Dornoch Trip Flights

[NOVAlars]

Good morning wrx’ers!

 

Somehow my wife signed off on a highlands trip in October. Plan is to arrive from the US east coast on Sunday and depart Scotland on Saturday. We have five rounds penciled in on the weekdays (Castle Stuart Monday, ending with Tain and Tarbat on Friday, good stuff in between) and lodging Monday to Friday morning in Dornoch. We will fill in the blank hotels on Sunday and Friday evenings. I will rent a car and drive. 
 

Big discussion in our group about flights and possibly avoiding LHR (a buddy’s clubs didn’t make it home with him last time he connected through there). Re these options, what are your thoughts?

 

1. IAD-LHR (2h 35m layover)-INV. 
cheapest option, least driving, and gives us the chance to play Nairn or Boat upon arrival. But will our golf bags make it? Would prefer not to ship clubs either $$
 

2. IAD-EDI. Most expensive and exhausting option but direct. Would head up the A9 and stay and play in a place like Pitlochry. Up early to CS the next morning. Lots of time on the A9 and would have to similarly break drive up on the way back down to EDI from Tain. 

 

Could save good money flying through Iceland to Glasgow but with similar driving on the A9. 
 

3. IAD-AMS (2h 20m layover)-Aberdeen. Medium cost, dark horse option. Could play Cruden Bay on arrival for 60£! and stay near airport on points. Drive to CS early next morning. Drive back Friday evening wouldn’t be great but at least not into the sun. 
 

I’ve driven to Connemara and Carne, and feel pretty comfortable on the road. Is the A9’s reputation as difficult/dangerous well-founded? Any thoughts and advice appreciated. Not willing to give up golf on the day of arrival because this is a short trip. 
 

Thanks!
 

 

 

[scott_Donald]

Wow how do you get such a good deal at Cruden Bay?

 

first option is fine. Airports are now fully staffed so bags should be fine.

 

second option to me would be the worst, Pitlochry is gorgeous but it’s a golf trip so golf and there is no real good course there.

 

third option to me would be great, get to golf at a good little course, easy drive, could even do the coastal route up.

 

A9 is fine just dodgy for overtaking(busy), I have a pretty fast, car but would hate to overtake in a hire car. Just take it at the going pace and it’s easy. 

[NOVAlars]

Thanks. Appreciate the insight. I misread the shoulder rate at Cruden Bay. That’s the junior rate. £115 is the regular shoulder rate. 

[Schley]

On 2/8/2024 at 8:10 PM, NOVAlars said:

Good morning wrx’ers!

 

Somehow my wife signed off on a highlands trip in October. Plan is to arrive from the US east coast on Sunday and depart Scotland on Saturday. We have five rounds penciled in on the weekdays (Castle Stuart Monday, ending with Tain and Tarbat on Friday, good stuff in between) and lodging Monday to Friday morning in Dornoch. We will fill in the blank hotels on Sunday and Friday evenings. I will rent a car and drive. 
 

Big discussion in our group about flights and possibly avoiding LHR (a buddy’s clubs didn’t make it home with him last time he connected through there). Re these options, what are your thoughts?

 

1. IAD-LHR (2h 35m layover)-INV. 
cheapest option, least driving, and gives us the chance to play Nairn or Boat upon arrival. But will our golf bags make it? Would prefer not to ship clubs either $$
 

2. IAD-EDI. Most expensive and exhausting option but direct. Would head up the A9 and stay and play in a place like Pitlochry. Up early to CS the next morning. Lots of time on the A9 and would have to similarly break drive up on the way back down to EDI from Tain. 

 

Could save good money flying through Iceland to Glasgow but with similar driving on the A9. 
 

3. IAD-AMS (2h 20m layover)-Aberdeen. Medium cost, dark horse option. Could play Cruden Bay on arrival for 60£! and stay near airport on points. Drive to CS early next morning. Drive back Friday evening wouldn’t be great but at least not into the sun. 
 

I’ve driven to Connemara and Carne, and feel pretty comfortable on the road. Is the A9’s reputation as difficult/dangerous well-founded? Any thoughts and advice appreciated. Not willing to give up golf on the day of arrival because this is a short trip. 
 

Thanks!
 

To me pretty easy decision with option 1.  I wouldn't worry too much about bags with 2.5 hours. BA flight I assume?

 

Option 3 is decent if you change some of your courses and add Royal Aberdeen, Trump Inter.
 

 

 

[hammergolf]

On 2/8/2024 at 11:10 AM, NOVAlars said:

Good morning wrx’ers!

 

Somehow my wife signed off on a highlands trip in October. Plan is to arrive from the US east coast on Sunday and depart Scotland on Saturday. We have five rounds penciled in on the weekdays (Castle Stuart Monday, ending with Tain and Tarbat on Friday, good stuff in between) and lodging Monday to Friday morning in Dornoch. We will fill in the blank hotels on Sunday and Friday evenings. I will rent a car and drive. 
 

