Marginal OT - My annual 'who's coming to Scotland' thread

[Marty Bonnar]

Thought it was about time I checked out the GCA travel plans for 2013. So who's coming? When ya coming? Planning on a Fife trip? Looking for access to leven?
 
F.

[Mark Pearce]

First half of August for us, with a couple of other visits (Easter included).  Anyone else visiting then who fancies a game at Elie or Crail?

[David Whitmer]

We're arriving in Edinburgh Friday, April 26. Driving to Inverness area (Nairn, Castle Stuart, Dornoch). Driving to Carnoustie Monday, April 29. Will be in St. Andrews Tuesday and Wednesday. Playing Muirfield Thursday, then finishing up with North Berwick and Gullane Friday, May 3.

Never been; really looking forward to it!

[Ben Voelker]

aI will be in Fife from April 20 to April 28.  I am sticking with just Fife except for a jaunt to Carnoustie.  I have tee times set up at:

TOC
St. Andrew's (New)
Crail (36)
Carnoustie
Scotscraig

I would love to meet up for a round with anyone who may be there at that time.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Coming the latter part of August. Not doing Fife this time around. We are meeting up with another GCAer on the trip.

[Joe_Tucholski]

I have intentions to spend a good amount of time in the UK this summer.  That being said it really all depends on when I graduate.  Best case scenario I fly out 1 June and leave 1 Aug.  Two weeks will be spent with the wife, the rest will be a solo golfing marathon.

I figure 3-7 days in Fife (either the 3 day links pass or the 7 day links pass).

[BCrosby]

Will be there second week in August.

Bob

[John Kavanaugh]

I will not be coming in a box, I will not be coming with a fox, I will however drink liters of scotch.

[Joe Fairey]

Coming July 12-20....will be in around St Andrews....our golf is set for Tue-Thur...going to OPEN on Fri...
have not yet set up anything for Sun or Monday....will have my son and 3 friends.....all great guys....

if anybody looking for game somewhere, please let me know...will have a van and can travel within reason...ie...not going to
Dornoch on this trip....

would enjoy a game if anyone is available....

[Bill_McBride]

I will not be coming in a box, I will not be coming with a fox, I will however drink liters of scotch.

LOL, your best post ever!

[Colin Macqueen]

Marty,

"Oh, golf is for smellin' heather and cut grass and walkin' fast across
the countryside and feelin' the wind and watchin' the sun go down
and seein' yer friends hit good shots and hittin' some yourself." Agatha GiTK.

I'll be there early to mid-August! Yahoo!

Cheers Colin

[Ken Moum]

My wife and I will be in Dornoch Aug. 17-29, and currently hope to be somewhere near the Firth of Forth starting around the 2nd. Leven sounds lovely if yer willing to play with a girl... I gotta warn you, she's merciless.

K

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

July 28 ti August something...

1.   Ailsa Course, Turnberry – 2 rounds
2.   Western Gailes
3.   Royal Troon Golf Club
4.   Prestwick Golf Club
5.   North Berwick Golf Club
6.   Muirfield Golf Club
7.   Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
8.   Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeen
9.   Cruden Bay Golf Club
10.   Carnoustie Golf Links

[Thomas Dai]

When you travel a long way, pay considerable $£$£ and your stay-time is limited it is only natural to play the best courses you can. I totally understand that.

However, as a kinda academic exercise, I thought where could you play if you went to the locations of the best or Open venue courses but just played what I may describe as their near neighbours, but still high quality courses, instead.

Here goes for a few selected parts of the mainland UK -

North of Scotland

instead of Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart play Brora, Golspie, Tain, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Nairn, Nairn Dunbar plus Moray Old and New.

Aberdeen area -

instead of Trump (it's now £215 each at a w/e!) play Murcar, Fraserburgh, Newburgh, Montrose. Still play Royal Aberdeen and Cruden Bay.

