Trip to the UK - Looking for advice

[act0fgod]

I'm planning to spend the end of June and most of July wandering around the UK playing golf (between graduation and starting work). I'll be going with my wife who doesn't play so I'll be playing as a single.

 

I don't have a mapped out agenda and am looking to play as much links golf as possible while keeping the costs under control.

 

The only thing I know I'm going to do for sure is purchase one of the Links Trust all you can play passes (not sure of the 3 or 7 day pass) and I'll play the Old Course as day of walk up.

 

Other things I'm looking into are open amateur events (unfortunately you usually have to apply in advance - http://www.golfempire.co.uk/index.htm), and other all you can play specials (with long days I'll be sure to bring the cost per round down).

 

Anyone have other recomendations, insight or advice on golf, lodging, rental cars or really anything?

[mjtoal]

It is worth including Ireland, especially if you want lots of links. It is very easy to cross to Ireland - ferry from Stranraer (SW Scotland), Holyhead (NW Wales) or Fishguard (SW Wales). Check your rental car is covered, which it should be. There are no immigration formalities. Remember that the Republic of Ireland uses the Euro. N. Ireland uses pounds. Both happily accept US credit cards!

In terms of top links, these are dotted all around Ireland: Kerry and Clare in the SW of Ireland, around Dublin and to the south and a few in N. Ireland. There is an open week at Royal County Down in July, run by the Mourne Golf Club. That is a chance to play arguably the best course in the British Isles in peak condition at a great price. Royal Portrush also has 36 terrific holes and there are a couple of other great links nearby (Castlerock, Portstewart).

If you have student ID, you may be able to get some discounts on green fees.

Pretty much all the clubs in the UK and I are open to visitors, with only a small number of exceptions. Some will get busy in the summer, especially at weekends, and green fees will be higher at weekends. Maybe play during the week and do some cultural, wife-friendly stuff at weekends? Almost all of the clubs will be walking too. Few players use carts, and generally carry their own clubs or use a push or electric trolley. You can hire trolleys at almost all clubs. A small minority of courses, usually the bigger names, have caddies. If you were playing St Andrews Old, I would go for a caddy, as the knowledge and advice will be very helpful, and the caddy will probably be a local character with a database of stories.

If you are around Edinburgh during The Open, you could attend. Unlike the US Open, it doesn't sell out and you can almost certainly get a walk up ticket on the day, especially on Thurs and Friday. [url="http://www.theopen.com"]http://www.theopen.com[/url]

When you get here, post on WRX about roughly where you will be and you will pick up a few members who will take you to their clubs for a game.

In terms of lodging, depends on your budgets and preferences. There aren't loads of low-mid price motels/hotels at every exist from the motorway (interstate) as in the US, but most of the places you are likely to be going will have plenty of accommodation. If you want to go to The Open, I would book something in Edinburgh asap, but otherwise, so long as you have an internet connection and a cellphone, you can probably follow your nose.

[Sling]

Although the UK might look small to you it really isn't and some of the connections leave a lot to be desired. You say you will be with your wife so I'd start with that, where would she like to go and what will she be doing while you are playing golf, there really isn't much to do in North East Scotland other than play golf.

If you spend time in London then there are lots of great parkland courses, with a bit of planning you can play Wentworth, Suningdale, Walton Heath, The Berkshire, Woburn and so on all reachable from Central London in an hour. Royal St Georges is on the Kent coast as are Royal Cinque Ports and Princes.

The greatest concentration of old style links for my money is in East Anglia on the Norfolk and Suffolk coast, Brancaster, Sherringham, Hunstanton and so on down the coast, for there you could be based in Cambridge and maybe spend a night or two in Southwold or somewhere similar.

Wales has a lot of good golf but the wife would have to be in to long windswept walks as there's not much else to do.

In the middle of the country are some pretty decent tracks, Woodhall Spa, one of my favourites, and Little Aston but of course thay are inland.

The most important thing is to plan your itinerary and have your membership secretary at least e-mail the courses you wish to play at, introducing you and confirming your handicap, that way you can play at pretty much any course in the UK.

Personally I'd skip Scotland and wait until you are there with a few golfing buddies, same with Ireland, at this point in time you have a long golfing life ahead of you, it is better to play the iconic courses with people you can talk to about it after the round, I take it you wish to remain married after the holiday!