Your friend has decided to tie the knot and he has bestowed upon you perhaps the greatest honor a man can have – planning the bachelor party.
But not just any bachelor party – a golf bachelor party.
Planning a golf trip is hard enough as it is, without the added pressure of it being the last hurrah for one of your friends before he makes the foray into married life.
You want it to be perfect.
In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know about planning the perfect golf bachelor party that will score you some major bonus points from your friends.
Let’s get planning!
Table of Contents
- 7 Critical Considerations for Planning A Golf Bachelor Party
- The Takeaway – Planning The Perfect Golf Bachelor Party
7 Critical Considerations for Planning A Golf Bachelor Party
Budget
One of the most important considerations for planning a golf bachelor party is the budget you have to work with.
You want to make sure everyone who is invited can make it. You should spend enough so that you can have a good time but not so much that it puts undue financial strain on any member of the group.
Before you start booking tee times and accommodations, ask around to see how much each person is willing to spend.
Then use the average of these responses to set the budget for the trip.
Person 1 – $700
Person 2 – $1,500
Person 3 – $1,000
Person 4 – $2,000
Person 5 – $900
Person 6 – $1,100
Person 7 – $800
Person 8 – $1,200
Average – $1,150
The average amount people are willing to pay will determine the details of your trip (where to stay, which courses to play, how many days you’ll go for, special events, etc.).
If the average cost is still above the amount some people are willing to pay, see if you can work something out with your friends who have a tight budget.
Maybe someone in your party could offer them their airline points so they can save some money.
Or, perhaps they could borrow a couple hundred bucks from another person in the group as long as they promise to pay it back.
Also, here are a few ways to save money on your golf bachelor trip:
- Book tee times using the Hot Deals feature of the Golf Now app.
- Play courses while twilight rates are in effect.
- Stay at an Airbnb rather than a hotel.
- Use Uber instead of cabs.
- Look for 2 for 1 packages.
- Inquire if the courses you play have any special deals for large groups.
- Don’t fly direct – flights with at least one layover are often cheaper.
Dates
Now that you’ve figured out the estimated budget for your trip, it’s time to talk dates.
This is often where people run into problems. By this point in life, your friends have jobs, families, and a number of other important responsibilities.
This means it can be tricky to choose a date for your golf bachelor party that works for everyone.
As a general rule of thumb, the more people you invite to the bachelor party, the more difficult it will be for everyone’s schedule to line up.
At some point, you might have to sacrifice one person for the benefit of the rest of the group.
For example, let’s say the first weekend in March works best for the majority of your group. Unfortunately, Jonny has a work thing and he can’t make it that weekend.
If no other weekend works for everybody else, Jonny might have to sit this one out.
You also need to think about how long you’ll go for. Most bachelor parties are a single night or maybe a weekend.
However, if you’re doing a golf bachelor party, it’s nice to have a little bit more time – four or five days at least.
The quality of the courses you play will depend on the duration of your trip. For example, if you only have time for one round of golf, you can afford to spend more on the course compared to if you had to budget for 4-5 rounds.
Who To Invite
This can be a tricky one. You don’t want to leave anybody out but you also don’t want to invite that guy from work who never stops talking about himself.
The whole point of a bachelor party is to create a memorable experience for the groom before he makes the jump into married life. That’s why it’s a good idea to check in with him before you finalize the guest list and send out invitations.
For a golf bachelor party, it’s best to invite guests in multiples of four (4, 8, or 12) because that makes it much easier to plan tee times and any games you’ll play on the course.
Where to Play
This will depend on where you currently live and what everyone feels like doing for the bachelor party.
In my opinion, the best place for a golf bachelor party is Las Vegas. Not only do you have a selection of more than 70 top-notch courses in the area, but you also have unbeatable entertainment and nightlife options.
Here are some tips for planning a golf trip to Las Vegas.
Other great golf bachelor party destinations include Pheonix, Miami, and Palm Springs. All of these destinations have endless options when it comes to golf as well as plenty of fun activities for the evenings.
Where to stay
The all-important question – hotel or Airbnb?
I personally prefer using Airbnb for accommodations while on a golf trip because it’s cheaper and often more convenient.
The nice thing about Airbnb is that it’s a home away from home. You can rent out an entire house for less per-person than the cost of a cramped hotel room. This is ideal if you have a large group for your bachelor party.
I’ve seen some pretty luxurious Airbnb’s over the years. I’m talking 8-10 bedroom houses with pools, putting greens, outdoor patios, game rooms, and more.
Some of these rentals can be $1,000+ per night, but when you split the cost between 8-12 guys, it’s actually not too bad.
An Airbnb provides plenty of room for clubs and other things you might need to bring on your trip.
It’s also nice to have everybody in the same place for organizing transportation to and from the golf course.
However, my favorite thing about using Airbnb is that it means you can cook your own food. Fire up some burgers on the grill, crack a cold one, and get ready to relax!
Non-golf Activities
Unfortunately, you can’t golf from dusk till dawn. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have a few ideas for things to do after the round is over.
