Scotland golf trip advice sought

[OldMate]

I am going to be returning a week earlier than expected from a wedding overseas and want to use the time to tack on a trip to Scotland to tick a few courses off the 'to do list' (as to date the only "notable" courses I've played in the UK are in the south of England). Apologies in advance for my ignorance - I haven't really researched this much as yet but just wanted to get some general thoughts as I know a lot of you have covered this ground before/are locals.

Roughly I'm looking at having about 5 nights to play with from about the 8th/9th September and will be travelling by myself. Whilst I know that geographically most of these courses are nowhere near each other, from my very limited knowledge of Scottish courses the ones I would be hoping to play this time around are either Turnberry or the Old Course and then hopefully to the extent possible one or two of Cruden Bay, Machrihanish, Nairn, Troon or Gullane (of the no doubt countless others I can't think of off the top of my head). I have only ever traveled to Scotland to watch The Open (Muirfield) and rugby so don't know anything useful as to how I could put this trip together.

My general questions are:

1. If I chose to try to get on to Turnberry or St Andrews Old Course, which has more of the other better courses in Scotland nearby (including any of the above)? By nearby I mean accessible within an hour or two by public transport or taxi (in terms of transport I'm probably going to have to rely on public transport/planes as I probably won't have time to convert my foreign licence in time and have lived in the UK too long to get by with it as a tourist). I.e. to the extent that such a thing exists, I am hoping to roughly head to an area where I could play 4-5 of the "better" courses.

2. Are the likes of Your Golf Travel my only realistic bet of getting on to Turnberry/the Old Course at that time of year (September)? I know that others have mentioned previously that you can rock up to Old Course as a single overnight and hope to be sent out with a group - are the odds of getting on that way very high? I assume it will be a lot cheaper to mix and match it all myself, but I'd much rather get on to the courses I would like to play if it means I have to spend the extra money.

3. If Turnberry/the Old Course are likely no gos for the time I am looking at, does anyone have any general thoughts on the best area I should head to to get access to 4-5 recommended courses nearby?

Thanks in advance for any info - and apologies again for the vague/uninformed line of questions!
Cheers

 

[IanG]

Just a starter set of thoughts.....

Off the top of my head you could base yourself in St Andrews (Train + Tax/bus) for The Old, New, Jubilee, Kingsbarns etc or East Lothian for Gullane ( 1&2 3 for a nice wee extra ), North Berwick, Luffness New , Muirfield /Archerfield (if you were feeling flush). Or a little of both. North Berwick has a train station and a regular service to Edinburgh. Gullane is close by the Drem station on that line.

Machrihanish is IMHO too far for the time you have unless you want to spend all your time travelling. Plenty of great courses which are much more accessible.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I would base yourself in the North Berwick area where you have Gullane [x3], Muirfield, Archerfield courses, NB [x2] and Dunbar all within a 10/12 miles.

Troon/Prestwick where you have Royal Troon, Turnberry, Prestwick [x3], The Gailes courses and Belleisle all within 25 miles.

or

St Andrews where you have a multitude of Courses within 10 miles.

All good golfing areas, that are skilled in dealing with tourists.

 

[davidy233]

No trains to Cruden Bay nowadays - it's over 20 miles and nearly forty minutes by road

Agree that St Andrews or North Berwick/Gullane areas are best for a range of fine courses

 

[pbrown7582]

to get on the old course before October now you would have to either enter the ballot now done 48hours ahead rather than 24 I believe or queue up at daft oclock as a singleton and hope for a space, all advance bookings were balloted in sept last year.

 

[OldMate]

Thanks very much for the responses so far - all very helpful. I've just checked the St Andrews website which says they've got a comp on the week I'm looking at so it looks like even turning up at the crack of dawn as a single won't help me, and Muirfield appears to be fully booked. Troon/Prestwick and North Berwick/Gullane look like good options. Will keep investigating...

 

[pbrown7582]

Thanks very much for the responses so far - all very helpful. I've just checked the St Andrews website which says they've got a comp on the week I'm looking at so it looks like even turning up at the crack of dawn as a single won't help me, and Muirfield appears to be fully booked. Troon/Prestwick and North Berwick/Gullane look like good options. Will keep investigating...

think muirfield only do visitors on a Tuesday and youd probably need a 4.

 

[shewy]

I know it's not on your list but you could fly to Inverness and play Castle Stuart and Nairn, then train it down to Glasgow and play the Ayrshire courses. Cruden bay is great but an hour from Aberdeen and bus service only.

 

[nemicu]

Turnberry and St.Andrews are more or less opposite sides of Scotland, so you need to chose which one you would prefer to play.
Neither is that easy to get on in September - the daily ballot would probably be your only hope for St.Andrews Old Course if you haven't already got a slot booked. Odds are slim, but there's a chance.
Personally, even though the Old Course has heritage and the "home of golf" aura, it's not a particularly exciting course and Turnberry would be more of a challenge to be honest. Still tough to get on the Ailsa course unless you've got the tee reserved some time ago - if you haven't already then the chances are slim for Sept.
My money would be spent staying around St.Andrews for the New Course, Jubilee and Kingsbarns and leave space for a stab at Carnoustie.

