London, England: A new survey has found that the modern golf traveller is increasingly choosing destinations on the strength of their wider lifestyle offering – with food, wellness and cultural experiences now rivalling course quality as key booking drivers.

The research, conducted by 18Players in partnership with International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), found that nearly four in five golfers (78.9 per cent) would be more likely to book a destination offering a strong mix of golf and lifestyle experiences over one focused purely on the golf.

Gastronomy emerged as the single most influential factor, with 83.6 per cent of respondents saying great local food and fine dining would most improve a golf holiday.

More than half of those surveyed said non-golf elements – including wellness, scenery and culture – were either very or extremely important when selecting a trip, while 79.2 per cent said they would consider travelling with a larger group of friends or family.

The findings point to a broader shift in how golf resorts are competing for business. Properties such as Costa Navarino in Greece and Hotel Finca Cortesin in Andalucia have already moved in this direction, building seasonal dining programmes and regional wine offerings into their core proposition.

Others, including Cornelia Hotels Golf & Spa in Turkey, are incorporating heritage experiences and guided cultural excursions to connect guests with their surroundings beyond the resort.

The mixed-travel dynamic is also coming into sharper focus. When asked what makes a destination work for golfers and non-golfers travelling together, respondents pointed to good food and dining (73.1 per cent) and a wide range of off-course activities (70.9 per cent) as the most important considerations – underlining the pressure on destinations to cater for the whole group, not just the golfers in the party.

Fiona Ashton, Event Manager at IGTM, said: “The modern golf traveller wants more than tee times. Golf remains the anchor of the trip, but travellers are now choosing destinations that can offer exceptional dining, wellness, culture and experiences for non-golfers too.”