Scotland Trip, help with course picking (around Nairn and Troon)

[babyfade]

Hello.

 

I will do a Scotland trip in Summer around the Scottish Open and The Open.

 

I have to make some choices and was wondering if someone might be able to help me choose the right courses.

 

 

1) I will play Nairn and want to play another course in the region or on my way down to Troon.

 

I have to choose between: Nairn Dunbar, Spey Valley, Boat of Garden or Blairgowrie (Rosemount). Which course would you prefere and why?

 

Or would it be worth to add 2 hr car drive to play Moray instead?

 

 

 

 

 

2) I will be at the Open in Royal Troon and want to play three courses there.

 

Dundonald for sure because of the nice offer for a great course.

 

Then I have to choose between Western Gailes and Prestwick. Which course would you prefere and why?

 

And I have to choose between: Irvine, Glasgow Gailes and Prestwick St. Nicholas. Which course would you prefere and why?

 

 

Thank you very much!!

[Alexblakk]

1. Can you play Castle Stuart that is a mere 15 minutes from Nairn ?

2. Prestwick for the history !

[babyfade]

Thanks for your answer. The Scottish Open will be at Castle Stuart thats why I won't be able to play it the day after.

[Alexblakk]

Maybe you can try to qualify ! :taunt: :taunt: :taunt:

 

On the way between Nairn and Troon I think Gleneagles in around there.

[babyfade]

That would be great :-)

 

We changed our route now and will be playing: Nairn, Moray, Cruden Bay, Crairgowrie and Prestwick.

 

Looks great!!

[HoffTTM]

That would be great :-)

 

We changed our route now and will be playing: Nairn, Moray, Cruden Bay, Crairgowrie and Prestwick.

 

Looks great!!

 

Very good mix of styles, personally I enjoyed Nairn the least of those but its very much a style thing. Undoubtably still a very good course.

 

Many people will say the same about Cruden Bay which I absolutely love, hope the changes they made to 9&10 are as good as they look. Should be a definite improvement.

[buteman]

I will travel back this September to my native Scotland for a few rounds of golf with family members. I had a couple of members at my new club ask me about golf in Scotland as they are planning a trip this summer and want to play the better courses.

 

All I can say is mortgage your house, sell your wife and kids and take suitcases full of money. I try to travel over there as much as possible as I have close family there, I was last there a year ago September. Prices in the U.K. have gone absolutely haywire indeed and when it comes to golf no exception there at all especially if you play the higher end courses.

 

The Old Course at St. Andrews ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 365.00

 

Trump International Aberdeen ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 425.00

 

Dornoch near Inverness ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 265.00

 

Turnberry ( Ailsa Course ) ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 550.00 ,,,,,, also, set of rental clubs $ 145.00 ,,,, hungry after your golf ? hamburger and chips, $ 39.00

 

Carnoustie ( championship course ) ,,,,,,,,, $ 340.00

 

Royal Troon ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 450.00

 

King's Course at Gleneagles ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 395.00 ,,,,,,, also, a light lunch after your golf in the coffee shop ? ,,,,, vegetable soup and an egg salad sandwich, $ 37.00

 

Cruden Bay ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, $ 220.00

 

So that is the prices ( all in Canadian dollars ) if you wish to play the big name courses. I've been most fortunate over the years where I've had the pleasure of playing the venues listed above ( with the exception of Trump International which is a new course ).

 

To be honest some of those courses are highly overrated, unless you have a single digit handicap I wouldn't even bother teeing it up at Carnoustie. Royal Dornoch in the north east of Scotland is a wonderful links golf course, the visitor green fee has increased dramatically over the past four years and accommodation up there is very expensive.

 

The Old Course at St. Andrews is a public golf course, it's a nice golf course and there is the history but it ( the course ) is way overrated and the green fee for a public golf course is ridiculous. Of all of them Royal Troon was my favourite, a number of years ago my brother and I were given a special day ticket which, for the most part gave us membership for a day.

It was a day to remember, we arrived at six thirty on a late Summer's morning and left the following morning just after one am. ,,, fantastic it was, one round from the regular member tees then after an excellent ( subsidized ) lunch eighteen holes from the championship tees. Dinner in the member's lounge that evening then fine single malt whisky chased down with some fine Scottish ale. I even had a nice chat and a wee whisky with James Montgomerie ( Colin's Dad ).

 

All of this being said there are numerous golf courses back in Scotland that are exceptional tests of golf and are very reasonable. I played two courses down on the west coast, Lochgreen and Darley, excellent courses, Lochgreen has been used as a qualifying course for the open championship, the green fees were around $ 60.00.

