pjoneslake

My golfing husband and I are traveling to Scotland in September. We are following a golf trail and he plans to play links course. We have at least 20 days and will start in Edinborough, traveling to St Andrews, Aberdeen and Dornoch. We would like inexpensive B&B's for lodging and scenic travel routes. We enjoy learning about the culture, scenic rides traveling casually.

Can anyone give us advice?

janisj

My guess he will LOVE playing Royal Dornoch -- every golfer I've taken to Scotland has enjoyed it the most -- even over the Old Course and Carnoustie. Though the Old Course is a special case and very memorable. If you can, arrange things so you are around Fife/St Andrews on a Sunday. There is no play on the Old Course and it becomes a (VERY) big city park so the both of you can walk the entire course and he can look it over before playing on Mon or Tues.

Is he planning on playing the biggies or more the less famous local courses? If the biggies (Carnoustie/Old Course/Troon/Prestwick/Dornoch/etc) he should probably book tee times ASAP -- but being a single that isn't really necessary since the starters will place singles w/ twosomes and threesomes on the day.

'Inexpensive' could mean almost anything -- what is your actual budget?

(it is Edinburgh BTW)

pjoneslake

Thank you so much. You sound as if you are really familiar with the golf courses. Here is what he would like to play at this point.

St Andrews Old Course
Kingsbarns
Carnoustie Championship
Royal Aberdeen
Cruden Bay
Dornach
Nairn
N. Berwick

We are trying to schedule so that we don't hit any tournaments. For some reason the Aberdeen area is booked up starting 9/8 for about 4 days but I don't see anything scheduled. on the courses.

Will he be able to reserve as a single on the different courses. I know that St Andrews is very difficult

pjoneslake

We are trying to keep to lodging to an average of $150. I found inexpensive housing in St Andrews and Edinborough but I'm trying to juggle the dates.

Havana128

It's still Edinburgh.

colduphere

getting on St Andrews

colduphere

Sorry about that. I don't think he will have much trouble getting on St Andrews if he is willing to show up at the first tee very early in the morning with his clubs. I will be doing the same thing this September.

That is quite a list of clubs. If he is going to North Berwick he should also take a look at Gullane.

colduphere

I am not helping you much with other info but perhaps this will help your husband.

I wish I had read more more about the North Berwick course before I played it the first time. It is a fascinating course with rock walls in play and the original redan hole:

http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-...northberwick1/

Kingsbarns is stunningly beautiful. Play at all costs.

If he gets on the Old Course I would strongly recommend a caddie, especially if he is not put in with local golfers. You can try and listen in on your playing companion's caddie but that often doesn't go over too well. And it doesn't work at all if you have the honor on the tee. There are some shots where you will not have the slightest idea what your "line" is unless someone is helping you.

janisj

Re caddies re bag carriers (often junior caddies) -- I definitely recommend him booking caddies on at least the Old Course, Carnoustie, and Dornoch. Bag carriers are probably OK on some of the others but qualified caddies are well worth the extra ££ for the major courses. Bag carriers can help a bit but they are really only meant to carry.

But don't assume he'll understand a word they say

Oh, North Berwick is a wonderful course.

In Fife I suggest he also try to fit in Crail, Lundin Linksl and some of the other courses

St Andrews, North Berwick, Nairn and Royal Dornoch are all in/very near the town centers so easy for you to sightsee/shop/eat while he is playing. For the others you can take the car and tour around a bit and return to pick him up at the course.

$150/£95 is doable in most areas but I'd plan on more in Edin<u><B>burgh</u></B> and St Andrews.

You can use one base for all of Fife and Carnoustie. And another base for Aberdeen and Cruden Bay.

pjoneslake

Thank you golfers. He will love this information. He has traveled to Scotland before but with a tour. I'm not into tours and like to get as close to the people as possible.

We are considering postponing until next May/June because we can then make reservations on St Andrew's Old Course. He has played it before and MUST play it. He loves the tradition of golf and you can't get any closer. I am surprised at how easy it is to get T Times at the other courses.

colduphere

I'll have a drink in your honor in September. You mention links courses. If he is willing to try a parkland course I suggest Gleneagles, where the Ryder Cup was just held. The Kings Course is a beauty. It might also be an enjoyable visit for you.

Friendship_Bay

Cold, we will be hiking the Spey River Trail, following a Festival binge in Edinburgh, while you are golfing. I don't want to hijack this thread, but we should compare notes!

pjoneslake

We are still working on Tee Times. If we get Dornoch and Kingsbarn, we might just chance it for St Andrew's

Colduphere, have you had luck getting on St Andrews?

janisj

If he is a single he can't try for the Old Course Ballot - the lottery is limited to 2 or more players. But that shouldn't be an issue. Being a solo player he really only needs to show up early at the starter's shack and he will be place w/ the first available twosome or threesome.

Geordie

As Janisj says, there should be no problem getting on the Old course if he is a single player, I've managed to get friends to join my group who just turned up on the day, even without handicaps! I think I had more 1st tee nerves than them when they were hitting, I was thinking please don't miss the ball

All the other courses mentioned are great, but you could also look at Castle Stuart, the Trump course outside Aberdeen and I know friends who have got onto Muirfield which is just outside Edinburgh

nyse

^^"Havana128 on May 11, 15 at 3:31am
It's still Edinburgh."^^

I don't golf but I know a good line when I see it-

colduphere

FB will be in contact.

Pjoneslake have a look at this thread. The link "linksmagazine" point 3 gives some stats on the likelihood of walking on. It's a bit dated but in my view still accurate. We have shown up twice without a time and gotten on. As said earlier I plan to do it again in September, multiple times.

The poster's husband discussed in this thread (Bankbabe) went over early with his clubs and was soon on the course.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...7-day-trip.cfm

pjoneslake

Thank you so much. He's going to try. We have all of his tee times booked. We'll be in St Andrews on 9/3,4,5 so he'll have a chance to try. He plays Kingsbarns on Sunday. (I'm going to recheck those green fees, they are really high)

Now we need inexpensive lodging to pay for the golf. Any recommendations for
St Andrews 9/3-9/7
Old Course
Kingsbarns
Aberdeen area 9/8-9/11
Royal Aberdeen
Cruden Bay
Dornach 9/12-15
Royal Dornach
Dates not confirmed for rest of trip We might explore after playing Nairn
Nairn
Edinburgh (finally got the spelling and the pronunciation!! 9/18-21
N Berwick
Gullane

pjoneslake

lodging budget would be under $150. We would like to be in the towns

colduphere

I think you have settled on the right strategy. And I suspect the Kingsbarns price is correct. It is very expensive.

We have stayed in Leuchars, around the corner from St Andrews, as well as on the road between St Andrews and Kingsbarns. You may not want to do that if your husband is taking off in the car. I notice that Carnoustie has been dropped. But that is still an amazing list of courses to play.

Next year - the west coast?!