Fantasy trip: A month in Scotland UPDATED: DAILY ITINERARY ADDED

[shortstop20]

13 hours ago, Oufcfan said:

We had one of the advance reservations, to play The Jubilee & The Old Course, 2 days in May.

I sent an email to the reservations team last year when we had to move it and they were great. 

 

So when it came to rearranging again this year, I replied to the email they sent me in July. And again, they replied within 48 hours. Told me they were running low on spaces in 2021 and that I’d have to be quick if I wanted to push it back to later this summer. Otherwise they could get us in for May 2022.

I asked a few further questions about the possibility of winter mats etc if we went next year and after 4/5 days of talking it over with my group, asked to try for this summer. They’re extremely busy as you can imagine but they gave me new dates for August after about 2 days of the last email. Then reservation confirmation 3/4 days after that.

 

I’d recommend making the decision sooner rather than later, even if it does look more promising at the moment.

 

They don’t take visitors in September, so it would be July, Aug, or Oct for “summer” 2021.

Thanks, I have emailed them just now. 

 

Ideally I could get something for September/October of this year but not a big deal at all if I can't. 

 

What is St Andrews like just after the Open is held there? I'm thinking if I had to push back to 2022 that maybe I could try to get rescheduled to have my tee times sometime in that week to 10 days after the Open. Are prices on hotels and such still sky high in the weeks after the Open?

[hammergolf]

14 hours ago, philsRHman said:

I agree that the ladies in reservations have been absolutely top notch. They’ve been very willing to talk through options. Unfortunately they’re unable to offer anything in October even as a single, they’re that jammed.
 

But they offered to move me to May of 2022. Like you guys, I’m a little nervous about mats but at this point I’m weighing options (sorry if redundant to ab earlier post but this is cathartic as down in the dumps as I am): 

 

October Pros:

- Should be nice weather.

- Traditionally smaller crowds.

- Time for vaccinations and new travel programs.
- I have a ton of vacation time in 2021.

- It would not interfere in coaching my sons Little League team. 

- Most state golf tournament qualifiers are in the spring so I’d miss most. 

October Cons:

- Potential preemptive lockdown before winter.

- Shorter days.

- No Old Course tee time. 
- In theory my game will be peaking just in time to hang it up for winter. 
- might actually be packed due to pent up demand (although both my lodging are still available)

May (or April) ‘22 pros:

- weather good 

- Old Course tee time 

- a full year of covid vaccines

- would be a great way to gear up for a summer of golf at home

- best chance for a full reopening of pubs etc

May ‘22 cons:

- Old course mats

- likely very crowded given 20 and 21 rebookings

- conflicts with stuff at home (little league season, possible family vacation)

 

 

As I write all that, I sure am leaning toward October.
 

 

 

I go to Scotland in October every couple years. The weather is as good or better, and def less crowded. If you are a single, no doubt you will get the TOC one day while you are there. 

[philsRHman]

Very surprising email today. St Andrews was able to move my May tee time into October. Originally they said only next spring, so it was a really nice email to get since that was really the only thing in the way of planning October. 
 

Very exciting to get back to the drawing board. This new time is the Tuesday after the Dunhill, so the course will either be completely chewed up or in near tournament conditions and I don’t care either way, I’m just so pumped to have a time. But now I need to lay out the rest of the trip in a way that makes sense. Thinking I’ll start in East Lothian since my tee time is basically when SA reopens. 

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, philsRHman said:

Very surprising email today. St Andrews was able to move my May tee time into October. Originally they said only next spring, so it was a really nice email to get since that was really the only thing in the way of planning October. 
 

Very exciting to get back to the drawing board. This new time is the Tuesday after the Dunhill, so the course will either be completely chewed up or in near tournament conditions and I don’t care either way, I’m just so pumped to have a time. But now I need to lay out the rest of the trip in a way that makes sense. Thinking I’ll start in East Lothian since my tee time is basically when SA reopens. 

Great news! Crossing my fingers for good news in Ireland for October for our trip.

