Help my friend with his Scotland trip

[Melvyn Morrow]

Mike

I think it is good to have some flex in a golf trip. Is there a better place than St. Andrews for that?

Oh Lord forgive this sinner, clearly he has not entered the Kingdom of Golf (Fife).

Use St Andrews as your base noting that within half an hour or so there are some 60+ golf courses that you could visit.

Another option is Edinburgh but I fear distance to courses will be against you so more time required in the car.

There is of course Prestwick, but a more limited choice and distance start to increase.

Of course you have the North and North East to consider but like Prestwick travel times are more. That is presuming you wish to play links courses, if not head inland and you have a fair choice but mainly south of the Caledonian Canal.

 St Andrews will cover you from East Lothian to Angus (East of Edinburgh up to North Perth and perhaps even Aberdeen for those who like driving giving you the pick of many good links courses).

Is there a better place than St. Andrews for that – only if you are dead IMHO.

Melvyn

[mike_malone]

 Melvyn,

   I was unclear in my statement. I don't believe there is a better place than St. Andrews.

[David Kelly]

I would mix in two days in East Lothian and the rest in Fife and go either Muirfield/N. Berwick, N. Berwick/N.Berwick OR Murifield/Renaissance, N. Berwick/N. Berwick for those days.  I wouldn't bother with any of the other courses in East Lothian.  I couldn't go to North Berwick and only play one round.

[Mark Arata]

I agree with David (since I was on the same trip!)

Gullane is ok, but not at the expense of another round at N. Berwick......

Good Italian resturant in town there too, and a nice B and B right behind the clubhouse (cant think of the name, but it is right there, you walk out the gate, cross the street and you are on the 18th hole)

[Yancey_Beamer]

Play the Old Course
Then 40 miles to Carnoustie
Then 50 miles to Muirfield
Then 80 miles to Western Gailes
Stay in Saint Andrews for this part of the trip
Drive 5 hours to Royal Dornoch and play that day
Stay in Dornock
Drive 60 miles to Cruden Bay
These are the best iIMHO
You may want to play 36 holes a day.
Then play other courses in each area.
Tain,Brora ,Lundin, Leven,Scotscraig,Prestwick,
North Berwick are good choices.

[Anthony Gray]

  Again.....use St Andrews as your base and the day before you fly back go to North Berwick thn stay at Edinburgh airport and fly home the next day .A wonderful 5 days of golf,

  Anthony

[Stan Dodd]

Dornoch to Cruden Bay is about 3 hours and much more than sixty miles.

[Niall C]

Play the Old Course
Then 40 miles to Carnoustie
Then 50 miles to Muirfield
Then 80 miles to Western Gailes
Stay in Saint Andrews for this part of the trip
Drive 5 hours to Royal Dornoch and play that day
Stay in Dornock
Drive 60 miles to Cruden Bay
These are the best iIMHO
You may want to play 36 holes a day.
Then play other courses in each area.
Tain,Brora ,Lundin, Leven,Scotscraig,Prestwick,
North Berwick are good choices.

Yancey

I've not checked your mileage but suggest that you are well out in a few places. If you are suggesting using St Andrews as a base then Mike should remember that to get to Carnoustie you have to go through Dundee, to get to Muirfield/N Berwick you have to go through Edinburgh and to get to Western Gailes you have to go through Glasgow, so even if you travel at non-peak times it will likely take circa 1 hour, 1.5 hrs and 2.5 hrs all each way.

If anyone wants to check mileage/travel times suggest www.multimap is as good a site as any.

Niall

[Chris DeNigris]

Golly gee whiz...now, granted, I've only been there twice, but IMO any trip to Scotland without a visit to Dornoch is a wasted opportunity.

Even if you're only in the highlands for a couple of days you could still manage 2 rounds there and one at Brora.

One easy day of travel to get down to Fife.

Now I personally would Super-Size that travel day to include a morning round at Castle Stuart as I was leaving Inverness behind...and then, for good measure, head east for a late afternoon stroll around Cruden Bay. No sense in wasting good daylight... and I'm a glutton.

Then all the usual suspects in Fife with a final stop at NB on the way to the airport.

[Yancey_Beamer]

Regarding distances - These are approximate, however on the way to Carnoustie you will travel through a corner of Dundee,not the entire town.To Muirfield the road is a motorway and passes to the side of Edinburgh.You will not enter the city.To Western Gailes you pass through the southern part of Glascow, not the city center.My point is that a reasonable drive will allow you to play excellent courses and return each day.Regarding Cruden Bay it's south of Dornoch on the way to Saint Andrews and easily included in your plans.The summer sun comes up early and sets late so your options are excellent.I teed off at Scotscraig at 530 PM after the father -son tournament finished at 500PM and easily finished in full daylight.Certainly check the map or computer but remember that in most cases you can travel a bit and play the courses you really want to see.

