Great weather means two things to me: more flying and more golf. As the weather turns nicer, springtime offers fantastic opportunities to "stretch your wings" in ways you might not have considered. And the trip's always more fun when you eagerly anticipate the arrival at your destination.
Following a few simple guidelines, you can transform your airplane into a magic carpet that can take you to a new world of fun and enjoyment. There's no better time than right now to make your great golf odyssey happen. If you're up for the fly/golf experience, there are three exciting options.
- How about flying out with friends to play a really great course where you've always dreamed of teeing it up?
- Why not go watch a PGA tournament at a fabulous golf course within comfortable flying range? You don't know what you're missing until you've watched that level of competition in person.
- Spend a few days at one of the great golf schools scattered all over the country. Improve your game while you relax with friends or family-and fly yourself there.
How to make it all happen
Everything you know about cross-country flying still applies when planning a golf trip. Most important to consider is that your aeronautical decision-making skills could be tested here because it's easy to let your passion for golf get in the way of making good choices both in the go/no-go decision and during the flight.
Extra flight planning. The challenge you'll encounter in planning for this special trip is to account for all the what-ifs and contingencies that you can think of. Take care to minimize emotion as you make your choices. Don't apologize for your enthusiasm-just plan for it.
Carefully plan the ground activity at your destination, as well as the flight there and back. Call the fixed-base operator you choose in advance to make sure that aircraft parking will be available-for something like a PGA tournament, you may need parking reservations.
Anticipate unusual problems that could pop up and plan for them. Start early by monitoring your weather and reconfirming all of your trip details. Don't forget to add a little extra time to take care of contingencies, such as an unanticipated fuel stop, a diversion, and the like. Then, when the big day comes, file and open a flight plan, fly the plan, and remember to close your flight plan when you reach the destination.
Weight and balance. With extra gear, this could be a much bigger deal than you imagine it would be. First of all, you'll be confronted with the reality that most four-place airplanes really aren't four-person airplanes, especially with golf bags, your flight gear, and everything else.
If you're going somewhere to play golf, that means golf clubs, shoes, rain gear, and extra balls in addition to your luggage. In some airplanes, you might end up over gross-and/or outside the weight-and-balance envelope-especially if you're flying any distance. It is important to weigh everything that goes into the airplane.
Weight and balance could be a big problem. Why not invite another pilot into your foursome, and take a second airplane? There are other options, too. You can rent clubs at most upscale destinations. But if you're really fond of using your own sticks, ship them ahead-then have them shipped home afterward.
Notams and TFRs. It would be inconvenient, to say the least, for some notam or TFR to spoil your plan. You should catch something like that during your preflight planning, of course, but it helps to check in advance often just to ensure you don't have to call off the whole trip unexpectedly.
Have good alternatives. If your airport of choice is socked in or has no instrument approach (for instrument-rated pilots), or excessive crosswinds greet your arrival on an otherwise beautiful, cloudless day, what do you do? Like all good pilots, you've considered alternatives before you launched.
Some things to consider are the nearest IFR-capable airport, if you're so equipped and qualified; the nearest alternate VFR airport if you're not; availability and cost of ground transportation at your alternate; and resort and golf course provisions or penalties for missing a tee time or appointment.
"Flight-extraneous" factors should have no bearing on how you conduct your flight, but in reality, they do. Make allowance for them so you won't feel pressured. Check in advance about options should you have to delay; most places will work with you. Check out alternative lodging arrangements and other such contingencies. If you're going some place to have fun and enjoy yourself, make sure these little details don't get in the way.
Avoid get-there-itis. Above all, watch out for get-there-itis! When this trip is planned and all the arrangements are made, there will be monstrous pressure for you to make all the pieces fit. Regardless of what happens, be prepared for it. You might even have to delay for a day or make a stop en route. Just don't let it be a surprise, unplanned stop.
Terrain and performance. If you fancy West Coast golf courses and you don't live there already, you're going to have to fly across the mountains. If you're not accustomed to mountain flying, stop short and plan for mountain orientation and a checkout from a qualified instructor before crossing. That goes for other destinations in mountainous terrain, too. Remember, even if you've done it before, the added weight of golf gear could affect your performance. Most mountain flying gurus recommend not exceeding 90 percent of the maximum allowable gross weight of the airplane.
Tee it up on a top 100 course
Now that you've covered the details, it's time for the fun to start. There are more than 14,000 golf courses in the United States. Every year, Golf and Golf Digest identify the top 100 courses in the United States, including some great resorts.
Since not all courses are open to the public, the magazines also publish separate lists of the top 100 courses that anyone can play. These courses are judged to be the best of the best accessible courses. You can't go wrong with any of them and your experience will be memorable-the best 100 of 14,000 is really something.
Info on facilities, course virtual tours, photos, rates, stats, packages, and contact information is readily available. Internet search engines can really open up the golfing world for you.
Become a better golfer
If you want to improve your golf game, schools with top instructors and the right kind of instruction can really help, but it pays to think about what you want to achieve before you select a school.
There are all kinds of schools: basic schools, short game schools, links schools, putting schools, famous schools, and not-so-famous schools. Resort- and vacation-oriented schools are especially fun because of all the amenities. The courses can run from one hour to a few days. Some focus on practice in the pits while others include both range practice and on-course playing lessons with your pro. Take your pick of all this with individual or group instruction.
