“Thoroughly disappointed,
We (group of 8) had originally booked to go to Mar Menor with Golf Holidays Direct based on the information from their web site which states
“If you are looking for an unforgettable holiday in a heavenly setting, you will find it at Ona Mar Menor, a 5-star hotel in Torre Pacheco, Murcia, which offers you an exceptional experience and all the amenities you expect from a luxury resort. One of the most outstanding features of Ona Mar Menor is its wide variety of accommodations. Whether you prefer a spacious room or a furnished apartment with up to 3 bedrooms, this resort has the perfect option for you and your travel companions. The rooms and apartments are elegantly decorated and equipped with all the modern amenities you need for a comfortable stay”.
We had booked accommodation in 2 bedroom apartments for the group on a B & B basis, the golf tee off times were confirmed as 13.30 on 10th, 11.00 on the 11th and 11.00 on the 12th all complete with transfers to and from the airport and the golf courses The Mar Menor resort also offered a number of different dining venues around the resort.
On 8th October 2 days before the trip we were advised by Golf Holidays Direct that the whole agenda had been changed, our accommodation had also been switched including revised tee off times. Golf Holidays Direct moved the group to the sister hotel which was effectively in the middle of nowhere and a taxi to town was an extortionate cost leaving us with little scope for evening meals etc. the tee off times had also changed leaving us to tee off at 15.48pm which meant that playing a full round at Saurines could not be played due to daylight. (only 16 holes played)
The course at Hacienda should not have been open as the condition of the course is the worst we have ever seen with completely bare fairways and rock-hard ground, also the back nine was closed due to irrigation issues so it meant playing the front 9 twice (not really acceptable)
We (the group) changed the golf venue on the 12th (due to late tee off time) however transfers were still included however to receive notice on the 12th that transfers were not available and that we would need to sort out ourselves left us a very frustrated with Golf Holidays Direct considering all the issues previously encountered.
We (the group) appreciate that we could have cancelled the trip however with such short notice this was not an option as flights, parking had already been booked with no means of recompense. Golf Holidays have not offered any explanation as to why this happened.
We have been going to Spain as a group for the past 12 years using different tour operators and have never encountered anything like this previously and feel thoroughly disappointed and let down with the service given by Golf Holidays Direct. All of the changes deferred what would have been an enjoyable experience which we all look forward to each year.
Contact has been made with Golf Holidays Direct however they have failed to fully answer our concerns with the service received and an explanation for the changes. We have been offered £200 off our next trip
We will not be booking with Golf Holidays Direct again”
“Fantastic company booked with them last year and now this year, 18 of us went to Vila Gale Marina, best price by far, this website does not portray them in a real light, their trust pilot has over 4000 positives reviews, I felt the need to post on here after reading the negative reviews as all I have experienced is great bookings and price with them.”
“Zero Accountability by Golf Holidays Direct
Firstly sorry for this long comprehensive balanced review of Golf Holidays Direct, but you want to be fair and give the benefit of doubt having experienced GHD aka Golf Holidays Direct over 2 bookings one over a small budget booking costing £600 and the second costing £13000 including external flights from Singapore..
So you need challenges and experiences, to give honest feedback and see if GHD have adopted lessons learnt from my first booking.
Disappointingly. NO, and as a Result I was calling GHD and Golf Courses everyday of my last Holiday, so very stressful everyday.and not a Holiday or a 11 day Golf Trip.
When you are at Golf courses and they say they have not been paid, and they advise you to seek alternatives to GHD on your next Booking, by booking directly yourself or Your Golf Travel, that’s not filling you with confidence, but you still relay this message back to GHD hoping they have a lessons learnt Review.
Unfortunately I made a mistake in Trusting GHD again, and booking the second Golf Holiday to Portugal/ Spain costing £13k with flights from Singapore and UK.
This will be the LAST occasion we will utilise the services of GHD, because in our opinion the Customer is Not the First Priority its Profit over Safety and Customer Experience.
Like any package Holiday provider, your expectation is a holiday with stress free bookings of Hotel Stays, Transfers, and bookings of Golf venues.
GHD have a limited knowledge and experience of the actual Golf Venues, which impacted our current Golf Holiday to Portugal/Spain where one of my Golfing friends got injured twice on a course unsuitable due to the harsh conditions and bad. weather.