[Scott Warren]

Regarding Cruden Bay it's south of Dornoch on the way to Saint Andrews

You really need a new GPS unit!

[Niall C]

Regarding distances - These are approximate, however on the way to Carnoustie you will travel through a corner of Dundee,not the entire town.To Muirfield the road is a motorway and passes to the side of Edinburgh.You will not enter the city.To Western Gailes you pass through the southern part of Glascow, not the city center.My point is that a reasonable drive will allow you to play excellent courses and return each day.Regarding Cruden Bay it's south of Dornoch on the way to Saint Andrews and easily included in your plans.The summer sun comes up early and sets late so your options are excellent.I teed off at Scotscraig at 530 PM after the father -son tournament finished at 500PM and easily finished in full daylight.Certainly check the map or computer but remember that in most cases you can travel a bit and play the courses you really want to see.

Yancey

The motorways you mention are the ringroads that go round each of these cities, or in the case of the M8 goes through the middle of Glasgow (the motorway you were referring to was probabaly the M73 onto the M74 onto the M725 through East Kilbride which eventually takes you onto the M77 and down to Ayrshire) which are all good driving roads but get clogged up during peak times, therefore my times are still valid and you can add on half an hour each way easily if you do hit those roads at the wrong times.

However the point is why give yourself such a schedule when you can pick an area and play a couple of cracking courses situated together and have time for a good lunch/dinner/night out as well ?

Niall

[Anthony Gray]

Regarding Cruden Bay it's south of Dornoch on the way to Saint Andrews

You really need a new GPS unit!

  Cruden Bay is a diamond,but a little hard to get to. I would save it for the next trip.The next time  go for Cruden Bay,Castle Stuart,Dornach,Aberdeen and Boat of Garden.It will keep travel to a minimum.The the next year go west young man.

  Anthony

[mike_malone]

 Based on your input my friend will go for The Old/New Course, Muirfield 36, N.Berwick then Musselburgh Links, Crail, and  Lundin or Elie. So which is it Lundin or Elie ?

[Jason Topp]

Based on your input my friend will go for The Old/New Course, Muirfield 36, N.Berwick then Musselburgh Links, Crail, and  Lundin or Elie. So which is it Lundin or Elie ?

I think it needs to be elie although i have more fondness for lundin.

[Ross Tuddenham]

I am with Niall here, I would not consider St Andrews a practical base to play anywhere other than Fife.  It would 2 hours plus to east Lothian each way which would not really allow 36 holes or much other than golf.  I guess the same sort of time applies when getting to the west coast from St Andrews, maybe more.

[Anthony Gray]

Based on your input my friend will go for The Old/New Course, Muirfield 36, N.Berwick then Musselburgh Links, Crail, and  Lundin or Elie. So which is it Lundin or Elie ?

  Kingsbarns is a hard one to pass up.Top 100 and 3 minutes from downtown St Andrews.Carnoustie oner the New Course for sure.

  AG

[Gary Slatter]

I like Ellie but Lundin is better for single to meet members.  Scehule depends on Muirfield 36, I'd prefer to cover Muirfield, Berwick and Muss. from hotel in Gullen, then go to St Andrews.
Links force players to play New and another sometimes in a package - Carnoustie and Panmure are worth playing if possible (Panmure moring, Carnoustie afternoon).

If you are going as a single player I'd be happy to send names of contacts for Fife rounds.

[Anthony Gray]

I like Ellie but Lundin is better for single to meet members.  Scehule depends on Muirfield 36, I'd prefer to cover Muirfield, Berwick and Muss. from hotel in Gullen, then go to St Andrews.
Links force players to play New and another sometimes in a package - Carnoustie and Panmure are worth playing if possible (Panmure moring, Carnoustie afternoon).

If you are going as a single player I'd be happy to send names of contacts for Fife rounds.

  Where does he go for a hot dog?

  Anthony

[Gary Slatter]

I like Ellie but Lundin is better for single to meet members.  Scehule depends on Muirfield 36, I'd prefer to cover Muirfield, Berwick and Muss. from hotel in Gullen, then go to St Andrews.
Links force players to play New and another sometimes in a package - Carnoustie and Panmure are worth playing if possible (Panmure moring, Carnoustie afternoon).

If you are going as a single player I'd be happy to send names of contacts for Fife rounds.

  Where does he go for a hot dog?

  Anthony

Very limited choices for a hot dog - Kingsbarns used to be the place (10th tee) but they now use skinny grey weiners.    Morrisons cafeteria?

[mike_malone]

 This will be a group not a single.