Golfbreaks.com – Golf Vacations to UK and Ireland - Intro

[Golfbreaks]

Hello TheSandTrap!

My name is Guy, Director of Golfbreaks.com. We’ve just joined TheSandTrap as a sponsor and I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce myself and the company to you.

We’re a specialist golf tour operator based out of Windsor, UK with offices in Charleston, SC and Copenhagen, Denmark. We have been providing golf vacations, to mainly European golfers, since 1999. Currently we sell over 2000 golf destinations worldwide and this year will send over 220,000 golfers on golf trips.

In 2013 my co-Director Daniel Grave set up our USA office to expand our American operations and bring our bespoke service (and great value vacations!) to golfers Stateside.

Our aim is to enthuse about the wonders of UK and Irish golf and encourage as many of you as possible to take a trip this side of the pond and play some iconic courses. The golf truly is great, and it is not as expensive as you might think!

You can find more details about our UK and Irish tours service on our USA website at:  http://usa.golfbreaks.com

If anyone needs any advice on golf or places to stay in Scotland, Ireland, England or Wales or is planning a golf trip to Europe then we would love to hear about it.

In the meanwhile, play well!
Guy

[mvmac]

Welcome @Golfbreaks ,great to have you. My dad and I went on a golf trip to Scotland and Ireland in the summer of 2013 and it was awesome. Hope to do it again in the next 5-10 years.

[k-troop]

My dream vacation would be something along the lines of Tom Coyne's A Course Called Ireland, except with motor transportation between towns. Glad to have you @Golfbreaks

[Ernest Jones]

Welcome to the Trap! :dance: Thanks for the support!!

[Lihu]

Welcome.

[Golfbreaks]

Thank you for your kind replies. Yes, Ireland really does have some stunning courses; with a third of the world's links courses there you really can't go wrong! With the likes of Ballybunion, Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Doonbeg, Waterville to name just a few.

Anyway, all eye's are on Scotland this week! Anyone planning on making a trip over to The British Open? Or has anyone played the Old Course for that matter? Let's enjoy it! Guy

[DaveP043]

Welcome to TST, Guy, it'll be interesting reading your opinions of some of those golf destinations.  I've been to St. Andrews twice in the last five years (I planned my own trips), so this will be my first time watching an Open at the Old Course since I played it.  It looks w WHOLE lot different at ground level than it does from the cameras in the towers!

[nevets88]

Good to have to you here @Golfbreaks . People who called Chambers Bay a goat track should get thee to you and book a trip because they'd never say that had they played in any of the great courses across the pond. The environs there are unlike anywhere in the US. When I played in the UK, I made sure I had a handicap card from my local golf association, but courses never asked for mine. Granted the courses weren't super busy. Do you know in what situations do they ask for your card?

[cipher]

Welcome to the site!

[Mr. Desmond]

Thanks for sponsoring the site.

I am interested.

[jamo]

Welcome @Golfbreaks !

[mchepp]

Welcome to the site. I have been talking about a trip like this but just never planned it. I will need to do it now once the kid is out of the house.

[JetFan1983]

Welcome to the site @Golfbreaks ! Looks cool. I've never played golf outside the US, but if I ever head over to the UK or Ireland, I'll head over to your website. Thanks again.

[DaveP043]

Good to have to you here @Golfbreaks.

People who called Chambers Bay a goat track should get thee to you and book a trip because they'd never say that had they played in any of the great courses across the pond. The environs there are unlike anywhere in the US.

When I played in the UK, I made sure I had a handicap card from my local golf association, but courses never asked for mine. Granted the courses weren't super busy. Do you know in what situations do they ask for your card?

I've been to both Scotland and Ireland twice, and I've never seen anything like Chambers Bay.  The links courses are totally different from what I've seen in the US, but Chambers Bay was still very different.

When I've been in Ireland and Scotland, the only place I was actually asked for a handicap card was the Old Course.  Carnoustie didn't ask, nor did Ballybunion or Lahinch or Waterville or Royal Dornoch.  Still, its best to be prepared.

For all of the guys who have never been to the British Isles, I strongly recommend that you find the time and money to do it at least once in your life.  You can certainly plan a trip on your own (I've done that several times), if you want to spend the time and effort to research it, or you can use a planning service like @Golfbreaks .  Either way, its something you'll never forget.   Depending on your choices for lodging and courses, you can make it more or less expensive.  For me, on the East Coast, I can spend a week in St. Andrews for less money than a week at Bandon Dunes.

[DaveP043]

And just coincidentally, I'm starting to help a friend organize a trip to Ireland for next summer.  This will be my third trip there, the second for my wife, so we'll get to introduce some of our friends to a new experience.

[Golfbreaks]

Dave, It sounds like you know golf in Ireland quite well having been there several times. If you have not been down to the South West of Ireland before, then I would make this your next trip. With the likes Tralee, Ballybunion, Old Head, Waterville, and Lahinch you can't go wrong. Even Trump's revised Doonbeg is getting good reviews! My recommendation is to stay in Killarney town centre and enjoy the full extent of the Irish craic... plus a few pints of the black stuff! As you know the whole Irish experience is half of the trip.

Outside of the St Andrews area (which is a must), I would look North to the Highlands and Aberdeen. You can fill your boots with rounds on Dornoch, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay, Nairn, and Brora. And they are almost half the price of their renowned cousins down South! And I have not even started talking about all of the "hidden gems" in the area.... (best to stay for a whole month!)

If we can help at all then please let me know (or go to usa.golfbreaks.com ) Thanks, Guy

[Golfbreaks]

And just coincidentally, I'm starting to help a friend organize a trip to Ireland for next summer.  This will be my third trip there, the second for my wife, so we'll get to introduce some of our friends to a new experience.

Dave, sorry, I meant to quote you on my recent post below (excuse me I am a novice user of the  Forum... much like my golf some might say!). Guy

[Golfbreaks]

I've been to both Scotland and Ireland twice, and I've never seen anything like Chambers Bay.  The links courses are totally different from what I've seen in the US, but Chambers Bay was still very different.

When I've been in Ireland and Scotland, the only place I was actually asked for a handicap card was the Old Course.  Carnoustie didn't ask, nor did Ballybunion or Lahinch or Waterville or Royal Dornoch.  Still, its best to be prepared.

For all of the guys who have never been to the British Isles, I strongly recommend that you find the time and money to do it at least once in your life.  You can certainly plan a trip on your own (I've done that several times), if you want to spend the time and effort to research it, or you can use a planning service like @Golfbreaks.  Either way, its something you'll never forget.   Depending on your choices for lodging and courses, you can make it more or less expensive.  For me, on the East Coast, I can spend a week in St. Andrews for less money than a week at Bandon Dunes.

Good to have to you here @Golfbreaks.

People who called Chambers Bay a goat track should get thee to you and book a trip because they'd never say that had they played in any of the great courses across the pond. The environs there are unlike anywhere in the US.

When I played in the UK, I made sure I had a handicap card from my local golf association, but courses never asked for mine. Granted the courses weren't super busy. Do you know in what situations do they ask for your card?

Yes, you are absolutely right. It is best to take a handicap certificate or proof of handicap to the UK/Ireland, but you very rarely get asked to show it these days.

Dave, it looks like you have played all the courses I have just recommended (sorry - you are too well travelled!). In this case I would recommend Northern Ireland (all the Royals!), West Coast of Scotland (Turnberry, Troon, Prestwick, Western Gailes, Kilmarnock Barassie, etc), or maybe head to Lothian to take on Muirfield, Gullane, Berwick, etc. In a way Scotland is spoilt for choice. Guy