Bonnie Scotland: A land of golfing plenty
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By David Brice, Golf International Inc.
The recent announcement that golf is to be added to the sports represented at the 2016 Olympic Games was recognition of how a game, started by a few Scottish shepherds to wile away their shepherding hours over six centuries ago, has become truly global. There are few countries that don't have at least some golf courses today and many that have jumped onto the golfing bandwagon in more recent years, are using their newly acquired golf assets to help attract more visitors - International golf travel is booming.
Always adventurous travelers, Europeans think nothing of packing the golf bags and flying off to Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East and little islands the rest of us have never even heard of. In contrast, golfers in the USA and Canada are far more likely to stick with the tried and true. It maybe our strong Anglo-Saxon roots, or our genuine appreciation for the real game of golf and respect for its history, but even 600 years after it all began, Scotland, remains firmly ensconced at the very top of practically every wish-list of golf destinations we must visit.
North Americans are also perhaps a more sophisticated group when it comes to golf. We don't travel thousands of miles to play some second rate layout that happens to be located in the middle of a desert, alongside a pyramid, or close to some other world wonder. Instead we travel to play the very best golf, which inevitably reinforces the decision to play golf in Scotland, birthplace of the game and home to the best links courses Mother Nature has ever designed.
If your decision is to make Scotland your golfing destination in 2010, congratulations, you've made a wise choice, all but guaranteed to provide you with memories enough to last a lifetime. But don't look upon this as an isolated, once in a lifetime trip. Once Scottish golf has been tasted, it doesn't take long to develop an addiction and you'll be yearning for more. Count on returning to Scotland at least a few more times to drink up as much of this exceptional golf as you possibly can.
Simply deciding on Scotland as the destination for a golf trip is only the first step in the early planning stages. The next question to address is what part of Scotland and what specific courses do you want to include? Undoubtedly you have developed a wish list with probably the best known names featured prominently -- be wary of making practically every first-timers mistake and picking names without regard for the actual location of those courses. If this is to be a typical, one week trip, you certainly want to maximize your time and experience as many of the courses as you are comfortable playing.
Without some careful planning and at least a basic knowledge of Scottish geography, you could end up spending more time on the road than you do on the golf courses. This is where the expert assistance of a professional golf travel company, such as Golf International can be of tremendous help.
They have spent the last 20 years specialized exclusively in planning golf trips to Scotland and they know the country, the golf courses and hotels, inside and out. They will help you select the best courses and recommend hotels conveniently located to the layouts you will be playing and fit your budget. They will even make sightseeing suggestions, recommend pubs and restaurants and help you out in a hundred and one other small ways, all to ensure you enjoy the very best Scottish golf experience. Golf International even has its own offices and expert staff, based in Scotland, just to make sure your trip runs like clockwork. So put their expertise to work for you, it could make the difference between an ordinary golf trip and one that is truly extraordinary.
Most of Scotland's premiere links courses, including all of the famous names, together with other links courses, which are often equally as good, but may not have garnered the same spotlight, are concentrated into just five, conveniently compact clusters. It would be a mistake to try to include more than two of these clusters into a 7 day trip, but look at the famous names each cluster contains and you can only agree.
The Southwest cluster extends a mere 40 miles along the Ayrshire coastline, from Turnberry in the south, to just beyond the resort town of Troon. The almost 20 courses in this cluster include three British Open venues -- Turnberry, Royal Troon and Prestwick -- together with a further 15 courses, all well worth playing, including the exceptional, Western Gailes and highly regarded, Dundonald Links.
The St. Andrews cluster is equally compact, with another 20 excellent layouts, all sitting within a 30-minute drive of golf's headquarters. The seven courses operated by the town of St. Andrews, include the fabled Old Course and the very impressive, new Castle Course. Only ten minutes from town is top-ranked, Kingsbarns and 40 minutes in the opposite direction, the notoriously tough, Carnoustie Links, another British Open venue. Among the less familiar names, Crail and Lundin Links are a couple of outstanding gems
The Edinburgh cluster sits a brief half hour drive from the heart of one of Europe's most charming capital cities. Led by Muirfield, a 15 time British Open host, the others may not be as well-known but they include some of Scotland's best links such as historic North Berwick, the three outstanding links at Gullane and Musselburgh Old Links, which hosted six British Opens in the late 1800's. There is also historic Dunbar and The Glen, one of Scotland's most delightful old links, or grab the opportunity to play a more recent addition, the stunning links at Craigielaw. If you are looking for more, there are another dozen links layouts to choose from.
