Scotland Golf Trip 101 (The Compass Guide)

[hammergolf]

Another one to add to my neverending list....

[TheInfidel]

I'm inclined to agree. One of the reasons I got in early at the Golf Scotland rate.

The generous layout suggests they've planned for grandstands and tents. I'd say there's grand plans to host a Scottish Open and other top level Am events to justify the top shelf green fee. Its a high calibre track.

[flushem]

Have Kingsbarns and North Berwick ever hosted big tour events? why so pricey? Are they so called "the rich's ghetto"?

[Chanceman]

Yep, Kingsbarns hosts 3 days of the Dunhill Links tournament every October. I enjoyed playing it a few years ago but basically never again, There is much better golf elsewhere for the money.

[hammergolf]

Less than a mile away you can play The Castle Course for 1/3 the price. Basically on the same terrain and in my opinion as good or better a course.

[Schley]

The Castle is a love / hate relationship for many. A polarizing layout with quite a few blind shots, quirky greens which have been softened over the years. I liked the Castle, but it is not really in the same class as Kingsbarns.

[flushem]

I gotta pay sunny Southern California Premium so I do not mind paying bit extra. However, I wonder if high green fees of Kingbarns and North Berwick deserves every pound.

[scott_Donald]

For any Scottish/British folk this is looking good for some cheaper rounds this summer -

From a Royal Aberdeen point of view and edited;

Our General Manager has been in touch with other Clubs who normally experience large numbers of visitors. Trump International, Cruden Bay, Nairn, Nairn Dunbar, North Berwick, Carnoustie and others are all advertising to local markets at green fee discounts of up to 50%. We understand that Kingsbarns will remain closed until the end of July as a result of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

75% of our standard rack rate. The reduced fee will be £145. This arrangement shall apply for tee times until 18th October 2020. The reduced rate may help us compete in the market and reflects the reduced visitor experience given use of the clubhouse and catering facilities may not be possible and the course experience may not be normal, i.e. no bunker rakes, etc.

[hammergolf]

To each his own I guess. I find the courses are on simlar terrain and enjoy The Castle more. I like using the slopes of the green surfaces and needing imagination around them to play different shots. Nothing against Kingsbarns, I enjoy it. But if someone on a budget asked me is it worth 3 times what The Castle is I say no way.

[mci711]

My wife loved the castle course and I loved kingsbarns. We differentiated in opinions. I really do think it is different for everyone. Doesn't hurt that I blew up on the Castle and she shot a 74. While I played pretty well at Kingsbarns and she tired out.

[hammergolf]

Funny how we relate the way we feel about a course relative to how we play.....

[TheInfidel]

Great initiative Scott. Everyone wants these clubs to maintain staffing, condition and income. I'll certainly make a trip north later this summer.

[Argonne69]

Kingsbarns hosted the 2017 Women's British Open.

[milesgiles]

Interesting, I’d mentioned elsewhere I had contacted the Inverness clubs a while ago hoping for a bit of wiggle on the prices given the circumstances.. no replies at all!

[scott_Donald]

where are you based? call and ask?

I know the manager from RA is only on the site a short time a week and working from home. We are lucky it seems to have a good one though, he sends a lot of emails!

[TheInfidel]

I think we all agree that getting the opportunity to play links golf on a well conditioned Scottish course is a treat. I've paid £15 to play The Braids in Edinburgh a great many times and the enjoyment I get from that course and it's routing is immeasurable. It's run by Edinburgh City Council and won't win any awards, but it's unique and quirky. It has square greens, blind shots, dual fairways and excellent views.

For courses which are perceived to be higher end, either because of their condition or tournament pedigree I think about the quote "price is only ever an issue in the absence of value". And on the occassions when I have spent a chunk of my own money, I like to know or understand that I get that value from the experience. Personal preference is massively important, but I've played the Castle course a few times and I don't hold it very high in my own ranking. I think the great value in threads like these is that local or visiting golfers get to know our understand where best to spend their hard earned $$.

Just this afternoon I've seen some published deals for accomodaiton and two rounds of golf at Turnberry at approx £300, and I think these are the types of deals we'll see as golf courses and hotels look to get back on track with bookings and visitors.

[duffer987]

Fantastic. Nothing like picking over the carcass. You asking for a free bag of chips with your cod down at the chippy these days too? Going to ask for a pound off your bitter when beer gardens open up?

If clubs - as scott_donald mentions - are looking to put together some incentives for locals that's great for local golfers, but to ring up/email fishing for deals is crass IMHO. Getting no replies seems about the politest way they could deal with it.

Yes yes international golfers and the weak pound have ruined golfing around the UK at the 'bigger clubs' for deserving UK-based golfers like yourself. As we all know there are loads of sub 100quid destinations to play in the UK, you folks are super fortunate to have all those great options. If RD or CS want to maintain their price points fair enough, as always they don't owe travelling golfers a thing, whether you're coming from the M25 or NYC.

Those of us lucky to be playing golf right now (or really spend money on any non-essentials) should be looking at ways to spend a bit more at wherever it is you frequent. Buy some tees or a dozen balls or a polo at the course, even if you don't need them. Since Covid kicked off I really have been amazed at the selfishness sentiment of some of the users on this site, smh.

