Golf mentor Jordan Fuller considers the increased popularity in golf resorts

August 6, 2023

Jordan Fuller

Golf /

Jordan Fuller, a retired golfer and mentor to young golfers, considers the rise in popularity of golf resorts as indicating an increased demand for melding of sport, outdoor recreation and wellness offerings.

Fuller offers the following insight into the rise of golf resorts:

The Rise of Golf Resorts: A Paradigm of Leisure
The rise of golf resorts has been swift. But what makes them such a paradigm of luxury and why do people love them?

Not so long ago, if you wanted to play a round of golf, you went to a golf club. And if you wanted to enjoy being pampered in a spa and be waited on hand and foot, you went to a resort. These days, you can do both in one place: a golf resort.

The rise of golf resorts indicates an interesting melding of sport, the outdoors, and luxury. Golf has always been an elegant, sophisticated game, so it makes sense that it would mix well with the leisure a resort has to offer.

They’re perfect for friend groups, singles, couples, and families, depending on which resorts you’re eyeing out. One thing is certain, no matter what golf resort you’re at—you’ll get a leisurely experience whether you get out on the course or not.

Here’s why this mix of golf and luxury is an excellent pairing for the leisure industry and what we can expect to come in the future for these kinds of resorts.

The Allure of Golf Resorts
One of the best things about golf resorts is that they’re designed to be appealing to a wide range of people, not just golfers. They include a comprehensive range of amenities, whether they come with a theme (think “family” or “luxury”) or not.

Golf resorts provide the ideal balance of natural surroundings, tranquil ambiance, and leisure activities for every type of person. Spas, pools, fitness centres, outdoor activities, romantic dinners, luxury shopping, restaurants of all styles, and even external excursions are just a few options that resorts may offer.

Whether you’re a golfer or not, these resorts are designed to be attractive and alluring. Whatever your idea of leisure, you can find a golf resort that ticks all the boxes!

And of course, for the hardcore golfers out there, golf resorts are beginning to stray away from just another straightforward golf course and choosing unique, stunning golf course designs that also offer challenging gameplay. A worthy place to swing your clubs!

Economic Impact
As well as providing luxury experiences for a wide variety of people, golf resorts also have a significant positive effect on the local economy. A resort can have hundreds of staff depending on the star-rating and the size of the hotel, as well as golf staff like caddies, golf pros, and pro shop staff.

A golf resort in any given area increases employment opportunities for the locals and those from surrounding areas. There’s also a noticeable boost to the tourism and the hospitality industry in the area, especially if the hotel is 5-star, which most are, in keeping with the luxury theme.

Environmental Sustainability
Staying eco-friendly can be a challenge for golf resorts, but the rewards of getting it right can add a ton of value to both the resort and the local area.

Good golf architects are skilled at routing courses around the natural land, creating golfing masterpieces while still preserving the integrity of the land. This is a win-win situation; it gives the resort a thumbs-up and reassures the locals of the value of the resort in their town.

In fact, the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf is a gold standard for helping golf courses preserve and protect the natural flora and fauna throughout the course. They provide education and certification that can be obtained by courses that follow the Standard Environmental Management Practices.

Other eco-friendly resort practices (on the golfing front specifically) include collecting and recycling rainwater to water the course, solar-powered golf carts, and planting pest-resistant grass or opting for organic pesticides.

Away from golf, there are other certifications, like EarthCheck, which is considered a badge of honour in terms of proving to be a sustainable resort or hotel.

This may not be noticeable by guests and might not contribute to the luxury of an experience. But it can have a significant effect on the status of a golf resort, which can help the resort to maintain their status as a luxury facility.

The Future of Golf Resorts
Technology is playing a huge part in making luxury golf resorts even more luxurious. AI and machine learning can be utilised in almost every aspect of a resort business, streamlining processes and boosting business, while adding an element of convenience to the guests’ experience.

In terms of golf, this new tech can make booking processes easier, make golfers’ experience more pleasant with GPS and range-finding technology, and help resorts to maintain a smoothly-run backend. Some may include virtual simulation experiences, which is a valuable addition that golfers may enjoy and keeps them in business even when the weather’s bad!

Tech also helps resorts to personalise guest experiences, which is a sought-after feature, especially with luxury resorts. It’s a great way to add a touch more leisure to guests’ experiences based on their very own likes and needs.

Beyond Golf: Diversification of Resort Offerings
As we’ve already mentioned, golf resorts aren’t always just for golfers. While you can find resorts specifically tailored to golfers, most of them strike a good balance between providing everything a golfer needs and providing other amenities so non-golfers can join their partners for a luxury experience.

Whatever your needs or wants, there’s a resort that will help you have the experience you’re after. Some of the amenities you might expect to embellish the experience at a luxury golf resort:

Outdoor experiences like horseback riding, archery, watersports, etc
Culinary experiences like tastings, cooking classes, and so on
Well-equipped spas offering a wide range of treatments for men and women
Fitness centres so sporty people can keep up their fitness level while vacationing
Bars (sometimes clubs) for those who enjoy the nightlife
Luxury shopping experiences with exclusive products

Golf resorts including other amenities such as these open the experience up to all kinds of people and all kinds of golfers. It’s important to consider the fact that golfers come in all ages, genders, skill levels, and personalities, so offering a wide range of activities outside of golf is valuable, unless the resort is very specifically tailored to golf and golf alone.

Conclusion
he rise of golf resorts has been swift, but for good reason. They’re not only extremely attractive, but they provide a luxurious, beautiful experience for everyone—not just the golfers who want to get out on the course with their golf clubs.

Ultimately, there’s little downside to golf resorts from a business or a consumer view. Provided they make the effort to be as eco-friendly as possible and provide seamless service to their patrons, a golf resort brings a huge amount of value to the area, as well as a bit of added beauty (have you ever seen an unattractive golf resort?)

About the author

Jordan Fuller

Golf Mentor and writer on the Golf Industry

Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence and other publications reporting on the Golf Industry