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Travel Stories: Group Golf Trip to the Best Courses in Scotland
A group of eight great friends had two spectacular golf trips to Ireland and Northern Ireland with Old Sod Golf over the past 3 years, and they decided to build upon their first two trips by traveling to Scotland for 8 days.
A critical piece of the plan was that the group wanted to play the best courses possible, so knowing how quickly tee times fill up, the group began meticulously planning with Old Sod Golf’s Tanya Oliver a year in advance. Tanya did a phenomenal job in every area, and as a result, the group was able to secure times at some of the best courses in Scotland.
The group also decided to apply in September, 8 months before the trip, to the advanced application to play The Old Course in St. Andrews. Both foursomes were lucky enough to be chosen, and the day that they received was the first day of their proposed trip. Several people were concerned that if their plane was late on that first day, though, they would not get the chance to play The Old Course. Thus, several members of the group recalculated and decided to add another day to the beginning of the trip. That foursome was scheduled to play The New Course at St. Andrews on the first day. Everything worked out perfectly. It was a thrill to be at St. Andrews, and they were all looking forward to the next day.
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| That afternoon, the group arrived at The Old Course, and everyone was in awe as they recognized the history and magnificence of the course. People had butterflies in their stomach, even though there was nothing at stake. The entire day was special, and playing the Road Hole (17th), driving off the 18th tee, walking over and posing for photos on The Swilcan Bridge…and then simply finishing on the 18th green in the amphitheater of The Home of Golf truly was a very, very special experience. Needless to say, the conversation at dinner that night was highly entertaining.
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| The next morning, a group headed to a local shooting range to work on shooting clay pigeons, after being instructed how to safely hold and shoot a rifle. People had varying degrees of success, but it was a lot of fun.
Next stop was at Carnoustie Links, which is called “Golf’s Greatest Test” because of its narrow fairways and deep bunkers. It was a much harder course than either the New or Old Courses, so the players had to be hyper-focused. As they got to the 18th green, every group member remembered the agony that Jean Van de Velde experienced on that exact hole in the 1999 British Open. Being at that very spot on Carnoustie was an incredible memory for the players. Next up was the fabulous KIngsbarn Golf Links, where the players enjoyed spectacular ocean views and an incredible layout. Several of the golfers noted that Kingsbarn was their favorite course thus far on their trip. After golf was truly one of the most memorable dining experiences of the golfers' lives. Each golfer had pre-arranged to be fitted for a full Scottish kilt outfit, and the group got together for some very fun photos. One of the golfers had secretly arranged for a Scottish bagpiper to come over where the group was taking photos...and he led them into dinner, accompanied by the bagpipes. The dinner was held in an elegant dining area, and everyone enjoyed the exquisite 7 course meal.
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The group travelled to Gullane #1 the next morning, where the challenge was different than the previous courses with a blend of fast-running fairways, pot bunkers and exposed greens. From the elevated tee boxes, the golfers had some of the most spectacular views in Scottish golf. To the west, you could spot Edinburgh Castle, and to the immediate east, you could see Muirfield.
Since the golfers played Gullane that day, they were considered “members for the day”, so they had a delightful lunch in the Members Only dining room. What a thrill.
After golf, the group checked into the exclusive 100 Princes Street, which had just undergone a £30 million renovation. Through the rest of their stay, the group was given an excellent dining area where they were the only ones in it. The service was superb in every way. Also, as the golfers walked outside of the hotel, they looked immediately up on the cliff above Edinburgh…and were able to see the magnificent, 900 year old Edinburgh Castle. The guys in the group were in awe of that majestic landmark.
The group headed to North Berwick the next morning, accompanied by sunshine, warm temperatures and a minimal breeze. Again, the visual imagery was spectacular, and a few of the course's somewhat quirky holes truly caught the group’s attention. When finished, the group had a terrific lunch, which began with a complimentary beverage of their choice. It was great that North Berwick has that tradition.
The last round was at one of the finest golf courses in the world, Muirfield. A large majority of the golfers felt that Muirfield was the best course that they had played. It was beautiful in every way, and every hole seemed to have one or two challenging spots that each golfer needed to avoid.
Immediately after golf, the group donned their coat and tie…and enjoyed the time honored tradition of having lunch in the famous Muirfield dining room. Photography was not allowed inside, so there were no photos, but the experience was phenomenal.
Most of the group departed for the USA the next morning, but four of the players got into a car and drove up north to play Royal Dornoch, Castle Stewart and the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, which is one of the most prestigious member clubs in the world. Whether the players left on the originally scheduled day…or extended their trip for three days, they all felt that this was BY FAR the greatest golf trip that they had ever been on. They were appreciative of the meticulous work that Old Sod Golf team did for them, and they are already trying to plan their next trip.