Your options will depend on where you are. Here are a few ideas for non-golf activities while at your golf bachelor party:
- Poker night – you can’t beat hanging out with your friends, having a few drinks, and the chance to win a few bucks in a poker game.
- Whisky tasting – if you consider yourself a whisky connoisseur, do a quick google search to see if your destination has any whisky tastings available.
- Cigar lounge – visit a classy cigar lounge and choose between hundreds of the finest stogies.
- Nightclub – like to live it up? Nothing says bachelor party like the flashing lights and overpriced drinks in a nightclub.
- Topgolf – if you’re in a city that has a Topgolf driving range, this is a fantastic way to kill a few hours. After all, this is a golf bachelor party.
- Have a fire – nothing beats a classic campfire with the guys while enjoying a few of your favorite beverages. If you’re staying at an Airbnb with a fire pit, reminiscing about old times while sitting around the crackling fire is a great way to spend an evening!
- Drinks on the beach – if you’re staying near a beach, sometimes sitting in the sand under the stars is the best way to go.
- Fishing – couldn’t seem to get lucky on the course? Maybe things will be different out on the waters. Create the perfect day with a little fishing in the morning then a round of golf in the afternoon.
Games
Looking to make each round just a little more interesting? Then try out one of these golf games while on the course!
Scramble (2 or 4 Man)
This is best when the players in your party have variable playing abilities. To play a scramble, simply split your group into teams of two or four.
Then, have each person hit a drive on the first hole. Each team will play from where their best drive ended up. Then, they will hit their second shot and all play from where the best second shot ended up, and so on.
The team with the lowest score at the end of the round wins. Keep in mind, you might need to consider each player’s handicap when making the teams.
Wolf
Wolf is one of the most popular golf games and one of my favorites for a golf trip. It can be played in groups of three or more. Here’s how it works:
At the start of the round, flip a tee to establish a hitting order. This order will stay the same for the entire round, except it will rotate each hole. For example:
Hole 1 Order:
- Jon
- Tim
- Andrew
- Robert
Hole 2 Order:
- Tim
2. Andrew - Robert
- Jon
Hole 3 Order:
- Andrew
- Robert
- Jon
- Tim
Hole 4 order:
- Robert
- Jon
- Tim
- Andrew
Hole 5 Order – start from the beginning.
As you can see, whoever hits first on the first hole will play last on the second hole.
After player 1 hits their tee shot, they get to watch player 2, 3, and 4 to pick a partner. For example, if player 2 hits a good tee shot, player 1 might choose him to be on his team for the hole.
If player 2 hits a bad tee shot, player 1 might wait to see what players 3 and 4 do. However, if the tee shots from players 3 and 4 are worse, player 1 can’t go back and choose player 2 to be his teammate. He can only pick the most recent tee shot.
A point is awarded to each member of the team with the player who shoots the lowest score on the hole (not combined score). So if you get a triple-bogey, you can still get a point if your teammate has the lowest score.
If there’s a tie, the point will be carried over to the next hole, even though the teams might change.
If players 2, 3, and 4 all hit bad drives, the person who tees off first can also choose to “Wolf” the hole. This means he chooses to play 1 vs. 3 against the other golfers in the group. If the Wolf wins the hole on their own, they’re awarded two points instead of one.
It’s important to remember that only the player who goes first has the option to Wolf. They can also Lone Wolf before anyone hits their tee shot, including themselves. In this case, they’re awarded 3 points if they win the hole.
Some people also play where a birdie earns you 1 point and an eagle earns you 2 points (not for the team, only for the player who made the birdie or eagle).
At the end of the round, the points are tallied and the player with the most wins. Most people play where the losers pay the winner $0.25 to $1 per point they lost by.
Nassau
Nassau is a simple golf game perfect for golf bachelor parties. Essentially, it involves three bets in one.
A prize is awarded for the lowest score on the front 9, the back 9, and the overall 18 holes.
What’s great about Nassau is that it works for a variety of formats. You can play Nassau in a stroke play, alternate shot, skins, handicap adjusted, or scramble format.
Bets vary for this game but I’ve heard of people playing for anywhere from $2 to $50 for each 9 and the overall 18.
Gifts
The best way to go about purchasing gifts for a golf bachelor party is to have a gift fund. This is where everyone chips in a few bucks and the host buys something for the groom and all those who attend.
Of course, I would recommend spending a little more on the groom compared to the regular guests.
Since this is a golf bachelor party, it makes sense to get something golf-related. Guys like things they’ll use, so you can never go wrong with buying a sleeve of golf balls and a few more similar items for the attendees.
Obviously, the gift for the groom should be more personalized and will take a little more thought.
The Takeaway – Planning The Perfect Golf Bachelor Party
There are a few important considerations for planning the perfect golf bachelor party:
- Budget
- Dates
- Guest List
- Where To Play
- Where To Stay
- Non-Golf Activities
- Golf Games
- Gifts
Hopefully, the information in this article has helped give you some ideas for how to plan a bachelor party that you and your friends will talk about for years to come!
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