Help Me Plan My Week-long Golfing Trip To Scotland 2019

[Gem]

As others have said, you would need to try and break it down into areas and I would look at these courses myself having played them a few times each.

If in Ayrshire I would play Turnberry, Western Gailes, Dundonald I enjoyed but Prestwick is fun and a bit different.

 

As mentioned in above post, Dornoch, Moray Old and Nairn with possibly Castle Stuart if in Inverness.

 

Old Course, Kingsbarnes, Jubilee and The New if in StAndrews.

Scotscraig and Ladybank are not far away and worth a visit if looking to add another course.

 

Gullane #1, Muirfield and North Berwick are all very good and would be my pick down there. You could travel to those from StAndrews in under 2hrs but careful about rush hour traffic times.

[tbaygolf]

OK, boys, I decided to splurge. Next year I turn 50, and after twenty-three years of saving, investing and planning I have sustained a high net worth. I realize that I can't take it with me when I die, so I decided to host three of my best friends for a week-long trip to Scotland during the US Open week of 2019, where it will be played at Pebble Beach. While the world's best golfers will duke it out at the Links, my buddies and I will duke it out in Scotland for a week of fun.

I invited each of them in private and they were all excited of the opportunity. The terms are simple: I pay for plane tickets, accommodations, greens fees and caddie fees; they just pay for food and drink for everyone in the group, including myself, so I eat for free. They all said yes, but at the beginning of next year when I book the plane tickets I will formally ask each one for final confirmation, given that lives change over time.

Here is where I need your help. I only have a vague idea of what to do. I have never been to Scotland before, so I am a newbie of visiting the home of golf. I heard that you can book the Old Course a year in advance, and most people do. That is why I am starting this thread so far in advance. I rely on your wisdom and knowledge of what to do, and any ideas in this thread will be greatly appreciated and considered.

The first issue is deciding on which courses to play. The plan is to play only one course per day; I don't believe in jamming in as many courses as possible, playing 36 holes each day. This will be about a week-long trip, so the plan for now is to play at least seven courses, maybe eight or nine if I am convinced. Certainly The Old Course at St. Andrews I want to play. The other courses I want to play, given what I've read here so far, will be Kingsbarns, Dornoch, Kingsbarns, Prestwick, Turnberry, Cruden Bay, and maybe take a short flight and play Royal County Down. If you only had a week or so to play in Scotland, and only one course per day, which seven or eight courses would you play?

The major considerations of this magnificent trip are logistics and accommodations. I understand that there are businesses that can arrange all that for a fee, but I wonder if those guys tend to gouge. Is is worthwhile to engage these businesses? I think it will be a good idea to select a central location so we will not travel far to each course. Maybe Edinburgh?

The final and most important consideration is budget. The figure I am willing to spend on this trip is $40,000, which I reckon should be more than enough--will it be? Remember that my hosts will cover food and drink, and I pay for everything else. I have never been to a B&B before, so I would prefer a good hotel for us all. The plan for now is to play golf in the late morning or early afternoon, have a few drinks, and watch the US Open at Pebble Beach either at the local pub or back in our room. I am looking for a three-bedroom suite for us to stay in.

So let's start this thread with some good ideas and recommendations. Thank you in advance for your recommendations and ideas.

 

Royal Dornoch is a must!!!! My favorite all time course and I have played some good ones.

Cruden Bay is very scenic and a great course.

Prestwick is where it all began!!!

Royal Troon is great also.

I really liked North Berwick

Tain was very fun also.

 

Have Fun!!!!!!

[Hepster]

For that kind of cash you will certainly enjoy yourself and the golf, I stay nearer the west coast and Turnberrry is a must, all other courses that have been mentioned are great but I would also play the Kings course Gleneagles as I’ve not seen it mentioned, any way have a good one and if you guys are near Hamilton golf club give me a shout I’ll get you on⛳️

[EmperorPenguin]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

[davep043]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

I just looked at a sample package, and it looks like some food is included. Breakfast is, and that's typical for almost every type of lodging. For the 5-day sample package, they also include lunch on 3 days, and dinner on one, and those are typically not included in other packages. You can look at sample menus for the Clubhouse restaurants and the Old Course Hotel restaurant to get an idea of what a typical lunch or dinner might cost. Transport to and from the airport is not included, but seems to run about 190 pounds for up to 4 golfers, each way. This is all from

https://www.theexperiencestandrews.com/view-our-experiences/old-course-experience.aspx

I'm sure when you get a specific custom quote it will all be spelled out.

I'd be amazed if they didn't require a deposit, possibly even payment in full in advance. I'd be equally amazed if they didn't accept credit cards. I do remember that American Express isn't widely accepted in the UK, but I never had a problem using Visa.

[gp7xs]

OK, boys, I decided to splurge. Next year I turn 50, and after twenty-three years of saving, investing and planning I have sustained a high net worth. I realize that I can't take it with me when I die, so I decided to host three of my best friends for a week-long trip to Scotland during the US Open week of 2019, where it will be played at Pebble Beach. While the world's best golfers will duke it out at the Links, my buddies and I will duke it out in Scotland for a week of fun.

I invited each of them in private and they were all excited of the opportunity. The terms are simple: I pay for plane tickets, accommodations, greens fees and caddie fees; they just pay for food and drink for everyone in the group, including myself, so I eat for free. They all said yes, but at the beginning of next year when I book the plane tickets I will formally ask each one for final confirmation, given that lives change over time.