Big discussion in our group about flights and possibly avoiding LHR (a buddy’s clubs didn’t make it home with him last time he connected through there). Re these options, what are your thoughts?

 

1. IAD-LHR (2h 35m layover)-INV. 
cheapest option, least driving, and gives us the chance to play Nairn or Boat upon arrival. But will our golf bags make it? Would prefer not to ship clubs either $$
 

2. IAD-EDI. Most expensive and exhausting option but direct. Would head up the A9 and stay and play in a place like Pitlochry. Up early to CS the next morning. Lots of time on the A9 and would have to similarly break drive up on the way back down to EDI from Tain. 

 

Could save good money flying through Iceland to Glasgow but with similar driving on the A9. 
 

3. IAD-AMS (2h 20m layover)-Aberdeen. Medium cost, dark horse option. Could play Cruden Bay on arrival for 60£! and stay near airport on points. Drive to CS early next morning. Drive back Friday evening wouldn’t be great but at least not into the sun. 
 

I’ve driven to Connemara and Carne, and feel pretty comfortable on the road. Is the A9’s reputation as difficult/dangerous well-founded? Any thoughts and advice appreciated. Not willing to give up golf on the day of arrival because this is a short trip. 
 

Thanks!
 

 

 

Avoid LHR AT ALL COST!! That is never an option for any trip that I want my luggage and golf clubs. Option 3 or the cheaper flight through Iceland would be the winners for me. The drive from Inverness to Cruden Bay is only a little shorter than it would be from EDI or GLA. Cruden is definitely worth it to play! If you can get some sleep on the flight you’ll be good. If you have time to squeeze in another round one day, definitely play Fraserburgh, you won’t regret it, and only 35 mins from Cruden Bay. If you’ve driven from Connemara to Carne you’ll be fine on the A9. 

Edited February 10 by hammergolf

[scott_Donald]

Is Schiphol an option for flights?

 

I went through there last week and only had 1 hour connection and my skis made it fine.

[NOVAlars]

Schiphol is a bit cheaper as a layover option IAD to Aberdeen or IAD to Inverness than a round trip IAD to EDI. But much more expensive than LHR as a layover.
 

Could even do IAD-AMD-ABZ to Scotland and then INV-AMS-IAD on the way home, which puts Cruden Bay in play off the plane without having to head all the way back to Aberdeen from Inverness on the last full day. It is about the same price as IAD-EDI. 
 

Would passport control be in AMS or Scotland? Not sure post Brexit

 

@scott_Donald thanks for the tip on your skis. Makes me feel better than LHR

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, NOVAlars said:

Schiphol is a bit cheaper as a layover option IAD to Aberdeen or IAD to Inverness than a round trip IAD to EDI. But much more expensive than LHR as a layover.
 

Could even do IAD-AMD-ABZ to Scotland and then INV-AMS-IAD on the way home, which puts Cruden Bay in play off the plane without having to head all the way back to Aberdeen from Inverness on the last full day. It is about the same price as IAD-EDI. 
 

Would passport control be in AMS or Scotland? Not sure post Brexit

 

@scott_Donald thanks for the tip on your skis. Makes me feel better than LHR

I didn’t know flying into ABZ was an option. That would definitely be the choice for me as it’s much less driving off the plane. Maybe you could get lucky and score an invite to Royal Aberdeen and make that your round off the flight with basically no driving at all. Then you could make the short drive up to Cruden Bay after! Get a good nights sleep then play Cruden Bay in the morning when you’re fresh. As far as passport control, you will have to clear in AMS and Scotland since they are no longer n the EU.

Edited February 12 by hammergolf

[scott_Donald]

7 hours ago, NOVAlars said:

Schiphol is a bit cheaper as a layover option IAD to Aberdeen or IAD to Inverness than a round trip IAD to EDI. But much more expensive than LHR as a layover.
 

Could even do IAD-AMD-ABZ to Scotland and then INV-AMS-IAD on the way home, which puts Cruden Bay in play off the plane without having to head all the way back to Aberdeen from Inverness on the last full day. It is about the same price as IAD-EDI. 
 

Would passport control be in AMS or Scotland? Not sure post Brexit

 

@scott_Donald thanks for the tip on your skis. Makes me feel better than LHR

 

I flew Aberdeen - AMS - Calgary. When we landed at AMS, there was about 28 on the flight that had less than 1 hour connection so we didn't have to do passport control if you had a connection. On the way back it was the same and I was one of the short connection passengers. I did passport control only in Calgary and Aberdeen. 

