A golf trip is one of the highlights of the year. I just finished my annual 16-man boondoggle and am already looking forward to next year’s adventure. Despite all the fun, group leaders are always looking for ways to make a trip just a little better. Based on personal experience, here are five tips that can improve your next Myrtle Beach golf vacation.

— Many of you probably already do this, but split your group in half and play for something. It might sound crazy for a bunch of middle-aged men or women, but the team dynamic creates a common goal that brings your group together, even guys who may not know each other that well. That has value.

— You will need a format and match play is, unquestionably, the way to go. In stroke play, the 18-20 handicaps are going throw in a couple quads that cause them to lose their mind and think the round is over. Match play allows you to more quickly move on and keeps people engaged. Additionally, the hole to hole drama is more compelling than counting strokes.

— Eat at least one dinner as a group. Sounds cheesy but it brings everyone together to relive the day’s events and that is good for camaraderie and usually a lot of laughs.

— In the afternoon, divide your group into four-man teams and play a round of captain’s choice (independent of the “regular” match). Let the lowest scores of each day pick squads and it’s $5 per man. It’s a lot of fun and less taxing than playing your own ball.

— Lastly, have everyone in your group keep a handicap. For starters, it will have them thinking about their game and by extension the trip throughout the year, and it makes separating players into even teams much easier. USHandicap.com offers a USGA approved index online and anyone who doesn’t want to pay can use “unofficial” apps like The Grint to calculate their handicap. Everyone having a handicap is a good thing.