Ireland or Scotland????

C. Spackler · May 11, 2011

In the beginning stages of planning a long awaited trip to the UK and it's been increasingly harder to decide where I actually want to go but I've narrowed it down to Scotland and Ireland (Surprise, surprise, right?). I'm hoping that all the experience on the board can guid me through this "tough" decision. I'm looking for bang for the buck, ease of travel between stops, local interests, visitor friendly, etc.

On top of deciding where to go, the decisions get even tougher when trying to decide what regions within the chosen country to attend......decisions, decisions. HELP!!!

sabram · May 16, 2011

[quote name='C. Spackler' timestamp='1305128791' post='3224979']
In the beginning stages of planning a long awaited trip to the UK and it's been increasingly harder to decide where I actually want to go but I've narrowed it down to Scotland and Ireland (Surprise, surprise, right?). [/quote]

If you want to visit the UK, the decision is easy. Scotland is part of the UK, Ireland is not (unless you are only considering Northern Ireland.) In any event you can make several great trips to several beautiful regions of Scotland or Ireland. If you haven't been to either place before, I'd suggest Scotland and center your trip on Fife which is where St Andrews is located and neighboring East Lothian. Between those two areas there are probably 25 excellent courses to choose from at a wide range of cost. You also have Edinburgh and St Andrews to tour/site-see, as well as many quaint villages. Three expensive courses to consider are the Old Course, Kingsbarns and Muirfield. You can try to get on the daily ballot at TOC which can make it a reasonable cost. On days that you aren't playing TOC you can play the New Course, the Castle course and the Jubilee course all at St Andrews. Besides that as you drive along the coast toward Edinburgh , besides Kingsbarns, you can play Crail (Balcomie), Elie, Lundin and Leven. If you want an inland course, play Ladybank. In East Lothian, the must plays (besides Muirfield) are Gullane #1 and #2 and North Berwick (West). Nearby you also have Dunbar. For some inexpensive rounds try Luffness (New) Longniddry or Kilspindie. There is also the new Renaissance course by Tom Doak.

Caldymat · May 16, 2011

Id say Ireland although i would as ive never been to Scotland! Shame!

I live by Royal Liverpool in Hoylake and had a great trip to Conwy Nefyn and Royal St Davids in Wales.

Ireland though you cant beat, stay in Killarney, and play either Tralee, Killarney(irish open there this year) Ballybunion, Doonbeg, which is a greg norman designed beaut, miles away across a ferry but well worth it,

Colum · May 20, 2011

some fine links golf courses in the south west of ireland, such as 2 Ballybunion courses, 2 at Tralee and Waterville is the best of them all, nice countryside and atmosphere around there, is about a 2 hour drive from where I live. Prices may have dropped here due to the economic climate, but all in all I would say Ireland is expensive if you are measuring it as bang for your buck. I don't know prices in Scotland. I think Ballybunion is 180 euro a round which must be over 250 dollars, is this what you are expecting, perhaps they are similar for the links courses in Scotland. I would expect it shouldn't be too difficult to get a tee time if you book in advance, but you might want to contact the courses to confirm for both countries. I suppose the good links in Scotland will also be expensive. Is it links golf in particular you want, or inland also? Portmarnock golf links in Dublin is also superb and Royal Dublin has been upgraded and a few good ones in the north such as Royal Portrush. Lots of very good inland courses in Ireland and you will find most if not all of them have dropped their prices significantly, just the links courses don't need to drop prices as there is always a demand for those. Accomodation is dropped in price quite a bit here too, depending where you stay, so perhaps bang for your buck will have improved in that respect. The Old Head golf course is also in the south and attracts alot of American golfers, the course is spectacular scenery, but the holes are fairly average, probably still worth a visit if you are in the area. Ease of travel is hard to gauge without knowing where you are traveling to/from exactly, presumably you know Ireland is a seperate island to UK, but regular flights are about 1 hour to London, which is probably about the same time/distance as Edinburgh to London. There are good golf course within reasonably short driving distance from each other in both countries.
Most American golfers to visit Ireland/UK are more interested in links golf rather than parkland. How many days golfing and how many courses you want to visit? I would say in a short visit there is little to chose between the 2, both have some excellent offerings. I lived in Fife in Scotland for a short while, nice countryside around that area, St. Andrews town is scenic and Edinburgh is also worth a visit. Both Scotland and Ireland are close enough to each other to visit both if you have the time. If for example you started in the South West of Ireland with Ballybunion and Waterville, perhaps Tralee and the Old Head also if time allows, then approx 3 hour drive to Dublin if you had an interest in visiting the capital, play Portmarnock, then I suppose 2 and half hour drive to Royal Portrush, it is a short car-ferry trip from Northern Ireland to West Scotland, only a few miles by sea. Could visit Edinburgh, Muirfield GC, and then towards St. Andrews and the other links in that area, as a suggestion, depends how many days you here.
If you will be hiring a car/travelling by road this michelin website may help with estimating travel/driving times between the courses to aid with planning. http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Maps

