From takeoff to tee time: five tips for the perfect golf getaway
Picture this: early morning in a bright sun, a green fairway in front of you and a few stress-free vacation days behind. Marika Nieminen, responsible for Finnair's Inflight Experience unit, plays over 60 rounds of golf a year and shares her expert tips for mastering your next golf holiday abroad.
Marika Nieminen, Vice President, Inflight Experience at Finnair started playing golf in 2001, following in the footsteps of her father and brother after getting her Green Card in Germany. Over the years, playing golf has at times been on hiatus due to children and shift work, until Marika finally had more time to devote herself to the sport again during the pandemic. Nowadays she plays 60–80 rounds a year.
“Golf combines several things I enjoy: exercising and walking outdoors in beautiful greenery as well as constantly challenging yourself. Every time you think you’ve nailed something, another area needs more practice, so it keeps you humble,” Marika says. “All and all, golf is a perfect hobby for me, as I can reset my thoughts from my busy everyday life.”
1. Choose a destination and plan your winning golf trip
Are you dreaming of your next or perhaps first golf trip abroad? Golf is a great sport as you can play it all around the world. If you want to keep things easy and concentrate your energy on perfecting that swing, you can book a ready-made golf holiday package through golf tour operators, which includes flights, transport, accommodation and tee times.
Instead of ready-made packages, Marika mostly prefers to book everything herself. She books Finnair flights to her chosen destination, chooses her desired accommodation, hires a rental car and makes reservations for tee times for her preferred golf courses. “For me, planning is already part of the trip, when I get to browse and compare different options and read course reviews,” Marika rejoices.
When asking about Marika’s most memorable golf trip, she mentions two. “The first was our honeymoon to Florida on direct Finnair flights to Miami. The trip included several rounds of golf and a road trip to Key West. Another one was my record-breaking round near Marbella, Spain, where I broke the 90-stroke mark for the first time, playing 83 strokes. I felt like a winner and the sun was shining.”
The most golf rounds Marika plays in Finland. According to Marika, a fantastic golf destination in Finland is the Åland Islands. However, as the Finnish golf season is short and sweet, she has also made lots of golf trips to Spain, mainly to the Malaga Costa Del Sol/Golf area, where there are over a hundred golf courses within about an hour's drive. “Other countries where I play more are the United States, Florida specifically, Portugal and Sweden. In addition, I have great golf experiences also from Germany, Italy, Estonia and Latvia,” Marika tells.
Photo: Marika Nieminen
According to Marika, a Finnair destination perfect for a golf holiday is Thailand that wins you over with its guaranteed warmth and affordable prices. Head to straight to Phuket or to Hua Hin via Bangkok, for instance, and combine golfing with relaxing on a beach and enjoying tasty Thai food. Another recommendation Marika mentions is Dubai, which is a shorter flight away from Helsinki, offering good weather and wonderful golf courses.
If possible, Marika recommends planning a golf holiday with direct flights: “You reduce climate impact while also avoiding having to transfer clubs from one flight to another at a connecting airport.”
“Scotland, the birthplace and home of golf, is still on my bucket list, while my dream destinations further away in the warmer climate include Thailand and Los Angeles on the west coast of the United States.”
2. Book transportation for your golf equipment in advance
Once you have decided on your golf holiday destination, you can add golf equipment transportation to your booking right away when purchasing your flight tickets. It’s also possible to add it afterwards in the Manage booking or through the Finnair app.
Anni Kelonen, Process Owner, Baggage at Finnair reminds: “Please note that golf equipment is considered special baggage. I recommend selecting transportation for your golf equipment and paying for the fee already when booking your flights, or well in advance before your trip.”
One set of golf equipment can include a set of golf clubs, one golf bag and a pair of golf shoes. The maximum weight of these combined can be 23 kilograms (50lb). If the equipment weighs more than that, it’s good to know that you’ll have to pay for the heavy bag charge at the airport.
3. Use Avios to pay for your golf equipment transportation
Have you collected Avios from your previous flights? “Remember that you can pay for your golf equipment transportation in advance with Avios,” advises Krista Karttunen, Business Manager, Product Offering at Finnair.
“The price of transporting golf equipment depends on the route and time of purchase. You can see the price for direct Finnair flights in the booking funnel or on our website under the ‘Prepaid charges for checked baggage up to 23kg’ section. To get the best price, it’s worth booking your transportation as early as possible,” Krista says.
Finnair Plus Platinum and Platinum Lumo members can carry one set of golf equipment (golf clubs and bag) for free as their member benefits.
4. Pack and protect your golf clubs well
When your journey is approaching, pack your golf equipment in a protective golf bag. According to Marika, it’s worth investing in a good-quality travel bag that has a reinforced hood that will protect your golf clubs better.
“You should wrap the clubs tightly, for example with a towel or clothes, so that they cannot move or rattle in the bag. If the head of the driver is removable, it might be a good idea to pack it separately and protect it even better,” says Marika.
“I always travel with a very light carry bag, half a set of clubs and a couple of golf balls. This way you get rid of unnecessary weight. You can always buy golf balls at the destination, since as you know, some of them will end up in the forest or a water hazard anyway.”
5. Arrive early at the airport and begin your holiday at the Finnair Lounge
Once you arrive at Helsinki Airport, bring your golf equipment to the special baggage counter. Marika advises to place your golf bag on the belt the “bottom part” first, so that the ends of the clubs won’t collide and rattle as they move along the baggage belt. “And when arriving at your destination airport, it’s good to note that special baggage often arrives in a slightly different spot than regular baggage,” says Marika.
As you must leave your golf equipment on the special baggage belt, make sure to have enough time and arrive well in advance. While on time, why not start your golf journey comfortably already at Helsinki Airport’s own “clubhouse”, Finnair Lounge?
Marika wishes you nice golf holiday planning and great golf rounds!