I never thought it would come to pass. What was a dream many years ago came to fruition recently when I traveled to Melbourne, Australia, for vacation and to play some of the world’s best golf courses. My wife’s birthplace was only a place I had heard about in many of her stories and seen when watching the Australian Open tennis tournament and the many Australian golf events hosted in Melbourne. I knew the sites very well – the Yarra River, Port Phillip Bay and the Melbourne Cricket Grounds (MCG) among others. Yet, it required I stay up late due to the time difference. But, if you live in the Northern Tundra of Minnesota, watching anything coming from Australia in November or January yielded the comfort knowing that at least part of the world was experiencing warm (even hot), sunny weather.
When we made the
decision to go to Australia (thanks to a close friend getting married in the
Philippines), immediately my mind went to playing the courses I had come to
know – Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Victoria, Huntingdale, Metropolitan,
etc. But, how could I accomplish the
feat of getting on these renowned courses? As a PGA of America Master Professional, of
course I would be welcomed, right? As
the son-in-law of a longtime bookkeeper at Kingston Heath, of course I would be
welcomed, right? As the friend of a
current executive with Golf Australia, of course I would be welcomed,
right? Not so fast, I discovered. Playing these courses required significant
planning, and I am not just talking about the golf side of things. 
Over the next five weeks, I will be sharing the things you
need to know if you plan on travelling “Down Under” for a golf holiday on the
Sandbelt courses, as well as information about some of the iconic courses
themselves, including Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath.
Getting to Australia
Of course, from the
States, getting to Australia is not that difficult. Qantas, American and United offer flights from many
different airports, including LAX, DFW and SFO, directly to Australia on a regular
schedule. However, if you are going directly
to Melbourne to start your adventure, then a layover in Sydney may be part of
the itinerary. If you transfer in
Sydney, you will go through customs there.
Make sure you leave yourself at least two hours before your flight to
Melbourne departs. Qantas and Virgin
Australia offer flights between Sydney and Melbourne hourly.
The cost will be a factor but can be manageable if you plan
accordingly. Airlines like Qantas and
Air New Zealand will offer fare specials on flights from major cities (LAX,
SFO, DFW, NYC) at different times of the year.
You should plan accordingly and well in advance. But remember, these are from the departure
points, so you will have to build in the additional fare to get there, and it
could be significant. Also, if you want
to make any stopovers or go to other places in Australia, it might be cheaper
to buy those tickets separately.
In our case, we needed to stop in the Philippines for the wedding. Flying from
MSP, we could have gone directly to Australia, with a stopover in Manila coming
back. As a result, the cost would have
been over $5,000 each. However, we
booked tickets to Manila and then separate tickets from Manila to
Australia. Doing so saved us over $3,000
per person.
Travel Time & Time On-Board
There are many philosophies regarding overseas travel. Even if you go “direct” to Melbourne, the
entire trip likely will take over 24 hours (especially if you have to connect
through one of the departure points in the US) from the time you leave your
home in the States to the time you arrive at your “home” in Australia. If you are not familiar with long travel, it
can be an exhausting, frustrating and challenging experience. Go into it with a sense of adventure, don’t
take the little inconveniences seriously, and you will be better in the long
run.
How we handle the experience from a physical standpoint
varies from one to another. Unfortunately,
so much is dictated by our own bodies. The
single best tip I can give you is common sense … make sure you are drinking
plenty of water.
The second best tip is to get as much sleep as possible, but that is easier said than
done. Some sleep really well on a plane;
others not at all. The excitement alone
will make it difficult for some to sleep.
While you are awake, you will not be bored. In addition to any reading material you
bring, there are many options for on-board entertainment, from “online” poker
against other passengers to a plethora of movies (current and past
blockbusters) to our favorite television shows to music. You will be served at least two full meals
and a snack. (If you have special
dietary needs, you are able to order those up to a day or two before
departure.) And, depending upon the
airline, you will get a varying amount of free alcoholic drinks – but alcohol
can be a stimulant and inhibit your ability to sleep.
And, of course, there is the issue of space. Depending upon the type of aircraft, you may
have a middle seat near a window, or in the middle of the fuselage where you
have to get past two or three people to get out to use the bathroom. Plan accordingly when booking your trip to
make sure you reserve the seat you want.
You are going to be in it for a long time. But, if you follow the first tip (drink plenty
of water), you’ll want to be near the bathroom for easy access ... and remember to use it when
there are no lines.
Time Change
This is not an issue to take lightly. It is tough on the body for anyone making the
trip, and the older one is, the more difficult it will be. With our typical
busy schedules, there is nothing one can, or will, do to adequately prepare for
the time change of 16-17 hours. If possible, try to get on the Australian clock a day or two before leaving.
Length of Trip
If you are considering an Australian “holiday,” two weeks is
the minimum you should give yourself for the trip. Any less and you will not be able to enjoy
everything to its fullest ... and you will be wasting your investment of time and
money. That is especially true for the
golfer. You will want to be as sharp as
possible so you can play your best and be able to enjoy the spectacular
opportunity before you. It will take you
take at least two days in travel going over, and (effectively) two
returning. While you may return on the
same day you leave (according to the calendar), you will not feel like doing
much the first day or two back in the States.
Weather
Remember, Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the
Australian summer is our winter. The
best time to go for golf is November–April.
You will encounter nearly perfect weather most of the time with
infrequent rain, but it can be hot … very hot (100*F). You should pack accordingly, but make sure
you are aware of the dress codes for the courses you will be playing. And don’t forget the sunscreen!
Luggage Restriction
When traveling to/from the United States, air carriers will
allow each person traveling on a coach class ticket two pieces of checked
luggage of 50 pounds or less. Go over
that amount, and the additional fees are significant. This is very important when you are
considering the airlines you will be flying.
Try to stay within the “airline partners,” such as American and Qantas
or Delta and Virgin Australia. If you
don’t, or are flying on different tickets, then you can get caught with
different restrictions.
For example, the Qantas luggage restrictions
for tickets not originating in the United States are significantly lower per
person – 66 pounds (30 kg) per person as opposed to 100 pounds. If you are packing for a three or four-week
trip, and include your golf clubs, you will get to 66 pounds very quickly. If you make this mistake, you will find
yourself paying dearly for the overage or pulling out items you don’t want and
giving them away at the airport. The
other option is to upgrade to “Business Class” and enjoy the added luggage, additional
leg room in better and less crowded seats.
Of course, that is significantly more expensive.
