I had the pleasure of speaking with John and Jeff of Those Weekend Golf Guys on their weekly podcast. We talked about how we love to golf, even though we don’t always follow all of the rules. That’s why we’re weekend golf guys, instead of going pro. I shared how airline miles and hotel points can reduce the cost of travel so that you can afford to golf more and better courses.
In This Post
Who are Those Weekend Golf Guys?
Those Weekend Golf Guys is a weekly podcast hosted by John Ashton (a weekend duffer like you and me) and Jeff Smith (a PGA golf pro who offers tips for golfers like us). The podcast doesn’t cover the PGA Tour or other high-level topics. Instead, it focuses on having fun and some quick tips that we can implement to shave a few strokes off our score.
You can listen to the Those Weekend Golf Guys podcast live on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8 am Pacific / 11 am Eastern through their live stream. Other options include iTunes, Google Play, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Audio Boom.
See also: How I played over $1000 in FREE golf with Citi Prestige
Examples of Golfing More Thanks to Award Travel
If you are a weekend golfer like us, being able to afford to golf more is a goal of yours. Or you wish you could afford to golf at those dream courses like Pebble Beach or Augusta, but can’t because the combination of green fees, flight, and hotel are just too much for your budget.
That’s where airline miles & hotel points come into play. When you use airline miles and hotel points to reduce your travel expenses, you can afford to golf more often or make those dream courses (with the HUGE green fees) a reality!
Here are some dream courses around the US and examples of hotel point options that can make these courses fit into your travel budget:
Augusta National Golf Course
Augusta National is located in Augusta, Georgia and is about 2 hours due east of Atlanta. With Atlanta as one of the major Delta hubs, Delta miles are a great option when flying to visit Augusta.
- Hyatt Place Augusta is a Hyatt category 2 property going for 8000 points a night.
- Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center is a Marriott category 4 property ranging from 15-20k points a night.
- Sheraton Augusta Hotel is an SPG category 3 property going for 7000 points a night.
Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach is one of the many challenging golf courses in the Monterey Peninsula. Others include Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, and the Links at Spanish Bay. Each of these courses run along 17 Mile Drive in Monterey, which is about 75 miles from San Jose.
- Embassy Suites Monterey Bay is a Hilton category 7 ranging from 30-60k points a night depending on the time of year and day of the week.
- Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel is a Hyatt category 4 property that costs 15k points per night.
- Intercontinental The Clement Monterey is an IHG category 9 property that costs 50k points per night.
- Hofsas House in Carmel by the Sea. Anna and I had the chance to stay at this independent boutique hotel and absolutely loved the charming town and the amazing service during our stay.
Pinehurst
Pinehurst is about 75 minutes from Raleigh, North Carolina and is a must on any golfer’s bucket list. Because of the area of the country that this course is in, there aren’t any name brand “aspirational” hotel stays to choose from. Instead, focus on value and convenience when choosing where to stay.
- Residence Inn Pinehurst Southern Pines is a Marriott category 3 property at 10-15k points per night.
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Olmstead Village is a Hilton category 4 property ranging from 20-30k points based on time of year and day of the week.
- Holiday Inn Express Southern Pines is an IHG category 3 property that costs 20k points per night
The Bald Thoughts
If you love to golf, but don’t take yourself too seriously, then Those Weekend Golf Guys is a podcast you should consider checking out. Here’s the link to the episode that I recorded with them where we talked about saving money on travel so that we can afford to golf more often and FINALLY golf the courses we’ve been dreaming of.
Take a listen to their podcast and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear your feedback and if you shared some of your favorite golf vacations in the comment section below.
Come on, do a little research. Augusta is in Georgia, and ANY golfer knows that no matter how much money you have, you can’t just walk up to Augusta National and play 18.
Ok, I admit to having a few too many beers poolside while writing this one. I fixed the SC vs GA mix-up. Not saying that any of these courses are easy to get in or even affordable. The focus is on making the overall experience less expensive using miles and points to cover travel costs so you can spend your money on golf instead of flights & hotel.
Augusta? Really? Embarrassing……
Yup. I’m totally embarrassed. I’m quitting blogging now.
I happen to be a golfer and just started attending various PGA tournamaents. For me, it’s a good article. Your suggestions are appreciated. It’s refreshing that this is not the same old recycled articles out there saying the same thing over and over while pushing only certain credit cards or hotel brands. Your article is non biased and includes a mix of options, thank you.
Thanks John. I’m actually golfing right now. Haha a strange course that’s intertwined between neighborhoods in San Clemente, CA. Like you said, you can’t always golf them yourself, but you can visit and watch tourneys. Have a great time on the links!