Here is where I need your help. I only have a vague idea of what to do. I have never been to Scotland before, so I am a newbie of visiting the home of golf. I heard that you can book the Old Course a year in advance, and most people do. That is why I am starting this thread so far in advance. I rely on your wisdom and knowledge of what to do, and any ideas in this thread will be greatly appreciated and considered.

The first issue is deciding on which courses to play. The plan is to play only one course per day; I don't believe in jamming in as many courses as possible, playing 36 holes each day. This will be about a week-long trip, so the plan for now is to play at least seven courses, maybe eight or nine if I am convinced. Certainly The Old Course at St. Andrews I want to play. The other courses I want to play, given what I've read here so far, will be Kingsbarns, Dornoch, Kingsbarns, Prestwick, Turnberry, Cruden Bay, and maybe take a short flight and play Royal County Down. If you only had a week or so to play in Scotland, and only one course per day, which seven or eight courses would you play?

The major considerations of this magnificent trip are logistics and accommodations. I understand that there are businesses that can arrange all that for a fee, but I wonder if those guys tend to gouge. Is is worthwhile to engage these businesses? I think it will be a good idea to select a central location so we will not travel far to each course. Maybe Edinburgh?

The final and most important consideration is budget. The figure I am willing to spend on this trip is $40,000, which I reckon should be more than enough--will it be? Remember that my hosts will cover food and drink, and I pay for everything else. I have never been to a B&B before, so I would prefer a good hotel for us all. The plan for now is to play golf in the late morning or early afternoon, have a few drinks, and watch the US Open at Pebble Beach either at the local pub or back in our room. I am looking for a three-bedroom suite for us to stay in.

So let's start this thread with some good ideas and recommendations. Thank you in advance for your recommendations and ideas.

 

I've been lucky enough over the last 10 years to have planned and been on many golfing trips to Scotland and Ireland. I have done both the self-drive/self-planned/B&B and Driver/High end hotels/Travel Company trips. I personnally prefer driving and booking by myself, and feel more at home in B&Bs than hotels, but I can understand those who prefer otherwise. I have also done all of the ''clusters'' in both places. Here is my two cents, for what it's worth.

 

If you're planning on a 7 day trip and you've never been to the UK before, get a driver. With your budget, it won't be a problem.

 

Any ''trip of a lifetime'' to Scotland should be planned around playing the Old Course, there is just no two ways about. From there, you can either stay in St-Andrews or pick a second region for the other half of your trip. I would recommend the second option.

 

As far as the other golfing regions, there are three worth considering. Here's a rundown of what I believe to be the must play courses and interesting add-on courses:

 

East Lothian / Edinburgh - Must Play: Muirfield, North Berwick - Add-ons: Gullane #1

 

Ayrshire - Must Play: Turnberry, Prestwick - Add-ons: Machrihanish, Western Gailes, Royal Troon

 

Inverness - Must Play: Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart - Add-ons: Nairn, Brora, Tain

 

As far as St-Andrews is concerned, while there are plenty of high quality courses in the area, appart from the Old Course, the only must play from the kind of trip you're looking at is Kingsbarns. You could drive a few hours north to Carnoustie, but personnally, I would spend that time somewhere else.

 

Here is an itinerary I would suggest (based on a 7 day stay in Scotland, meaning travelling would take place outside those seven days).

• Arrive in Edinburgh
  
• Head East to Lothian (very short drive). Stay at the Greywalls and play both Muirfield and North Berwick over 2 days.
  
• Make an evening drive to Dornoch, stay there for 2 nights (Royal Golf Hotel or Links House) and play Royal Dornoch on the first day, Castle Stuart on the second, then head down to St-Andrews.
  
• Spend the last 3 nights in St-Andrews (Old Course Hotel), play Kingsbarns and the Old Course, add-in the New Course if you feel like it.
  
• Leave Scotland
  

You could go to St-Andrews second and finish with Inverness, but I always thought playing the last round of your trip on the Old Course made everything a little more special. First, you'll have had a whole week getting used to Links golf and second, the whole trip will feel like a crescendo building up to that first tee shot in front of the R&A.

 

While covering those three regions will mean more driving than sticking only to two as conventional wisdom would argue, I believe covering those three places will insure you play some of the best courses Scotland has to offer. By getting a driver and a nice comfy coach bus, you can have drinks and play cards with you buddies while the driver is taking you around.

 

While your there, make sure to add a distillery visit. Glenmorangie would probably be the best option based on the itinerary I suggested. Also, if you can manage to spend an evening in Edinburgh, I strongly suggest it.

 

If you have any questions, just PM me and I'll be happy to help.

[Hawkeye77]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and have already seen the answers to these questions.

[duffer987]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and already seen the answers to these questions.

 

Seems to be backtracking on that dropping $40k on his mates a bit isn't it?

Forget the package tour fine print, I hope his travelling companions read theirs and get comprehensive insurance.

[Hawkeye77]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and already seen the answers to these questions.

 

Seems to be backtracking on that dropping $40k on his mates a bit isn't it?

Forget the package tour fine print, I hope his travelling companions read theirs and get comprehensive insurance.

 

I'll get out of this one. Typical Emperor. The whole I'm loaded and need to spend $40,000 (I'd gladly plan the trip for them and pocket the healthy difference) was off putting but now the I'm going to spend $7000 apiece on this thing I've researched but still need answers to questions he already knows the answers to suggests this one is more about getting the $ out there. If not, then fair enough. Glad he's "bucks up", hope they all have a great time, but not getting the vibe from the OP that most of the really good trip threads seem to have when legitimately asking for help. He just needs to pick the dates, hire the planner and buy airline tickets and off they go.

