Golf Trip Guides
Detailed planning guides for the world's best golf destinations. No fluff, no affiliate spam—just the information you need to plan a trip worth taking.
What Nine Before 9 Trips Is
Nine Before 9 Trips exists because most golf travel content is either surface-level listicles or thinly disguised affiliate marketing. I built this site to provide the kind of detailed, honest planning information I wish had existed when I was researching my own trips.
Every guide on this site includes real cost breakdowns, seasonal tradeoffs, lodging comparisons, and practical itineraries based on extensive research. I don't accept payment from resorts, travel companies, or booking platforms. If I recommend something, it's because I believe it's the right choice for serious golfers—not because someone paid me to say it.
The focus is purely on golf-first destinations. No resort courses with waterparks attached, no cruise ship golf packages, no gimmicks. Just exceptional golf in places designed for golfers who care about the quality of the courses and the experience.
How I Curate These Trips
I start by identifying destinations that consistently rank among the best in the world for pure golf—places like Bandon Dunes, Scotland, Ireland, and Pinehurst. Then I dig into the practical details that matter when you're actually planning: what does it really cost, when should you go, where should you stay, how do tee times work, and what mistakes do people make.
Each guide takes weeks to research. I compile pricing data from multiple sources, read trip reports from golfers who've been there, study seasonal weather patterns, and map out realistic itineraries. I talk to people who've made the trip and figure out what worked and what didn't.
The goal isn't to sell you on a destination—it's to give you enough information to decide if it's right for your group, and if so, how to plan it properly. Some guides will explicitly tell you who the trip isn't suited for. That's intentional. Not every destination is right for every golfer.
Available Trip Guides
Right now, the site includes two complete guides with more in development:
Bandon Dunes Golf Trip Guide
Complete planning guide covering real costs, lodging strategy, tee time access, seasonal timing, transportation, and sample itineraries for groups of all sizes. Includes honest assessments of who this trip is and isn't suited for.
Scotland Golf Trip for First-Timers
Complete guide to planning your first Scotland golf trip. Covers costs, course selection, St Andrews ballot, itinerary planning, and common mistakes first-timers make.
Pinehurst Buddy Trip Planning Guide
Everything you need to organize a group trip to Pinehurst.
Future Destinations
Upcoming guides will cover Scotland (St Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield), Ireland (Ballybunion, Lahinch, Royal County Down), Pinehurst, Cabot (Cape Breton and St. Lucia), Streamsong, and comparison guides for golfers choosing between similar destinations.
Each guide follows the same approach: comprehensive research, realistic cost expectations, and practical advice you can actually use when planning your trip.