Mateship and mulligans: the ultimate boys’ golf trips are built on familiar traditions
There’s something timeless about a good boys’ golf trip. It’s not just the sport itself, it’s the stories that unfold between greens and the next tee, the sledges over missed putts and the quiet satisfaction of being on the course with mates. A golf getaway with the boys isn’t just a few days away from work and routine – it’s a rite of passage, a bonding experience and a chance to reconnect over shared passions, cold beers and banter.
What makes a golf trip with the guys so special? It starts with the freedom. There’s no strict schedule beyond tee-times and dinner bookings. Days revolve around the rhythm of the game: early starts, long fairways and the promise of a relaxing 19th hole. Some trips are built for competition – intense Stableford showdowns, team matchplay and nearest-the-pin challenges – while others are all about the camaraderie, casual rounds and laughing more than scoring.
The key to a great boys’ trip is balance. Golf might be the central focus, but it’s everything around it that makes the trip memorable. Think post-round drinks on a clubhouse balcony, lazy afternoons by the pool, group dinners filled with storytelling and good-natured ribbing, plus those rare moments of quiet satisfaction when the sun dips low and you realise there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.
Accommodation is part of the magic. Whether it’s a group of villas by the course, a few cabins nestled in nature or a big, shared house loaded with board games, barbecues and maybe a pool table, the best stays are the ones that keep everyone together. It’s where the post-round debriefs happen, where legendary (and exaggerated) shots are replayed and where friendships deepen over a few late-night drinks.
Every group has its characters. There’s always the unofficial tour captain – the one who organises tee-times, handles bookings and keeps everyone on track. There’s the eternal optimist who believes “this is the round” every time. There’s the big hitter, the short-game wizard, the serial ball-loser and, of course, the quiet assassin who keeps his scorecard under wraps until the final count. Then there are the moments that become lore: the hole-in-one that no one saw, the putt that lipped out for eagle, the bunker that swallowed a club or the prank that left one of the boys wearing mismatched shoes all day.
But beyond the game and the gags, these trips are about taking a pause from the everyday. For many, it’s one of the rare chances to really unwind – no meetings, no alarms, no e-mails. Just clean air, wide fairways and good friends. Golf demands your focus, but it also gives you space. Space to talk, to walk, to think, to laugh and to share. For groups of mates, young or old, it’s a perfect excuse to reconnect, reminisce and make new memories.
Perhaps the best part? It doesn’t matter how good you are. Whether you’re comfortably breaking 80 or trying to keep it below 100, the real scorecard is the one that measures laughs per hole, number of inside jokes and how often you say, “We’ve got to do this again next year.”
So pack the clubs, load up the car and hit the road. Whether you play once a year or once a week, a boys’ golf trip is more than a game, it’s a tradition. And one worth keeping.
Photos by: jmiller photography, LightField Studios, Nadzeya Haroshka. Martin Williams/istock