2018 Scotland Trip as a Single

[baddomes]

Been reading all of the threads in the UK subforum and they are extremely helpful. Looking for a bit of advice:

 

Wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland, but I will be arriving 3 or 4 days before her to play golf as a single. Thinking Mid-June/Early-July timeframe. We have nothing booked at the moment.

 

Couple of questions:

• I'm under the impression that since I'm a single, it won't be difficult to get tee times at clubs to play 36/day with a little bit of flexible scheduling. Looking to post in one section of the country and doing minimal driving. Should I reconsider? Will it be tough to get tee times?
  
• She'll likely be flying into Edinburgh, so I'm thinking East Lothian/St. Andrews areas are the farthest I'd want to stay, so I can scoop her from the airport when she arrives. Seems like plenty of golf in those areas to be able to accomplish goal #1 (36 a day). Am I wrong?
  
• I'm not interested in playing the Old Course. Would like to save that for a trip with friends, so I'm cool with playing solid links courses that may not be on everyone's bucket lists. Would love to play with locals instead of other US tourists. Is that reasonable? I play a lot of golf when I travel and pride myself on being a great playing partner (7 handicap and always keep it fun with the conversation).
  
• Is flying into Glasgow and driving to the Troon area a good idea? Would love to stay in a B&B and hit the pubs at night as opposed to a resort/chain hotel. If would only Fly to Glasgow if she did the same.
  

 

Basically, what would you do? Seems as though this is one of those "you can't really go wrong" type of situations. Although getting tee times would be the biggest issue. I'd like to still play places like North Berwick (If East Lothian), New Course (If St. Andrews) and Troon/Prestwick (if in that area).

 

I think once she lands we'll drive to Inverness for a few days and do some hiking and touring around. Once she lands there won't be any golf, except one round up north at one of the "secondary" courses (Royal Dornoch Struie or Moray New) so she can get a taste of the links.

 

From what I've read in this forum, there's so much good golf that I really don't think I'll feel like I'm "missing out" if I don't play Course X or Course Y. Looking more for the experience than the name, if that makes sense.

[Shrinkwr4p]

In Scotland in June and July you can look forward to it being daylight (less likely sunlight) 18 hours a day. So, you'll have time to play 54 holes a day if you are minded to. And you should have no difficulty at all picking up tee times most places even on the day as a walk in. (It will probably be quieter in June. The Scottish school holidays begin at the start of July and local tourism starts to pick up then.)

 

I think if I were you I'd base myself in St Andrews. The town is all about golf and quite atmospheric. If you are a sociable sort you might well talk your way into a game in one of the pubs. Alternately if you ask in the proshops they'll often be able to fix you up with a game.

 

In St Andrews you would have 6 public links immediately on hand (not counting the Old), and good reasonably priced golf to the south in Crail, Elie, Lundin Links and Leven. 20 minutes to the north of St Andrews is Scotscraig and inland for a change there is a fine course at Ladybank maybe 40 minutes away. You would also be only 45 minutes away from 3 courses at Carnoustie (including the Championship course), 2 at Monifieth as well as Panmuir and Barry.

 

Were you to spend a night in St Andrews with your wife after you pick her up from the airport you would have only a 45 minute drive over to Perth (where you pick up the A9 to Inverness - maybe 2 and a half hrs) the following morning.

[raynorfan1]

I do this trip almost every year under almost exactly the same circumstances - I go a few days in advance, play a ton of golf, wife joins, play maybe one easy round together and otherwise just are on vacation. There are a few options.

 

It depends where you fly from, but if you have to connect in LHR (which you likely do), you could also consider flying to Inverness instead of EDI or GLA.

 

In terms of places where you could happily base yourself, I think you get three options:

 

(1) East Lothian. Plenty of easy golf. Tons. Gullane. Muirfield (you can probably get on as a single if you reach out directly to the Club Secretary). North Berwick. Plus dozens of less well known courses. The downside of East Lothian is that it's a long drive to Inverness. I'd guess 5 hours, depending on traffic.

