Scotland Itinerary

[JWinick]

All,


Appreciate your feedback on a trip I am organizing in Scotland at the end of May.    See attached for the courses we are playing as well as dates / tee times / etc.   


https://drive.google.com/open?id=17ZHr9Tpd1VcteL-Pi5gDCbQpqmI&usp=sharing


Best,


Jon

[Hunter Rigsby]

I'm not sure you could do much better if you tried...


May 28th is going to be tight from a schedule perspective. 

[Carl Johnson]

Jon, obviously you're hittin' the real biggies and will be doin' lots of travelin'.  Each to his own.  Based on my three trips from the USA to play golf in Scotland, my strong preference would be to stay one place, or two at the most, and play what you can in those areas.  Troon would be one base (where we spent 8 days on a one-base trip in 2004) and St. Andrews would be the obvious other.  I look at your approach as putting notches on your sticks, which is just fine, if you think that is really what you want to do.


In any case, I hope you have a great trip. 

[Simon Holt]

All I can see is a map with the balloons on it but clearly the courses are really good choices.  I couldn't seem to find the dates and tee times etc.


What do you want feedback on?


I'll take a guess that you are flying into Glasgow, doing Ayrshire first, then East Lothian, then St Andrews before heading to Inverness via Carnoustie?  Hopefully you managed to drop the hire car at Inverness and fly home from there.

[jeffwarne]

see a map and a lot of red dots in 3 regions.
would definitely eliminate one of the three regions and add a few gems nearby and along the way.
and I enjoy driving...

[Drew Groeger]

I've only been once and I did as Carl suggested and stayed in 2 places and played courses near each. Your itinerary seems brutal to me AND: many have done trips very similar. 11 rounds in 6 1/2 days is aggressive. Landing, driving and playing same day might be easier said than done. Afternoon round at Turnberry with a next morning round at Kingsbarns is a fair bit of driving. New Course morning --> afternoon round at North Berwick is a long day with TOC and Carnoustie the very next day will make for a daunting stretch. However, that might be the best 48 hours of your golfing life, so...enjoy!

[David_Tepper]

JWinick -

Playing Royal Dornoch at 10:20&10:30 in the morning and Castle Stuart at 4:00&4:10 in the afternoon is cutting it very close. It will take you at least an hour to drive from one to the other. And it will take you at least 4 hours to play Dornoch as a 4-ball in the morning.

DT

P.S. If I recall correctly from JWinick's golf trip to Ireland last year, what most of us would consider to be excessive driving is not a concern for him.

[John Kavanaugh]

When you eye your approach to the 18th at Kingsbarns and wonder why you just didn't go to Kentucky and play Valhalla, do me a favor. Look over at your playing partners and say…Sorry, I should have listened to Kavanaugh.

[Sean_A]

Your schedule is crammed with zero down-time because its an A list tour and you are at the whim of club limitations.  Get a luxury van/bus and driver so you can properly "socialize" when on the road. Even then you run the risk of a blur holiday.


Ciao

[Simon Holt]

Ok, just worked it out. 


A real shame you couldn't flip the Carnoustie and NB rounds but I realise that will be due to club competitions or the like.  Otherwise it would have flowed pretty well, aside of personal preferences such as not driving large distances either before or after a 36er.


And then just that drive back to Glasgow on the final day day will be a buzz kill for me after all the "get me to the next golf course" adrenaline has gone.  I assume you can't fly out of Inverness via London or Amsterdam?


It's a cool trip and you will play some awesome golf but you are clearly much fitter than me!  As per Sean, if you haven't got a driver and van, then I'd be getting one.  Not that expensive between 8 guys and worth every penny.  Although with your itinerary they might struggle for driver quota hours! 


As per David, tight day at Dornoch and CS.


You'll have a great time.

[BHoover]

Don't forget to schedule some 9 hole rounds too. Perfect for match play.

[Ed Brzezowski]

When you eye your approach to the 18th at Kingsbarns and wonder why you just didn't go to Kentucky and play Valhalla, do me a favor. Look over at your playing partners and say…Sorry, I should have listened to Kavanaugh.

Seriously? While a bit out of place don't you think the merits of the rest of the course excuses one so -so shot?

[Mark Pearce]

Exactly what sort of "feedback" are you looking for.  You have arranged games at most of the most expensive (and arguably best) courses in Scotland.  It's a trip that involves a huge amount of driving and very little relaxation but obviously you have chosen to cram as much top golf in as possible.  No-one is going to suddenly reveal the identity of an Open rota course that you haven't heard of (though there are at least three courses on your list I'd drop for a game at Prestwick - not prestigious enough?) and this isn't a thread where you're interested in recommendations for second tier clubs in a particular area, which is often what people want to know.


So tell us what sort of feedback you want and we can give some.  In the meantime, it's a set of great courses and you'll enjoy them.

[jeffwarne]

JWinick -

Playing Royal Dornoch at 10:20&10:30 in the morning and Castle Stuart at 4:00&4:10 in the afternoon is cutting it very close. It will take you at least an hour to drive from one to the other. And it will take you at least 4 hours to play Dornoch as a 4-ball in the morning.

