Golf Break Advice

[Lord Tyrion]

My son is going to be 18 in January. My wife has suggested a mini trip to a nice course / courses, 1 night, 2 rounds. We live in the NE of England and don't want to be driving for hours. Happy to go 3-4 hours for the right place. We would book it for March / April.

I'd like to avoid bland hotel courses, we can play them anytime, but can't justify a Gleneagles for example. There is a deal at Turnbery but it doesn't include the Ailsa. Is the other course there so good that it doesn't matter?

Are there places to think of that people would recommend? I'm not against putting something together myself. Remember, I have to impress an 18 yr old but not break the bank.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Woodhall Spa - two great Course - one of them world class

 

[Wayman]

North Berwick area can’t fail
Play one of the Gullane courses and then maybe the glen. Won’t break the bank and Gullane allows 2 for 1 vouchers

 

[srixon 1]

Some great courses just north of Leeds. Shouldn't be too expensive around that time of the year.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

There is a deal at Turnbery but it doesn't include the Ailsa. Is the other course there so good that it doesn't matter?

This would be a seriously bad move IMHO, your lad would forever think of you as a tight git. Can you imagine how traumatic it would be standing on the 1st tee looking over at the championship course? I remember when I played Princes, at the time I hadn't play Royal St Georges. I spent 18 holes looking over the fence wishing I was playing RSG

 

[clubchamp98]

Have a look at Mere golf and country club nice hotel with very good course.
then
Sandiway or prestbury. Just off M6 .

or
Hillside and S and A in southport some nice hotels there.

 

[Trojan615]

Brocket hall staying in the Melbourne lodge, 2 courses and pretty much unlimited golf / par 3 course / range balls

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

At the time of year you are looking at and the distance limitations, I would be looking at the courses around East Lothian as all the links will be playable. Plenty of good courses to choose from, I'm sure you could put a mini trip together within your budget.

 

[woody69]

Find a nice AirBnB place and just go play a couple of decent courses within driving distance.

 

[TreeSeeker]

I have to say it feels like a great bit of advice from your wife time is the most valuable gift, but I wouldn't be looking for the top courses, i'd factor the place you goto is more important than the course you pick. For one of my birthdays (16th I think) i went with my dad to a council pitch and putt course he used to play regularly when he was growing up, it cost £3 or something and was dire, but it is one of the few birthdays I really remember. So yeah my point would be to goto a place that has some meaning, and the rounds of golf nearby are just a nice bonus.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Been out tonight so only just picked up the posts. Thanks for the tips. I'll hit the internet tomorrow and look up the suggestions.

 

[big_matt]

East lothian. Cant go wrong. Gullane/Craigielaw/Longniddry/Dunbar etc are very good without breaking the bank. Some good cheap accomodation also.

 

[Captainron]

I'm with the majority here. You should be heading north to Scotland.

There are loads of great courses just east of Edinburgh. If you are willing to go to St Andrews then you will be in for a massive treat. So many superb courses and you could always go in for the ballot for the Old Course or turn up and wait for a chance. It is an unbelievable experience and this is the option I would go for.

 

[KenL]

http://craigielawgolfclub.com/golf/packages

How about the "links package" here.
The hotel & restaurant here are lovely.

Three great courses, Dunbar, Gullane 2 (as good as Gullane 1 to me) and Craigielaw.

This looks a great deal, especially since food is included. You could also jump on the train to Edinburgh from Longniddry just along the road and trat your lad to a pint in the trendy bars along George St.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Portpatrick is different. bit of a drive [but what a nice drive]

There is a decent Shearings hotel right next to the course, It sits on top of the cliff with great views.
Shearings self drive breaks are very good value.

https://www.coastandcountryhotels.com/hotels-locations/the-portpatrick

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Woodhall Spa - two great Course - one of them world class

good call

 

[Marshy77]

Someone mentioned Leeds - Alwoodley and Sand Moor - both outstanding courses and you should be able to get a decent deal around that time, stay in a decent hotel close by.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Thanks folks. There is a balancing act to be had here. If it was purely for me then I would be booking Woodhall Spa or something along the lines that Marshy77 has just recommended. Both would be spot on. However, my son is 18, big birthday, and I think a name may be calling to him. It is a bit like him wanting ProV1 balls and I get him Wilson ones. Nothing wrong with them but when you are a teenager the name matters.

I am going to put some of these suggestions together, cost them up and have a sit down with him. Hopefully he will like the plan b, c, d etc but I don't want him to go on this trip and him feel deflated. Drive4Show made the point early on in the thread and it is a very fair one.

The thread has been really useful for me though as it has thrown names up that I would not have thought of before and I may well go to them in future when a bling name is not required, ie it is a normal trip

 

[Crazyface]

Am I too late?

Lytham St Annes. (Blackpool but sooooo much nicer)

Hotel - The Grand
Golf - St Annes Old Links - Lytham Green - Fleetwood (Personal Fav)
Food - Turkish Restaurant in Lytham ------ Your welcome.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

CF - It's a great shout but we are in the same territory where D4S posed a warning. "Son we are going to play at Lytham" Great dad, where they had the Open", "No, son, but you can see it when we play our course"

Can you hear the air deflating out of the balloon?

For his 19th birthday it will be much easier as we can do a trip such as you have suggested and I wont have to sell a kidney to fund it. Incidentally, Royal Lytham is £195 for midweek, pretty much the cheapest Open or flash course in the north. The rest are all £220 plus, eg the Liverpool courses, Kingsbarns, Muirfield, Turnberry etc. That is one round, no accommodation. The best option of a flash course seems to be Gleneagles, I'd love that, but we would probably need to add on another nights stay in order to get there, cheapo Travelodge for that. We may well need to comprise as the reality of playing these courses hits home.

My wife thinks it is all so easy but doesn't realise that all of the low "offers" are for the 2nd or 3rd courses at a Turnberry etc and that is not cutting the mustard.