 

(2) St. Andrews. Golf capital of the world. The atmosphere is unbeatable. But it's a very international crowd - not the kind of place where you're going to pick up a game with the locals, even at the "lesser" St. Andrews courses. It's all tourists. Which is cool, because they're all golf nuts.

 

(3) Straight to Inverness. You could easily do Dornoch/Brora/Tain/Castle Stuart/Moray before your wife arrives, and then already be in good shape (if she can fly into Inverness). Mid summer will be tourist heavy, but there will be plenty of locals - probably more than anywhere else because it's so far from Edinburgh.

 

Depends on your budget, but you could also do a couple of days at Gleneagles with your wife - there's a lot to do, both golf and non-golf, but it's full-on posh resort.

[Hawkeye77]

LOL, even in quotes nothing "secondary" about those other courses.

[baddomes]

I do this trip almost every year under almost exactly the same circumstances - I go a few days in advance, play a ton of golf, wife joins, play maybe one easy round together and otherwise just are on vacation. There are a few options.

 

It depends where you fly from, but if you have to connect in LHR (which you likely do), you could also consider flying to Inverness instead of EDI or GLA.

 

In terms of places where you could happily base yourself, I think you get three options:

 

(1) East Lothian. Plenty of easy golf. Tons. Gullane. Muirfield (you can probably get on as a single if you reach out directly to the Club Secretary). North Berwick. Plus dozens of less well known courses. The downside of East Lothian is that it's a long drive to Inverness. I'd guess 5 hours, depending on traffic.

 

(2) St. Andrews. Golf capital of the world. The atmosphere is unbeatable. But it's a very international crowd - not the kind of place where you're going to pick up a game with the locals, even at the "lesser" St. Andrews courses. It's all tourists. Which is cool, because they're all golf nuts.

 

(3) Straight to Inverness. You could easily do Dornoch/Brora/Tain/Castle Stuart/Moray before your wife arrives, and then already be in good shape (if she can fly into Inverness). Mid summer will be tourist heavy, but there will be plenty of locals - probably more than anywhere else because it's so far from Edinburgh.

 

Depends on your budget, but you could also do a couple of days at Gleneagles with your wife - there's a lot to do, both golf and non-golf, but it's full-on posh resort.

 

Awesome info. Thank you.

 

We're able to fly direct from IAD to Edinburgh, but your note about flying to Inverness is an interesting one. I haven't done much research yet, but I bet it'd be a cool drive from Edinburgh to Inverness, and if we left EDI right when she landed, she could nap on the way. That's basically going to be the starting point to wherever we go, regardless of where I spend a few days on my own. Unless, again, we fly into Inverness. Will have to check into that more. Playing Royal Dornoch would be amazing.

 

I think that there will be all tourists in St. Andrews is making me lean towards East Lothian. Also, I'm probably putting too much weight on the possibility of getting on Muirfield as well. The courses there just seem so cool and accessible when staying in North Berwick. Very minimal driving (would like to book a day at Dunbar, and that's only 15 miles away or so) which is big for me. Would rather spend the time playing golf or in the pub.

 

Would spend a night in Ediburgh before she arrives so I wouldn't have to make the drive from North Berwick/St. Andrews all the way to Inverness on the same day. We might want to tour around Edinburgh for a day anyway.

 

Again, seems like one of those situations where you can't really go wrong.

 

I walk 90% of my rounds here in the states using a clic gear and plan on using trolleys as much as possible in Scotland. Should I take my cart bag or switch over to my carry bag (I hate it on a push-cart) to leave open the possibility of taking a caddie? I assume caddies are the norm for a few places, whereas most people carry/push their own.

[raynorfan1]

My pretty standard itinerary is:

 

Fly to EDI, take the tram into town (generally arrive around noontime), check into hotel in Edinburgh. Immediately hike up Arthur's Seat - it's a pretty easy walk, but it gets the blood flowing after a solid flight. Spend the evening in Edinburgh.

