The ultimate solo golf trip

[Agman]

Say you had four days available -- and the requisite cash -- to leave your life behind and just play golf on great golf courses, with the idea being you'd stay in one place, and from that place get in as much golf as you could within a reasonable radius. You're going by yourself, so you want to go places that are golfer-friendly. You'd want courses open to the public -- so if you chose Pebble, for examble, you couldn't include Cypress Point -- and and willing to take tee times in advance from a single. And you'd want courses you could walk; you don't want to be chained to a golf cart, and caddies are always a plus. And you'd want to find yourself in the company of others who love the game as much as you do. While we're not worried about getting there, we don't want to be flying for two days either, so anywhere in the US is fine. Europe, too. Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania may be too far.

So, where would you go? And why? What's the special allure of your choice? Bandon is an obvious one, as is St. Andrews (though the Links Trust won't book singles in advance, a single has the best chance of just showing up and getting on). Maybe somewhere between Whistling Straits and Lawsonia convenient to both. But where else?

Thanks...

js

[Mark Bourgeois]

Easy peasy: London. Base out of SW1.

EDIT: why London?

1. Greatest golf city in world
2. Greatest restaurant city in world, except maybe Paris.

Complications if you play on the weekend as all clubs are private. Plus you'll have to manage around society days. But advance planning should resolve these issues. If you write in advance, the secretary likely will get you a game with a member.

[Paul Stephenson]

Gullane comes to mind, but I'm not sure how they treat singles.

[Bill_McBride]

Gullane / North Berwick.

Castlerock, Northern Ireland - play there and at Royal Portrush and Portstewart.

Myrtle Beach for the better stuff - Stranz, Barefoot Love, some of the Legends, Dunes.

Pinehurst / Southern Pines.

Orlando might be stretching it on quality, but up to World Woods and that area is good and reasonable.

Alabama for the better courses on the Robert Trent Jones Trail - there are some!

[Andy Troeger]

Are there very many good courses that actually take tee times in advance from a single? I'm not sure I've ever had a place do that unless I knew someone there. At best its, "come on out and we'll work you in" for bookings very far in advance.

I'd still think Pebble would rate highly with costs not being included. Albuquerque's an option if you're in shape, the courses allow walking but its often a hike.

Phoenix has tons of public golf. Kohler is good too. You could base yourself at a few different places in Michigan and be able to amuse yourself for a few days without going too far.

[Kalen Braley]

Mrytle Beach or Bandon both sound like front runners to me....

Montery could work with Pebble, Spyglass, Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills, and maybe even poor mans pebble (Pacific Grove) for fun...

[mike_malone]

 I think it's St. Andrews. I got on as a single twice and I don't see how any other "single" idea could be better. If you get there early in the morning you are sure to get on.

   I would suggest that you spend two or three days there and get to N.Berwick for at least one day. I made a tee time there as a single over the internet.

[Chris Cupit]

I'd second Gullane.

[cary lichtenstein]

Myrtle Beach: lots of bars if you're a single

[Jeff Doerr]

Thankfully I get to say Bandon! 4 1/2 hour drive and I waste very little time getting to my retreat.

Central Oregon also offers a lot, Sunriver would be a nice second place.

[paul cowley]

....I'd go to Bhutan...they have a 9 holer up there in the Himalaya way....the journey is more better than the destination.

Don't bother bringing your clubs unless you are using your bag as a suitcase [good idea]....they will lend you their set.

I wouldn't worry about the four day rule because you probably might choose not to come back....and the calendar over there is funky, not really time oriented like ours.

[Mike_Young]

Chicago.....
Cog hill,, Lawsonia, Erin hills  more plus the cubs

[George Pazin]

Just out of curiosity, is there anyone else who'd be happy to camp out at one course and enjoy it for 4 days?

[Tom Dunne]

Just out of curiosity, is there anyone else who'd be happy to camp out at one course and enjoy it for 4 days?

I just did exactly that, at Rustic Canyon. Had a blast.

[Bob_Huntley]

George,

I stayed in St.Andrews and played the Old Course six times in a row.  

Bob

Just out of curiosity, is there anyone else who'd be happy to camp out at one course and enjoy it for 4 days?

[James Bennett]

Agman

I would suggest you look at the Links Trust for their next Reverse Old Course.  Three days of play, probably on the Old, the New and the the Old Left (Reverse).  On the fourth day, you can choose to play the Eden (a good choice) or the Jubilee.  In a bit over a year's time, you could play the Castle (#7).  Aside from the golf, you could check out the other nearby places for a look (Crail, Lundin Links etc etc etc etc etc), perhaps drive up to Carnoustie (also public) or perhaps spend a day at East Lothian (a 150 minute drive away) at North Berwick West and/or Muirfield and/or Gullane etc etc.  They are all publicly accessable.

