Scotland - June 2020 Trip Itinerary Advice?

[Bampot]

Hello,

I would appreciate any thoughts/comments regarding the itinerary for my Scotland golf trip in June 2020. Given I will have about 18 hours of daylight each day on and around the summer solstice, I intend to take advantage of day tickets / reduced replay rates each day and play as much golf as possible. Essentially, I consider this trip to be a form "Extreme Adventure Sport" and look forward to the physical challenge of playing 36, 54, or more holes per day if possible. One question I have is whether Nairn is worth £270.00 for a 36-hole ticket? Or should I replace Nairn with a second day at Royal Dornoch which is £310 for a day ticket for unlimited golf? Thank you in advance for any input.

 

June 15

10:00 AM - Arrive in Glasgow3:00 PM - Attend Euro 2020 match at Hampden Park, Glasgow5:00 to 9:00 PM - Drive to hotel in Inverness

June 16

36 holes at Nairn (Championship)Drive to Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch

June 17

36 holes (or more) at BroraReturn to Royal Golf Hotel

June 18

54 holes (or more at Dornoch). I have my first tee time booked for around 7:30 AM and will be buying a day ticket. All groups before 9:00 AM I believe are 2-balls, so I expect to be finished the first round by 9:30 AM.Return to Royal Golf Hotel

June 19

8:00 AM to 1:00 PM - Drive to hotel in St Andrews2:00 PM - Purchase a 3-day unlimited golf ticket2:00 PM - 18 holes at New Course6:00 PM - 18 holes at Jubilee Course

June 20

7:00 AM - 18 holes at New Course11:00 AM - 18 holes at Jubilee Course3:00 PM - 18 holes at New Course

June 21

7:00 AM - 18 holes at Jubilee Course11:00 AM - 18 holes at New Course3:00 PM - 18 holes at Jubilee Course

June 22

2:00 AM - Enter singles line for TOC18 holes at TOCDrive to Glasgow

June 23

9:00 PM - Attend Euro 2020 match at Hampden Park, Glasgow

June 24

Fly home

 

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

Your schedule is more than a little ambitious.

No way you are teeing off Royal Dornoch at 7:30 a.m. and done with 18 at 9:30 a.m.

The other assumptions about 4 hours from tee off at one course to tee off at another, even if nearby, are not all that realistic, especially on the 54 hole days.

 

[jvincent]

I applaud the audacity of this plan, but I have to agree it's probably not realistic.

That will be busy season so I suspect that the New/Jubilee/Castle courses will all be fairly busy. As a single you might get lucky but it will be tough.

Also, I hope you are in good shape before you leave.

[Bampot]

Thanks for your response. I will be the first group off at Royal Dornoch as a 2-ball. If I am not done by 9:30 AM or 10:00 AM I will be astonished. Even if I space out my rounds by 6 hours instead of 4, there will be plenty of daylight that time of year to finish 54 holes.

[Bampot]

Thanks - yes, I have been training all winter in anticipation of such a physically demanding golf trip. However, I am well aware that 18 holes per day after Royal Dornoch may be more than enough.

 

Any thoughts on whether I should play 36 at Nairn for £270.00 for a 36-hole ticket or add a second day at Royal Dornoch which is £310 for a day ticket for unlimited golf?

[jvincent]

I haven't played Nairn or RD, so I can't really comment on which would be better.

One other thing to consider is that if you get wind, which is likely, it's a lot more tiring than normal. Make sure to bring extra socks and shoes!

Good luck and looking forward to the trip report.

[El Gringo]

So no hang time or sight seeing?

You may have some difficulty with The New timing.

It seems like you are into fast golf. Consider playing The Eden.

As always, anybody going to Fife should consider playing Elie.

[Bampot]

Well, I have family in Scotland and have been before. Also seeing two Euro 2020 soccer matches on June 15th and 23rd and will not be playing golf on those days.

 

Thanks for the recommendations. I may play the Eden instead if New/Jubilee are busy in the afternoon. If I was spending the whole trip in Fife, I would definitely go play Elie and some others. However, since I will be there for four days and want to play TOC once, I figured I would get more bang for my buck with the St Andrews Links 3-day ticket on the other days.

[Malvern]

We played Nairn and Royal Dornoch on our last trip and I have been very positive about people adding Nairn to their trips. If it was half the price of Dornoch I think it would be a consideration but not a 40 quid differential.

[Bampot]

Thanks - this is what I have been thinking. I might cancel Nairn, move Brora to June 16 and then play Royal Dornoch on June 17 and 18.

