Certainly finances are a determining factor for many who simply seek a relaxing trip. However, there are an awful lot of golf enthusiasts who would also pay whatever it takes to find available tickets to the US Golf Open.

So if you’re planning to visit Farmingdale, NY for the 2009 US Open Golf Tournament, then keep reading for some travel and planning tips that will help your golf vacation go a bit smoother.

About Bethpage State Park

The next US Open is taking place at the Bethpage State Park, a facility known for its five world-class and public golf courses. The Open will be taking place at the Black Course, which also hosted the Open in 2002.

The park also offers tennis facilities, hiking trails, picnicking, biking and horseback riding.

hotels and Accommodations in Farmingdale

Farmingdale is a small town and community. However, thanks to the popularity of the golf courses and the appeal of Bethpage State Park, there are a number of hotels within 10 to 50 miles of the resort.

Courtyard Republic Airport Long Island

This is the closest hotel to the golf course and it books up fast, so reseRVe now if you want to be close to the action. The hotel is full-seRVice and offers an on-site restaurant. It also operates all-day shuttles to and from the US Open. Again, if you want to stay here, you should book a room as soon as possible.

The Long Island Hilton

Located in Melville, the Hilton Long Island is just a short drive from the US Open golf course in Farmingdale, NY. This is a full-service hotel offering an on-site restaurant, 24-hour room service, a fitness center, wireless Internet and numerous meeting facilities.

Fourpoints by Sheraton Plainview, Long Island

Newly renovated and just 20 minutes from the course, this Sheraton Four Points hotel is new, fresh and modern. The hotel offers a fitness facility, wireless Internet, 24-hour front desk and concierge assistance, free parking, room service and shuttles to and from the US Open.

Other Things to Do in Farmingdale, NY

Farmingdale has a lot more to offer visitors than the US Open. If you’re traveling with your family, check out the nearby amusement park – AdventureLand. Alternatively, you can take a drive to the Hamptons and explore its beaches and incredible restaurants and nightlife.

Getting to Farmingdale, NY

Unless you’re flying by private jet, the closest airport to Farmingdale is La Guardia. The drive typically takes about 40 minutes, but can be as long as 70 to 80 minutes in bad traffic. Limit your traffic time by trying to get a flight that lands earlier in the day.

Scoring Tickets to the 2009 US Open

If you’re planning to attend the US Open golf tournament, you must first submit an application for a random drawing. The deadline for applications has already passed. If you do not have a ticket, you may be able to purchase at the gate or obtain them through a third-party vendor.

If you want to combine amazing prices with an incredible golf hotel, Spain is where you need to go. The seRVice is at European levels, the grounds are incredible, the golf is even better and the prices are affordable.

The majority of golf hotels and resorts are centered in and around Costa Del Sol, home to famous courses like the Robert Trent Jones-designed Valderrama Golf Club.

But that’s not the only hot course in the region or the country. Costa del Sol is home to 36 courses alone and Spain itself offers hundreds of both public and private courses for you to enjoy. To find out more about the region and the best courses, keep reading.

Andalusia and Coast Line

Costa del Sol is located in Andalusia and it’s only a 50 minute flight from Madrid. Along this incredible coastline, there are piles of amazing courses. Aside from the golf though, you can enjoy beautiful Spanish towns, hike nearby hills or simply lie by the beach and relax.

Best Gold Courses in the Area

Valderrama isn’t just a difficult course – it’s also hard to obtain a tee time unless you have a lot of advance notice. If you can’t get into Valderamma, you may want to try one of the following other courses or resorts. The Golf Club Marbella was also designed by Robert Trent Jones and is located close by. The Real Club de Golf Las Brisas is historic and gorgeous. The Golf Torrequebrada is tortuous and a course for the truly adventurous.

Other Activities in the Area

Along the fabled coastline, now bursting with hotels, marinas and casinos, there are also many small harbors where boats can be chartered for fishing expeditions and water skiing. Yet if visitors have already found enough water on golf courses, they should consider other diversions, such as excursions to Grenada, Seville and small whitewashed towns in the Sierra Nevadas first settled by the Phoenicians and Romans centuries ago.

But no matter what your pleasure, whether it’s golf, a cultural adventure, or even a short ferry ride to Morocco from the port town of Algeciras – at day’s end, eat and drink heartily, because on the Costa del Sol, particularly at its many beachside restaurants, the no-frills cooking is pescadito sardines and small squid or calamaritos, usually roasted on spits and, best of all, seRVed with famous sweet Malaga wines.

Places to Stay

If you’re looking for a golf hotel, Spain has numerous options. For luxury, try the Marbella Club Hotel. For variety, take in the Atalaya Park Golf Hotel and Resort. For a central location, opt for the La Cala Golf and Spa Resort. And if your heart is set on absolute luxury, try looking into the Fairplay Golf Hotel and Spa, a five star hotel with an award-winning course.

Myrtle Beach resorts offer travelers some of the most challenging and rewarding golf in the world. Many of the courses run right alongside the Atlantic coastline and are world-famous thanks to their roles hosting the Ryder Cup and other PGA Tour events.

Fortunately, many of the courses in and around Myrtle Beach are open to the public all year, including those connected to resorts. That’s why more than a million golfers annually trek to the Palmetto State to play in Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island and Charleston.

From designers Tom Fazio, Pete Dye, Robert Trent Jones, Rees Jones…they all have done some of their finest work here. So have top player-designers that include Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Davis Love III and Tom Weiskopf.

To find more about a few of the best Myrtle Beach resorts that offer incredible golfing opportunities, read on.

Harbor Town

Any list of South Carolina courses has to begin with this classic Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus collaboration. Bring plenty of golf balls and even more money for the near $200 green fee.

Harbor Town is tight and tree-lined with water hazards guarding several of the fairways and tiny, bentgrass greens. Ocean breezes are always a factor too. Most of the resorts in the surrounding Hilton Head area offer golf packages that include this fantastic course.

Kiawah Island Resort and Golf Course

Pete Dye was given prime oceanfront land and told to build the toughest, most spectacular course he could to test the world’s finest players at the 1991 Ryder Cup. He did exactly that. Half of the Ocean Course’s holes butt up against the beach. The wind can be brutal and peril awaits every shot. But somehow, the course is great fun.

The course is part of the luxury Kiawah Island Resort, and though the course is a bit pricey, it’s well worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime golf experience. It’s also located closer to Charleston than Myrtle Beach, but worth the drive.

Pawleys Plantation

Built along wetlands in lightly populated Pawleys Island south of Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Plantation is far different than most resort courses. Originally a country club, Pawleys Plantation is somewhat secluded in a tranquil location dissected by a huge wetlands area that’s part of a wildlife preseRVe.

Out of all the most popular Myrtle Beach resorts, Pawleys offers the most authentic South Carolina experience alongside some of the best golf. If you’re looking for a slower pace away from the crowds of Myrtle Beach and more in tune with the state’s strong heritage, you’ll find it here.