting historical attractions, admiring the amazing architecture and upscale shopping in Madrid and Barcelona are just a few of the many activities popular with couples visiting Spain.

South Africa

South Africa has just about everything for a couples golf trip. The courses, designed by the likes of Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, feature everything from parkland to oceanside and mountain settings. For accommodations, the selection includes quaint boutique hotels, glamp-style safari lodges and amenity-rich resorts. After golf, South Africa has amazing safaris (where you can see the Big 5), some of the most picturesque wineries on the planet and activities like hot air ballooning and whale watching. You’ll also find superb fine dining restaurants at wineries and in South Africa’s major cities, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria.

New Zealand

A wonderland of amazing glaciers, snow capped mountains, gorgeous coastal stretches, vast plains and lush forests, New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Golf course architects like Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones Jr. has used some of the spectacular topography to create incredible layouts. Away from the fairways, couples have a wealth of activities to enjoy such as wine tours and tastings in twelve wine regions, helicopter tours of volcanic craters, scenic train trips and boat cruises and dolphin and whale watching.

Australia

More than 1,800 golf courses, stunning coastlines, superb wines and unique cuisine make the “land down under” very attractive to couples. You’ll play legendary courses like Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Barnbougle Dunes and New South Wales. Off the course, Australia has more than 7,000 beaches, exciting cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth and the ruggedly beautiful outback. Couples enjoy the phenomenal outdoor dining lifestyle that takes “dining al fresco” to a new level and the more than 60 wine regions with excellent selections of Shiraz, Chardonnay and sparkling wines.