Dundee area -

instead of Carnoustie play Carnoustie-Burnside, Monifeith, Downfield, Panmuir, etc

St Andrews/Fife etc area -

instead of TOC, Gleneagles and Kingsbarns play Eden, Jubilee, New, Castle, Blairgowrie, Scotscraig, Leven, Lundin, Crail, etc

West Coast/Ayrshire area -

instead of Turnberry Ailsa, Royal Troon and Prestwick play Turnberry Kintyre, Western Gailes, Irvine, Barassie, etc

Lancashire area -

instead of Hoylake, Birkdale and Lytham, play Wallasay, West Lancs, S&A, Hillside, Formby, etc

London/Surrey/N Hants area -

instead of Wentworth, Sunningdale and Walton Heath play The Berkshire, Hankley Common, New Zealand, Westhill, N. Hants, Blackmoor, St George's Hill, etc, etceven Swinley Forest or Queenwood (if you know someone)

This totally academic exercise has highlighted to me how many absolutely cracking courses we actually have, and I've only analysed some small areas of a small island. Where have I missed out then? Bound to be quite a few.

Anyway, whoever comes to the UK and Ireland this year have a thoroughly enjoyable and wonderful time.

All the best

[Bill_McBride]

When you travel a long way, pay considerable $£$£ and your stay-time is limited it is only natural to play the best courses you can. I totally understand that.

However, as a kinda academic exercise, I thought where could you play if you went to the locations of the best or Open venue courses but just played what I may describe as their near neighbours, but still high quality courses, instead.

Here goes for a few selected parts of the mainland UK -

North of Scotland

instead of Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart play Brora, Golspie, Tain, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Nairn, Nairn Dunbar plus Moray Old and New.

Aberdeen area -

instead of Trump (it's now £215 each at a w/e!) play Murcar, Fraserburgh, Newburgh, Montrose. Still play Royal Aberdeen and Cruden Bay.

Dundee area -

instead of Carnoustie play Carnoustie-Burnside, Monifeith, Downfield, Panmuir, etc

St Andrews/Fife etc area -

instead of TOC, Gleneagles and Kingsbarns play Eden, Jubilee, New, Castle, Blairgowrie, Scotscraig, Leven, Lundin, Crail, etc

West Coast/Ayrshire area -

instead of Turnberry Ailsa, Royal Troon and Prestwick play Turnberry Kintyre, Western Gailes, Irvine, Barassie, etc

Lancashire area -

instead of Hoylake, Birkdale and Lytham, play Wallasay, West Lancs, S&A, Hillside, Formby, etc

London/Surrey/N Hants area -

instead of Wentworth, Sunningdale and Walton Heath play The Berkshire, Hankley Common, New Zealand, Westhill, N. Hants, Blackmoor, St George's Hill, etc, etceven Swinley Forest or Queenwood (if you know someone)

This totally academic exercise has highlighted to me how many absolutely cracking courses we actually have, and I've only analysed some small areas of a small island. Where have I missed out then? Bound to be quite a few.

Anyway, whoever comes to the UK and Ireland this year have a thoroughly enjoyable and wonderful time.

All the best

Two to add to your great list:  Liphook to the heather in Surrey and Elie in Fife.  Great courses a bit off the well trod path.

And I fully subscribe to your thoughts.  There is so much great golf in the UK.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Tomas

You missed another great area.


Lothians
Instead of Muirfield and North Berwick play....

[Tony_Muldoon]

I will be in Edinburgh 11th- 16th (amended) of August and may be able to host you for a round at The Tantallon Golf Club.

Please IM me if you will be in the area.

[Dan Boerger]

May - Exact dates TBD ... really looking forward to the visit!

[Thomas Dai]

Tony,

Good spot, not an area I'm particularly up on but I'll give it a go and I'll give the Kent/Channel area a go as well, although again not a specialist in that area.

East Lothian area -

Instead of Muirfield and North Berwick play Luffness, Gullane (various), Longniddry, Kilspindie, Craigielaw, Whitekirk (?), The Glen (?), Dunbar, Archerfield (36), drive more into Edinburgh and have a hoot at the olde at Musselburgh or even at Braid Hills. Or drive the other way and play Eyemouth (?) and/or Goswick at Berwick although this might be a bit far. BTW - are there 2 courses at North Berwick and isn't there somewhere new and exclusive very close to Muirfield, or am I confused with Archerfield?

Kent/Channel area -

nah, don't go there, it's sarf of the rivver - only kidding - instead of RStG play RCP at Deal, Princes (27), North Foreland. Drive further south for Littlestone and Rye (if you know someone in the know). Must be some quality inland courses in this area as well, perhaps someone else will chip in on these.



No more areas (for now). Tired brain syndrome.

All the best.