[EmperorPenguin]

If not, then fair enough.

 

That will be the case. Mark my words here.

[deadsolid...shank]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and already seen the answers to these questions.

 

Seems to be backtracking on that dropping $40k on his mates a bit isn't it?

Forget the package tour fine print, I hope his travelling companions read theirs and get comprehensive insurance.

 

I'll get out of this one. Typical Emperor. The whole I'm loaded and need to spend $40,000 (I'd gladly plan the trip for them and pocket the healthy difference) was off putting but now the I'm going to spend $7000 apiece on this thing I've researched but still need answers to questions he already knows the answers to suggests this one is more about getting the $ out there. If not, then fair enough. Glad he's "bucks up", hope they all have a great time, but not getting the vibe from the OP that most of the really good trip threads seem to have when legitimately asking for help. He just needs to pick the dates, hire the planner and buy airline tickets and off they go.

 

Hawk, isn't it about time DP4 did this for us!?

[EmperorPenguin]

Here is an itinerary I would suggest (based on a 7 day stay in Scotland, meaning travelling would take place outside those seven days).

• Arrive in Edinburgh
  
• Head East to Lothian (very short drive). Stay at the Greywalls and play both Muirfield and North Berwick over 2 days.
  
• Make an evening drive to Dornoch, stay there for 2 nights (Royal Golf Hotel or Links House) and play Royal Dornoch on the first day, Castle Stuart on the second, then head down to St-Andrews.
  
• Spend the last 3 nights in St-Andrews (Old Course Hotel), play Kingsbarns and the Old Course, add-in the New Course if you feel like it.
  
• Leave Scotland
  

 

This appears to cover two regions and the west coast is not considered. However, looking at the map it appears that the premier courses in Scotland are more on the east coast than the west? Am I safe to say that the crown jewel of the west coast is Turnberry and there is not much more that can rival courses of the east? If that will be the case, then I will steer toward two regions instead of three.

 

I would love to throw in Turnberry and Royal County Down, but the consensus seems to limit to two hubs, which will certainly make sense given our one-week window. I cannot extend the trip total to beyond nine days because my buddies have lives at home, so we can only do about a week on the ground.

 

Very good ideas, though.

[gp7xs]

Here is an itinerary I would suggest (based on a 7 day stay in Scotland, meaning travelling would take place outside those seven days).

• Arrive in Edinburgh
  
• Head East to Lothian (very short drive). Stay at the Greywalls and play both Muirfield and North Berwick over 2 days.
  
• Make an evening drive to Dornoch, stay there for 2 nights (Royal Golf Hotel or Links House) and play Royal Dornoch on the first day, Castle Stuart on the second, then head down to St-Andrews.
  
• Spend the last 3 nights in St-Andrews (Old Course Hotel), play Kingsbarns and the Old Course, add-in the New Course if you feel like it.
  
• Leave Scotland
  

 

This appears to cover two regions and the west coast is not considered. However, looking at the map it appears that the premier courses in Scotland are more on the east coast than the west? Am I safe to say that the crown jewel of the west coast is Turnberry and there is not much more that can rival courses of the east? If that will be the case, then I will steer toward two regions instead of three.

 

I would love to throw in Turnberry and Royal County Down, but the consensus seems to limit to two hubs, which will certainly make sense given our one-week window. I cannot extend the trip total to beyond nine days because my buddies have lives at home, so we can only do about a week on the ground.

 

Very good ideas, though.

 

The itinerary I suggested covers three hubs: East Lothian, St-Andrews and Inverness. You could leave Inverness out and opt for Ayrshire instead, though I would advise against it. After the Old Course, Dornoch is the best course you'll play. As far as I'm concerned, all the courses I mentioned as ''must plays'' are better than Turnberry, besides Castle Stuart. In fact, I'd choose Prestwick over Turnberry. More fun, more history.

 

Forget about RCD, you'll loose way too much time getting there and back.

[Hawkeye77]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and already seen the answers to these questions.

 

Seems to be backtracking on that dropping $40k on his mates a bit isn't it?

Forget the package tour fine print, I hope his travelling companions read theirs and get comprehensive insurance.

 

I'll get out of this one. Typical Emperor. The whole I'm loaded and need to spend $40,000 (I'd gladly plan the trip for them and pocket the healthy difference) was off putting but now the I'm going to spend $7000 apiece on this thing I've researched but still need answers to questions he already knows the answers to suggests this one is more about getting the $ out there. If not, then fair enough. Glad he's "bucks up", hope they all have a great time, but not getting the vibe from the OP that most of the really good trip threads seem to have when legitimately asking for help. He just needs to pick the dates, hire the planner and buy airline tickets and off they go.

 

Hawk, isn't it about time DP4 did this for us!?

 

Now there is a great idea!

 

He'd probably include the food, too, he's no piker!

[davep043]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and already seen the answers to these questions.

 

Seems to be backtracking on that dropping $40k on his mates a bit isn't it?

Forget the package tour fine print, I hope his travelling companions read theirs and get comprehensive insurance.

 

I'll get out of this one. Typical Emperor. The whole I'm loaded and need to spend $40,000 (I'd gladly plan the trip for them and pocket the healthy difference) was off putting but now the I'm going to spend $7000 apiece on this thing I've researched but still need answers to questions he already knows the answers to suggests this one is more about getting the $ out there. If not, then fair enough. Glad he's "bucks up", hope they all have a great time, but not getting the vibe from the OP that most of the really good trip threads seem to have when legitimately asking for help. He just needs to pick the dates, hire the planner and buy airline tickets and off they go.

