Scotland Golf Trip

Johnny_Fontane

We're looking to organise a golf trip to Scotland this September for 4/5 days.

6 lads, it looks like, probably stretch it to 8. The obvious choice would be to base ourselves in St. Andrews but not too fussy. Ideally we want to be walkable to a local town/village with easy access to golf. I don't know the area at all, but I think North Berwick might be another base?

Can anyone recommend a travel agent, local guide that was helpful? We've a few quid to spend on this, so getting it all organised by someone else would be great!

Miley Byrne

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

We're looking to organise a golf trip to Scotland this September for 4/5 days.

6 lads, it looks like, probably stretch it to 8. The obvious choice would be to base ourselves in St. Andrews but not too fussy. Ideally we want to be walkable to a local town/village with easy access to golf. I don't know the area at all, but I think North Berwick might be another base?

Can anyone recommend a travel agent, local guide that was helpful? We've a few quid to spend on this, so getting it all organised by someone else would be great!

First choice would be too book it all yourself. Settle on an area, contact the courses and if you are happy with them go away and book a large house on Airbnb or something and away you go. I used Your Golf Travel a few times and would recommend as it can be a way of getting the golf at a reasonable rate.

Try to get the extra two to make it 2 fourballs if you can. Just easier for booking golf and will bring down the cost of house and hire cars

slave1

I've done a few Uni runs to Aberdeen with the young one, real easy to pop up to Belfast and get the Ferry.
I know you may think this is hassle but nothing like packing whatever the hell you want into your own car, no flight worries, no rental car worries...

sylvanb

If you are going to Scotland - then for me the only choice is St Andrews - plenty of courses nearby. A lot to be said to being able to walk to the courses when staying in the town.

If flying, it's not that far from Edinburgh but the ferry is an option as well if a group of 8 are going.

Johnny_Fontane

slave1 wrote: »

I've done a few Uni runs to Aberdeen with the young one, real easy to pop up to Belfast and get the Ferry.
I know you may think this is hassle but nothing like packing whatever the hell you want into your own car, no flight worries, no rental car worries...

Would love to have the time, but its a 4 hour drive from stranraer and thats at least 2 from Dublin on top of the cost of the ferry, as it's only a 4/5 day trip, the flights will be easier for us. Plan is to have no car, just get taxis etc to the courses nearby.

bailey99

i've done trips to scotland five times in the last seven years. We went to St Andrews everytime. 4 of us went in 2014 and 2015. 12 of us went in 2016. 24 of us went in 2018. 12 of us in 2020. I organised it all myself. Not much to it when you know how.

Drop me a pm and we can have a chat if you want. I can give you a few pointers if booking it yourself.

thewobbler

I’ve nothing to base this on apart from researching trips that have yet to happen, but I’m much more drawn to Inverness or Aberdeen than St Andrew’s. A bit like Donegal, I’m attracted to the remoteness.

I’ve worked out the following schedule which would be testing:

Friday
7.30-9.30am Boat to Scotland
11.30am Stop on long drive, for lunch in Gleneagles
2.30pm arrive in Inverness
3.30pm Castle Stuart
Stay in Inverness, drink too much.

Saturday
Lie in
1.30pm play Brora
Stay in Inverness, drink too much.

Sunday
Lie in
12pm: play Royal Dornoch
6pm: long drive southwards at our leisure
Stay in a guesthouse in Ayrshire. Quiet night.

Monday
9am: Trump Turnberry
4pm: Boat back to Larne
7pm: Back home with family

—-

The driving doesn’t bother me at all. Some of the group are very against it though.

Miley Byrne

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

Would love to have the time, but its a 4 hour drive from stranraer and thats at least 2 from Dublin on top of the cost of the ferry, as it's only a 4/5 day trip, the flights will be easier for us. Plan is to have no car, just get taxis etc to the courses nearby.

If I was you I would have a re-think about the cars. They are invaluable in my opinion. You just have so much more freedom than you would have if relying on taxis and public transport. If you have 4 lads per car you would get a big estate type for less than €100 a day. You might see some course you hadn't planned on playing and fancy 9 holes some evening. You are just so much more flexible when you have the cars parked outside your front door.

Seve OB

personally I'd always want a car for a golf trip

but if you don't OP, then book flights to Edinburgh, transfers to St Andrews, stay in the town (loads of options) its a short walk from any of the hostelries down to the clubhouse. there are 7 courses to choose from. there are actually many more golf courses in st andrews, which people don't realise, but these 7 courses are the "official" ones all on the same plot of land. you will be able to organise a bundle to play a few of them together to include the old course which would mean you don't have to worry about going into the Ballot to play the old course.
if you want to play any of the others, there are heaps which would only be a short taxi ride away

https://www.standrews.com/

i think you'll find it easier to book this yourself,

my top tips
give yourself some time to go over and spend a few hours at the Accademy, its the best driving range in the world
for at least the old course, get a caddy

Seve OB

found an email which i used before and it may be helpful to organise transfers from airport
info@standrewsshuttle.com