[scott_Donald]

12 hours ago, philsRHman said:

Very surprising email today. St Andrews was able to move my May tee time into October. Originally they said only next spring, so it was a really nice email to get since that was really the only thing in the way of planning October. 
 

Very exciting to get back to the drawing board. This new time is the Tuesday after the Dunhill, so the course will either be completely chewed up or in near tournament conditions and I don’t care either way, I’m just so pumped to have a time. But now I need to lay out the rest of the trip in a way that makes sense. Thinking I’ll start in East Lothian since my tee time is basically when SA reopens. 

 

Great news. I played the last day before it closed for the Dunhill in 2019, was a great day! but that was September.

 

So are you rethinking everything etc?

[philsRHman]

13 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

Great news. I played the last day before it closed for the Dunhill in 2019, was a great day! but that was September.

 

So are you rethinking everything etc?

My wife, god bless her, has decided that since I’m basically taking care of everything in the house for two months while she’s laid up with her broken foot, that I should take all the time I need. Work has already said I’m OK to work there for a week or two in conjunction with vacation time. So I am still thinking 3 weeks to protect against any lingering quarantine (maybe it’ll be down to a few days by then, hopefully). I guess it makes sense to “work” the last week since the sun will be setting a little past 6 at that point anyway. But then I question if it even makes sense to stay a third week, will golf at 9 am so I’m back to the room to work by 1 even feasible?
 

I’m thinking starting with a week in North Berwick because by some miracle I got a tee time at Muirfield (sounds like they have openings in Sept-Oct so worth a try for anyone going then).

 

I have a few weird gaps on where I have enough time in theory to make a little race up to Cruden Bay or Dornoch. But then I realize with the shorter days it might be preferable just to settle in a for a nice comfortable stretch in SA. 
 

Looks something like this:

week 1:

Sunday: arrive early, play someplace easy/fun like Musselbugh with hickories. 
Monday: North Berwick 36

Tuesday: Muirfield

Wednesday: gullane 36

Thursday: North Berwick 

Friday-Sunday: more golf in East Lothian? day trip to Northumberland? Head to Cruden Bay or Dornoch?

Week 2 (depends when I can find a place to stay in SA)

Sunday: TBD (attend Dunhill?)

Monday: New/Jubilee

Tuesday: Old Course

Wednesday: Castle (prearranged

Thursday: Carnoustie

Friday: St Andrews TBD 36

Saturday: outskirts course of SA (elie?)

week 3 (old course covid ballot rules could determine this, as i would like to try for the Old at least 1-2x more):

sunday: outskirts course of SA (crail? Kingsbarns?)

Monday (work pm): SA TBD 

Tuesday (work pn): SA TBD

Wednesday (work pm): SA TBD

Thursday (work pm): Cruden bay?

Friday (work pm): Cruden bay?

Saturday:  depart for home

 

Maybe more than anything, I’m bothered by the idea that my last 8 hours in Scotland would be spent working. So for that reason alone I might schedule my flight back Sunday so that Saturday could be one final day on a special links. 

[scott_Donald]

Looks a busy two weeks. 

 

Rounds in Scotland are far faster than rounds in the USA on average, this does depend on how good you are and looking for balls in rough. Around the Old Course they are not as everyone is just soaking it in; I think I was 4 hours as a 4 ball in 2019 and was very happy about that.

 

I assume you have been vaccinated now then? I am 1 dose with my next in 2 weeks and I am really hoping this makes a huge difference for quarantining in the UK.

 

I am 95% chance living back in Scotland by then so you might have an in at Royal Aberdeen and Cruden bay; my life is a bit up in the air right now though so things might change. 

[Bbo569]

I am rebooked for April 2022.  Third time is the charm.  Old, Jubilee, Castle, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, Turnbery, Troon, Prestwick

[NY_Scratcher]

That's a nice schedule for sure.  I am glad that you're not falling into the classic trap of trying to play all the "top" courses in one week and therefore spending the whole week on the road.  Pick one or two areas (St. Andrews and Ayrshire in your case) and play a few courses there.  I'm curious where you're staying in Ayrshire, I haven't found many good accommodation options there.