So he's looking at committing to $28,000, plus airfare ($4,000 to $5,000 for 4 players in coach) plus caddie fees (say 100 pounds per player per round, something like $3,000 or more), that adds up to about $36,000, not far from the initial guess of $40,000.

[Hawkeye77]

OK, guys, I am seriously considering The Experience St. Andrews. $7000 per head seems reasonable given the necessity for reliable logistics given that I've never been to Scotland let alone UK before, but is food included? I am hoping not because the agreement I had with my buddies is that I pay for everything except food and drink, which they pay for. If food is included, I will have to calculate what they would owe me at the end of the trip.

 

Also, how do you pay for The Experience St. Andrews? Can I pay by credit card, is a deposit required, or do I have to come over with a tall stack of $100 bills?

 

Pretty sure the plate and utensils pic with "your meals" means they are covered as it shows pretty clearly on the website and they will send you their terms and conditions and also make it clear how you can pay on the website as well. If you know the cost you've been to the website and already seen the answers to these questions.

 

Seems to be backtracking on that dropping $40k on his mates a bit isn't it?

Forget the package tour fine print, I hope his travelling companions read theirs and get comprehensive insurance.

 

I'll get out of this one. Typical Emperor. The whole I'm loaded and need to spend $40,000 (I'd gladly plan the trip for them and pocket the healthy difference) was off putting but now the I'm going to spend $7000 apiece on this thing I've researched but still need answers to questions he already knows the answers to suggests this one is more about getting the $ out there. If not, then fair enough. Glad he's "bucks up", hope they all have a great time, but not getting the vibe from the OP that most of the really good trip threads seem to have when legitimately asking for help. He just needs to pick the dates, hire the planner and buy airline tickets and off they go.

So he's looking at committing to $28,000, plus airfare ($4,000 to $5,000 for 4 players in coach) plus caddie fees (say 100 pounds per player per round, something like $3,000 or more), that adds up to about $36,000, not far from the initial guess of $40,000.

 

Totally agree.

[EmperorPenguin]

The $40,000 figure was purely conjecture. So far the estimate seems realistic.

 

The Experience St. Andrews offers packages that are pre-determined. For example, the four-night programme has The Old Course, The New Course, Kingsbarns and The Castle Course. I have no interest in playing The Castle Course. The five-night programme has Carnoustie in the mix. I have no interest in Carnoustie because we are not masochists. By playing courses I have no interest in playing, they take precious days away from the plan. The initial idea is to play one great course per day. Have any of you guys contacted the tour management team and requested a custom tour?

[EmperorPenguin]

Forget about RCD, you'll loose way too much time getting there and back.

 

I will take your word for it. I suppose that Royal County Down can only be a centerpiece for a separate trip to Eire or NIR. It can only work if I charter a private jet to and from the course, but at $5000/hour that exceeds budget. If Dow Jones reaches 50,000, I should be able to afford something like that.

[davep043]

The $40,000 figure was purely conjecture. So far the estimate seems realistic.

 

The Experience St. Andrews offers packages that are pre-determined. For example, the four-night programme has The Old Course, The New Course, Kingsbarns and The Castle Course. I have no interest in playing The Castle Course. The five-night programme has Carnoustie in the mix. I have no interest in Carnoustie because we are not masochists. By playing courses I have no interest in playing, they take precious days away from the plan. The initial idea is to play one great course per day. Have any of you guys contacted the tour management team and requested a custom tour?

I've never had the money to even think about it, and I actually kind of prefer to plan everything myself, but I'm sure they do custom trips. Generally, the "high-dollar" customers want to play the more famous courses, that's why Carnoustie is in the mix. And Carnoustie is a great course, its just difficult, and not particularly scenic. I'd also bet that in return for allocating a bunch of tee times to "The Experience", they've agreed to require their customers to book additional rounds on the remaining St Andrews courses. I suggest that you start actually talking to them, that way you'll get much more reliable information than we can provide.

[EmperorPenguin]

I've never had the money to even think about it, and I actually kind of prefer to plan everything myself, but I'm sure they do custom trips. Generally, the "high-dollar" customers want to play the more famous courses, that's why Carnoustie is in the mix. And Carnoustie is a great course, its just difficult, and not particularly scenic. I'd also bet that in return for allocating a bunch of tee times to "The Experience", they've agreed to require their customers to book additional rounds on the remaining St Andrews courses. I suggest that you start actually talking to them, that way you'll get much more reliable information than we can provide.

 

I will do that. First of all, if Carnoustie is downright nasty and not pretty, I will certainly not want to play there.

 

I will give those guys a call at The Experience, but there are other Scottish golf tour companies: Hidden Links, Golf Scotland, Scotland Golf Tours. A Forbes article lists Perry Golf, World Wide Golf and SGH Golf as the best tour operators, and I have never heard of these companies before. Anyone here ever used these other companies?

[gp7xs]

I've never had the money to even think about it, and I actually kind of prefer to plan everything myself, but I'm sure they do custom trips. Generally, the "high-dollar" customers want to play the more famous courses, that's why Carnoustie is in the mix. And Carnoustie is a great course, its just difficult, and not particularly scenic. I'd also bet that in return for allocating a bunch of tee times to "The Experience", they've agreed to require their customers to book additional rounds on the remaining St Andrews courses. I suggest that you start actually talking to them, that way you'll get much more reliable information than we can provide.

 

I will do that. First of all, if Carnoustie is downright nasty and not pretty, I will certainly not want to play there.

