Hopefully every player has enjoyed the benefits of a Myrtle Beach golf trip. The chance to get away with friends, especially as we get older, is an irreplaceable experience.

The best trips involve great golf and good times on and off the course, and here are four rules for everyone to follow that will maximize the fun.

— Be flexible, especially if you are part of a larger group. It’s hard to get four people to agree on where to go to dinner, much less 12. Whether it’s room assignments, last-minute dinner decisions, or who is playing together in a given round, relax and enjoy the ride. If you are type ‘A’ personality, check it at the door. It’s your golf trip, but it isn’t all about you.

— Everyone wants to play well, win skins and triumph in their match, but you are taking a trip to have fun, which should be non-negotiable. If you lose your swing or can’t make a putt, leave it behind you. Don’t ever forget, your primary goal is to have a good time and much of that is a choice. Make the right one.

— This one sounds simple but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t do it: arrive at the course early. You don’t have to be there an hour early, unless you want to properly warm up of course, but don’t come rolling in five minutes before your tee time. If you’re late getting off, remember that ripples through the tee sheet.

— Don’t complain during the trip unless you’ve come across a problem that can be corrected immediately. Your group leader works hard to put together a trip that can meet the needs of a disparate group. The last thing he wants to hear is someone bellyaching about early tee times or some other largely trivial matter. A good group leader is always open to suggestions, but when you make them at 9:30 Friday morning they can come across as complaining about the work he has done. Don’t be that guy.

At the end of the day, it’s a vacation. Don’t sweat the small stuff and make the most of your 2023 Myrtle Beach golf trip.