 

RE: the Ayrshire courses, you can't beat Prestwick for an authentic links with a ton of history.  Personally however I'm swap it for Western Gailes, which is a phenomenal track.

[buckI]

Just finished rebooking our trip.   Was planned for September 2020, then this June now next early May.   Waiting on finalizing the last two dates we when their calendars open for next year but the people that workin the reservation groups have been great to work with.   
 

We have Old, Castle, Kingsbarns, Carnoustie, Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane.   Have a couple days we can add in a round so might do that.

[El Gringo]

14 hours ago, NY_Scratcher said:

That's a nice schedule for sure.  I am glad that you're not falling into the classic trap of trying to play all the "top" courses in one week and therefore spending the whole week on the road.  Pick one or two areas (St. Andrews and Ayrshire in your case) and play a few courses there.  I'm curious where you're staying in Ayrshire, I haven't found many good accommodation options there.

 

RE: the Ayrshire courses, you can't beat Prestwick for an authentic links with a ton of history.  Personally however I'm swap it for Western Gailes, which is a phenomenal track.

Carlton Hotel in Prestwick is a decent lower mid range choice. 

[Bbo569]

22 hours ago, NY_Scratcher said:

That's a nice schedule for sure.  I am glad that you're not falling into the classic trap of trying to play all the "top" courses in one week and therefore spending the whole week on the road.  Pick one or two areas (St. Andrews and Ayrshire in your case) and play a few courses there.  I'm curious where you're staying in Ayrshire, I haven't found many good accommodation options there.

 

RE: the Ayrshire courses, you can't beat Prestwick for an authentic links with a ton of history.  Personally however I'm swap it for Western Gailes, which is a phenomenal track.

I haven't rebooked lodgin for Ayrshire, but originally we had a airbnb in Ayre that slept 4.

 

Thanks for the tip on Western Gailes.  We looked at that when booking Prestwick, but went with history.  However, we mainly were looking at those two cause Royal Troon had a tournament.  Now that I have rebooked our trip to 2020 (except Prestwick, but we intend to) we may see if Troon is an option for 2022 or not.

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, Bbo569 said:

I haven't rebooked lodgin for Ayrshire, but originally we had a airbnb in Ayre that slept 4.

 

Thanks for the tip on Western Gailes.  We looked at that when booking Prestwick, but went with history.  However, we mainly were looking at those two cause Royal Troon had a tournament.  Now that I have rebooked our trip to 2020 (except Prestwick, but we intend to) we may see if Troon is an option for 2022 or not.

Would def recommend Troon if you’re going to be in Ayr. Honestly, take the history away from Prestwick and Western Gailes is the much better course. If you have the chance, take the drive 30 minute drive to Turnberry and play the Ailsa course.

[philsRHman]

A seemingly easy question I can’t seem to track down and I’m getting frustrated. If I’m going to spend a third week in St Andrews and have to be back at my flat to work by 1-2 pm, I would be able to play every morning thst week if I can get out by 8-9 am on the non-Old Course St Andrews Trust courses. I just can’t find a straight answer on how to book those as a single, and how early I could get out. Everything I find is about the Old. I know it’s complicated by walk up rules with covid but I can’t even find what it’s like in normal times. 
 

 Any thoughts or experience?

[scott_Donald]

8 hours ago, philsRHman said:

A seemingly easy question I can’t seem to track down and I’m getting frustrated. If I’m going to spend a third week in St Andrews and have to be back at my flat to work by 1-2 pm, I would be able to play every morning thst week if I can get out by 8-9 am on the non-Old Course St Andrews Trust courses. I just can’t find a straight answer on how to book those as a single, and how early I could get out. Everything I find is about the Old. I know it’s complicated by walk up rules with covid but I can’t even find what it’s like in normal times. 
 