[Edaw68]

I played Nairn and Dornoch on a trip last year. Nairn is good but Dornoch is better. If it was a choice between which one to do multiple rounds at, Dornoch easy. But since you're already playing multiple rounds at each, then what you have is fine. And as others have said, 54 at Dornoch might be tough to schedule. On my trip I played it in the middle of the week on a really windy day, and I didn't see a lot of gaps on the tee sheet for more walk on rounds.

36 at Brora is also an excellent choice. Out of the three courses in the highlands area you picked, I'd rank them Dornoch, Brora, then Nairn. But I had the most fun at Brora, playing with a former club president I randomly got paired with and a junior member. They were excellent company.

[Bampot]

Thanks. Your day at Brora sounds incredible. Maybe I will get the unlimited weekly ticket at Brora for June 16th and 17th, and consider a twilight round at Royal Dornoch on the 17th after 6:00 pm.

[tad950]

Nairn has water views from just about every hole. The first few holes are right next to the water. Separated by a low sea wall. Because Nairn was the first golf course that I played in Scotland, I have a certain fondness for it, even though I sliced my first two tee shots into the previously mentioned water ( the water isn't THAT close). It's nice, but it's not as nice as Royal Dornoch.

And I don't think a two hour round at Dornoch is realistic. Even though you are playing 54 there, it would be nice to make your first round there more than a blur.

[Bampot]

Don't get me wrong, I would love to play Nairn - but I was really surprised how expensive the fees were in comparison to Royal Dornoch. I think I would rather plan a future trip to play in the Nairn Open Amateur Tournament where you play 36 holes stroke play to qualify for match play for £220.

[scott_Donald]

in all honesty Nairn is a great course and has has some very prestigious events there; Walker Cup, Curtis Cup and The Amateur Championship so the price is well justified.

You are certainly going to sleep well on that trip. How good a golfer are you? the fewer the shots the better you will be needing.

 

[hackerandy]

No Aberdeen courses instead of Nairn? Cruden Bay or Royal Aberdeen great courses as is Trump Aberdeen, Castle course at St Andrews good also not sue if it is on the ticket. Think Carnoustie also does a day ticket save playing jubilee/new so often. Love Brora and an easy walk, good luck with the trip, wish I had your energy.

[El Gringo]

Nairn is highly thought of in Scotland. I am not convinced it deserves this reputation based on the quality of the course. However, Nairn is a high quality course even if it can't hang with Dornoch. The issue, and rightfully so, is the cost. On this matter I agree with you Bampot, Nairn is very expensive. I wouldn't pay the fee, but I have been. Mind you, some serious changes have been in the works since then. On paper some of the changes looked very good.

You could always consider Castle Stuart for a day. It's modern, but extremely high quality on a beautiful site. There are one or two dodgy holes, but that is true even for Dornoch.

[Superbrit]

Sounds like a great trip but no way on this earth are you going to be able to play that many times, especially not in June, and sorry but Royal Dornoch in 2 hours in a 2 ball, no hope, June and July is the busiest time of the year.

 

You seem to be playing the New & the Jubilee courses 3 or 4 times, i would definitely mix it up a bit, try other courses like Leven, or the Dukes, maybe cut out a couple of rounds and do Kingsbarns

 

Trying to play that much your not really going to enjoy it as you will be too busy running around, i would vary the courses and only play twice a day at most, easily doable in June

 

 

[Zigzog]

I will be honest, you are kidding yourself on.

Rounds generally take a long time in high season, as most people are paying a fair bit for their rounds and want to make the most of it. 5 hour rounds are common at any of the St Andrews courses in high season.

You will not be able to play through multiple games or play as a single and control the pace as you desire, is just not going to happen.

You should reflect on this and re-plan - as others have said; you are only going to be left unhappy and disappointed if you think you can mange this plan.

Just my opinion, but I do live near St Andrews.

 

 

 

 

[scott_Donald]

for speed of play;

I played the old course in 3 hours 30 minutes last year as a 4 ball.

I played Turnberry in 3 hours 40 minutes as a 4 ball with caddies.

I play my home course Royal Aberdeen as a single in 2 hours 15 minutes.

I play Royal Aberdeen as a 4 ball in 3 hours 30 minutes.

I cry and moan when I get stuck behind the visitor times at Royal Aberdeen when you sometimes play the first 3 holes in an hour, the course is too hard for some of the visitors. I just cut across and play the last few holes when I get far enough out or don't play after a 2 hour block of visitors if I want to do 18.

