Tips on Family Travel to Hilton Head

We're in the midst of our annual (semi-annual this year) family trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Here are some tips and ideas for other families doing the same thing.


1. If space is limited in the van/car/suv, leave the clubs at home. There are golf shops on Hilton Head and the nearby mainland that have good rental clubs. It'll cost you $40 or so, but it's worth the money.

2. Schedule a golf lesson for the kids. The pros at the Robert Trent Jones course in Hilton Head's Palmetto Dunes area are great with the kids and adults.

3. Stay near the beach. No need to expand on that one. Who wants to lug the cooler, chairs, toys, towels, kids, etc. a long way?

4. Plan your trip ahead of time. If you're traveling a long distance, plan your route and where you'll be stopping for the night. This year's experience was great. We stopped in Columbia, South Carolina(coming from Kentucky it was about a 7 hour drive). We stayed at the two-year-old Hilton Garden Inn; $109 per night with AAA discount, free cookies at the front desk, extremely courteous staff, and a fabulous and affordable full breakfast. There were tons of restaurants nearby and some within walking distance.

5. Book your golf tee times early. Although the crowds seem to be down this year, gas prices being what they are, there are still lots of golfers. Book early.

6. If you have young children, eat dinner early. Again, although the crowds are down, a two-hour wait for dinner is likely. That can kill the evening with little ones in tow. Get to your restaurants no later than 5:00pm and the wait will be minimal. Get there at 5:30pm and your out of luck.

7. Try the crab cakes at the Wreck of the Salty Dog.

Hilton Head is, in my opinion, the best place in the world to combine a family vacation and golf.

OGIO's Mammoth, a Great Golf Travel Bag

Golf travelers, you've never seen a golf travel bag like this one from OGIO.


The Mammoth has lots of storage, extra padding around the clubheads, and even a protected hat compartment. The club area has enough room for your golf bag, cinch-down straps for the bag and the compartment zips completely open for supremely easy access. The bag will stand on it's own, has wheels for tilted rolling, as well as for rolling when in the standing position.

You simply need to see it to believe it. Fantastic for traveling. You can almost pack everything you need into the bag and go without a suitcase on a short trip. I can't say enough about it!

Ireland Golf at Druids Glen Golf Resort

Everyone interested in Ireland travel has that perfect picture of the Emerald Isle in their minds eye. Ireland golf at Druids Glen Golf Resort will meet most every person's expectations



Set amid Ireland's gorgeous parklands, the resort has two great courses: Druids Glen, widely known as the "Augusta of Europe"; and Druids Heath.

The Druids Glen course has been home to great tournaments and great champions, such as Colin Montgomery and Sergio Garcia. Garcia won his first professional tournament at Druids Glen.

Visitors to this spectacular Irish Golf Resort can stay at the Marriot Druids Glen Hotel & Country Club. Give Druids Glen a look when planning your Ireland golf vacation. It's truly something to see.

Kiawah Island, South Carolina

I've posted an article about the spectacular Kiawah Island Golf Resort at the Tripwiser.com Golf Blog. If you're family is searching for a spring or summer golf vacation, Kiawah Island has virtually everything for everyone in the family. It will most assuredly make our 2008 Top-10 Golf Vacations list.

Give the article a quick read and you'll see.

Pinehurst's Carolina Hotel

Certainly, there's great golf to be played in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The Pinehurst Resort is just as fabulous. But a golf trip to one of the top places to play in the USA can, and possibly should, include The Carolina Hotel.

As this article by GolfBrief.com writer Stuart Hall proves, The Carolina Hotel is A Modern Step Back in Time. In a good way, of course.

Following the Tour: Kapalua for the Mercedes-Benz Championship

As I write this blog entry, I look in the upper left corner of the Kapalua Resort website and find that it's 81-degrees (F)today, January 6th. Not much else needs to be said to convince people that Maui is a heavenly place for a golf vacation. But, there's so much more to Maui and the Kapalua Resort.

The PGA Tour's Mercedes-Benz Championship has just been completed at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. Fortunately for golfers everywhere, this is a place everyone can play. The par-73, 7,400 plus-yard course is one of the places everyone needs to play before before they die.

Another great aspect to the Kapalua Resort is that you can bring the family and find something memorable for everyone to do, at the resort or on Maui. From breathtakingly spectacular beaches (one of which has been rated as "America's Best Beach), to kids snorkeling and Hawaiian culture crafts, to whale watching with Whale Quest Kapalua, to Kapalua Adventures.

Give their website a look, if you dare. Because you'll fall in love with the place.

The Autobahn Golf Classic

Of the many celebrity golf tournaments (and there are many!) one of the most prestigious is the Autobahn Golf Classic that is held in North Texas. The reason that this tournament is so prestigious is the fact that it raises money for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America which is the fantastic mentoring program for youths in the United States. Visiting North Texas and the Arlington area is a fun vacation for the whole family, but patronizing the Autobahn Classic adds a new dimension to the vacation since it is such a good cause and a rewarding experience.