Colum · May 20, 2011

I notice that looks like Payne Stewart in your avatar. Payne was an honorary member of Waterville and was actually due to be the club captain of Waterville for the year 2000. Waterville is up there with the best links courses, not quite as well known as Ballybunion, Portmarnock and the famous Scottish courses, but for those who have played it it always ranks very highly, my favourite course in Ireland.

panmure · May 20, 2011

I am from the Carnoustie area originally, and agree with others that the stretch of coastline from North Berwick, to Carnoustie has some great examples of links golf, however Ireland has equally great links golf, so really there is no bad choice. My only suggestion would be calculate the travel time between courses, sitting in a car/bus for hours travelling gets old, you really dont see that much. Also check the weather stats, the weather is unpredictable but there are times when it should be better.

Random Hack · May 21, 2011

Good thread - visit my sister in London twice a year and this year we're gonna shoot off to visit Ireland, Wales, and Scotland..................determined to play at least one course over there, preferably one in the rota.

Keep the suggestions coming, gents.

Colum · May 21, 2011

[quote name='YipMaster' timestamp='1305991383' post='3251867']
Good thread - visit my sister in London twice a year and this year we're gonna shoot off to visit Ireland, Wales, and Scotland..................determined to play at least one course over there, preferably one in the rota.

Keep the suggestions coming, gents.
[/quote]

The British Open is being played close to London this year, in Royal St. Georges in Kent, SE of London, one of the finest courses in the world, and Kent is an attractive county, worth considering if you are spending time in London. I haven't been but its on my list of courses to play before I get too old!!!
[url="http://www.royalstgeorges.com/"]http://www.royalstgeorges.com/[/url]

Fine inland courses worth playing near London too, Walton Heath held the 1981 Ryder Cup, Wentworth, and Sunningdale are also good.

Alot depends on the travelling, how much time you have and how many good courses you want in close proximity. SW Ireland for a short visit does have 5 good links courses and Killarney is a short drive away, nice inland track alongside the Killarney lakes. Weather is miserable here all this month, but we are promised it is to improve next week. Scottish weather is also unpredictable, but many american visitors playing seaside courses seem to enjoy the wild weather!!!

I am not familiar with Welsh golf courses, I know the Ryder Cup was held there, inland course, nice coastline around west and north Wales, I assume they have linksland also.

Shemp · May 23, 2011

I just returned from a trip to Scotland booked through Travelling the Fairways.

We landed at Edinburgh at 8AM from the States. Within 3 hours we had traversed the country and were standing on the 1st tee at Prestwick, home of the first 10 Open Championships. Prestwick is old (1851), very wild, and more than a bit quirky. A good introduction to links golf, with a nice clubhouse and decent lunch. Wind ws a constant 30 mph with gusts nearing 50.

We stayed for two nights at the Royal Turnberry Hotel.... very posh. Dinner one night was at "The Wildings" a local restaurant a couple of miles down the road from the hotel... excellent and much cheaper than the hotel.

Second day we played 36 at Troon. 18 at the Championship Course and 18 at the Portland Course. Another rugged layout with stronger winds than Prestwick. The Postage Stamp with 40 mph winds is a real treat!

3rd day was the Ailsa Course at Turnberry... my favorite course in Scotland. Incredibly beautiful, very challenging with 18 solid holes and views to write home about. Get the fish and chips in the clubhouse for lunch, you won't be sorry.

We then travelled back to the east and the town of St Andrews, staying at the Old Course Hotel, located on the Road Hole. There were 8 of us and we had a custom Mercedes coach and driver through Travelling the Fairways for our entire stay.

4th day was a round at the Old Course in the worst winds yet. Our caddies advised that the Open postponment of 2010 was for far less wind than we played through. It had to be a steady 40 mph with hiigher gusts. I always play golf with a hat on, but I had to play the Old Course hatless because of the wind. I couldn't get my ball to stay on the green on 11 after marking. The wind was so strong that balls were oscillating on tees, greens, fairways and even in the rough. It was a real test of nerves. The Old Course is not my favorite Scottish links, but a must play when you're there.