[babyfade]

That would be great :-)

 

We changed our route now and will be playing: Nairn, Moray, Cruden Bay, Crairgowrie and Prestwick.

 

Looks great!!

 

Very good mix of styles, personally I enjoyed Nairn the least of those but its very much a style thing. Undoubtably still a very good course.

 

Many people will say the same about Cruden Bay which I absolutely love, hope the changes they made to 9&10 are as good as they look. Should be a definite improvement.

 

Thanks for your answer.

 

I had to change plans once again because they didn't have a tee time at cruden bay.

 

So we will play Castle Stuart instead.

 

Not good to hear that about Nairn, because it's one of the higher ranked courses! But we will see =)

[hoganboy]

Don't worry about the comments about Nairn, it is a fantastic links layout and a course always in great

condition.

 

It's just what happens with golf courses, one person loves it, next person hates it. Lot depends on how

your day and score was that day.

[knickerbocker]

You can play Dundoland, Western Gailes, and Glascow with a package

 

http://www.gailesgolfexperience.co.uk/

[babyfade]

It's a great offer, but they don't offer it during the Open!

[thecraw]

Don't worry about the comments about Nairn, it is a fantastic links layout and a course always in great

condition.

 

It's just what happens with golf courses, one person loves it, next person hates it. Lot depends on how

your day and score was that day.

 

I didn't not enjoy Nairn, lovely golf course, great condition I just expected better from a course that was so highly rated. Solid but nothing special was my opinion, although others love it. For me it punches above its weight and not as good as Western Gailes, yet it's rated higher.

 

Opinions make the threads interesting.

[HoffTTM]

Don't worry about the comments about Nairn, it is a fantastic links layout and a course always in great

condition.

 

It's just what happens with golf courses, one person loves it, next person hates it. Lot depends on how

your day and score was that day.

 

I didn't not enjoy Nairn, lovely golf course, great condition I just expected better from a course that was so highly rated. Solid but nothing special was my opinion, although others love it. For me it punches above its weight and not as good as Western Gailes, yet it's rated higher.

 

Opinions make the threads interesting.

 

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on it as well. It is always in great condition and I think that is why it gets rated so highly. I would rather play Brora or Boat of Garten but then I am quite rustically inclined when it comes to golf courses.

[alfriday]

Royal Dornoch is an hour north of Nairn. IMO the most fun course I have ever played. Well worth the drive.

[babyfade]

I was thinking of Royal Dornoch, but I will do a real highlands trip another time!

 

Now we drive up to Nairn on Saturday, watch the scottish open on sunday, play nairn and moray on monday, then castle stuart on tuesday drive down to blairgowrie, play it and then drive down to irvine...watching the open for a few days and playing prestwick one evening.

[ColinKelvin]

I am very glad to read that you are playing Moray (presumably the Old course, which is a beautiful Old Tom Morris design with one of the very best closing holes in Scotland/the world). As you probably know, Lossiemouth is under 1 hour's drive from Nairn. It will be interesting to hear which of the two you prefer... Enjoy!

 

On your 'real highlands trip' next time, if you are heading to Dornoch, then both Tain and Fortrose and Rosemarkie are excellent courses. Not championship length, but gems nevertheless.

[babyfade]

Thank you Colin!

 

I will write you after my trip concerning Moray/Nairn. Moray was high on my bucket list, because it looks absolutely stunning.

 

Thank you for the highlands courses. They really look great. Brora will definitely be another course to play!!

[Blindman]

Scottish golf doesn't need to be expensive .

I payed 5 quid to play ravenspark,irvine.

Dozens cheap in Ayrshire.

Just take waterproofs :D

 

We get lots of rain with showery intervals....

Airdrie is nice(my home town) and wester moffat are nice to but curvaceous. ;)

[lefty77RS]

Thank you Colin!

 

I will write you after my trip concerning Moray/Nairn. Moray was high on my bucket list, because it looks absolutely stunning.

 

Thank you for the highlands courses. They really look great. Brora will definitely be another course to play!!

 

If you like the look of Moray I would highly recommend Cullen Golf Club. Not too far from moray and a stunning course, originally designed by old Tom Morrice I believe.

[katbird]

I'll be in Golspie for 4 days so Cullen is a definite possibility....only 4 days! So many choices.

Golf was not my 1st reason for choosing Golspie...it seemed a good base camp for exploring the northern region of Scotland. Now have to rethink things.

[thecraw]

Golspie, Tain, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Brora.

 

Some wonderful choices in your vicinity.

[katbird]

I saw a club call Hopeman that looks very nice....on top of a bluff overlooking the firth...

...and at the other end of the country, at the far north, Durness.