St. Andrews Trip - Spring 2020

[sTmGolfer]

So a little background. Few friends of mine who grew up together have all moved out of our home cities. Some have kept in touch more than others, but we've always had a good bond with each other. We were recently together for one of my friends bachelor parties and it was centered around golfing. Me and a few of the guys were like "this is amazing. We've moved away, don't see each other nearly enough, but we need to keep this spirit alive and do more golf trips together." And so the seed was planted ...

 

Fast forward about 8 months and we started emailing each other and got four of us to commit to a trip to St. Andrews for a week in late April, 2020. We're putting our names in for the Old Course, for sure, and plan to hit many of the other St. Andrews courses. Courses currently on the itinerary:

 

Old Course, Kingsbarns, Carnoustie, and 3-4 of the other St. Andrews courses.

 

Few questions for the group.

1. Aside from the Old Course, what are your favorites? Why?

2. Are the 3 day passes worth it? Any other tips for golf you'd recommend?

3. What are some of your favorite tourist attractions that you saw and why?

 

We'll be there Sunday-Sunday and I've read that still isn't enough time to get everything in. For me, personally, this is the trip of a lifetime that I had originally envisioned taking much later in my life, but it just so happened that we're making it happen now. I'd love to get as much of the history and amazing "things" into this trip as possible, aside from just the golf.

 

Any and all do/don't opinions will be welcomed. Fire away ...

[Mignuz]

You can find a lot of descriptions of St. Andrews trip in this forum, just read them all to find interesting advices.

Enter the "Lottery" or how it's called for playing TOC, it usually opens for 2 weeks in late august (this year from 21th august) and you'll have to choose another course, which I suggest to be Jubilee, even if a lot of people prefer the new course, which is easier in my opinion. Even Castle course could be an option, but it's a course you cuold love or hate (I loved it).If you want an option, Kittocks course is similar and next to the Castle.

If it's a lifetime trip, play even Carnoustie and Kingsbarn (they are really near st. andrews).

I even loved Gleneagles (one hour drive) play kings and centenary course (ryder cup venue).

In that area you can also play really good links as Crail, Elie, Lundin.

Check the site www.teeoftimes.co.uk for discounts for green fee in cool courses in the area.

If you can drive, there are a lot of great courses within 2 hours drive ( Murfield, North Berwick, Gullane, Royal Dornoch etc.)

A car is highly raccomended.

In late april there's enough light to play 2 course a day.

Enjoy.

 

[dcmidnight]

Hire a company to take care of all the day to day stuff, making all your reservations and tee times, providing transportation to and from, dealing with any tee time changes - it is really worth it. Especially for having a local contact on the ground if something comes up. And the price was very very reasonable.

 

I spent 7 nights in St Andrews last August so fire away if you hae specific questions. We stayed at the Fairmont and played the Old Course, New, Jubillee, Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and the two courses at the Fairmont.

[Hawkeye77]

Tourist stuff: Golf Museum, find site of Tom Morris' birth, see graves of Old and Young Tom on the cathedral grounds (which are pretty neat), castle ruins (you can see I like old crap), if there is a photographer or two, and may be dicey or even early in April, but 1/2 day excursion from Anstruther to Isle of May to photograph puffins, fish and chips at the best spot anywhere in Anstruther - oh, and play Crail Balcomie. Here is some inspiration!