 

I will give those guys a call at The Experience, but there are other Scottish golf tour companies: Hidden Links, Golf Scotland, Scotland Golf Tours. A Forbes article lists Perry Golf, World Wide Golf and SGH Golf as the best tour operators, and I have never heard of these companies before. Anyone here ever used these other companies?

 

Perry golf is very good. If you're looking for a tour operator and not plan by yourself, I would give them a call. They'll put something together according to your desires.

[6x6]

I've never had the money to even think about it, and I actually kind of prefer to plan everything myself, but I'm sure they do custom trips. Generally, the "high-dollar" customers want to play the more famous courses, that's why Carnoustie is in the mix. And Carnoustie is a great course, its just difficult, and not particularly scenic. I'd also bet that in return for allocating a bunch of tee times to "The Experience", they've agreed to require their customers to book additional rounds on the remaining St Andrews courses. I suggest that you start actually talking to them, that way you'll get much more reliable information than we can provide.

 

I will do that. First of all, if Carnoustie is downright nasty and not pretty, I will certainly not want to play there.

 

I will give those guys a call at The Experience, but there are other Scottish golf tour companies: Hidden Links, Golf Scotland, Scotland Golf Tours. A Forbes article lists Perry Golf, World Wide Golf and SGH Golf as the best tour operators, and I have never heard of these companies before. Anyone here ever used these other companies?

 

I think you stated earlier you wanted easy, scenic, fun courses. As I suggested earlier, make sure you take Muirfield off your list also. Like Carnoustie, it can be difficult and doesn’t come close to rivaling Kingsbarns or some of the others for the scenery but those two courses were fantastic. I tthink most people rate the Old Course so high is because of the history associated with it and rightly so. I will remember playing Carnoustie and Muirfield for the great golf and the history and not be the least disappointed that they lacked ocean views.

 

Depending on the elements none of the courses there are easy. Turnberry would fit your criteria and is easier than most in pure difficulty. It played shorter, with wider fairways and was less penal when you did miss the fairway. Yet, the day we played it, the wind off the Firth of Clyde was brutal. My friend and I had our worst rounds of the week. Turnberry gets a lot of attention but don’t discount Royal Troon which is another world class course.

 

 

[Gem]

I've never had the money to even think about it, and I actually kind of prefer to plan everything myself, but I'm sure they do custom trips. Generally, the "high-dollar" customers want to play the more famous courses, that's why Carnoustie is in the mix. And Carnoustie is a great course, its just difficult, and not particularly scenic. I'd also bet that in return for allocating a bunch of tee times to "The Experience", they've agreed to require their customers to book additional rounds on the remaining St Andrews courses. I suggest that you start actually talking to them, that way you'll get much more reliable information than we can provide.

 

I will do that. First of all, if Carnoustie is downright nasty and not pretty, I will certainly not want to play there.

 

I will give those guys a call at The Experience, but there are other Scottish golf tour companies: Hidden Links, Golf Scotland, Scotland Golf Tours. A Forbes article lists Perry Golf, World Wide Golf and SGH Golf as the best tour operators, and I have never heard of these companies before. Anyone here ever used these other companies?

 

I think you stated earlier you wanted easy, scenic, fun courses. As I suggested earlier, make sure you take Muirfield off your list also. Like Carnoustie, it can be difficult and doesn’t come close to rivaling Kingsbarns or some of the others for the scenery but those two courses were fantastic. I tthink most people rate the Old Course so high is because of the history associated with it and rightly so. I will remember playing Carnoustie and Muirfield for the great golf and the history and not be the least disappointed that they lacked ocean views.

 

Depending on the elements none of the courses there are easy. Turnberry would fit your criteria and is easier than most in pure difficulty. It played shorter, with wider fairways and was less penal when you did miss the fairway. Yet, the day we played it, the wind off the Firth of Clyde was brutal. My friend and I had our worst rounds of the week. Turnberry gets a lot of attention but don’t discount Royal Troon which is another world class course.

 

I do understand when people say that Carnoustie isn't the most scenic but it is such a fantastic course that even on a tough day you will come away with some great memories of the shots you hit on this wonderful golf course. The bunkering and undulations around the greens make for a special golfing experience. It would make even more sense this year with the Open there in the summer and would be fresh in your mind. It isn't often you get the chance to play a course for an upcoming Major.

 

St'Andrews isn't my favourite course by a long way but the whole experience of the town and what you remember from years of viewing make a visit a must on any visit here.

[Roadking2003]

I've been lucky enough over the last 10 years to have planned and been on many golfing trips to Scotland and Ireland. I have done both the self-drive/self-planned/B&B and Driver/High end hotels/Travel Company trips. I personnally prefer driving and booking by myself, and feel more at home in B&Bs than hotels, but I can understand those who prefer otherwise. I have also done all of the ''clusters'' in both places. Here is my two cents, for what it's worth.

 

If you're planning on a 7 day trip and you've never been to the UK before, get a driver. With your budget, it won't be a problem.

 

Any ''trip of a lifetime'' to Scotland should be planned around playing the Old Course, there is just no two ways about. From there, you can either stay in St-Andrews or pick a second region for the other half of your trip. I would recommend the second option.

 

As far as the other golfing regions, there are three worth considering. Here's a rundown of what I believe to be the must play courses and interesting add-on courses:

 

East Lothian / Edinburgh - Must Play: Muirfield, North Berwick - Add-ons: Gullane #1

 

Ayrshire - Must Play: Turnberry, Prestwick - Add-ons: Machrihanish, Western Gailes, Royal Troon

 

Inverness - Must Play: Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart - Add-ons: Nairn, Brora, Tain

 

As far as St-Andrews is concerned, while there are plenty of high quality courses in the area, appart from the Old Course, the only must play from the kind of trip you're looking at is Kingsbarns. You could drive a few hours north to Carnoustie, but personnally, I would spend that time somewhere else.