 Any thoughts or experience?

 

When I have played the other courses, we have just called the day before to get a time, if you plan it well it should be easy.

[NY_Scratcher]

Interesting...

 

i am going to be in St. Andrews in July and have all my golf sorted except the Monday.  I was hoping to play the New Course on that day - is it easy enough to get a tee time 1-2 days in advance?

[scott_Donald]

3 minutes ago, NY_Scratcher said:

Interesting...

 

i am going to be in St. Andrews in July and have all my golf sorted except the Monday.  I was hoping to play the New Course on that day - is it easy enough to get a tee time 1-2 days in advance?

 

AS far as I have experienced on a normal year yes.

 

Last time we were sitting at the Jigger Inn about 5 in the afternoon, having played a comp that day with a dinner and stay at the Old Course Hotel that night, we just decided then to play the next day at the Jubilee or New; we called and there was a 11am time on the Jubilee.

 

We might have been lucky but the weather was amazing and mid July. 

[philsRHman]

I’m going to reach out directly to the reservations folks. I think right now the site is especially vague because of covid protocols but it does seem to be you just need to call a day or two ahead and see what’s available. My main question remains how early the tee opens in October. If it’s 7 and I have a 2 hour window daily that’s a big difference than if it’s 9 and I basically need the first tee every day in order to be back in time to work. 

[scott_Donald]

10 minutes ago, philsRHman said:

I’m going to reach out directly to the reservations folks. I think right now the site is especially vague because of covid protocols but it does seem to be you just need to call a day or two ahead and see what’s available. My main question remains how early the tee opens in October. If it’s 7 and I have a 2 hour window daily that’s a big difference than if it’s 9 and I basically need the first tee every day in order to be back in time to work. 

 

the days are getting shorter!

 

 

[philsRHman]

Wow, I only think of the days ending earlier in the fall. Didn’t really consider they also start later. Starting to lean back to only doing two weeks. 

[scott_Donald]

1 hour ago, philsRHman said:

Wow, I only think of the days ending earlier in the fall. Didn’t really consider they also start later. Starting to lean back to only doing two weeks. 

 

come a week earlier?

[Pete O'Tube]

On 12/5/2020 at 8:31 AM, philsRHman said:

Interesting, I didn’t explore much into Northumberland. Looks like the others would be nearly another hour past Eyemouth (which I read has some interesting holes) and Goswick, which sounds like a solid round.  Unless they’re complete show stoppers I don’t think I want to spend that much time on the road from my base in North Berwick. But you do have me curious now and I’ll do some more homework. Truth is, that day is likely the first cut if anything goes t**** up earlier in the week.  

I’ll check Braid Hills. I’ll be getting off a play that morning so will have to play that day by ear anyway. One issue is several courses in East Lothian don’t allow visitors until 10 or 1030 on weekdays so they wouldn’t work on my first week. Killspindie seemed to be the one of those I really wanted to see so I slotted it Sunday. 
 

Thanks. 

 

Look no further than Goswick Links https://www.goswickgolfclub.com/ , only 8 miles south of the border. 6630 yards par 72 and an Open qualifier. Easily the best course between Newcastle and Gullane and I include North Berwick and Dunbar in that - they aren't as good as Goswick. 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Pete O'Tube
edit

[philsRHman]

On 4/24/2021 at 5:49 PM, scott_Donald said:

 

come a week earlier?

A week earlier is the Dunhill, which makes a mess of St Andrews. 

[philsRHman]

6 hours ago, Pete O'Tube said:

 

Look no further than Goswick Links https://www.goswickgolfclub.com/ , only 8 miles south of the border. 6630 yards par 72 and an Open qualifier. Easily the best course between Newcastle and Gullane and I include North Berwick and Dunbar in that - they aren't as good as Goswick. 

Thanks!!! I have Goswick on my current itinerary. 

[scott_Donald]

19 minutes ago, philsRHman said:

A week earlier is the Dunhill, which makes a mess of St Andrews. 

