Scotland in July - first trip there and would appreciate advice!

[mdannolfo]

I've read all the Scotland posts and I appreciate all the great advice.

Researching using two books - Ferguson's Golf in Scotland and Where Golf is Great by Finegan.  (drooling over the pictures)

This is our first trip to Scotland.  We plan on staying for 8 days on the ground, or 8 days of golfing.  We are coming from Boston, so there will be a day of travel each way likely.  We may take an overnight flight and make it a 9 day trip.  Plan on flying into Edinburgh on a Saturday morning and leaving on the following Sunday morning.

Our golf party.  Three golfers, and maybe picking up a 4th.  I would like to play multiple rounds some days, and they will probably want to play one round per day and do more sightseeing.

My big questions are...

1)  Should we keep moving around or

2)  Concentrate on a couple of areas?  (We are thinking St. Andrews and Inverness)

3)  Is eight days on the ground enough time (small kids at home, don't think I could really go for longer)

4)  Is playing the Old Course a must?  We are undecided about this.  I think it is, but trying to get on via the lottery will make having other plans and tee times difficult?  Is it true that other courses in the St. Andrews area are alright with rescheduling or canceling a round there if we get accepted to play the Old Course?

Part of me would love to keep moving around and play all the courses I'd like to play in different areas.  I'd prefer to play the Old Course, another St. Andrews course (New, Castle, or Jubilee),  Cruden Bay, Royal Dornoch, and North Berwick.  Then mix in maybe Moray Old, Brora, or Lundin.  Maybe Pitlochry or Boat of Garten or another inland course.

Ok here is what I am thinking of trying to do.  Please tell me if we're nuts and this won't work.

1. Saturday AM - arrive.  Pick up rental car.  Drive to St. Andrews.  Get on Old Course List for Monday.  Play Jubilee Course or another St. Andrews Course.  Explore St. Andrews.
2. Sunday - Play Crail or Lundin or another St. Andrews Course.
3. Monday - hopefully play the Old Course.  If not, play Crail or Lundin.
4. Tuesday.   Travel up to Pitlochry and play.  1.5 hrs.  Continue up to Inverness on highland route - 1.5 hours.  Stay in Inverness area.  Either Nairn to the East, or smaller town to the West?
5. Wednesday.  Play Royal Dornoch - 1 hr from Inverness.
6. Thursday.  Play Cruden Bay -  2.5 hour drive.  Or play Moray Old - 1 hour.  Then maybe drive back on Coastal route and stop in Aberdeen area or further south in Carnoustie.  Cruden Bay to Carnoustie is 2 hours.
7. Friday - play Montrose or Carnoustie (if we can get on this late).  Drive south to North Berwick - 2 hours.
8. Saturday - Play North Berwick in the afternoon.  Explore Edinburgh in the morning.
9. Sunday - depart in the AM.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you might be able to offer.  Also, any must see sightseeing attractions that you enjoyed or heard about would be a very welcomed suggestion as well.

Thanks,

Michael

[nevets88]

Although driving distances don't look like much compared to the US, allow yourself more timr than you usually allot. And you'll probably drive slower to look at the surroundings, at least that's what happened to me. Enjoy.

[Dave Gordon]

Seems like a nice collection of courses for a short time. Make sure you're rested at night and be careful with the drink!!

The Old Course has to be played if you are there. If you are flexible then you could enter the ballot all week by phone and then come back if you get a time.

I'd think about playing Kingsbarns in that first weekend. Also if you're looking for a multiple round day try Elie, short, fantastic "fun" course!

Don't know when in July that you're going. But the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart the week before the Open.

[mdannolfo]

Ah, didn't think about the tournament at Castle Stuart.  We were thinking of going the week of the Open actually.  But we are flexible at this stage and maybe we should push it back another week to the week after the open?

Thanks,

Mike

[plugged]

Wouldn't St. Andrews be packed the week of the Open with all the tourists?

[mdannolfo]

Never been, so I don't really know, but we were thinking that they might all be down in England watching the open.  Maybe hoping??

[The_Pharaoh]

Take loads of balls with you as the rough is Scotland is ridiculously long!

[johnthejoiner]

I come from and stay in Edinburgh, if you've got any questions ask away

[mdannolfo]

I've been storing up.  I've bought a ton of Srixon Z star X's at Dicks since they are $25 per box.  Usually play Nike Tour D and Pro V 1x in tourneys, but can't beat 25 for a "tour" level ball.  Never played Srixon before.  Hope I like them since I've picked up 5 doz!

Thanks,

Mike

[tmac0033]

Do the whiskey trail!

