Frequent weekend trips from the frigid north...

[SadTrombone]

Wondering if any of us "northerners" do frequent-ish weekend trips to such destinations as Myrtle Beach, Florida, Scottsdale/Phoenix in the winter? Maybe one or two weekends per month from say late October through the Masters? If you book airfare far enough in advance, it can be had relatively inexpensive and I know some of these locations offer "good deals" for golf "packages", so I'm sure it's done.

 

If anyone has suggestions on ways to make it happen, play decent courses, save some cash, etc. I'm looking to start doing this probably next winter, so I'd like to start the planning process sooner than later.

 

Thanks for suggestions, even if it's "are you f*king crazy?!" :)

[todderamaa]

Last November we flew from Edmonton to Phoenix. Left Edmonton at 7am it as -25 outside. Was teeing off at 1:20 and it was sunny and 75 degrees. Remembering being on the tee box thinking a guy should do this more often.

So we did it again this past November. Going to Palm Springs for spring break (end of March). Would like to go in Jan/Feb but work gets in the way.

[BrianL99]

[quote name='minitour' timestamp='1394397370' post='8833547']
Wondering if any of us "northerners" do frequent-ish weekend trips to such destinations as Myrtle Beach, Florida, Scottsdale/Phoenix in the winter? Maybe one or two weekends per month from say late October through the Masters? If you book airfare far enough in advance, it can be had relatively inexpensive and I know some of these locations offer "good deals" for golf "packages", so I'm sure it's done.

[/quote]

It can be done, but it's not inexpensive. I fly back & forth at least once a month from Boston to Florida.

First off, depending on where you're leaving from and going to, there are fewer & fewer "direct flights' ... read that as it's a pain in the butt and takes too long to get there.

Secondly, it's ridiculously expensive to fly on Fridays, Sundays & Mondays ... at least in comparison to Tues-Thurs ... figure double or more.

Third ... not much for "deals" on weekend golf, at least not in Florida.

"Logistics" get expensive ... parking at airports or getting to & fro. When you get into someplace, you'll need to rent a car. It's usually cheaper to rent "by the week", than for a weekend.

I own a home in Tampa and live in Boston. It's 8 hours from my door at home, to my club in Tampa ... only 3 of it in the air ... & I don't carry luggage, golf clubs and I have a car parked at the Tampa Airport.

It's doable ... it's not easy and not cheap.

[_MS22_]

I see this often with my fathers friends as they are at the age where they have a residence in FL year-round and use it during the winter like you mention. Many wives stay down for extended periods of time and the guys I know come back to run their businesses and whatnot and take a 4 day weekend twice a month to enjoy the weather and golf.

If you are incurring the costs of flights, lodging, food, and golf for only two days at a time it become prohibitive. If you have the vacation time and expendable income though anything is possible. Fly out Fri return Sun but that becomes exhausting if you are lugging clubs each way.