News

UK’s top golf travel site, Golfbreaks.com, now catering to U.S. golfers

Published

10 years ago

Aug 24, 2015

Good news for golfers here in the States: Golfbreaks.com, the leading golf travel site in the UK, has expanded to offer Americans a full range of golf experiences across the pond at every price point.

And even better news, Golfbreaks is running a golf trip of a lifetime sweepstakes: a seven-night golf vacation to Scotland for four people that includes

2 nights bed & breakfast at Trump Turnberry (5-star resort)
2 nights bed & breakfast at Gleneagles (5-star resort)
3 nights bed & breakfast at Fairmont St Andrews (5-star resort)
7 rounds of Golf at – The Ailsa and Kintyre Courses at Trump Turnberry, The PGA Centenary (2014 Ryder Cup) Course at Gleneagles, Kingsbarns, Carnoustie, The Torrance and Kittocks Courses at Fairmont St Andrews
Entry into The Old Course ballot
Car rental for the duration of your stay

golfbreaks_logo2

The company, which was launched in the UK in 1998, is focused, at its core, on making golf vacations (or “breaks”) as simple as possible for enthusiasts looking to play some of the 2,000 venues Golfbreaks sends clients to, including the Old Course, Carnoustie, Turnberry Ailsa, Royal County Down, Royal Liverpool, and Celtic Manor.

I spoke with the U.S. arm’s CEO, Daniel Grave about the company history, objectives, and range of offerings.

Tell me more about this sweepstakes you’re running

If you go to USA.Golfbreaks.com, you will see it featured on our homepage. In essence, it’s a seven-night vacation with seven rounds of golf for four people. The trip starts at Turnberry where the lucky winners will play both courses, then they go on to Gleneagles, play Gleneagles and Carnoustie, then on to St. Andrews, where they will stay at the Fairmont St. Andrews for three nights, and play Kingsbarns and the two courses onsite (Torrance and Kittocks).

Whilst in St. Andrews, we’ll enter them into the Old Course ballot three days in a row to maximise chances of success. We’ve been running this incredible sweepstakes since the British Open…and it expires on the 14th of September.

Tell me a little about the company’s history

There’s four of us that started the business in 1998 in the UK, and we’re effectively a travel agency for golfers. Up until this point we’ve focused on selling golf vacations to British golfers, and send about 220,000 on a trip somewhere around the world every year. In fact we send a good number of British golfers into the States, where they come to play bucket list courses like Kiawah, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Whistling Straits and TPC Sawgrass.

About three or four years ago we made the decision to look into new countries and markets, and now have an office in Charleston SC and Copenhagen, Denmark.

To begin with in the U.S., we are offering American golfers trips back to the UK and Ireland, to play all those famous courses. Over time we will add more destinations, destinations a little closer to home for Americans: the Caribbean, Mexico, even Canada…Bermuda, Bahamas. And we’ll offer trips within the States as well.

How does the process of booking a trip through Golfbreaks compare to setting one up on your own?

Our core values are to save golfers time and money. When we set the business up, all we did was domestic UK golf trips: two, three night trips. So people would get in their cars and go off for a long weekend of golf, and we’d organize that for them. So right from the go, golf around the UK has been the core of our business.

Over the years, with the volume of business we send, we are able to negotiate the very best rates. So, we guarantee getting the customer the very best price. We will get them a better price than if they tried to do it themselves. And we will get them a better price than the competitors.

There’s often the misconception I find, especially here in the US, that if you’re going to use a travel agent, you’re going to pay a premium. That’s not the case with Golfbreaks.com…as we’ll guarantee you the best price and take away all the hassle of putting one of these trips together (that’s where we save you time).

Our HQ is in Windsor UK, where we have 140 staff, and about 50 of those staff are highly trained call center agents. They’re on the phone all day, every day speaking to clients, putting trips together. Making sure everything is seamless and all the details are taken care of. They’re experts! They’ve been to all these places. They know the product inside-out. And we have different teams that specialize in different destinations.

How is Golfbreaks different?

Where we tend to be different to our competitors here in the U.S. (sending Americans to the UK), is that we’re not just catering to the high end. In fact, one of our objectives in the States is to make the dream of playing golf in the UK and Ireland a reality for ALL golfers. A trip across the pond doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.

Every American golfer wants to go over to Scotland and Ireland, but a lot of them just don’t think they could ever afford it. There are ways to make it possible, and we know how to make it possible. The big-name courses are always going to be the ones people want to go and play, but there are so many other wonderful golf courses that are a quarter of the price, and where you will get an equally amazing experience.

If you have one or two bucket list courses and pad out the rest of the trip with these hidden gems, you can make a really fantastic trip affordable. Wales is another example of a place that you may not ordinarily think of going on a golf trip, however it has some of the most incredible links golf courses: Royal St. David’s, Royal Porthcawl, Machynys Peninsular. Plus you have Celtic Manor, host of the 2010 Ryder Cup. Wonderful golf and amazing value!

What are your most popular offerings?

For the US golfer going over to the UK, unsurprisingly we are finding the most popular trips are to the St. Andrews area. Then the other popular destination is the southwest of Ireland. That’s where you have Tralee, Ballybunion, Waterville.

So I think our challenge is to broaden that. There’s so much more to it than those two destinations. If you go to the north and northwest of Ireland, for example, you’ve got some incredible links golf at a fraction of the price.

For the Brits, Spain and Portugal are big. In the winter months, that’s as close as you can go to get some sunshine. We have a lot of people who do Thursday to Sunday type of trips. Turkey has become really popular. During the recession, they were one of the few destinations doing all-inclusive. And the States, of course, is very popular. We’re sending a lot of British golfers into Scottsdale [Arizona] for example, as that’s so different to what we can get in Europe.

News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

Aug 4, 2025

Ronald Montesano

I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear

OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.

LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break

Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.

Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.

On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.

On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.

On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home

Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.

On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?

Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.

Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?

PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates

Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.

Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.

Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.

Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.

We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg

— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 29, 2025

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.

Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.

Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

News

BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 28, 2025

Brian Knudson

Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)

GolfWRX

UK’s top golf travel site, Golfbreaks.com, now catering to U.S. golfers

News

UK’s top golf travel site, Golfbreaks.com, now catering to U.S. golfers

Tell me more about this sweepstakes you’re running

Tell me a little about the company’s history