Scotland Opportunity for the Right Price.

[Gib_Papazian]

Gentlemen,

A merry band of pranksters (with a Redheaded Chaperone) are headed to the Auld Sod this May 21st.

The wife of one of our travelers has had the temerity to have a due date for their 3rd child on the the very day he was to play North Berwick.

My discussion - imploring him to remember his priorities - fell upon deaf ears. He cancelled. And with him went his business partner, who would have been a newcomer to the group.

That leaves two spots for our sojourn. Due to our contract, their deposits of $1500 have been forfeited. However, both can be applied to anybody who would like to take advantage of the opportunity.

The cast of reprobates includes (besides "Den Mother Darva") David Lee, who with a few of you have tipped a pint or two, and the Gawdfather of my sprogs, the 6'8" Todd Hagen.

Both are insufferable wine snobs and coming to Scotland well armed with tony grape for evening consumption.

If you are interested, here is the itinerary. We are returning to London the following Friday (5/27) - the rest of the wives will be there, but there is no reason one could not stay for an extra day or 3. Memorial Day is the following Monday.
2005

INDEPENDENT TOUR OF SCOTLAND

DAY 1, Friday, May 20:  Depart for Aberdeen, Scotland.

DAY 2, Saturday, May 21:  Scheduled arrival at Aberdeen Airport.  Drive 35 minutes to play the very scenic, seaside links at Cruden Bay.  This great course is nestled between the sand dunes and the North Sea, and offers the golfer several great views during the round.  Tee time 4:30 (sun sets at 9:40).  Spend the next two nights at the Red House Hotel in Cruden Bay.

DAY 3, Sunday, May 22:  Play Cruden Bay again this afternoon, tee time 4:30. Trying for earlier tee time. Morning round at Murcar/Aberdeen is a possibility.

DAY 4, Monday, May 23:  Drive (1 ¾ hours) to Carnoustie to play a great British Open venue.  Carnoustie hosted the 1999 British Open.  Tee time 11:30.  After golf drive 40 minutes to St. Andrews, spend the next two nights in local B&B’s.

DAY 5, Tuesday, May 24:  Play St. Andrews Eden Course, tee time 7:04.  This afternoon play St. Andrews Old Course, the home of golf!  Tee time 1:10.  The Old Course is the host course for the British Open in 2005.

DAY 6, Wednesday, May 25:  Drive 15 minutes to play the beautiful new Kingsbarns Golf Club, which is a tribute to the rich heritage of links golf in Scotland.  For more than half the holes the sea is directly in the golfer's frame of play, while other holes offer majestic vistas of the sea surging against rock formations.  Tee time 10:10.  After golf drive 70 minutes to Gleneagles, spend the night at the luxurious Gleneagles Hotel

DAY 7, Thursday, May 26:  Play the beautiful, parkland Gleneagles King's Course (4 golfers tee time 8:50) Queens Course (4 golfers tee time 8:50).   After golf drive 75 minutes to the Gullane / North Berwick area at the 4 star Marine Hotel, your base for the next two nights.

DAY 8, Friday, May 27:  Play 36 holes at the challenging seaside links course of North Berwick West.  This course is second only to St. Andrews in having had continuous play on one site.  Tee times 10:30 & 3:30. Trying for an earlier tee time

DAY 9, Saturday, May 28:  Depart.

                                                                               

LAND PACKAGES:          COST            ACCOMMODATIONS          AUTO TYPE

Golfers (                     $4,147  each    Guest House / B & B Homes               Vans (2)

                                                (Gleneagles Hotel)

ALL LAND PRICES ARE PER PERSON AND INCLUDE:

TEE TIMES & GREEN FEES: Confirmed tee times, and pre-paid green fees, subject to availability.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Based on single occupancy of standard room and includes all local taxes, service charge, value added tax (VAT), and full breakfast each morning.  Availability of single rooms may be limited.  All accommodations have private baths.

SELF DRIVE AUTO RENTAL: Based on 8 sharing two automatic vans in Scotland.  Cost includes unlimited mileage, liability, rental tax, and collision damage waiver (CDW).  Cost includes one driver, additional drivers can be added on when you pickup the vehicle for a small charge payable direct to the car rental company.

