News
UK’s top golf travel site, Golfbreaks.com, now catering to U.S. golfers
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
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.
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News
Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine
As anticipation mounts for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a few weeks, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in McKinney, Texas to play The CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Last year was the third time TPC Craig Ranch hosted the Byron Nelson. Prior to 2021, the event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
TPC Craig Ranch is a 7,414-yard par-71 that features Bentgrass greens. The event historically plays relatively easy, and that has remained the case in the three editions at TPC Craig Ranch.
The course structure may provide some additional intrigue with the par-3 17th featuring a stadium setup called “Ranch 17” which is reminiscent of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The course also has both long and difficult par-4s mixed with drivable par-4s, which should create some exciting moments.
There are 156 golfers in the field this week, and many stars will be taking the week off to prepare for 2023’s second major championship in a few weeks and a “signature event” at Quail Hollow next week. Notable players in the field include Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Alex Noren, Adam Scott and Will Zalatoris.
Past Winners of the AT&T Byron Nelson
- 2023: Jason Day (-23 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2022: K.H. Lee (-26 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2021: K.H. Lee (-25 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
- 2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
- 2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
- 2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)
- 2015: Steven Bowditch (-18)
Key Stats at TPC Craig Ranch
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for TPC Craig Ranch to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach remains the best measure of current form.
Hot iron play will be at a premium this week. Last year, Jason Day gained 6.4 strokes on approach, which was fourth in the field. In 2022, K.H. Lee was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.2 strokes. In his 2021 victory, he was second in the field and gained 8.3 strokes on the field in the category.
Strokes Gaines: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
- Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
- Ryan Moore (+0.98)
- Ben Martin (0.80)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Fairways are wide at TPC Craig Ranch.
Distance will certainly be helpful, and there aren’t too many difficult holes on the course. Golfers who put themselves in position off of the tee this week should have a sizable advantage.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds
- Peter Kuest (+0.93)
- Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
- Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
- Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
- Kevin Tway (+0.74)
Birdie or Better %
There aren’t many hazards on the course, and all of the par-5s should be reachable in two for the majority of the players in the field. I am anticipating a birdie fest, and this statistic should be helpful in finding the birdie-makers.
Birdie or Better % Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Wesley Bryan (31%)
- Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
- Peter Kuest (25.9%)
- Matti Schmid (25.7%
- Jimmy Stanger (25.2%)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
Many golfers on TOUR have some major putting surface variance in their statistics and prefer Bentgrass to other surfaces.
Bentgrass is common in Texas, and we often see golfers who play well in Texas continue to do so, finding a great feel around the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
- Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
- Callum Tarren (+0.86)
- Harry Hall (+0.81)
- Nick Hardy (+0.69)
Course History
This statistic will tell us which players have performed the best at TPC Craig Ranch over the past three seasons.
Course History Over Past 12 Rounds:
- Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
- K.H. Lee (+2.59)
- Seamus Power (+1.84)
- Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
- Adam Scott (+1.72)
CJ CUP Byron Nelson Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: OTT (24%), Birdie or Better % (18%), Course History (17%) and SG: Putting Bentgrass (16%).
- Alex Noren
- Adam Scott
- Keith Mitchell
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephen Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Jhonnatan Vegas
- Nate Lashley
- Brice Garnett
- Tom Hoge
2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson Picks
Byeong Hun An +3000 (DraftKings)
Byeong Hun put together an excellent performance at The Masters, finishing T16, which ties his best ever finish at a major championship (also T16 at 2019 U.S. Open). The South Korean gained 9.16 strokes from tee to green, which ranked 2nd in the field behind only the champion, Scottie Scheffler.
An’s next start at Harbour Town didn’t go as well (67th), but he still had a fantastic ball striking week. The 32-year-old bled strokes both around and on the greens, which was his eventual undoing. In his past three starts, An has gained significant strokes on the field both off the tee and on approach.
Benny had a strong start at last year’s Byron Nelson, finishing in a tie for 14th. With limited challenges on the course, he shouldn’t have to do much scrambling. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 17th in the field in birdie or better percentage. The putter is up and down per usual, but his ceiling putting weeks with his LAB Golf putter in 2024 are higher than they’ve been in past seasons.
An is starting to become my “white whale” of the PGA Tour, but I believe in his talent and TPC Craig Ranch is a course that should suit his excellent tee to green play.
Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)
Mackenzie Hughes is quietly putting together a very good season. He finished in a tie for 3rd at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T14 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
In his past 36 rounds in Texas, the Canadian ranks 5th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total. Last year, he finished in a tie for 14th at this event and gained strokes putting and off the tee. Mackenzie played well that week despite being in extremely poor form. He missed two cuts in a row prior to the event, and four consecutive cuts immediately after. His irons were off that week, but in 2024, we’ve seen an improvement in Hughes’ approach game. He now comes to the event playing some steady golf. He’s gained strokes on approach in four of his past five events and is hitting the ball very well from tee to green.
Hughes has two victories on the PGA Tour, both coming in relatively low-scoring affairs (-17 in each). He will need to go a bit deeper to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has the type of putter that can keep pace in a birdie barrage.
Seamus Power +7000 (FanDuel)
After struggling over the past few seasons with injuries, Seamus Power seems as if he is rounding back into the form that made him a really consistent player on the PGA Tour.
Power finished T12 in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage, which is encouraging considering it was a “signature event” with a very strong field. For the week, the Irishman gained 4.4 strokes on approach and 2.8 strokes putting, which is the combination he’s used in the past to contend on Tour.
In his three trips to TPC Craig Ranch, Power is yet to finish outside of the top-20, with his best finish being a T9 in 2019. He ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course. The 37-year-old thrives on easy tracks and has won in 2021 (Barbasol Championship) and 2022 (Butterfield Bermuda) on easier layouts with weaker fields.
Power has the game to go extremely low and I believe he can get back in the winner’s circle for the third time in four years.
Chan Kim +10000 (FanDuel)
Chan Kim has been striking the ball beautifully this season and is a proven winner with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 as well as eight career Japan Tour wins.
At last week’s Zurich Classic, Kim and his partner Doug Ghim finished in a tie for 28th. Prior to that, the South Korean T14 at the Valero Texas Open and T6 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. His success this season in Texas as well as he propensity to play his best golf on the PGA Tour’s easier courses make him and ideal fit for TPC Craig Ranch.
2024 has given plenty of longshot winners on the PGA Tour, and with a birdie fest like this, I believe there’s a strong chance we get another this week in McKinney, Texas.
Alejandro Tosti +10000 (FanDuel)
Alejandro Tosti is one of the most polarizing players on the PGA Tour thus far in the 2024 season. His antics can rub many the wrong way, but he’s shown on a few occasions that he has what it takes to compete in Tour events.
This season, Tosti has been elite off the tee. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The Argentine hits it long and straight, which works at any course on earth. He got a taste of contention a few starts ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, finishing in a tie for 2nd place.
Tosti had a fantastic year in 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour, where going low is a prerequisite to success. If this turns to a shootout, which it likely will, the 27-year-old has the ability to set the pace. Tosti will look to become the second Argentine to win in Texas in the past two seasons after Emiliano Grillo emerged victorious at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
C.T. Pan +15000 (FanDuel)
Outside of a T3 at the Mexico Open, C.T. Pan doesn’t have strong results this season in terms of finishes. However, over his past two starts, Pan’s iron play has come alive. At The Players, he gained 6.6 strokes on approach. At the Valero Texas Open, he gained 3.7. At last week’s Zurich Classic, Pan and his partner Kevin Yu finished T28. For a player who can get extremely hot with his scoring clubs, I believe he’s playing better than the results have shown over the past month or so.
Last season, Pan finished 4th at TPC Craig Ranch and was spectacular across all the major stat categories. In his past 36 qualifying rounds, he ranks 16th in Strokes Gained: Total in Texas.
Pan has won on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and is always a player that I believe has what it takes to win on a Sunday if he finds himself in contention.
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Morning 9: McIlroy, Lowry win Zurich | Green repeats on LPGA | Steele victorious down under
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Morning 9: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board
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Mark Littlejohn
Sep 2, 2015 at 7:10 pm
I used their sister company teeofftimes.co.uk for a lot of my bookings while I was stationed in the UK for four years…made it very easy to play a lot of big name courses for consistently less cost. Very easy to work with company. And their CEO is right, there are a host of hidden gems that are the equal or better than some of the big name courses…not all of the “names” are as impressive as you’d think once you see them in person.
Mark
Aug 26, 2015 at 2:53 pm
Nice prize. Budget at least £100 a night for meals at all those hotels.