Why family golf holidays are the best kind of golf holiday
There's a particular kind of guilt that golfers know well. You've booked a week away with the family, and all you can think about is whether the resort has a decent links course. Meanwhile, your partner is wondering whether they'll spend the entire trip watching you disappear at dawn with a bag of clubs slung over your shoulder.
The good news? That tension is entirely unnecessary. A new generation of golf destinations has emerged where world-class courses sit alongside beaches, theme parks, cultural landmarks and luxury family resorts. The trick is choosing the right destination — one where everyone gets exactly the holiday they want, without compromise.
After years of travelling with my own family and reporting on golf tourism across Europe and beyond, I've narrowed it down to five destinations that genuinely deliver for golfers and non-golfers alike.
Vilamoura, Portugal: where the beach meets the fairway
Portugal's Algarve region has long been a pillar of European golf tourism, but Vilamoura stands apart for families. The town itself is compact, walkable and safe, centred around a handsome marina lined with restaurants and ice cream shops that will keep younger travellers thoroughly entertained.
For golfers, the options are outstanding. The Old Course, designed by Frank Pennink, winds through an umbrella pine forest and offers a tactical, tree-lined challenge that rewards placement over power. Victoria Golf Course, which has hosted the Portugal Masters on the European Tour, provides a more modern, links-inspired test. Between the two, you could spend a week here and never tire of the golf.
But the real magic of Vilamoura for families is Falesia Beach — a stunning stretch of golden sand backed by ochre cliffs that ranks among the finest in southern Europe. While one parent tackles the back nine, the rest of the family can spend the morning bodyboarding, building sandcastles or simply soaking up the Algarve sunshine. By lunchtime, everyone reconvenes at the marina for grilled sardines and fresh seafood, sunburned and happy.
The Algarve also offers water parks, boat trips to sea caves and dolphin-watching excursions, meaning there's never a shortage of things to do on non-golf days.
Belek, Turkey: the all-inclusive advantage
If the idea of managing a family holiday budget fills you with dread, Belek is your answer. This purpose-built resort town on Turkey's Mediterranean coast has perfected the all-inclusive model, and it's done so while surrounding itself with some of the best golf courses in the eastern Mediterranean.
Courses like Carya Golf Club and Cornelia Golf Club are immaculately maintained, with year-round sunshine and green fees that represent remarkable value compared to western European equivalents. The Nick Faldo-designed course at Cornelia is a particular standout — long, beautifully conditioned and with enough water hazards to keep you honest.
For families, the all-inclusive resorts in Belek are in a league of their own. We're talking kids' clubs that run from morning until evening, multiple swimming pools, private beaches, evening entertainment and buffets that cater to even the fussiest young eaters. Your children will be so busy they may not even notice you've gone to play eighteen holes.
The nearby ancient city of Aspendos, with its remarkably preserved Roman theatre, also makes for a brilliant half-day cultural excursion that gives the trip some educational substance.
Majorca, Spain: culture, cuisine and championship courses
Majorca has spent decades shaking off its reputation as a cheap package holiday island, and the golf offering is a big part of that reinvention. The island now boasts more than twenty courses, many of them set against the dramatic backdrop of the Tramuntana mountains.
Golf Son Gual, just fifteen minutes from Palma, is widely regarded as one of the finest courses in Spain. Designed by Thomas Himmel, it features limestone-walled bunkers, rolling terrain and impeccable conditioning. Alcanada Golf, set on a peninsula in the north with views across to a lighthouse, is another unforgettable round.
What makes Majorca exceptional for families, though, is the sheer variety of experiences beyond the course. Palma's old town is a maze of Gothic architecture, tapas bars and artisan shops. The Tramuntana mountains offer gentle hiking trails suitable for children, with villages like Valldemossa and Deià providing charming pit stops. The beaches on the east coast — Cala Mondragó, Cala Varques — are sheltered, crystal-clear coves perfect for snorkelling with kids.
This is a destination where you can play a championship course in the morning, explore a medieval monastery after lunch and watch the sunset over the Mediterranean from a clifftop restaurant — all in the same day.
Tenerife, Canary Islands: volcanic landscapes and year-round sunshine
For families who want guaranteed warm weather without a long-haul flight, Tenerife is hard to beat. The island's volcanic geography creates dramatic course layouts unlike anything you'll find on the European mainland, and the climate means you can play comfortably twelve months a year.
Golf Costa Adeje and Abama Golf, both in the south of the island, are the headline acts. Abama in particular, designed by Dave Thomas and carved into a hillside overlooking the Atlantic, is a genuine bucket-list course. The elevation changes are dramatic, the ocean views are constant and the conditioning is superb.
For families, Tenerife delivers entertainment in abundance. Siam Park, regularly voted the best water park in the world, is an absolute must-visit for children of all ages. Loro Parque, a zoological garden in the north of the island, offers penguin encounters, dolphin shows and one of Europe's largest aquariums. And then there's Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak, which you can ascend by cable car for views that stretch to the neighbouring islands on a clear day.
The combination of thrilling attractions and outstanding golf makes Tenerife one of the most complete family destinations anywhere in Europe.
Dubai: golf with a side of spectacle
Dubai is not a subtle destination, and that's precisely why families love it. Everything here is designed to impress — including the golf courses. Emirates Golf Club, home of the Dubai Desert Classic, remains one of the most iconic courses in world golf, its floodlit driving range alone worth the trip. Jumeirah Golf Estates, which hosts the DP World Tour Championship, offers two outstanding courses in a landscaped residential setting.
Away from the course, Dubai is essentially a theme park disguised as a city. The Burj Khalifa observation deck, the Dubai Aquarium, IMG Worlds of Adventure, Legoland and the sprawling water parks at Atlantis The Palm will keep children entertained for an entire week without repeating a single activity. The desert safari experience — dune bashing, camel rides and a barbecue under the stars — is the kind of memory that children carry with them for years.
Dubai is admittedly more expensive than the European options on this list, but the standard of family accommodation and dining is exceptional, and the combination of world-class golf with blockbuster family attractions is unmatched.
Tips for balancing golf and family time
Plan your rounds strategically
Don't try to play every day. Three or four rounds across a week-long holiday is the sweet spot. Book early morning tee times so you're back by lunchtime, leaving afternoons free for family activities.
Involve the family where possible
Many of these destinations offer pitch-and-putt courses, driving ranges and junior academies. Even a reluctant teenager might enjoy smacking a bucket of balls at a floodlit range in Dubai. These small moments of shared experience go a long way.
Trade time fairly
If you're taking a morning for golf, make sure your partner gets equivalent time to themselves — whether that's a spa session, a solo wander around Palma's old town or simply a quiet hour by the pool with a book. Fairness keeps everyone happy.
Choose accommodation wisely
Resorts with kids' clubs are invaluable. If your children are happily occupied with organised activities, both parents can enjoy the morning without guilt — one on the course, one at the spa, both at peace.
Build in full family days
Designate at least two days of the holiday as completely golf-free. Use them for the big family excursions — the water park, the mountain trip, the boat tour. Your family will be far more supportive of your golf time if they feel prioritised on these days.
The bottom line
The days of choosing between a golf trip and a family holiday are over. Whether it's the sun-drenched beaches of the Algarve, the all-inclusive ease of Turkey or the theatrical grandeur of Dubai, these five destinations prove that everyone can have the holiday they want — including the golfer. All it takes is a little planning, a little compromise and the right destination. Pack the clubs, pack the sunscreen and prepare for a holiday where nobody has to miss out.