Start with an Internet search on "Golf schools." Look for places you want to go, teachers you've heard about with proven reputations, or research lists of top golf instructors. Call them to get details. Make sure you'll get what you want. Schools are often associated with hotels, resorts, and other attractions to help you plan a great experience for everyone.
A tournament getaway
From January through October every year there are more than 75 high-quality professional golf tournaments played in the United States. That's about two a week during the season, so every weekend there are usually a couple of tournaments to see, and many will be within a comfortable day's flight. These are gala events sponsored by the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Ladies Professional Golfers Association (LPGA), or Champions Tour (formerly the Senior PGA tour).
For you international and over-water flyers, there are a dozen more professional tournaments played in Mexico, Canada, and Hawaii every year.
Tournament flow usually starts in Hawaii and then moves through the West Coast to Florida and the South (March through May); Midwest and upper Midwest over the summer; then to the Southeast, New York, New England, Arizona, and the South. Schedules are available online.
Why not?
If you've run out of things to do or places to go with your airplane, now might just be the time for you to hop on your flying golf cart and give it a go. With better weather comes opportunity. Even if you've never picked up a golf club, there's no time like now to think about potential opportunities. Who knows? It might even turn out to be better than that $100 hamburger.
Wally Miller is president of an aviation training, consulting, and marketing firm in Monument, Colorado. He is a Gold Seal CFI who has been instructing for more than 30 years and flying for more than 40.
Pack the Pings in the Piper
Are there really golf courses so close to an airport that you can literally hop out of the aircraft and be on the course? Yep, and we found a number of them. If you know of others, send us an e-mail so we can keep an online directory of them for other pilot/golfers like you .
- Airport Golf Club, Tumwater, Washington. Located at the west end of Olympia Regional Airport's (OLM) crosswind runway. www.airportgolfcenter.com
- Airport Golf Course, Cheyenne, Wyoming. Home to the Wyoming State Open Golf Tournament, July 9-12, 2009. Cheyenne Regional Airport (CYS) is across Yellowstone Road. www.cheyennecity.org
- Airport Golf Course, Columbus, Ohio. Public course with five hazards. Port Columbus International Airport (CMH) is just east of the course. www.nn.net/golf/Airport
- Airport National Public Golf Course, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) and the golf course are on Wright Brothers Boulevard. www.airportnationalpublicgolf.com
- Airport Greens, Wickliffe, Ohio. Public course next to the Cuyahoga County Airport (CGF).
- Airco Golf Course, Clearwater, Florida. This is a 110-acre course situated on Tampa Bay adjacent to the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE).
- Airway Meadows Golf Club, Gansevoort, New York. On 177 acres which include three covered bridges and the family-owned airport, Heber Airpark (K30). www.airwaymeadowsgolf.com
- Antelope Hills Golf Course, Prescott, Arizona. Two championship 18-hole courses next to Prescott Municipal Airport-Ernest A. Love Field (PRC). www.cityofprescott.net
- Ajo Country Club and Golf Course, Ajo, Arizona. This nine-hole public golf course is an oasis of green surrounded by desert and is adjacent to Eric Marcus Municipal Airport (P01). www.pimacountyattractions.com
- Bear Creek Golf Club, Dallas, Texas. A 36-hole course located inside the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) grounds. www.bearcreek-golf.com
- Butterfield Trail Golf Course, El Paso, Texas. This new 18-hole course designed by Tom Fazio is an iron shot away from El Paso International Airport (ELP). www.butterfieldtrailgolf.com
- Butter Valley Golf Port, Bally, Pennsylvania. This 18-hole public golf course is adjacent to Butter Valley Golf Port Airport (7N8). www.buttervalley.com
- Kearny Golf Course, Kearny, Arizona. This nine-hole course is located next to Kearney Airport (E67). Call ahead and they'll leave a golf cart at the number-5 tee, which is next to the tiedowns. 520-363-7441
- Pease Golf Course, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This 27-hole course is on the site of the former Pease Air Force Base, now Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM). www.peasedev.org
- Pinehurst, North Carolina. There are eight championship courses in this area, called the "Golf Capital of the World" and served by Moore County Airport (SOP). www.pinehurst.com
- Pine Mountain Lake, Groveland, California. This 18-hole golf course is on the grounds of Pine Mountain Lake Airport (E45). www.pinemountainlake.com
- Reeves Golf Course, Cincinnati, Ohio. This nine-hole course is located at the end of Lunken Field (LUK). www.cincygolf.org
- Sunset Landing Golf Course, Huntsville, Alabama. This 18-hole course is adjacent to Huntsville International Airport (HSV). www.hsvairport.org
- The Crossings at Carlsbad, Carlsbad, California. This 18-hole championship course designed by Greg Nash is adjacent to McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ). www.thecrossingsatcarlsbad.com
- The Greenbrier, White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. Three 18-hole championship courses at this deluxe resort served by Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB). www.greenbrier.com
- Wingpointe, Salt Lake City, Utah. This Scottish-flavor course is set on 194 acres adjacent to Salt Lake City Municipal Airport (U42). www.slcgov.com
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