 

Just do a week somewhere else then?

 

 

[philsRHman]

38 minutes ago, scott_Donald said:

 

Just do a week somewhere else then?

 

 

As of now I have 1 week in North Berwick, 1.5 weeks in St Andrews and a final few days in the Cruden Bay Area (unless I end up at Cruden Bay the weekend of the Dunhill and give myself more time in SA). I think it’s shaping up. I’ll post the work in progress itinerary tomorrow. 

[scott_Donald]

8 hours ago, philsRHman said:

As of now I have 1 week in North Berwick, 1.5 weeks in St Andrews and a final few days in the Cruden Bay Area (unless I end up at Cruden Bay the weekend of the Dunhill and give myself more time in SA). I think it’s shaping up. I’ll post the work in progress itinerary tomorrow. 

 

I am moving back to Scotland in August as I said before I can take you RAGC; this trip has been some effort for you!

 

I think I am going to join Cruden Bay also but will probably not be till next year. 

[philsRHman]

Woohoo! Flights booked. B&B booked in North Berwick B&B booked (but I need to find a place to stay my first night) and St Andrews B&B booked for the middle week. Golf itinerary is kind of a mess and a lot of TBDs. Anything with a time is locked in or pending, the rest are up in the air. Still on the fence about the last few days, might just stick around St Andrews since I have to work the afternoon/evenings. But CB would be a nice highlight to end as I think the trips ebbs and flows nicely but needs a big capper so I don’t fizzle. 
 

Sun	Arrive	Longniddry
Mon	North Berwick 1007	North Berwick 230
Tue	Muirfield 950
Wed	north berwick 1007	North Berwick 240
Thu	Gullane 2	Gullane 3
Fri	Killspindie	Gullane/Glen
Sat	Goswick 36?
Sun	Musselburgh hickories	Attend Dunhill?
Mon	SA1	SA1
Tue	SA Old 1130
Wed	SA Castle 1000	Anstruther
Thu	SA2	SA2
Fri	Old?
Sat	SA3	SA 3
Sun	Caroustie 1340
Mon	Elie	work
Tue	anstruther/crail	work
Wed	travel/leven	work
Thur	Cruden	work
Fri	Cruden	work
Sat	Cruden
Sun	Depart EDI

[philsRHman]

On 5/6/2021 at 8:32 AM, scott_Donald said:

 

I am moving back to Scotland in August as I said before I can take you RAGC; this trip has been some effort for you!

 

I think I am going to join Cruden Bay also but will probably not be till next year. 

I just might take you up on that, could be just the right fit if I end up in Cruden Bay for 3 days. As it gets closer I’ll reach out. 

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, philsRHman said:

Woohoo! Flights booked. B&B booked in North Berwick B&B booked (but I need to find a place to stay my first night) and St Andrews B&B booked for the middle week. Golf itinerary is kind of a mess and a lot of TBDs. Anything with a time is locked in or pending, the rest are up in the air. Still on the fence about the last few days, might just stick around St Andrews since I have to work the afternoon/evenings. But CB would be a nice highlight to end as I think the trips ebbs and flows nicely but needs a big capper so I don’t fizzle. 
 

Sun	Arrive	Longniddry
Mon	North Berwick 1007	North Berwick 230
Tue	Muirfield 950
Wed	north berwick 1007	North Berwick 240
Thu	Gullane 2	Gullane 3
Fri	Killspindie	Gullane/Glen
Sat	Goswick 36?
Sun	Musselburgh hickories	Attend Dunhill?
Mon	SA1	SA1
Tue	SA Old 1130
Wed	SA Castle 1000	Anstruther
Thu	SA2	SA2
Fri	Old?
Sat	SA3	SA 3
Sun	Caroustie 1340
Mon	Elie	work
Tue	anstruther/crail	work
Wed	travel/leven	work
Thur	Cruden	work
Fri	Cruden	work
Sat	Cruden
Sun	Depart EDI

Man, looks like an awesome trip!