The Buddies Golf Trip Planning Checklist

Every golf trip has one person who actually makes it happen. If you're reading this, it's probably you.

This is a checklist for that person. It runs in order, from the first "we should do a trip" text to the last Venmo request, so you always know what comes next and what can wait. For the reasoning behind each step, see our full guide on how to organize a golf trip. This page is the version you can scan, copy and check off.

Before you start: three decisions

Most trip problems come from deciding things in the wrong order. Settle these three first, because everything else depends on them.

1. Who the organizer is (one person)

Committees don't book tee times. Name one organizer who books things and makes the final call. If someone else wants to help, give them a defined job, like dinners or ground transport.

2. A rough headcount

Golf is played in foursomes, so groups of 8, 12 or 16 are the easiest to plan around. They split evenly into tee times and into two teams if you're running a Ryder Cup-style format. An odd number is fine. You just want to know early.

3. A per-player budget range

Agree a range before anyone falls in love with a destination. Spell out what the shared pot covers (lodging, golf, ground transport) and what each person pays on their own (flights, bar tabs). For the options, see how to split golf trip costs fairly.

6 to 12 months out

• Offer two or three date windows with a reply deadline. "What works for everyone?" gets you silence. "Pick one of these three weekends by Friday" gets you an answer.
• Shortlist two or three destinations that fit the budget and the group's travel tolerance.
• Check resort booking windows. Some popular resorts open tee times far in advance, or only to guests staying on site. Find out now, not after the date is set.
• Pick the dates and destination. Put it to a vote if you have to, but give the vote a deadline.
• Collect deposits. Someone is "in" once their deposit is paid. Before that, they're "interested."
• Agree a dropout rule before any money moves. For example: deposits aren't refunded unless you find a replacement.
• Book lodging and the main round, the round the whole trip is built around.

3 to 6 months out

• Book the remaining rounds. Leave a little slack for travel days. A tired first afternoon is better than a missed tee time.
• Book group dinners that need a reservation, especially for larger groups.
• Have everyone book their own travel and share their arrival and departure times with the group.
• Sort out ground transport: rental cars, a van, or shuttles. Work out who drives on which day.
• Assign rooms. Do it early so nobody negotiates in the parking lot.

1 to 2 months out

• Confirm every booking in writing and keep all confirmations in one place everyone can see.
• Collect remaining balances for shared costs. Keep a clear record of who has paid their deposit and who has paid in full.
• Gather each player's current Handicap Index. You'll need these for net scoring and fair team matches.
• Pick your team format. A two-team, match play competition is the classic choice. Our Ryder Cup-style rules guide covers it.
• Pick your side games (skins, Nassau, closest-to-the-pin and so on) and agree the stakes in advance. See the golf trip side games guide.
• Share the full itinerary: tee times, course addresses, lodging, rooms, transport and dinners.

Trip week

• Re-confirm tee times and dinner reservations.
• Check the forecast and course policies: dress code, carts or walking, caddies, pace-of-play expectations.
• Run the captain draft (or save it for the first night, which is half the fun) and post the pairings.
• Send one "Day 1" message: where to be, what time, and what to bring.

During the trip

• Score in one shared place, so nobody spends the round texting "what's the score?"
• Update team points and side games after each round, so standings are clear before dinner.
• Keep a running list of shared expenses as they happen, rather than reconstructing them at the airport.

After the trip

• Settle up once, with the fewest payments possible. One clean ledger beats a week of scattered requests.
• Share the results and photos while everyone still cares.
• Start next year's notes while they're fresh: what worked, what didn't, and who's in again.

The copy-and-paste version

Before you start: organizer · headcount · budget range

6–12 months: date windows + deadline · destination shortlist · check booking windows · pick dates and destination · collect deposits · dropout rule · book lodging + main round

3–6 months: remaining rounds · group dinners · everyone books travel · ground transport · rooms

1–2 months: confirm everything in writing · collect balances · gather Handicap Indexes · team format · side games · share itinerary

Trip week: re-confirm · weather and course policies · captain draft + pairings · Day 1 message

During: shared live scoring · update standings · log shared expenses

After: settle up once · share results · notes for next year

Common mistakes to avoid

• Booking before the budget is agreed. It's the fastest way to lose people.
• Treating "I'm in" as a commitment. Ask for a deposit.
• No dropout rule. Someone always drops out. Decide what happens to their share before it happens.
• Being the group's bank. You can track who has paid without holding everyone's money.
• Overloading the schedule. A morning-and-afternoon 36 every day sounds great in March. By day three, most groups would rather have one round and a long lunch.
• Deciding games on the first tee. Agree formats, handicap allowances and stakes before the trip, in writing.

FAQ

How far in advance should you plan a golf trip?
For a regional long weekend, a few months is often enough. For bucket-list resorts with limited tee times, start 9 to 12 months out and check the resort's booking window early. Some only open tee times to on-site guests on a set date.

How much of a deposit should I collect?
Enough to cover any non-refundable bookings you make for the group, such as the lodging deposit and prepaid tee times, divided by the number of players. The point is that backing out should cost something.

What's the best group size for a golf trip?
Multiples of four (8, 12, 16) are easiest, because golf is played in foursomes and team formats split evenly. Odd numbers work, but plan tee times, rooms and team games around them up front.

What should a golf trip itinerary include?
Tee times and course addresses, pairings, the lodging address and check-in times, room assignments, ground transport, dinner reservations, the games being played, and who owes what.

How do you handle someone dropping out?
Agree a dropout rule before anyone pays. For example, deposits aren't refunded unless a replacement is found, and the person dropping out covers their share of anything already booked.

Turn this checklist into a trip your group can actually open

Fairway Outing puts the itinerary, roster, deposits, live scoring, pairings and side games in one link your whole group can open. Players pay you directly through Venmo or Cash App, and Fairway Outing never holds trip funds. Planning is free.

Want to see what your players would get? Take a look at an example invite.

Plan your trip free →