 

I use Schiphol when I can, hate BA. I used Singapore Airlines out of Manchester when I was living in Houston; they are still my favourite. 

4 hours ago, hammergolf said:

I didn’t know flying into ABZ was an option. That would definitely be the choice for me as it’s much less driving off the plane. Maybe you could get lucky and score an invite to Royal Aberdeen and make that your round off the flight with basically no driving at all. Then you could make the short drive up to Cruden Bay after! Get a good nights sleep then play Cruden Bay in the morning when you’re fresh. As far as passport control, you will have to clear in AMS and Scotland since they are no longer n the EU.

 

That would be fun!

 

See above I might have just been lucky. I won't be flying until October(Spain using KLM) again unless I can sneak an Engelberg ski trip in; new baby tomorrow...... 

[Hawkeye77]

Don’t play 36 on Friday and relieve unnecessary stress about driving. 
 

Don’t go through Heathrow. 
 

 

[hammergolf]

4 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

I flew Aberdeen - AMS - Calgary. When we landed at AMS, there was about 28 on the flight that had less than 1 hour connection so we didn't have to do passport control if you had a connection. On the way back it was the same and I was one of the short connection passengers. I did passport control only in Calgary and Aberdeen. 

 

I use Schiphol when I can, hate BA. I used Singapore Airlines out of Manchester when I was living in Houston; they are still my favourite. 

 

That would be fun!

 

See above I might have just been lucky. I won't be flying until October(Spain using KLM) again unless I can sneak an Engelberg ski trip in; new baby tomorrow...... 

Congrats on the new baby!

[Mostly]

13 hours ago, NOVAlars said:

Would passport control be in AMS or Scotland? Notsure post Brexit

You’d go through passport control at both - Brexit hasn’t actually changed that.

 

I drive the A9 fairly often.  It isn’t that bad a road (although the long promised and well over due duelling of Perth to Inverness will be a huge improvement when (if?) it eventually happens).  The issue is that it switches from dual carriageway to single carriageway and back again.  It is a busy road with lots of heavy trucks, buses etc and car drivers get stuck behind them and you do see some scary overtaking manoeuvres! People can someone forget they are on a single carriageway section with unpleasant results!  You also get vehicles turning across one carriageway to get the other.  And I do remember “making good progress” early one morning before the speed cameras arrived and having an interesting moment when a huge red deer stag decided to stop in the middle of the road!  
If I was just off a long haul flight and was driving on the “wrong” side of the road I’d be a wee bit concerned I think.  A96 from Aberdeen to Inverness isn’t exactly a motorway though either!

[NOVAlars]

 

@scott_Donald congrats on the new member of your family, Scott. Hope everything goes well for a healthy delivery!

[MattyO1984]

@scott_Donald, congratulations! I hope mum and baby are both doing well. 

[scott_Donald]

On 2/12/2024 at 2:30 PM, hammergolf said:

Congrats on the new baby!

 

4 hours ago, MattyO1984 said:

@scott_Donald, congratulations! I hope mum and baby are both doing well. 

 

On 2/12/2024 at 2:30 PM, hammergolf said:

Congrats on the new baby!

 

Thanks guys, my poor wife is stuck with 3 boys now!

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

 

 

Thanks guys, my poor wife is stuck with 3 boys now!

You’ll have your own foursome now! Congrats

[scott_Donald]

6 hours ago, hammergolf said:

You’ll have your own foursome now! Congrats

 

Just have to get my wife golfing again now..... 2 year old loves it already. 

[hammergolf]

15 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

Just have to get my wife golfing again now..... 2 year old loves it already. 

That’s awesome!

[sabram]

I've done a half dozen golf trips through Heathrow and not had any problems. I usually fly British Air for all legs of the trips . 

In 2022 I did JFK to Heathrow to Aberdeen and returned Inverness to Heathrow to JFK. It was a breeze. Aberdeen and Inverness are real easy little airports and made all the connections with ease and with golf clubs 

Edited February 15 by sabram
To fix typos

[NOVAlars]

@sabram thanks for sharing. How long were your layovers?

[sabram]

1 minute ago, NOVAlars said:

@sabram thanks for sharing. How long were your layovers?

I arrived at LHR around 6:15 am and departed for Aberdeen around 8:45 am. I had time to meet up with my playing partners who arrived form other places and have breakfast before going to the gate to depart for Aberdeen. It worked well for me and left me a little window to be comfortable in the event my flight from JFK had been delayed

 

My trip back to NY started at Inverness. I stayed at the hotel at the airport and walked about 200 yards with my clubs to the terminal. I was the first flight out of the airport in the morning. IIRC flight departed at 7:00 am.  I actually got to the terminal around 5:45 am  before they had even opened the doors to enter the terminal. I arrived at LHR around 8:45am  and departed for NY at 10:45 am