In the UK this Golf course would have been condemed un playable under HSE guidelines,
The Portuguese /spanish would never close the course. Take it up with your tour operator they said.
Would GHD step into help NO, we were left to fight your own battle at the Golf Course ?
I wrote to GHD during the first issue involving wrong booked tee times second day into our trip at Laguna Golf Resort Vilamoura Portugal and called them but no response
All I had was a response, that we will investigate, after several incidents involving bookings at Golf Venues and a Hotel Reservation in Spain.
Most of our holiday was finished by then, so we coordinated everything thing ourselves calling every venue and not trusting the GHD itinerary ,right up to the final transfer to the Airport home.
Everything sent on email, did not match the Golf Course Bookings.
So why would you book via GHD ? . We witnessed Individual bookings getting refunds.
We were offered nothing not even an apology or any accountability.
The Golf courses showed us email correspondence. back to GHD which were not adjusted for the final itinerary..
It was escalated to the MD , he just quoted AGGRESSIVELY Terms & Conditions and contact your Holiday Insurance.
The MD would be correct hiding behind robust T&C if the whole booking was 100% correct, but I will leave this for another formal response to GHD.
My advise is book direct yourself, knowing you will receive back paid confirmations through actual Vouchers for Golf Venues and Hotel Bookings.
Lastly you have Protections through your Bank / Credit Card and Consumer Act:
If you book GHD you could RISK, your whole Golfing Experience , ringing GHD everyday for confirmations of payment to Golf Courses and Hotels constrained to GHD UK Business Hours only,
GHD have NO 24 Hour Hotline, so if you arrive outside of these hours in an Overseas Country with a Time difference's you pay for your own Golf or miss tee times.
Also note GHD only deal with the person who made the booking as stated by the MD .
As a result my colleagues will be making their own representations
One of them is to ask our clients who have booked trips to Ryder Cup Next Year via GHD to seek reimbursements, because they booked GHD on our recommendations.
The compettion is less Risk and more customer friendly with a proven track record”
“Absolute shocking company to deal with.
Booked golf clubs with a Mitchell Sabine 4 months in advance only to find the company that he told us he booked them through had not anything with this firm in over a year. He would not respond to any communication with us.
DO NOT BOOK WITH THESE PEOPLE JUST SAVE YOURSELF THE GRIEF”
“1. No communication
2. Didn't pass payments on to golf courses but took groups money
3. Offered no help or assistance to resolve
4. Booked members of our group separate tee times due to last minute payments
5. We added people to our group booking and they took payment but they didn't do any room or golf bookings, which we managed to resolve just before travelling
We arrived and although the booking was for 14 golfers, which they took the money for the booked tee times for 10, then 2 more 2 hours later, then the last 2 another 2 hours after, the course said this was due to them paying only for the first 10. This company replied stating it was because we added 4, we did, but this was several months before and they had taken payments.
We then had no buggies for 2 out of the 3 rounds. Both course confirmed they were booked but after repeated requests golf direct hadnt paid the money we had given them. This was also the case for other groups that were at the course and hotel. The staff at the course said this was a regular occurance with this company.
They have offered the group vouchers to use with them again, none of our 14 member group or groups we spoke with wanted them and we couldn't find anyone who wished to use golf holidays direct again”
“Golf holiday in Portugal more like crazy golf at Skegness
2nd time writing a review for this company for a group of 9 who booked a golf holiday for our mates 50th to Portugal the first review we was asked by the director of golfholidaysdirect to remove the review because it was damaging to his business and they was going to look into offering some compensation.
So we did give them the benefit of the doubt to try & put things right for the group after the lack of communication and service we received off them but unfortunately they are taking no responsibility for the service they offered and consequently we are all receiving £35.00 each person from the course owners themselves for the condition of the course what we new nothing about from golfholidaysdirect to give you some idea the greens were like playing on a mine field on 2 of the 4 days play which after putting our faith in golfholidaysdirect we had issue after issue even not having enough buggy’s for us all on all 4 days and having to pay for them ourselves on the day & all in all they did a shambles of a job & wanted to pass the buck & say they did what they could and did it at cost price never made a penny from the booking blah blah blah we should have kept our original booking with golfholidays.com you live & learn if you want crazy golf book with them our crazy golf handicap has certainly improved after that week !!!”