 

Here is an itinerary I would suggest (based on a 7 day stay in Scotland, meaning travelling would take place outside those seven days).

• Arrive in Edinburgh
  
• Head East to Lothian (very short drive). Stay at the Greywalls and play both Muirfield and North Berwick over 2 days.
  
• Make an evening drive to Dornoch, stay there for 2 nights (Royal Golf Hotel or Links House) and play Royal Dornoch on the first day, Castle Stuart on the second, then head down to St-Andrews.
  
• Spend the last 3 nights in St-Andrews (Old Course Hotel), play Kingsbarns and the Old Course, add-in the New Course if you feel like it.
  
• Leave Scotland
  

You could go to St-Andrews second and finish with Inverness, but I always thought playing the last round of your trip on the Old Course made everything a little more special. First, you'll have had a whole week getting used to Links golf and second, the whole trip will feel like a crescendo building up to that first tee shot in front of the R&A.

 

While covering those three regions will mean more driving than sticking only to two as conventional wisdom would argue, I believe covering those three places will insure you play some of the best courses Scotland has to offer. By getting a driver and a nice comfy coach bus, you can have drinks and play cards with you buddies while the driver is taking you around.

 

While your there, make sure to add a distillery visit. Glenmorangie would probably be the best option based on the itinerary I suggested. Also, if you can manage to spend an evening in Edinburgh, I strongly suggest it.

 

If you have any questions, just PM me and I'll be happy to help.

 

I like a lot of your post. I would suggest slightly different courses. Start with the Old Course as you suggested, then;

 

East Lothian / Edinburgh - Must Play: Muirfield, Kingsbarns,North Berwick - Add-ons: Gullane #1, Carnoustie

 

Ayrshire - Must Play: Turnberry, Royal Troon - Add-ons: Machrihanish, Western Gailes (I wouldn't play Prestwick. Yes, it's old, but that's about it.)

 

Inverness - Must Play: Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart - Add-ons: Nairn, Brora, Tain

 

 

And I would rent a car and drive unless the OP has issues driving in foreign countries.

[Cwing]

I went in August, 2014. Great trip.

[Cwing]

Sorry for the copy/paste for those that had seen this before.

 

I made myself some notes in the event I ever take another overseas golf trip again. Here are those notes.

 

1) Consider NOT playing day 1. Far too much uncertainly with travel. Settle in, rest, release the travel stresses and maybe see some sites. Airline delays can cause many, many issues. You may not have clubs, you may have had zero sleep and you may miss your pre-paid tee time or be forced to play in a zombie state of mind. Yes, this happened during my trip. Hours of travel delays causing a missed connection, no clubs and missed tee times.

 

2) Get a light weight carry bag and get in walking shape. Although it may be reported that the courses are "designed to walk", mounds, dunes, etc... are all hills according to your body and a 6,200-6,400 yd course is still a 6,200-6,400 yd courses and you will be walking and carrying your bag.

 

3) Consider a pull/push cart at least some of the time. Bring a bungee cord. The rented push/pull carts may have well worn straps and make sure the brake works before you head out with it or your bag may wind up in a berm. Trust me on this, I know. Electric pull/push carts are available to rent but far more expensive than the push/pull carts.

 

4) Consider taking a short set. I left my 4 hybrid at home and choked down on my 3 hybrid when I needed the 4. I should have left my 60* at home. You'll need bounce on your wedge to get out of these bunkers but excessive bounce is bad everywhere else as the fairways in Scotland are tight. I used my SW and left my 60* in the hotel.

 

5) Take plenty of balls as you may lose many. Very tall, thick grass. Go cheap. High spin, high cost balls and 60* wedges have little value when the play is to putt from 0- 80 yds or more in. I putted one from almost 100 yds out. You are very unlikely to use a wedge from less than 80 out.

 

6) Get a currency app on your phone. It is easy to think of a pound as a dollar but it is not. Check to see what you are actually paying. The conversion at the time of my trip was 1.64 dollars to 1 pound. 20 lbs = $33 and some change.

 

7) Get a no foreign transaction fee credit card and pin #. It is cheaper to get money from the ATM (3%) than to exchange cash (8-12%). Call your credit card company before you leave or it may get shut off. A chip in your CC is not necessary.

 

8) Take less clothes than you think. The sandy soil falls right off and the wind dries everything out very fast. With today's modern fabrics, simply rinse out and hang dry as needed --- it really won't be needed. Two pair of pants for the course and a pair of jeans/pants or two for off the course will do. Honestly, nothing anyone wore ever looked dirty despite the wind/rain and bunkers.

 

9) High quality rain gear including rain golf gloves and waterproof golf shoes are a must. Take a waterproof hat with a tie down strap. I took two pair of golf shoes for golf and only needed one. No shorts were worn by anyone the week we went (mid-Aug, 2014).

 

10) Attitude is everything. When the game goes south or the weather is bad, concentrate on the sights and where you are. You can ruin your trip very quickly if you let the weather and/or your golf game drive your attitude.

 

11) Consider taking a day off from golf in the middle for site seeing. It may help the body recover.