 

Depart early the next morning to whatever Golf Base Camp is (I've done St. Andrews, Gullane, Dornoch, Turnberry, Gleneagles). Play 18 that afternoon, then 36 for the next three days.

 

Pick up wife at airport, execute on 3 or 4 more days of vacation, come home.

 

WRT a caddie, they are not the "norm" anywhere in Scotland. They are sort of available everywhere, but the vast majority of people will be pushing a trolley.

[baddomes]

That sounds almost exactly like what I had in mind, but with skipping Arthur's seat on the day of arrival and just going straight into golf. 18 the first day, then 36 (54?) for three days.

 

Have you had luck at Muirfield as a single? 36 there would be an excellent way to spend a Tuesday.

[duffer987]

If you were to spend 3 days playing before the Missus showed up and you wanted to stay in Scotland and not have to drive much, and want to avoid the tour buses (as much as you can in Scottish golf), then I'd definitely put East Lothian first:

North Berwick, Gullane #1, #2, Dunbar and there's 4 easy to book rounds there :) Add in Murfield and Archerfield and you are pretty much sorted for 3 x 36hole days. There is also Luffness and some other less esteemed tracks handy.

 

And if you are looking for a spot to stay out of the way, near the golf, I'd offer up the village of Gifford; has two pubs/inns, a corner shop, and a co-op, what else could you need for 2 nights, before heading back to Edi?

 

Another (of many) options could be Aberdeen around to Fraserburgh, if you wanted to try and bypass the more well trodden spots.

[raynorfan1]

Have you had luck at Muirfield as a single? 36 there would be an excellent way to spend a Tuesday.

 

Yes - but you have to sort of plan your whole trip around their availability.

[baddomes]

If you were to spend 3 days playing before the Missus showed up and you wanted to stay in Scotland and not have to drive much, and want to avoid the tour buses (as much as you can in Scottish golf), then I'd definitely put East Lothian first:

North Berwick, Gullane #1, #2, Dunbar and there's 4 easy to book rounds there :) Add in Murfield and Archerfield and you are pretty much sorted for 3 x 36hole days. There is also Luffness and some other less esteemed tracks handy.

 

And if you are looking for a spot to stay out of the way, near the golf, I'd offer up the village of Gifford; has two pubs/inns, a corner shop, and a co-op, what else could you need for 2 nights, before heading back to Edi?

 

Another (of many) options could be Aberdeen around to Fraserburgh, if you wanted to try and bypass the more well trodden spots.

 

Perfect. I think East Lothian is probably going to be the spot. One curveball is that they're having the Scottish Open at Gullane and the course is closed after June 30, but if the trip gets pushed to july there are a few others in the area worth spending a day at as you said. Thanks for the recommendation on a place to stay as well.

 

Aberdeen is a bit far to trek back to Edinburgh with St. Andrews and East Lothian being closer.

 

Archerfield is members-only unless you're staying there, correct?

[LeoLeo99]

You know they drive on the wrong side of the road in Scotland, right? Lots of people can drive on either side but there is no way I could. Just be sure you're comfortable with that before committing to driving yourself.

 

If you're planning a golf trip to Scotland with your friends, then I don't see a need to play "famous" courses on this trip. Duffer's itinerary sounds pretty good!

[spud3]

Just curious - for those that have done this (and the OP): taking your own clubs?

 

If so, using ShipSticks or on the airline with you?

 

If not, are good rentals available?

[duffer987]

If you were to spend 3 days playing before the Missus showed up and you wanted to stay in Scotland and not have to drive much, and want to avoid the tour buses (as much as you can in Scottish golf), then I'd definitely put East Lothian first:

North Berwick, Gullane #1, #2, Dunbar and there's 4 easy to book rounds there :) Add in Murfield and Archerfield and you are pretty much sorted for 3 x 36hole days. There is also Luffness and some other less esteemed tracks handy.