5th day brought us to Kingsbarns, my second favorite course. It looks and feels like it's been there for a couple of hundred years, except it opened in 2000. Winds were down a bit, but still north of 20mph. 18 good holes with views of the North Sea from every one of them. Truly spectacular and worth the price.

Our last round was at Carnoustie, with the wind back up and a couple of cold rain squalls that added to the misery that "Carnasty" provides. It seemed like there were bunkers everywhere and that almost every one had a 10 yard wide funnel in front.

So, that was the trip we booked. 5 British Open venues and the "Throw In" Kingsbarns, is a top 100 world course ranked #15 in the UK.

I can't wait to go back and do the northern swing, Brora, Dornoch, Nairn, Cruden and Royal Aberdeen, with perhaps a stop at Gleneagles thrown in.

Colum · May 27, 2011

[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1306174213' post='3256269']
I just returned from a trip to Scotland booked through Travelling the Fairways.

5th day brought us to Kingsbarns, my second favorite course. It looks and feels like it's been there for a couple of hundred years, except it opened in 2000.[/quote]

Sounds like a great trip, would love a visit to Scotland again. I wasn't playing golf when I was living there so I missed out on an opportunity. Wind will always be an issue by the sea in Scotland and here in Ireland, its just the luck of the draw as to how strong the wind will blow, has been wild here for all of May but April was a nice month with little wind. I live near the Old Head of Kinsale GC and it has been known for drives to finish behind you on the very worst days!!! Sounds like you and your buddies are tough enough for it though!!!

Kingsbarns GC was being built at the time and I recall being brought out there for a visit by someone involved in the construction. The way they shaped all the mounds/dunes was interesting. They got the dozers to just push heaps of sand where they wanted and then seeded the mounds as they were, no other shaping or landscaping or raking of any kind was done to the mounds, this was their method of creating the wild and rugged look.

You didn't mention Muirfield GC, was that course on your agenda, its near Edinburgh, another very highly regarded Scottish links and one on my list of courses I'd like to play while I still can. I passed up a chance to play Edinburgh and St. Andrews when I was there, wish I hadn't.

Shemp · May 28, 2011

We had a chance to play Muirfield on Thursday, but we would have lost our place at the Old Course. It was a tough choice, but I'm glad I played the old. I shot an 86 in horrific conditions and will always remember blowing my drive over the barn on the Road hole to 90 yards dead center fairway, and taking a perfect draw up the right side on 18 that finished 70 yards from the green. Not bad for a 58 year old!

joe perry · June 1, 2011

I would suggest Ireland - Been there the last 4 years and have had good to great weather ( some luck involved )

Why Ireland ?

1. Cheaper than Scotland - top links courses are always $$$ but the second tier links are cheaper in Ireland and they are more rugged and scenic and unique

2. Don't need to make a tee time in Ireland except for maybe the weekends - golf tourism is down and you can just show up and tee off depending on the weather forecast for the day

3. Possibly less driving depending on the courses you want to play - less driving = more time for sightseeing and I would say driving is easier in Ireland

4. Visit Northern Ireland - contains 2 of the top 5 links courses in THE WORLD (Royal Portrush and Royal County Down)

5. Donegal - everyone should visit Donegal before they die

6. O'Bama is Irish !!!!!! http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3596669/President-Barack-Obama-visits-Irish-home.html

Ears26 · June 1, 2011

[quote name='Shemp' timestamp='1306174213' post='3256269']

I can't wait to go back and do the northern swing, Brora, Dornoch, Nairn, Cruden and Royal Aberdeen, with perhaps a stop at Gleneagles thrown in.
[/quote]

I would suggest if you do get the chance for the North East of Scotland Trip that you include Castle Stuart - if you though Kingsbarns was good, then wait until you see Castle Stuart. It's hosting this years Scottish open so you should get chance to see it on TV. Possibly the most spectacular course built in the last 50 years in the UK. Very enjoyable and fantastic hospitality at the course and in the club house - and if there is a better view from any clubhouse in the world I'd love to see it!

Cruden Bay by comparison is a little over rated in my book - some particularly weak holes and the greens have been very poor now for a good few years. Personally I'd drop Cruden Bay and play Boat of Garten (a fantastic little inland course), Castle Stuart or Moray (Old & New).