 

12) Don't be afraid to mix it up if people are struggling with their games. Consider a mid-week Shamble or Scramble. We did a one day shamble to "mostly" take the tee ball out of play. A shamble is when all tee off and you play from the best tee ball position but play your own ball in the rest of the way.

 

13) Afternoon/late tee times and lack of transportation may make it difficult to see the sites. Consider early tee times.

 

14) If you are in a group and renting a vehicle, be sure to consider trunk space as a hard golf travel case may not fit in the trunk. If you use a travel service to set up your golf and transportation, you may need additional transportation to see the sites.

 

15) You'll need a 3 prong 240v adapter to charge your electronics. Most electronics are set up for 120/240 so you will not need a full scale adapter. I got mine for $11 at RadioShack. By the way, electronics charge much faster with 240v than 120v.

 

16) Consider leaving the laptop at home and just use your smart phone. I took my tablet and never really used it although a downloaded movie or two for the plane ride would be nice.

 

17) Set up your cell service by calling your provider before you leave. Be aware of the costs associated with using it. Using your smart phone or tablet to FaceTime your family may be your best means of contact.

 

18) Less is more when packing and attitude is everything. Stay positive and enjoy the sites.

 

19) Take a caddy at St Andrews. The stories he will tell as he gives you the names of the bunkers and the history make it well worth it. Besides that, you will have no clue as to where to hit your tee shots and listen to him on the greens. We got one caddy for the group and all tipped him.

 

20) Stick to safe food choices. I like to try new stuff as much as anyone but why risk losing a day to an upset stomach or worse.

 

21) Go back and re-read #8 and #18. Take less than you think you will need.

 

I hope this helps,

 

Others may disagree but these were my notes after my return.

[Roadking2003]

I agree with the bungee cord... they are necessary. But #20 ? No way! I always try every local food possible. In Scotland, go for the haggis. It's wonderful.

[EmperorPenguin]

Sorry for the copy/paste for those that had seen this before.

 

I made myself some notes in the event I ever take another overseas golf trip again. Here are those notes.

 

1) Consider NOT playing day 1. Far too much uncertainly with travel. Settle in, rest, release the travel stresses and maybe see some sites. Airline delays can cause many, many issues. You may not have clubs, you may have had zero sleep and you may miss your pre-paid tee time or be forced to play in a zombie state of mind. Yes, this happened during my trip. Hours of travel delays causing a missed connection, no clubs and missed tee times.

 

2) Get a light weight carry bag and get in walking shape. Although it may be reported that the courses are "designed to walk", mounds, dunes, etc... are all hills according to your body and a 6,200-6,400 yd course is still a 6,200-6,400 yd courses and you will be walking and carrying your bag.

 

3) Consider a pull/push cart at least some of the time. Bring a bungee cord. The rented push/pull carts may have well worn straps and make sure the brake works before you head out with it or your bag may wind up in a berm. Trust me on this, I know. Electric pull/push carts are available to rent but far more expensive than the push/pull carts.

 

4) Consider taking a short set. I left my 4 hybrid at home and choked down on my 3 hybrid when I needed the 4. I should have left my 60* at home. You'll need bounce on your wedge to get out of these bunkers but excessive bounce is bad everywhere else as the fairways in Scotland are tight. I used my SW and left my 60* in the hotel.

 

5) Take plenty of balls as you may lose many. Very tall, thick grass. Go cheap. High spin, high cost balls and 60* wedges have little value when the play is to putt from 0- 80 yds or more in. I putted one from almost 100 yds out. You are very unlikely to use a wedge from less than 80 out.

 

6) Get a currency app on your phone. It is easy to think of a pound as a dollar but it is not. Check to see what you are actually paying. The conversion at the time of my trip was 1.64 dollars to 1 pound. 20 lbs = $33 and some change.

 

7) Get a no foreign transaction fee credit card and pin #. It is cheaper to get money from the ATM (3%) than to exchange cash (8-12%). Call your credit card company before you leave or it may get shut off. A chip in your CC is not necessary.

 

8) Take less clothes than you think. The sandy soil falls right off and the wind dries everything out very fast. With today's modern fabrics, simply rinse out and hang dry as needed --- it really won't be needed. Two pair of pants for the course and a pair of jeans/pants or two for off the course will do. Honestly, nothing anyone wore ever looked dirty despite the wind/rain and bunkers.

 

9) High quality rain gear including rain golf gloves and waterproof golf shoes are a must. Take a waterproof hat with a tie down strap. I took two pair of golf shoes for golf and only needed one. No shorts were worn by anyone the week we went (mid-Aug, 2014).

 

10) Attitude is everything. When the game goes south or the weather is bad, concentrate on the sights and where you are. You can ruin your trip very quickly if you let the weather and/or your golf game drive your attitude.

 

11) Consider taking a day off from golf in the middle for site seeing. It may help the body recover.

 

12) Don't be afraid to mix it up if people are struggling with their games. Consider a mid-week Shamble or Scramble. We did a one day shamble to "mostly" take the tee ball out of play. A shamble is when all tee off and you play from the best tee ball position but play your own ball in the rest of the way.

 

13) Afternoon/late tee times and lack of transportation may make it difficult to see the sites. Consider early tee times.

 

14) If you are in a group and renting a vehicle, be sure to consider trunk space as a hard golf travel case may not fit in the trunk. If you use a travel service to set up your golf and transportation, you may need additional transportation to see the sites.

 

15) You'll need a 3 prong 240v adapter to charge your electronics. Most electronics are set up for 120/240 so you will not need a full scale adapter. I got mine for $11 at RadioShack. By the way, electronics charge much faster with 240v than 120v.