[duffer987]

I keep meaning to play Braids, but typically stay out in Portobello and cannot be arsed to go over there. It looks good fun! How is Merchants in comparison? Braids clearer the better/more fun? Guess they both get a wee bit windy being up on the hills?

With the South Braids Hill Hotel, I have thought about staying there and being able to walk to both of the courses for a fun 36 hole day out.

[403Golfer]

Braid Hills is a unique course and worth it if you're in Edinburgh with time to play, Duddingston was a personal favourite from my time there if you like parkland courses, obviously not what Scotland is known for golf wise.

[scott_Donald]

Wow that is some deal for Turnberry - I paid 260 a night for 3 nights and I think 320 for my round of golf last year.

Where did you see that?

[milesgiles]

Don’t want to hijack the thread as I’ve said plenty on the subject elsewhere, but blimey that escalated quickly..

its obviously subjective what a certain course is ‘worth’. You’ll get a hundred different answers from a hundred different people. But it’s objectively true that Scottish courses, and many top end English ones, have doubled their prices in well less than 10 years. Average disposable incomes have barely changed in the U.K. in that time. I go away with upwards of 20 club golfers once a year and very few if any are prepared to pay £100 a round more than very, very occasionally. I hate to say it, because im talking about some excellent, friendly golf courses, but let’s call it what it is, greed.

WIth no foreign tourists this year, I’m afraid they are finding out, as I’ve been trying to say for a while now (pre covid) the Uk market for paying over £100 a round is incredibly small. I mention Inverness as it’s about as far north as you can go, and they want that sort of money for no changing rooms or facilities in what could be literally any weather? I mean, good luck with that. Had an excellent trip to St Andrews last year and they seem to be the one exception to ramping up prices, Inverness on paper was going to cost me twice as much even without Dornoch. At what point am I not supposed to say, hold on chaps, that’s a bit steep? Do I sit back and watch prices double again over the next ten years?

[Argonne69]

The crazy prices are certainly not limited to the U.K. I spent my first winter in Arizona recently. It was my 15th trip to the valley. In years past I noticed that residents could get a decent discount on the higher end courses. On this last trip I didn't notice any discounts. Rounds on many of the top courses were running $200+. The locals could go play the 2nd and 3rd tier courses, and they'd still set them back $50 to $100. Apparently there are enough snowbirds and baseball fans coming in for Spring training to fill the tee sheets. We'll see if that lasts.

Chasing the tourist dollar is a double edge sword. Doesn't take much to derail that gravy train.

[Hawkeye77]

To each his or her own.

I was happy to respond to Brora’s well put request early on and got a couple of items I didn’t purchase when there. Had a nice offer from Royal Troon recently and placed an order for a darn nice discounted sweater and they are tossing in a free personalized ball marker. Should be here any day!

[Liambo]

Crudeness Bay member here of 17 years and former Peterhead for 26 years..

I’ll have to check if I can get a discounted game on Trump International as its only 20 minutes from me..

[Hawkeye77]

No idea what that even means, but North Berwick is one of the best courses anywhere, IMO. I watched most of the back nine of the British Senior Am there last summer, but it’s not a “big tour event” venue and won’t be, and doubt they want it to be anyway. It’s not out of sight for price and commands a decent price because it’s a quality course, IMO.

[scott_Donald]

ahhhh my dad has been a member at Cruden Bay for 60+ years!

Hows the course post lockdown? my dad has only been at RAGC....

[TheInfidel]

Well, funny you ask I was a member of the Merchants for a number of years and to play that course really well you need one leg longer than the other. I think the Braids has some nicer features, there is a lot of gorse on the Braids and when this flowers it adds a "heathland" feel to the course. If I only had to play one for the rest of my days it would be the Braids. The Merchants has nicer facilities and a bar menu that would rival most restaurants but for the course alone then the Braids wins out.

[pendodave]

This certainly chimes with my experience of trips to scotland. The "market" has been distorted by the willingness of customers far wealthier than the average uk golfer to pay extraordianary greenfees.

Fair enough, but the idea that we should now wilingly sub them because this income has dried up sticks in the craw somewhat. Drive the hardest bargains possible while you can! They'll be ripping you off asap on the return of airplanes.

[Liambo]

Has he? That's a long time to have a membership at a club! I've only been playing the St Olaf and it's in good condition. Not pristine but good! Hoping to get onto the 18 hole this next week as work has been too busy!

Where you a member at?

[milesgiles]

Brora has been going for 130 years, and for 120 of those managed quite nicely as a ten or twenty quid course with an honesty box..

having golfed in a few different countries, I think one thing tourists perhaps don’t appreciate about the U.K. is that our natural grasses are very low maintenance and playable year round. I’ve played abroad where green staff can number in the hundreds. Even the very best maintained courses here don’t have more than a dozen. Mine has legitimately had ONE the past 3 months, and the greens are a very true 8.5 right now, you wouldn’t complain about them anywhere..

complete thread hijack anyway I apologise. More on topic, Wales is opening up 4th July, certain Scotland will follow shortly. I’ll keep my ear to the ground as I have a fair few days holiday to take and can get there easily enough