[David_Tepper]

The good news, at least for Americans visiting Scotland in the coming months, is that the pound is below $1.52.

[Bill Crane]

Been planning a trip to Scotland for several years, and originally thought I would take my son when he graduated from High School two and an half years ago.  My wife nixed that, and she and I are going in September for our 25th anniversary, probably leaving Saturday August 31st.   I have played golf all over the US, in Canada, The Netherlands, Sweden and Bermuda and Puerto Rico but never to Scotland. We have plenty of time and this trip could last two weeks.   Had hoped to attend the Walker Cup at NGLA and go to Scotland the third week of September, but Old Course access is marginal then.

I plan to play 3 days and take a day off during the two weeks.  My wife will probably play less than half the time I will, and generally speaking, she does not care about the big name courses.

I am interested in playing the most architecturally significant courses and some with local quirk, not just the Open Rota courses.  While I have read that you should stay in one area and not travel too much, we actually want to see different parts of Scotland so we will probably have three base areas, with an overnight in between.  To simplify the itinerary,we intend to fly to Glasgow and stay in Edinburgh a few days and play the Lothian courses.  Then we will head to St. Andrews for a 3/4 nights and play TOC (twice), New and others.  Third hub will be Highlands/Dornoch and play Dornoch (2x) and others.  We will probably play Cruden Bay on the way south and finish at Prestwick before flying home.
 
Here is a tentative list of courses I want to play in somewhat priority order:
1)   The Old Course
2)   Dornoch   
3)   North Berwick 
4)   Cruden Bay 
5)   Gullane #1   
6)   Prestwick   
7)   St Andrews New Course
   Nairn
9)   Brora
10)   Boat of Garten 
11)   Royal Montrose

May try to fit in Muirfield.  Have heard conflicting reports about Carnoustie and whether it is worth playing.   Seems to be a hard course, versus one that is a seminal design.  We do want to get off the beaten track and play some lesser known courses such as Nairn, Brora or Boat of Garten.   My wife will probably like all these quirky courses that have interesting physical features  or settings.   Even though she is a 22ish handicap, she likes old golf courses such as our home club – Springdale,Princeton NJ,USA (1895), and the Highland Links course in Truro, Mass.

With the exception of Prestwick I am not planning to do West Coast courses on this trip, we already have potentially too many on the list.  Also, I am not contemplating any younger courses since I want to play old – architecturally interesting courses.

Since there are so many days in September when the Old Course is occupied, we moved the trip up several weeks to try to get access there the first week of September.  Am hoping to be introduced to St Andrews residents by friends who just moved back to the USA after living there for three years, and perhaps facilitate a tee time.

Loads of details left to work on.   Yes, I plan to research and book myself.   Bought a book on this very subject.

Would appreciate suggestions.

WmFlynnfan

[Ian Andrew]

Looking for access to leven?

I may come very late fall.
I was looking at Lundin, Leven, Crail, Murcar and Royal Aberdeen.
If I manage this, care for a hit...

Ian

[Stewart Abramson]

First half of May. E Lothian & Fife

Dunbar
Gullane 2
Gullane 1
North Berwick West Links
Muirfield
St Andrews New
TOC
Crail
Elie
Kingsbarns
Daftmill Distillery
Gleneagles - Kings
Tullibardine Distillery
Lundin
Leven
Ladybank

[Ted Harris]

Will try and arrive in St. Andrews just after Labour day - I guess I will have 6 days (Sep 2-7) to get on the Old Course as a single. Would like to play the Old 2-3 times over those days if lucky enough but will be happy to play the New and other courses in the area possibly both Lundin and Leven.

Other than that I will want to play Carnoustie,North Berwick,Royal Dornoch and Musselburgh Old in the 2nd week of September.

[Rich Goodale]

I'll be in Scotland most of the summer, Marty and since I've got over the Dreaded Lurgi, I'll take up the Leven offer whenever it again is available.

To reciprocate, I'll be in Dornoch from 27 July to 3 August en grande famille and have 3 tee times ( i.e. room for 12 players for those who only casually read GCA posts....) booked on the big course for most of those days.  If you can get your fat baldy arse up there and then I'll comp you!

PS--if any other GCAers will be up in Dornoch in the period mentioned above, there will probably be available space for more.  Ping me if you are interested.

Rich