 

16) Consider leaving the laptop at home and just use your smart phone. I took my tablet and never really used it although a downloaded movie or two for the plane ride would be nice.

 

17) Set up your cell service by calling your provider before you leave. Be aware of the costs associated with using it. Using your smart phone or tablet to FaceTime your family may be your best means of contact.

 

18) Less is more when packing and attitude is everything. Stay positive and enjoy the sites.

 

19) Take a caddy at St Andrews. The stories he will tell as he gives you the names of the bunkers and the history make it well worth it. Besides that, you will have no clue as to where to hit your tee shots and listen to him on the greens. We got one caddy for the group and all tipped him.

 

20) Stick to safe food choices. I like to try new stuff as much as anyone but why risk losing a day to an upset stomach or worse.

 

21) Go back and re-read #8 and #18. Take less than you think you will need.

 

I hope this helps,

 

Others may disagree but these were my notes after my return.

 

I have traveled abroad before, but here are my responses to your notes.

 

1. One thing for certain: we will not play the Old Course on day one due to possible delays. I think the plan is to play a course we can afford to miss.

2. We are all in very good shape and we all walk and use lightweight carry bags. Besides, the plan is to hire caddies each day.

3. Pull carts? None of us use them. I even see pictures of caddies using pull carts on the course. We are old school, and we reject that.

 

5. Some airlines impose a limit of golf balls in a bag to say, a dozen or so balls. I think three dozen per bag would be a good number, and if one of us runs out, we can help each other out.

6. A currency app would be a great idea, but I don't want us to give the impression to the clubs and shops that we are pinching pences. We'll just ask around what is customary.

7. I have an American Express Platinum, which charges no foreign transaction fee, and a Bank of America World Plus Rewards Visa card that also has no foreign transaction fee.

8. Thanks for the tip there. Perhaps the hotel will have a quick laundry service available if we will need it.

9. We all use Zero Restriction along with rain gloves, if needed. For shoes I will bring FJ DryJoys, and I will tell the other boys to bring waterproofs, too.

 

11. Hmm, a day off in the middle? The plan for now is to play one course per day. Is it hard to play seven days in a row just one round per day?

13. If rounds will be too early, we will have to find something to do until US Open coverage begins on the telly.

14. I will relay this to the boys. No hard shells. Club Glove along with a stiff arm is the best, right?

15. I have a converter with a plug. Also, I think a lot of the hotels offer 120v outlets as well?

16. Maybe one of us should bring a tablet in case we need to write emails while we're abroad.

17. Are roaming charges ridiculous? I heard it's $5/minute. I think that if we will use phones locally it may be a good idea to get a tri-band GSM card and use a local SIM card for communication purposes abroad.

 

19. The plan is to hire caddies at every course we play.

20. Maybe the American fast-food restaurants will be around as a last resort if we question what we're eating? None of us would want to play a premier course with Montezuma's Revenge.

[davep043]

 

3. Pull carts? None of us use them. I even see pictures of caddies using pull carts on the course. We are old school, and we reject that.

 

5. Some airlines impose a limit of golf balls in a bag to say, a dozen or so balls. I think three dozen per bag would be a good number, and if one of us runs out, we can help each other out.

7. I have an American Express Platinum, which charges no foreign transaction fee, and a Bank of America World Plus Rewards Visa card that also has no foreign transaction fee.

11. Hmm, a day off in the middle? The plan for now is to play one course per day. Is it hard to play seven days in a row just one round per day?

15. I have a converter with a plug. Also, I think a lot of the hotels offer 120v outlets as well?

17. Are roaming charges ridiculous? I heard it's $5/minute. I think that if we will use phones locally it may be a good idea to get a tri-band GSM card and use a local SIM card for communication purposes abroad.

20. Maybe the American fast-food restaurants will be around as a last resort if we question what we're eating? None of us would want to play a premier course with Montezuma's Revenge.

A few responses to your responses (I'm chuckling at this)

3. Trolleys ARE old-school, contrary to Mr. Trump's pronouncements. They're used at just about all of the top-line courses in the UK, as far as I've ever seen.

5. I think I took 2 dozen balls. I'd also take a small luggage scale, the airlines are more concerned about overall weight than about how many golf balls you have.

7. Use an ATM for cash, rather than a cash advance from your credit cards, or a currency exchange.

11. Seven days of 18 holes shouldn't be too tough.

15. B&Bs and smaller hotels might not have 120 outlets. I never needed 120 for anything, most modern stuff will work off the 220 once you have the plug converter.

17. Each phone provider is different, contact yours to find out the best way to deal with it. I took an old unlocked phone and bought a local SIM for it in St Andrews, for really cheap calling. 7 cents a minute to call the US was pretty good. Look for the Carphone Warehouse in St Andrews

20. I've eaten pretty much anything they would serve me in Scotland, and never had a problem with it. The worst that can happy is that you order an excessively spicy curry at Jahangir in St Andrews. Haggis is fine, and good black pudding is delicious. Smoked kippers make lovely breakfast. Scotland has outstanding seafood, delicious lamb. Please don't look for MacDonalds or Starbucks. And go to the Whey Pat in St Andrews to have hand-pumped real ales, at the appropriate cellar temperature.

[Ralphyboy84]

I’m a carnoustie member. It’s nowhere near as hard as people make out as long as you play the correct tee. For me it’s the best course in the county but I accept that’s a biased opinion. Not read through the whole thread but happy to answer any questions you may have about playing over here/advice etc.

 

Ps Royal County Down is incredible and absolutely worth the effort to play