Golf Trip - Ireland/Scotland

quote:

---

anyone done this before? any tips on planning or hidden gem courses to search for?

---

In '04 I went with a couple of buddies to Scotland. 9 days total in May. 198 holes of golf. Kingsbarns, Old Course twice, New Course, Scotscraig, Monifieth, Carnoustie, N. Berwick twice, and Muirfield.

I bought Alan Ferguson's book Golf in Scotland and it was invaluable. I was able to perfectly plan the trip using his book alone. You have to request your tee times at Old Course and Muirfield at least a year in advance, so get on it.

We won the lottery to get the second tee time at the Old Course, and I was very diligent to get the tee time at Muirfield.

Hit me up on here if you have any specific questions. I'm actually in the process of planning one to Ireland now.

i have and it was absolutely fantastic. in scotland, i played glen eagles (stayed there) and the old couse at st andrews. i still get goose bumps thinking about it. in ireland, i played ballybunion and one course in the west of which i can't remember the name. i will say this, ireland was so much fun itself that i actually didn't appreciate the golf as much (i was also very, very hung over every damn day). scotland was a boring country and golf was pretty much the highlight. also, playing with caddies is very cool. go ahead and pay for the better ones if you can get them, esp at st andrews. i had a class c caddie that day and we almost came to blows. that course needs a good caddie as there are no aim targets off the tee and those damn pot bunkers will ruin your score.

It is well worth it. Been over there three times. You can get really good rates if you go in the winter. However, it's brutally cold. We would play golf in the morning and drink in the evenings. Great times. Stay in bed and breakfasts. Hotels are pretty expensive.

Scotland: North Berwick, Old and New Course, St. Andrews Bay, and Kingsbarns are all pretty close together.

Ireland: European Club is a must. It's not too far from Dublin. We also played Mount Juliet. (Parkland course)

From our experience, it's easier to drive around in Scotland than Ireland. Roads are pretty bad in Ireland. It takes a long time to get from one place to another.

Have fun.

how did you go about organizing tee times and what not?

quote:

---

Celtic Golf

---

yeah, this is exactly what i'm looking for.

of the five minutes i've spent on their website, the Dublin's Treasured Links package looks like exactly what we want.

did you play any of these courses?

Portmarnock
County Louth (Baltray)
Royal Dublin
The European Club
The Island

quote:

---

Portmarnock
County Louth (Baltray)
Royal Dublin
The European Club
The Island

---

Portmarnock
The European Club (noted by another poster)

Don't pass these two up.

I recommend Celtic, but I have never used anyone else. So take it with a grain of salt. Since your father in-law has bad knees, Celtic can customize your trip which is a bonus.

Dublin is a great place, but it is still a big city with big city issues.

If you can somehow work it out, the best course I have played in Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. Do not pass up the opportunity if it presents itself.