St. Andrews Question

[texcrom]

Which Forum?

Here's a question, and it's not equipment related, but I'm not sure where to go for a response, so....

The wife informs me at dinner tonight that we should start planning for a trip to Scotland in about two years. We both have always wanted to go to Scotland (her for family, and me for golf), and she thinks we should plan well ahaed.

The questions for anyone with knowledge:

1) When is the best time of year to go, most notably to stay at and play St. Andrews?
2) How far in advance do you have to schedule to stay at the hotel at the Old Course, and how does one go about getting a tee time? Is it true that a letter from your club pro is required for you to play the course?

The golf is my part of the trip. The rest of the time will be her's, so I've got to make sure I get this done right. It is certainly my only shot!

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but thanks for your responses.

[taylormadefan]

If you don't mind, I'm going to piggyback on your thread, because I too am planning on a trip to Scotland early this summer.

 

If anyone knows, I'd be much obliged as to any tips and any precautions for getting a single onto the Old Course. :)

[Simp]

Sorry I can't help ya texcrom, but your wife better be wearing a friggin' ROCK after that conversation about ya'lls St. Andrews trip! I'm sure someone here can help you though. Good luck!

[crew_138]

When I went... I was stationed in England, but I was a member of a club there. When we showed up we had to have a official club hdcp and it had to be under 18.

 

We went through a local agency and they sent everthing up for us. I reccommend playing kings barn while there is is just beautiful.

 

As far as playing the old course it is kinda like a lottery style. Get your name in pool and if they draw your name it will be posted the evening before.

 

There were alot of guys that showed up really early... like predawn and waited at the starter box to try to get on, and they looked pretty succesful. We had a group of three and they asked if it was alright if a single could join. So that may work.

 

We got lucky enough to stay at a B&B right off the water short walk down the street from the old course. We are in the US Navy and the owner just happened to be an ex US navy pilot, so it made it even easier on us... they were alot of help. If I can find the names of the places I will give them to you guys.

 

Good luck... and we played right before the open and the weather was just fine with one short rainy day

[mistral]

Go to

http://www.standrews.org.uk/golf/the_cours...e_bookings.html

for details regarding booking for the Olf Course. Looks like 2007 is pretyy booked up. I'm not sure when they open the booking sheet for next year but I think it is either the start of September or October.

 

If you want to try and get on as a single without a booking, you can turn up at the starters hut early in the morning (Early being 4.00am!) I arrived at 4.45am in September and was 4th in the queue and got onto the course at 8.00.

 

Other courses to play include the New, Jubiliee, Duke's, the new Castle course (No. 7 at St. Andrews which should be open by 2008), Kingsbarns, Crail. Avoid St Andrews Bay courses if you want real links golf.

 

Try the Himalaya's putting green in the evening. Your wife will enjoy it too. Crazy putting green but great fun.

 

1 hour from Edinburgh, 30 minutes from Dundee. Have dinner at Gleneagles if you want to spoil her.

[jshanks]

A group consisting of me and 5 friends went to Scotland last May. Out of the six of us, only one had been before. I took the lead and planned everything myself, flights, car rental, hotels, tee times, etc. It wasn't that hard and, frankly, was a lot of fun to plan.

 

We flew in and out of Glasgow, because the flights were cheaper. Ours was a two-base trip; St. Andrews and Dornoch. We played Lundin Links, Elie, Jubilee, Old Course, North Berwick, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay, Brora, and Royal Dornoch.

 

To answer your questions directly: (1) while I have only been once, I thought May was perfect. The main reason was that the gorse was blooming a brilliant yellow. The sight and smell of the blooming gorse was incredible. Weather, for the most part, was what you would expect. Lows in the high 30's and highs in the mid-50's. It rained a few days, but never very hard. It did, however, hail on us when we played Cruden Bay. May and October are considered to be the "shoulder season", that is, not the high tourist season...which was a plus for our group. May is generally cooler than September, but also gets less rain on average. June, July, August, and September are the "high season" for tourist, and the courses and accomodations can be a bit harder to book; and (2) I don't have any info regarding reservations at the Old Course Hotel. Our group rented a house in St. Andrews. Getting a tee time on the Old Course was a relatively easy process (perhaps made more so by the fact we travelled during a shoulder season). This website will tell you all you need to know (http://www.standrews.org.uk/golf/the_courses/old_course_bookings.html). In short, applications for an advance Old Course tee time for two or more golfers are accepted beginning at 12:01 a.m. UK time on the first Wednesday of September prior to your requested day of play (note* there are no advanced tee times during September). Applications received before then will not be considered. If you are requesting an Old Course tee time for April through October, you must also request a tee time on one of the other Links Trust courses. You do not need a letter from your pro. But, the Old Course starter did check our handicap cards (the only time they were checked the entire trip). I am sure I am missing something, but these are the high points of securing an advanced Old Course tee time.

 

Ours was an amazing trip. I think every day of a way I can get back sooner rather than later. The people were great, the beer/whiskey was great, and the golf was amazing. I can only hope you and your wife have as much fun as we did.

 

Please feel free to email me ([email protected]) if you have any other specific questions.

 

-Jason