OTHER INFORMATION

All prices based on availability and are subject to change.

AIRFARE: Not included in above land prices.  When arranging flights care should be taken to ensure the ground package matches the flight schedules.

TEE TIME PREFERENCE: Please let us know your preference for tee times.  Note that the Golf Clubs will try and honor your request, but we must accept what is available.

 

HANDICAPS: Most clubs require that visitors be members of a club and have an official handicap.  Golfers should have documentation to this effect with them.  Many clubs have a maximum allowed handicap for men and women.

CHANGES: Once an itinerary is confirmed, an administrative fee of $25 will be charged for each change.

Thank you for choosing RoundBall Golf Tours.

[David Sneddon]

Certainly sounds like a great trip.

I think you are paying way too much though.  I arranged a trip for 8 of us to Scotland last year:

4 rounds Royal Dornoch Championship
1 round Cruden bay
2 rounds Crail
3 days all you can play St Andrews (except Old)
1 round Old Course
1 round Carnoustie
11 nights B&B
15 passenger bus

$2200 US from Glasgow Airport and return (airfare not included)

I do hope you enjoy your trip, play well and that the weather Gods look favourably upon you.

[Gib_Papazian]

David,

Did that include two busses and drivers for the week?

[peter_p]

Gib,
I have to pass on what looks like a good trip. Stop of at Archie Baird's place at Gullane. Price is good with the terribel rate exchange and expensive Gleneagles. I enjoyed the round and times at KP4.

[David Sneddon]

Gib:

One 15 passenger bus, self-drive for 12 days.

If you have two busses, and two full time drivers then I can see why your costs would be somewhat higher.

For 8 golfers a 15 passenger is the minimum size, IMO, - if we were to do it again, we'd go for the 17passenger for a bit of extra room. There was plenty of room for everyone, but we sure had to pack the clubs and luggage in the back.  IIRC the rental for 12 days was 620GBP.  Another alternative would be two VW mini vans with 4 golfers each.  Cost would be higher, though.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Man, I do this as a side business and I can tell you what Gib sights for that kind of trip could not matched by any travel group.  I don't see how $2200 is possible and see/stay in the places he lists.  

JC

[David Sneddon]

Jonathan:

If you are doing it as a business then there is a markup, so I'm sure it would seem like a decent price.   A friend in Texas and I put the trip together for our group, and  we made all the arrangements, tee times etc., and $2200US was what it cost.

Our hotel/B&B was the Eagle Hotel in Dornoch and a B&B in StAndrews.  Gleneagles will certainly set you back a few $$$ no doubt about that.

[David_Tepper]

Gentlemen -

No one has mentioned the obvious. Last summer, the pound was worth about $1.80. Currently, a pound is going for $1.90 or so. That is an increase of about 5%

In addition, you cannot assume that many golf clubs in Scotland have not raised their green fees. I believe that Royal Dornoch has bumped their weekday green fee from 65 to 72 pounds. I am guessing that many other of the 'name' clubs in Scotland have done the same.  

DT    

[Bill_McBride]

Gib, before you get to Gleneagles, be sure to get a copy of Lewis Grizzard's book, "Does a Wild Bear Chip in the Woods?"  The chapter about the trip to Scotland where they arrived at Gleneagles was written by my Newnan GA friends, Mike Steed and David Boyd, who were along for the trip.  Apparently Lewis hated to fly and got smashed on the flight over from England, then checked in twice during the first night on arrival at Gleneagles.  The whole story is hilarious.

Sounds like a great trip if pricey.  Imagine my horror, I'll be in England and Scotland for two weeks in July leading up to and during the Open.  At the current exchange rate and paying green fees etc for two, the mind reels.  

[Jonathan Cummings]

Bill - Grizzard was a hoot.  I have an old article he wrote stuck somewhere in my files about his first visit to PVGC.  After reading it I called a PV member pal of mine and read it to him on the phone.  We laughed so hard we had tears rolling down our cheeks.

JC