 

[backwoodsman]

Having just got back from East Lothian can thoroughly recommend the area and Gullane is a pretty central spot for a multitude of fine courses. Obviously the "biggest" names are Muirfield and Archerfield which are just outside the village (and me not played them) but Gullane has its own No.1, 2 and 3 with Luffness New right adjacent. North Berwick is a mere bus ride away and theres not many finer courses in Scotland. Dunbar also close. "Lesser"names but darn good courses and perhaps could be regarded as hidden gems - and still only a short bus ride from Gullane are such Kilspindie, Craigielaw and Longniddry.

If you based yourself there, I doubt you regret it or that you'd think you'd missed some good courses.

 

[patricks148]

you can get a 3 round deal in sept oct for Nairn, Castle Stuart and Royal Dornoch thats Dinner B&B quite cheapish. a few of the guys on her have been up on it i think.

 

[stevek1969]

think you may get better value for cash at Gullane and such like as Kingsbarns is £215 a round,a bit steep i think

 

[OldMate]

you can get a 3 round deal in sept oct for Nairn, Castle Stuart and Royal Dornoch thats Dinner B&B quite cheapish. a few of the guys on her have been up on it i think.

Thanks - having now googled this it appears to be through Highland Golf Links for £365 inc a round at each and 2 nights accommodation. I'm also looking at your golf travel deal for 500 odd with 2 nights accom and rounds at royal troon old course, turnberry ailsa and prestwick. A bit expensive but I'm very keen to play turnberry so that might be the deciding factor. The killer may yet be "single supplements" - yet to find out how much they add for this.

 

[CliveW]

If staying on the East Coast, you could also take in Carnoustie which has a station across the road and easily accessed from St Andrews or Edinburgh.

 

[Albanach]

If you go Turnberry then I'd recommend Royal Troon, Western Gailes, Glasgow Gailes, Prestwick. You may get better deals on places like Irvine Bogside, Dundonald. I'm not sure where I'd base myself for this type if trip...maybe Ayr or Troon.

If you go East Lothian then as others have said there's Gullane 1/2/3 (they may do a Multi round rate) and the likes of Luffness, Dunbar, Craigielaw, Kilspindie, The Glen North Berwick nearby but a trip to that part of Scotland wouldn't be complete without a round at the North Berwick West, it's a must! Muirfield don't take single bookings so you'll struggle there. All within a quick taxi ride and trainable from Edinburgh. Shameless plug for my mates cab firm in North Berwick a2b taxis.

If you go Old Course then there's loads of good golf courses nearby...in St. Andrews itself there's the New, Jubilee, Eden, Kingsbarns, but within 12 miles in Fife you've got Kingsbarns, Crail, Elie, Leven, Lundin & Ladybank.
In towards Dundee you've got Carnoustie, panmuir, monifieth

If it were me I'd go to St Andrews, base myself there and enjoy the town and try to get on the Old but if it doesn't come off there is the course listed above in St Andrews itself or it's a quick trip to Carnoustie etc. I'm a member of Elie (12 miles away) so am a bit biased but it's worth going to. I haven't played Lundin or Leven but apparently very good courses. The weather on the East coast tends to be a bit drier and colder as well but predicting Scottish weather is as everyone knows a lottery.

Check out the feed of the Scottish Golf Podcast for some info on trips around where you're going plus Graylyn Loomis's blog about course reviews in the areas you're looking at (http://livingasalinksgolfer.blogspot.com/?m1)

 

[Val]

Spoiled for choice, pick a coast to visit based on your ease of transport and build around that, both Ayrshire and Lothian coastlines have some of the best links in the country.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I know it's not on your list but you could fly to Inverness and play Castle Stuart and Nairn, then train it down to Glasgow and play the Ayrshire courses. Cruden bay is great but an hour from Aberdeen and bus service only.

With Royal Dornoch not at all far away from CS and Nairn- with flights to Inverness from Glasgow or Edinburgh £150-£200 return

 

[Val]

With Royal Dornoch not at all far away from CS and Nairn- with flights to Inverness from Glasgow or Edinburgh £150-£200 return

Royal Dornoch is not that close to Inverness, by road it's as close as Glasgow is to Edinburgh, almost an hour.

 

[patricks148]

With Royal Dornoch not at all far away from CS and Nairn- with flights to Inverness from Glasgow or Edinburgh £150-£200 return

Royal Dornoch is not that close to Inverness, by road it's as close as Glasgow is to Edinburgh, almost an hour.

I think the Highland Links package does include transport as far as i know.

 

[Val]

I think the Highland Links package does include transport as far as i know.

Hmm, handy package then, transport is a big us especially if considering a few beers