I play here in Houston on a Wednesday afternoon as a single in 2 hours 45 normally but if I get stuck then it can take 4 hours. I have played Sunday mid morning rounds here at 5 hours; its ridiculous how everything slows down so much around the greens.

Pace of play is really just about volume and who is a head of you; you can't control it. I am lucky at home as there is only 350 full members and visitors are limited to certain times.

[TheInfidel]

At peak season your chances of playing 54 holes across three St Andrews courses are pretty slim.

Also you don't need to be at the starters hut for 2am as a single. 5am would be fine.

[Hawkeye77]

Now it's 10 a.m. at RD, not 9:30 a.m. Maybe, likely not, but I doubt the course will be sympathetic if you aren't done with your first round and expect to miss a time and then jump in.

As for the rest, I think you would be wise to space them out. You can't just magically play through people and at that time of year the pace of play may not cooperate with your speedy expectations.

Play as fast as you like, but planning on a group of courses and all the golfers on them to meet your expectations isn't maybe the best plan. The schedule you have posited doesn't leave enough cushion between rounds on 54 hole days.

 

[davep043]

In my experience, its pretty common to get around in 3:30 to 4:00 in Scotland, even in the tourist season, but to expect anything much faster isn't very realistic. Things ARE likely to be crowded, with full tee sheets. The first round of the day may go fine, but If you're back at the first tee at Royal Dornoch at 10:00, for example, you may find a bunch of full fourball groups with no space for you. The same could happen at any of the courses, or you might join a threeball group you can join as soon as you get to the tee. You just can't know in advance. In Dornoch, you do have the option of playing the Struie Course, in St Andrews you can choose whichever course has an opening, although the Eden Clubhouse is well separated from the Links Clubhouse (New and Jubilee).

[Bampot]

Thanks for all the responses. I confirmed with RD that I have the first tee off time of the day right now as a single but could become a 2-ball of course. They have allowed me to book my second round at 12:40 PM which will let me enjoy lunch and relax in between. Even if I don't finish the second round until 7:00 PM, that leaves me with nearly 4 hours of daylight that time of year to complete the third round of the day.

 

I may limit myself to 18 holes on the 17th, and 27 to 36 holes on the first three days in St Andrews. But I will play golf until dark or until I physically cannot continue at RD to get as much time on the links as possible.

 

I have decided against playing Nairn simply due to the high fees. Hopefully I can play Castle Stuart and Nairn on a future trip to the Highlands during the shoulder season.

[Bampot]

I would like to do a separate trip to Aberdeen in the future, but won't have a chance on this trip. I hope I have the energy I think I'll have...

[Bampot]

I'm a 2 handicap - so hopefully won't be zig-zagging too much looking for balls in the fescue. Haha

[jonnymc44]

Notwithstanding all the golf that you'll be playing, which I hope you can do and please keep us updated, the first day will be a slog. You'll need to make sure you get plenty of sleep on the plane because the journey up to Inverness from Glasgow by car needs some concentrating.

My in-laws live on the north west coast of the Highlands and I've driven up there many many times. The A9 between Perth and Inverness can attract some hideous drivers. If you're not well accustomed to driving on our side of the road using manual (if you're hiring a car that is), it will take up a lot of energy concentrating. Rest, and rest as much and as well as you can before your journey even starts.

[dcmidnight]

Your days in St Andrews sound quite miserable to me. There's so much more to enjoy in the city than trying to run around the same two courses as fast as possible 8 times in two days.

You do you - but that sounds awful to me. I simply dont understand itineraries like this.

You're talking about playing 8 rounds on the same two courses in...48 hours or so. They were great courses but no course is that great. Then after playing 8 rounds in 48 hours your going to be getting up at 2am to sit in line for TOC?

You would be more than happy if you played each course twice and spent the rest of the time enjoying the town. Play 18 holes each day - which will be the 2nd time around each course - and then rest up/enjoy the town before going out to play TOC.

edit - sorry and the StA stuff is only after a 36 hole day, a 36 hole day and a 54 hole day? Yeah, dont see it.

[Bampot]

An interesting option for anyone living outwith the UK is to join a golf club in Scotland as an International/Overseas member. If I join Brora this year for instance, I would have unlimited play at Brora in addition to discounted rates at many other (but not all) golf courses in Scotland as a Scottish Golf Union member. Castle Stuart is £290 for 36 holes for visitors, or £165 for 36 holes for a member of a Scottish Golf Union club. I know North Berwick offers a similar type of discount to members of a SGU club.

[scott_Donald]

Wow I never knew that at all and I have been a member of a club in Scotland since I was 7.