 

And if you are looking for a spot to stay out of the way, near the golf, I'd offer up the village of Gifford; has two pubs/inns, a corner shop, and a co-op, what else could you need for 2 nights, before heading back to Edi?

 

Another (of many) options could be Aberdeen around to Fraserburgh, if you wanted to try and bypass the more well trodden spots.

 

Perfect. I think East Lothian is probably going to be the spot. One curveball is that they're having the Scottish Open at Gullane and the course is closed after June 30, but if the trip gets pushed to july there are a few others in the area worth spending a day at as you said. Thanks for the recommendation on a place to stay as well.

 

Aberdeen is a bit far to trek back to Edinburgh with St. Andrews and East Lothian being closer.

 

Archerfield is members-only unless you're staying there, correct?

 

Ah right, the Scottish Open, that's a bit of a spanner in the works, as they'd say. Archerfield does these "member for a day" green fees where you get a teetime and lunch or something like that. It's not cheap, but I have a hard time imagining they are ever remotely busy, except if an event is on.

Of course no one crosses the Atlantic to go play a modern course that looks similarish to Bandon Trails or something we might have in North America, but it does have good reviews on the web from folks who have played it. It looked pretty neat on the tele for Lawrie's match play as well.

 

If you couldn't get to any Gullane golf in and it's too close to the Scottish Open - when assuming it'd start getting a bit busy around there - Inverness is only a 3hr drive from EDI and those courses would make for a great 3.5 days :) Of course this is coming from someone who thinks adding Northern Ireland to a 1 week 'Scottish' trip is totally normal.

 

@Spud - bring your clubs with you on the plane. You've got all that Bandon gear for a reason!

[baddomes]

Just curious - for those that have done this (and the OP): taking your own clubs?

 

If so, using ShipSticks or on the airline with you?

 

If not, are good rentals available?

 

Definitely taking my own clubs. We're all on WRX and thus have our highly customized finely tuned bags, right? Seems only right they'd be with us on a trip across the pond.

 

I've never used ship sticks actually. My Last Bag gets good use

[alfriday]

Going by yourself gives you the opportunity to play some out of the way courses that don't fit in well with a standard golf trip. A few years ago, I flew over a couple of days before my golf group and played Machrihanish and Machrihanish Dunes as a single. Machrihansih is one of the best links courses I've played--but I couldn't get my group to make the drive to it. I reserved a tee time, mainly to make sure I had a caddy.

[alfriday]

Just curious - for those that have done this (and the OP): taking your own clubs?

 

If so, using ShipSticks or on the airline with you?

 

If not, are good rentals available?

 

This past summer, I tried to use Shipsticks for a trip to Ireland. It did not go well. Shipsticks uses DHL to ship the clubs overseas. DHL failed to pick up the clubs on schedule, and then wouldn't guarantee that they would be delivered on time. I skipped Shipsticks and took the clubs on the plane.

 

On a previous trip, one of our party, who flew through Paris on AirFrance, had his sticks go missing for a couple of days. He rented clubs in St. Andews--nice Titleist clubs and they even had left handed clubs for him. Don't know about other courses.

[mtufenk]

If you are going all the way to Dornoch then you must play Royal Dornoch even if you think you will come back. Fantastic links course. As for shipping clubs I used Luggage Forward from the US and had no problems. They use DHL which has a large presence in the UK. I looked into Shipsticks but after talking with their international agent I was not confident. I think they are great domestically but lack the contacts in the UK. Alternatively you can ship directly with DHL from here and cut out the middle man and save some money.

 

 

[fredstar]

The town of North Berwick is really nice and the course is awesome, I only played 1 round there and wish I played 36. That would be a good area to base yourself and play around there.

[TheInfidel]

Thought this might help you a little. Good luck, have fun.

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1504576-scotland-golf-trip-101-the-compass-guide/page__p__15738234#entry15738234