Hello, and welcome to our golf and travel blog!

We’re Menekse and James — a married couple who, in 2018, packed up our lives to travel the world full-time with nothing but our backpacks and golf clubs. Since then, we’ve been exploring the globe one fairway and one slow step at a time, documenting our adventures here on Puttering around the World.

This is the story of how a single sabbatical sparked our love for slow travel, turned us into golfing nomads, and inspired us to live as full-time explorers.

The seed for Puttering around the World was planted in 2016 during a four-month sabbatical across Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. At first, we rushed from one highlight to the next — trying to see and do it all. But somewhere along the way, everything changed.

We slowed down and stayed in places longer. We wandered on walks, took afternoon naps, and even allowed ourselves to “waste” time — and loved every moment of it. For the first time, it felt like we truly owned our days.

On a deserted beach on Koh Lanta Noi, we began to dream:

What if we didn’t get on the flight back home?

What if we just kept traveling?

And what if we experienced the world… slowly?

That’s when Puttering around the World was born — in our hearts, with a shared longing to savor everything life has to offer.

Welcome to our Golfabond Life

Not even four months after our return home, we were still chasing that feeling of freedom. This time, though, we wanted to travel longer, slower, and more intentionally.

So, we made a bold plan. We gave ourselves 14 months to prepare: tell our families, leave our jobs, sell our belongings, and step into the unknown. But we added one more twist — we wanted to bring our golf clubs.

That meant no checked luggage. Just backpacks and clubs. Heavier, more awkward, less flexible… but worth it. Because our dream was to play golf all over the world.

Today, that dream is reality. We are a couple of “golfabonds,” sharing stories of slow travel and unforgettable golf courses. This is what it means to be Puttering around the World.

Like many great love stories, ours began with a washing machine….

I (Menekse) was moving from Germany to Turkey for work and selling my last few things. At the same time, James had just arrived in Germany from Oregon and was buying things for his new flat. Through a chain of emails, James saw I was selling a washing machine. We met, and despite the language barrier — his German was nonexistent, my English a bit rusty — we managed to communicate.

A washing machine sale turned into language lessons. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Hi, I’m Menekse, co-founder of Puttering around the World and writer of our slow travel stories.

I was born in Nürnberg, Germany, but my roots and my heart are deeply tied to Turkey, where I spent many childhood summers under starry skies. I’m a Capricorn — impatient, stubborn, persistent, and strong-willed. But I’m also deeply loyal, endlessly curious, and always ready for adventure.

The sea has always been my first love — its smell, its sound, its rhythm. It’s what inspires me most.

I became a travel agent in hopes of seeing the world, but working in an office only made me dream bigger. Over the years, I’ve collected oceans, stars, and countless stories — yet my thirst for exploring the world only grows stronger.

Through Puttering around the World, I want to share those stories with you. Come along with me as I keep learning, keep dreaming, and keep chasing slow travel moments.

Yours in travel,

Menekse

Hi, I’m James, co-founder of Puttering around the World and writer of our golf stories.

I like to describe myself as “just a kid from Dundee, Oregon.” I never imagined I’d one day walk the Great Wall of China, celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square, or play the Old Course at St Andrews. Yet here I am — lucky, grateful, and excited for every adventure still to come.

Golf has been part of my life since childhood, though I used to be better at hitting daisies than golf balls (to be fair, that may still be true). What I love most about the game is its challenge, its beauty, and its way of bringing people together.

I’m not chasing “Top 100” lists or a rigid bucket list. I just want to play the most interesting golf courses around the world — as defined by us.

I’m thrilled to tee up this next chapter, not knowing what the next hole in life will bring.

Yours in golf,

James

If you’ve enjoyed our story, we’d love for you to keep traveling with us!  

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Let’s keep puttering together — we’d love to have you along for the ride!

We’re not fast travelers. We believe in slow travel — staying longer, diving deeper, and connecting with the people and places we meet.

Instead, we embrace meaningful experiences: homestays, house sitting, camper vans — and always, golf.

We write for curious explorers, passionate golfers, cultural seekers, and anyone who dreams of living life a little differently.

And wherever you are, may your travels be slow, meaningful, and full of quick pars!

Happy Travels,

Menekse & James