The Aberdeen Cluster includes some of the most under-rated links courses in the world and they are all located within a 20 mile radius of the city - Royal Aberdeen, a past host to the Senior British Open; Cruden Bay, an outstanding so called, hidden gem and Murcar, another very demanding links test. For a very special treat, head a little further north and experience the sparkling old timer at Fraserburgh. In a few years we will be able to add another links to the Aberdeen cluster, when Donald Trump finishes his course, which he modestly projects will be the world's best links -- only time will tell.
The Highlands cluster is headed by stunning Royal Dornoch, ranked among the world's top ten courses, with nearby Nairn following in hot pursuit. A brand new links that has taken the Highlands by storm is Castle Stuart, a real dazzler that can only amaze any golf connoisseur. But don't ignore the lesser known jewels that make their home amid these dramatic surroundings -- Brora, Tain and Old Moray, are among the many that all offer an unforgettable links experience.
Stay at least three nights at a well-located hotel in each selected cluster and you will have more than enough top drawer golf to choose from, including those big name courses. Careful planning will not only give you the time to play more golf, it will also provide the opportunity to discover the many other sides of this fascinating corner of Britain.
Another word of advice, don't focus on only the famous courses. Including more than two or three of the very challenging, top-ranked championship links courses, will be more than enough for most -- more than this can turn a golf vacation into hard work. Just remember, you are playing some of the most demanding courses in existence, so include a few of the lesser known gems among the big names and you will experience another side of Scottish golf and you'll get to meet some real Scots.
As sacrilegious as it may be for me to say, remember, golf isn't everything and exceptional courses are only the beginning of all Scotland has to offer. Few other countries have as rich and colorful a past, reaching back to the beginnings of time and much of this history is close to the courses you will be playing.
Discover the historic capital of Edinburgh, the Paris of the north and one of Europe's most appealing cities. Scotland's second city, Glasgow, has evolved from an industrial town, into a chic, sleek, contemporary city, filled with outstanding Art Deco and Victorian architecture. St. Andrews, home to the third oldest university in Britain, was once Scotland's Ecclesiastical capital and has an enthralling, blood and guts history dating from medieval times.
If historic castles are appealing, then Scotland has them in profusion with outstanding examples in Edinburgh, the ancient capital of Stirling, in and around St. Andrews, near Carnoustie, close to Aberdeen and throughout the Highlands.
If golf and sightseeing sounds like thirsty work, don't despair. Wherever you find a Scottish golf course, there will be a whisky distillery or two nearby and visitors are encouraged, providing they test the goods. All of this and everywhere, the most stunningly dramatic scenery to be found in the entire British Isles.
Don't think for one moment that a Scottish golf trip should be restricted to only golfers, this is Scotland, the land of Rob Roy, Mary, Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Robert Burns and hundreds of other fabled characters of old. Their history is Scotland's history and it makes for some of the most fascinating sightseeing imaginable. Non-golfers, whether spouses, children, aunts or uncles, parents, grand-parents or just friends who happen not to play golf, will be mesmerized by all this enchanting and thoroughly handsome country has to offer.
Make 2010 your year for Scotland and you will have the added benefit of one of the best values for money in all of Europe. Unlike the Euro, the common currency now used by most European countries, which has strengthened against our US Dollar by almost 15% over the past few years, the British Pound, Scotland's currency, has weakened. During the same few years the Pound has lost almost 10% of its value. That Scottish trip is going to cost at least 25% less than a similar trip to a Euro country...and that's something you can take to the bank.
But just as Scotland is an excellent value for us, for those other European folks who will be paying with Euros, it's an even greater bargain and next year they will be flocking to Scotland's shores, eager to play the same courses you have on your list. If you are hoping to take advantage of Scotland's tremendous golf values, better start the booking process soon -- 2010 will really be the year when the early birds catch the worms.
Scotland is the undisputed, world headquarters of golf, but there is so much more contained within her borders - make sure you discover as much of everything as time allows. For more ideas on how to get the very best out of your Scotland trip, click here.
©2009 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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