[Gerald]

Be prepared for some nice Scottish summerdays (bring plenty of raingear ....... )

[sean_miller]

[tommybolt]

Hi there,

You've picked some good courses. Why don't you just try and book the Old course ? Is it too late? I'm playing it next Monday, and we just organised it beforehand. Only half the daily slots are on the ballot. We're also playing Scotscraig, Castle course and the new course, starting on 1st April.

I've been on maybe 20 golfing weeks to Scotland over the years, and in my opinion its best not to try and cram too many different locations and courses in at once. I always feel like I want more than one go at a course to get a score. There are some great festival weeks - e.g the Tassie at Carnoustie 1st week in September.

[mdannolfo]

We've changed the plans around...

Now going May 13th thru the 22nd.  Thought better to go earlier to try to avoid crowds.

Saturday - fly into Aberdeen in the morning.  Play Royal Aberdeen in afternoon.  Stay in Aberdeen.

Sunday - play Cruden Bay, drive to Nairn.

Monday - Play Moray Old and Nairn.

Tuesday - Play Royal Dornoch

Wednesday - Drive down to St. Andrews, play one of Links Trust Courses.

*  Working on a connection to get us on the Old Course, or just enter the lottery.  Were not going to pay the crazy fees to get a guaranteed tee time at this point.

Thursday - Old Course, or Crail, or Lundin

Friday - North Berwick

Saturday - Old Course or Links Trust course

Well, I think the courses up north are set.

If possible, I'd like some feedback on the St. Andrews area courses.  We are trying to play older courses, Morris and Braid courses, and not really interested in Kingsbarns.  Although it looks amazing, 260 for a round is a little steep.

Anyone have any opinion on the other St. Andrews courses?  Jubilee, New, Castle, Devlin, Torrence?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

[tommybolt]

Quite a few people swear that the new course is better than the old. $260 for Kingbarns? daft money...I'm with you, there are better deals for better courses. Look at Scotscraig, or Leven links as options. We're playing the new, the old and castle for about £210 I think.

North Berwick is good by the way. Dunbar along the coast is also good,,,along with Gullane 1 & 2. Longniddry is fun....not links exactly...few holes with tall pines...lots of gorse. You are doing more driving than I would...I prefer to be based in one place....but then its only about a 5 hour drive to make it up from Sheffield, so I can go for a weekend.

You could try and get a round at Muirfield....apparently not as hard as people think.

And if you ever make it down to the South West of England....my favourite course in the world is Saunton Sands....and I've played most on your list.

[Zwick]

Royal Aberdeen is a true beauty, best (and toughest) course i've ever played. Especially the first 9 is spectacular, so don't forget your camera

Make sure you bring jacket and tie to get access to all the rooms in the clubhouse. Otherwise you can have a drink at the bar, but cant enter the lounge.

Cruden Bay is in the same category, also a very nice course.

And as mentioned before, rainggear is necessary, you probably won't play a full round without some rain.

(Unfortunately I haven't played any of the St. Andrews courses yet, because the only time I was there, was during the '10 open)

[FLOG4]

I'd love to read a post as to how your trip went.  I was not active when the original posts were made.  I would have recommended you play The Castle of St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.  Kingsbarns is fabulous.  Also Castle Stuart up towards Royal Dornoch.  North Berwick is fabulous but so disconnected from the rest of the itinerary.  I would have saved that for the next trip.  The absolute guaranteed way to play the OLD is to show up at 6am day of play.  The teetimes are posted prior afternoon and every time will go out as a 4ball if golfers are present. So you put in for the ballot and if ya miss ya show up.  I have played it 4 times like that.  And several other times via a prearranged time.  So let us know the thoughts of your trip.  Crail is a kick as it is Michael Murphy's basis to Golf in the Kingdom. Royal Aberdeen is better than Royal Dornoch in my mind, as is Cruden Bay too.  Castle Stuart would replace Nairn and Old Moray and I'd fit in Kingsbarns maybe my favorite of them all. One of the best parts of Kingsbarns is they let you play any teebox.  Not so hardly anywhere in Scotland.   The Castle is very nice, and some day will be the jewel of the set there.  Carnoustie is an absolute must if going thru that area....It's only 45 minutes from St Andrews.  And The Old is a One of a kind....A 2nd trip could/should cover North Berwick with Muirfield, Prestwick, Turnberry and The Gullane Tracks and Royal Troon and one or two others in that area.  Tough to say cost is a deterrent when you are already there.  If it is ya do basic B&B;'s and save there..........CUZ it's all about the GOLF.  You could have used Alan Ferguson as your coordinator too. His ultimate cost is virtually saved by the advise he'll dole out.