DT

P.S. If I recall correctly from JWinick's golf trip to Ireland last year, what most of us would consider to be excessive driving is not a concern for him.

I'd say given the fact that JWinick seems to be making annual trips:), that's the more reason to focus on a tighter area per trip!

[Mark Chaplin]

I'm sure you are aware the final weekend in May is a holiday weekend. It maybe worth checking if there are any events on your route across Edinburgh, you can easily lose half an hour or more stuck in traffic while people queue to get into a festival, etc.

[John Kavanaugh]

I think Valhalla and Kingsbarns are both equally great courses.

[JWinick]

Simon,


If you highlight the dots, you should see the tee times.     

All I can see is a map with the balloons on it but clearly the courses are really good choices.  I couldn't seem to find the dates and tee times etc.


What do you want feedback on?


I'll take a guess that you are flying into Glasgow, doing Ayrshire first, then East Lothian, then St Andrews before heading to Inverness via Carnoustie?  Hopefully you managed to drop the hire car at Inverness and fly home from there.

[JWinick]

Drew,


Ireland last year was a lot more driving (20 hours + an extra four for going the wrong way for 1 hour), so this is actually mild in comparison.    No one wanted to play less golf and who knows if we will ever make it back to Scotland.   


Best,


Jon

I've only been once and I did as Carl suggested and stayed in 2 places and played courses near each. Your itinerary seems brutal to me AND: many have done trips very similar. 11 rounds in 6 1/2 days is aggressive. Landing, driving and playing same day might be easier said than done. Afternoon round at Turnberry with a next morning round at Kingsbarns is a fair bit of driving. New Course morning --> afternoon round at North Berwick is a long day with TOC and Carnoustie the very next day will make for a daunting stretch. However, that might be the best 48 hours of your golfing life, so...enjoy!

[JWinick]

David,


People were a lot nicer this year, so that helps!    We have flexibility to move Castle Stuart back if need be.   I suspect that it may be cutting it close and appreciate your insight.

JWinick -

Playing Royal Dornoch at 10:20&10:30 in the morning and Castle Stuart at 4:00&4:10 in the afternoon is cutting it very close. It will take you at least an hour to drive from one to the other. And it will take you at least 4 hours to play Dornoch as a 4-ball in the morning.

DT

P.S. If I recall correctly from JWinick's golf trip to Ireland last year, what most of us would consider to be excessive driving is not a concern for him.

[JWinick]

Any idea what a driver / van would cost?   My concern is a driver will balloon the cost of the trip.   We were forced to do the Old Course Experience in order to get tee times at the Old Course, which was about $3K / golfer for three rounds and 3 nights.   It's a great program (the only way you can guarantee an advance time), but it is not cheap.   

Your schedule is crammed with zero down-time because its an A list tour and you are at the whim of club limitations.  Get a luxury van/bus and driver so you can properly "socialize" when on the road. Even then you run the risk of a blur holiday.


Ciao

[Jon Wiggett]

Jon,


I find it hard to believe that 3 nights with golf is costing $3000 per golfer unless you are staying in the best rooms of the most expensive hotel. A mini bus with driver should cost you no more than £250 a day plus costs and lodgings but there are plenty of companies offering such hires so you should have no problem finding out a price.


Jon

[JWinick]

That's for three days of golf (including Old Course / New Course / Kingsbarns) and three nights at the Old Course Hotel.   My understanding is they (https://www.standrews.com/play/courses/old-course/booking-the-old-course) have the only way to guarantee tee times.   Bear in mind that we are 8 golfers. 

[JWinick]

Jon,


We didn't have to stay at the Old Course Hotel, but it was only slightly less expensive at other places so it made sense.

Jon,


I find it hard to believe that 3 nights with golf is costing $3000 per golfer unless you are staying in the best rooms of the most expensive hotel. A mini bus with driver should cost you no more than £250 a day plus costs and lodgings but there are plenty of companies offering such hires so you should have no problem finding out a price.


Jon

[Simon Holt]

There are lots of companies who can get guaranteed tee times, not just the Old Course Experience with the 3 night minimum stay.


For anyone trying to plan a trip who doesn't already know you can do St Andrews yourself through the Links Trust advance ballot, through many tour operators and even through some of the B&Bs and hotels directly.



A van for 8 of you will cost anything between £550-£800 a day depending on type of coach and driver expenses incurred due to the long hours you may be doing.  Note they also have to have a minimum of 9 hours rest after they turn the key off at night, before they turn it on again the next day.  That includes the time it takes them to get from their digs for the night to your hotel in the morning. 


Its always going to be more expensive than a hire car but you'll be alive at the end more often than not, and never have to worry about directions, drinks or who is driving.


If you have paid that much for the Old Course Experience then the van and driver is good value.  They will also call ahead to check on things like caddies or book lunches and dinners depending on how yours timings run.

[Simon Holt]

Hi Jon,


$3000 with Old Course Experience is most likely the shared occupancy rooms at Old Course Hotel facing the car park (Eden Rooms), with the 3 rounds of golf at New/Jubilee (you are allocated one of those), Old and then a choice between KB and Carnoustie.


The best room at the Old Course Hotel is £1500 a night so $3000 wouldn't touch the surface of the top rooms.