Askernish Trip

[Marty Bonnar]

Count me in unless work/cashflow/illness intervene.

Cheers,
F.

[Colin Shellard]

I'd be up for this is the timing allows too.

[Duncan Cheslett]

I'm very interested.


What are we talking about - 2,3 nights?


Much like James, my main obstacle is getting the idea past my wife...   

[Tim Gallant]

Adam,


Thank you for organising, and I would certainly be interested in joining. Will await any further details.

[Adam Lawrence]

I think two nights is probably about right. People can stay longer if they want to explore the islands a bit.


I had a natter with Ralph Thompson and he thinks the last week of May is best as the cattle come off in the middle of the month and the course will benefit from a week or two to recover. Monday 29th May is the bank holiday, so perhaps we can aim for that?


Adam

[Thomas Dai]

Monday 29th May is the bank holiday, so perhaps we can aim for that?

Many thanks for progressing this Adam.


I believe that Mon 29th is the start of the Whitsun school holiday half-term week in England, although maybe not in the Western Isles. Not saying this is good or bad just an aspect we should be aware of........accommodation, flights etc.
Atb

[Michael Whitaker]

Adam,

Please include me and Jerry Kluger for this trip... if it does take place in May. Jerry has never visited Scotland and we will incorporate this into his maiden voyage, so to speak.   

[Adam Lawrence]

OK people, I have spoken to Sheila at the Borrodale Hotel which is the closest accommodation to Askernish -- about two miles away.

She has ten rooms available, four of which are twins. So I reckon we can accommodate fourteen people there -- she's going to get me a price shortly.

If more than 14 end up coming, the first choice would be to accommodate them in several B&Bs within about ten minutes walk of the Borrodale. If that still isn't enough there are other options, but further away.

We will organise a minibus to transport us to and from golf course and airport. I'm still waiting for Loganair to get back to me with a group rate for the flight, and confirmation of how many sets of sticks they can transport.

[Tom_Doak]

Going to Askernish with a group is definitely the way to go.  The course and conditions are much more suited to match play, than to keeping one's own card and playing alone.  You'll have more help to look for golf balls, and more fun laughing about some of the situations in which your group finds itself.

[Brett Hochstein]

It's true that a group trip is the way to go.  I went on an R&A sponsored tour in spring of 2010 with fellow turf students from Elmwood and Myerscough (with nationalities from Scotland, England (north and south), Spain, South Africa, and the US), and it was a week I will never forget.


One part that I really enjoyed was that we went entirely by van from Fife, taking the ferry from Oban through the Sound of Mull.  To me, this really enhanced the experience and made it a true "journey."  Of course, the weather was outstanding too--calm, sunny, and warm enough for a t-shirt.  Unless it was truly stormy and dangerous though, I think I would have enjoyed it either way.  It may my the most remote place I've ever been (Mullen, NE is the other contender), and taking a boat ride out to what feels like the middle of the Atlantic really drives that feeling home.


I also enjoyed playing through the cattle and sheep for the novelty and "sense of place," but conditions probably would be a little better after they get moved up the hill but before the summer sun and rain gets the grass back up.


Wish I could join too!

[John Cowden]

I must admit to being seriously intrigued.  Please consider me a definite "possible".   

[Greg Taylor]

Ugh I'm away in for a week in May - no way will I get the requisite signatures.


Have a blast. Looks like you'll need an A380!

[James Boon]

Much like James, my main obstacle is getting the idea past my wife...   

Just for clarity. Mrs B doesnt have a problem with me going on a golf trip. Going on a golf trip to a part of the World she lovesand is keen to go back to, without her, is a different matter... 


Cheers,


James

[Duncan Cheslett]

Point taken, James! 


For the record Adam, please update my status from possible to definite!

The unsolicited intervention of Melvyn Morrow via Facebook has elicited the required permissions from She Who Must Be Obeyed and my pass has been duly signed.


It will no doubt cost me down the line...


Thanks, Melvyn! 


P.S. Don't call her "dear lady" again. You got away with it this time but it could just as easily have gone horribly wrong...

[Thomas Dai]

'She who must be obeyed'. One of the great phrases of the English language.
Atb

[Angela Moser]

Adam,


I am very interested to join your lovely trip to the outskirts...
please keep me updated. I penciled it in my schedule.


Bretts bus trip journey sounds great... anyone interested in doing that?


Best from Germany

[Neil White]

Adam,


Sounds good - please put me on the list for this trip.


Neil.

[Tom Kelly]

Tempting.....I'm a possible at the moment!

[Duncan Cheslett]

Following on from Brett's post I've been looking at the options of getting to South Uist by ferry.


Unfortunately the Oban route through the Sound of Mull appears only to go to Barra, necessitating an overnight stay there before catching the morning boat to South Uist. The only direct sailing is from Mallaig, a lot further north the other side of Fort William. This leaves Mallaig at 17.30 each day and gets to South Uist at 21.00.


Just outside Mallaig is a great looking nine-hole course I'd never heard of until Adam mentioned it to me.


http://www.traighgolf.co.uk/index.html


A plan is forming in my mind.


Get up to Mallaig by lunchtime (it is a 6.5 hour drive from Manchester) and spend the afternoon at Traigh before catching the boat to Askernish.


Any takers?

[James Boon]

Duncan,

Jeff Warne and I have just been discussing Traigh GC over on the current Scottish 10 thread... If I get time this weekend I will post a few pics.

Cheers,

James

[Duncan Cheslett]

I look forward to that,  Boony.

From what I can determine, flying to Benbecula from a major airport in England via Glasgow is going to cost in the region of £500 return.

For me at least, this makes taking the ferry a far more attractive option, either using the train or sharing cars.

Foot passage on the ferry is about £15.  Cars could be parked up in Mallaig.

[Adam Lawrence]

I look forward to that,  Boony.

From what I can determine, flying to Benbecula from a major airport in England via Glasgow is going to cost in the region of £500 return.

For me at least, this makes taking the ferry a far more attractive option, either using the train or sharing cars.

Foot passage on the ferry is about £15.  Cars could be parked up in Mallaig.

I don't know where you get £500 from! £200 maybe. Flybe serves Glasgow from Birmingham, East Mids, Southampton, Exeter, Cardiff, Belfast, Leeds/Bradford and Manchester, so from any of those airports Benbecula can be booked on a single itinerary, or alternatively Glasgow can be accessed, usually pretty cheaply, on a bunch of other airlines, and the Benbecula return flight rarely appears to run more than £150, often quite a lot less.

[Duncan Cheslett]

I bow to your greater experience  Adam.

On various comparison sites the best I could get from Manchester was £455 return.

[Matt Dawson]

I checked Flybe too. No dates open yet beyond Mar 24 so I imagine it will be another couple of months before end May dates are bookable

By way of example, Southampton to Benbecula in March runs at about £275 return on average (incl golf club carriage fee)

They warn you in the small print that the Saab 340 (which flies the GLA - BEN leg) will only take 10 sets of golf clubs in total, which may be a constraint...

[Adam Lawrence]

Matt -- yeah, we know... I'm on the case...