A first-timers golf trip to Scotland: Tips & tricks

This past April, I had the pleasure of taking a bucket-list golf trip to Scotland. I had never been to Scotland before but had only heard positive things. This really set my expectations high for this vacation, and I am glad to report that my lofty expectations were not only met but exceeded!

I was under the impression that simply getting to these bucket-list venues would be quite a challenge. To my surprise, there were multiple ways of flying from major cities in the States over to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Luckily, I was meeting up with some friends from across the pond, so they were familiar with the different rules of the road, and we took an SUV to our next destination.

All venues from southwest of Scotland to the central area (St. Andrews) were just a few hours apart, and it was much more accessible traveling from city to city than what I had imagined. Also, the country is absolutely beautiful, so driving to the next venue was an excursion in itself!

For golf, all my expectations were beyond crushed with the incredible scenery at every clubhouse and hole. While the bucket-list courses never failed, the hidden gems are far overlooked and should be considered in every golf trip. These courses are extremely affordable for what you are playing, especially with the terrain being unlike anything in the States. All staff and course affiliates were overjoyed to see us and could not be more friendly people. This truly felt like golf heaven.

Something that most people worry about when it comes to a golf vacation to countries like Scotland and Ireland is the weather. Most of these courses had only been open for the season for a couple of weeks, so I was expecting it to be a little chilly.

I’d say that May-August is the best time to take a trip over there so you can enjoy some warmer weather. Rain will come and go, but it never stayed long enough to dampen our golf game. The weather is just another part of the experience. In the States, we never hope for a rainy or windy day, but these courses are built for this type of weather and offer a great challenge that we wouldn’t be able to compare to any domestic trip.

Another topic people brought up that I gained some clarity on was the caddy, pushcart, and golf cart situation. Typically, I play with my golf bag and use a golf cart for every round I play throughout the year. When I first learned I was going on this trip, I started to walk and carry my bag a few more times to get acclimated to the whole walking experience.

You should experience Scottish golf for what it is - so I walked every round I played. In total, this was about 4 rounds in 5 days, so my legs were definitely feeling it on that fifth day. It was not the easiest thing, but it was very much well worth it. If you are able, I recommend walking all rounds of golf and even hiring a caddy here and there. It gives you the chance to take in every aspect of the course, gain a level of respect for the terrain, and makes the pint of beer after completing one of the most prestigious courses in the world taste that much better.

Here are some of my top tips after completing a weeklong golf trip in Scotland:

Bring waterproof warm clothes.

Some rounds of golf started in the 40’s while raining but ended in the 60s with the sun shining. It is quite easy to take off layers, but make sure to bring those layers regardless.

Take your time.

Every course I went to had a great bar/grill, pro shop, locker room, and lounge area. I would eat breakfast and sip some coffee while the grounds crew were putting their finishing touches on the course for the day.

Then, I’d hit some balls to try to shoot the course record. Play the round of golf. Hit the bar/grill after to have a snack with a pint of a local draft lager. Then, of course, hit the pro shop to get all the gear that I wanted to show off to friends back home. It is more of a day experience than just a round of golf, so treat each day as a full-day excursion.

Be willing to go the extra mile.

Scotland is a rural country in most areas. Some of these courses were 15 minutes to an hour and a half away. As mentioned, it’s a beautiful country so being willing to play the memorable courses even if they are a longer drive away is well worth it. The scenery on your way is often as breathtaking as the courses.

Spend at least 7 nights in Scotland.

My trip was 7 nights long and I think that is what every golfer should strive for. The first day is a recovery day from travel, and while I played a round of golf on the day of arrival, I do not necessarily recommend doing so (I think I had one eye open on the 17th tee box). Especially not a premium course of the trip.

4 nights and 3 rounds is a solid trip, but gives you too little time to really take in and enjoy all aspects of Scotland. We also stayed at multiple locations throughout Scotland, which gave us the benefit of seeing more of the beautiful country.

Lastly, I recommend bringing your best friends on a golf trip like this. It truly was the trip of a lifetime and to experience that with your best friends makes the trip that much better. I went with two other golfers who were completely different handicaps, so I landed somewhere in the middle of them.

It did not make a difference and we all had tons of fun playing both good and bad golf on picturesque hole after picturesque hole. Then, to finish and have a bite to eat at the clubhouse as you talk about your round and banter a little, if you had a good day, was one of the highlights of each day I looked forward to and remember the most.