“They are a dishonest group who have been on rip off Britain. Didn’t even book my golf when I arrived at QDL golf. QDL Golf didn’t even offer out the tee times which were on my booking. Alex promised to pay us to play at latenjal and didn’t. They have lied throughout. Don’t book through this company”
“Golf holiday ruined, please read this..
May 2023
Ref: Booking 8000583
Conclusion from recent trip to Vilamoura
Having spent 1 year organising this golfing holiday with GolfDirectholidays, 3 rounds (laguna,Pinhal,vale do lobo) inc golf buggies.
We arrived and over the holiday we found you hadn't booked or paid for the buggies and to top it off our main event Sunday 11.am tee off at Vale do lobo, hadn't been booked that's the golf and buggies, so 12 months in planning and the whole trip ruined.
Friday arrive at laguna spent 1 hour constantly phoning you guys and discussing with there club house, I ended up having to pay for buggies myself, as we where with the same organisation on Saturday Pinhal they informed us no buggies in place for Saturday so again same issue.
I was phoning golf direct and emailing, shocking lack/non help/assistance and no return calls made
Sunday went to hotel reception to arrange shuttle bus to vale do lobo all guys at the door ready and buzzing, then bang no golf booked at the course and no tees available as course was full, absolute nightmare, on the phone over 30 calls made no response from golf direct.
I worked with hotel reception and we found a course so we could at least have a game.
Joe (ghd MD) sent an email to me on the 19/05 trying to explain buggies were not included however he was looking at an old email quote so I sent him the quote showing prices with buggies included and all was on our voucher tickets/emails etc etc. So no excuses please..
Joe sent email on the 22nd asking how much buggies were, didn't even know about no golf at vale do lobo, so not sure who or how your communication works there as emails, phoning, leaving messages doesn't seem to help you people.
So as you can see and you must agree our holiday and especially mine was ruined, on the phone,emailing etc totally stressed out!!
so I returned on the 23/05 and the next day sent you the costs for buggy hire x 3rounds and 8 players on the course we managed to play on the Sunday,
I spent 1 week chasing your company for payment, which I received on 31/05 total received £1440.00, I informed you my visa bill was £1469.49 which was 1644 euros, so again you don't even square me up and blame your accounts rather than do the right thing.
you then offer a voucher discount as compensation if we book another trip... so I inform our group and we agree to explore this thinking we get something out of the mess your company put us through.
You offer a weekend at Oulton Hall 1 night B&B evening meal + 2 rounds for £225 each, I looked on there website and they offer this with a free drink for £189.00, so again this is not compensation its just a whole joke with you.
As in the email below I mentioned putting a review on Trustpilot, which you said was threating and not something you wouldn't dream of!
You say its a one off mistake well maybe you should look through your reviews from the past, and address your errors and treat people with respect rather than disappointment, and don't even return my money correctly or compensate us correctly,
On Friday 23/05 I was informed by Golf direct my vouchers where cancelled due to advising them i will put a review on and there MD was on the phone shouting at me saying there really busy and to stop emailing them he hung up before I could respond.
apparently UK's largest Golf holiday company, that states we will lead you every step of the way to meet your requirements,
well you failed by 100%”
“Appalling service and dishonest. Three days before our visit to Aphrodite Hills golf and hotel we received an email from Golf Holidays Direct telling us our holiday was cancelled as the hotel has double booked. Alternatives were offered which were unsuitable to us and we requested a cash refund. This was agreed by the Sales Manager (Chris Coaker) but we were subsequently contacted by GHD accounts saying we could only have a voucher against a future booking. We simultaneously contacted Aphrodite Hills who emailed us to say that our reservation was still in place but GHD had not paid them.We had paid for our holiday in full in the timescales set by GHD and one wonders why they had not paid the hotel. We were able to recover our money from GHD using our credit card chargeback and have only been offered a token voucher (£250 off a future booking) in compensation for the loss of our holiday time in booking an alternative (we were already in Cyprus) . Given their deceitful behaviour in erroneously blaming the hotel we would never use them again and a voucher is useless to us!”