Re The Old Course and singles.  If you are going in high season, then you will have some uncertainty on access.  If not (mid-May or earlier, don't know about spring) access as a single shouldn't be a problem.

James B

[Mark Bourgeois]

George, my problem is I can't seem to get past the first course when it's good and end up going round and round like a man with one foot nailed to the floor.

Obviously you don't have this problem...what's the cure?

Mark

[Andrew Summerell]

While we're not worried about getting there, we don't want to be flying for two days either, so anywhere in the US is fine. Europe, too. Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania may be too far.

I live in Australia! Now, am I allowed to go to Australia ?

I would wait until the 2nd course at Bridport is finished & the Mussleroe Bay course is finished & head down there. How I divide my time would depend on how good a job Bill & Mike do.

[James Bennett]

Gosh, I forgot that Tasmania is (still, always has been since Federation) part of Australia.  

That is looking like the November 2007 trip for me, but not as a solo on this occasion.  And obviously no Musselroe Bay or Barnbougle Trails (or Bass Straight Dunes, or whatever they elect to name the new courses) yet.

James B

[Patrick Kiser]

Well ... I sort of had my solo trip just over 2 years ago in moving out from SF to Miami (moved back since then  )

Here's how it went:

- Harding Park, SF, CA
- Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, CA
- Pacific Grove, Pacific Grove, CA
- Spyglass, Pebble Beach, CA
- La Purisima, Lompoc, CA
- Rustic Canyon, Moorpark, CA
- Barona Creek, La Mesa, CA
- Talking Stick, Scottsdale, AZ
- We Ko Pa, Fountain Hills, AZ
- Apache Stronghold, San Carlos, AZ
- Rawls at Texas Tech, Lubbock, TX
- Woodmont, Canton, GA
- Bradshaw Farms, Woodstock, GA

Katrina kept me from getting to try Pa Ko Ridge in NM, Barton Creek in TX, Copperhead in LA, Cuscowilla in GA, World Woods in FL, Ocean Course at Hammock Beach in FL, and El Diablo in FL.

And what was the most memorable course you ask?  They were all without question excellent in my mind ... but Black Mesa stood out for me.

[Michael Whitaker]

I'm obviously partial to the SC coast, but for a solo trip I would go to Scotland... probably St. Andrews. It would be one of the best experiences of your life. The locals will embrace you and you should have no trouble playing any of the courses.

[Bob Jenkins]

Good idea!

I have had several golf trips with some buddies including one memorable one to all of the great courses of Scotland.

What I would like to do is to go solo to pre-arranged courses in Scotland or Ireland (probably both at separate times) and advise I would like to attend and play with some members. Get a letter of introduction from my club, send it off to pre-selected courses and ask if I may be permitted to join some members for a game. Seems to me a lot more interesting than playing with a bunch of other North Americans.

It could not be done in 3-4 days (especially since I live on the west coast of Canada) but a week or 10 days of this would be heaven.

For what its worth.

Bob Jenkins

[Jason Topp]

I would go play in a bunch of competitions in Scotland.  Having played the main courses amongst roving bands of American four balls I would love to actually get to play with some people from Scotland, or Ireland, or Wales or England.

[Doug Siebert]

I agree with those suggesting to go to Scotland or Ireland and attempting to join the locals.  While TOC is a great course, I'm not sure I'd want to play it as a single, as you never know what you are getting if you join up with someone.  It could be wonderful, but it it could be just as bad as you could end up with getting randomly paired with someone at a US resort course.

Wherever you play, if you enjoy spending a bit of time at the pub you'll no doubt meet up with either some locals or a group of nationals who are taking their own mini vacation.  If they've only got three for their tee time tomorrow it won't take until the second pint is downed that they'll be inviting you to join them.

[Rich Goodale]

Jason has the right idea

Go to Scotland and play in one of the golf weeks or 4-6 day compaetitions that are run by many clubs.  Stay in the same place for 4+ days, play of the tips at the main course at least once a day, play nearby courses as and when you feel, and get some competition (friendly or otherwise) with the locals and other visitors.  A total immersion experience, which will change you for life.

There are many of these events at courses such as:

Brora
Carnosutie
Cruden Bay
Dornoch
Lossiemouth
Machrihanish
Nairn
Pitlochry
St. Andrews

Enjoy!

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