Arrival Day Tips for Golf Trips Across the Pond

How to Start Your Trip in the Fairway

Mike Walters

August 4, 2025

6 Minute Read

When it comes to an overseas golf Expedition, few moments are more memorable than your arrival. You’ve spent months planning. You’ve made the investment. You’ve counted down the days. And now, after all that, the trip is finally real.

But here’s the thing: that smooth start you’re hoping for? It doesn’t happen by accident.

After helping thousands of groups begin their golf trips to Scotland, Ireland, and England, we’ve seen just how much hinges on Day One. A few smart decisions can set the tone for an unforgettable trip. And a few oversights can create unnecessary friction that lingers well beyond your arrival gate.

So whether this is your first time overseas or a return trip with H&B, here are some tips to ensure your arrival day lives up to the moment.

Start with Smart Flights

First and foremost: let's talk about flights. You can’t control airline delays or lost luggage, but you can control two things that make an enormous difference:

Everyone should arrive at the same airport.
Everyone should arrive within a narrow window of time.

This might sound obvious, but it’s one of the most common pain points we see. One member of the group books into Glasgow while the rest fly into Edinburgh.

The two are only 45 minutes apart on the map, but in reality, that can throw the whole day off course. Especially if you’re trying to get to St. Andrews or the Highlands after landing.

Worse still is the time spread. If half your group lands at 8:00 AM and the other half at 2:30 PM, you’re left with a logistical mess. And someone’s first day is going to feel like a layover.

To avoid this, we recommend that the group captain set the expectation early. Something as simple as: “Fly into Dublin by 10:00 AM on August 5th or arrive the day before.” Clear communication up front prevents stress on the back end.

Check Your First Destination

Most transatlantic flights arrive early in the morning, which gives you a full day to settle in, explore, or even tee it up. But if you're connecting elsewhere in Europe or taking a less conventional route, you could arrive much later in the day.

And here’s what often gets overlooked: the location of your first destination.

Say you land in Dublin around 7:00 PM and your first stop is Portrush. That's a drive of roughly three hours, plus the time to clear customs and collect luggage. By the time you reach the hotel, it could be close to midnight. Not exactly the ideal start if you're scheduled to play golf the next morning.

So when evaluating flights, factor in where you're headed after you land. If your group is traveling to a region that's hours away from your arrival airport, an earlier flight—or even arriving the day before—can make a world of difference.

Bottom line: your trip begins when you land, but the journey really starts with where you're going next. Make sure your arrival time works well for that next leg, rather than adding stress to it.

Golfers on the 1st day of golf trip to Scotland

Think Through Arrival Day Golf

For many groups—especially first-timers—the temptation is to play right away. “We want to maximize every round.” I get it. And arrival day golf is a great way to keep active and combat the jet lag.

But the number of groups who play on arrival day during their second trip? It’s much smaller.

Why? Because they’ve learned how draining international travel can be. Even if your flight arrives on time, you still need to clear customs, retrieve your bags, meet your driver-host, travel to the course, warm up, and somehow be ready to enjoy a round of links golf while battling jet lag.

If you do want to play arrival day golf, avoid scheduling a marquee course when possible. Save the must-plays for when your swing—and your brain—are firing on all cylinders.

More importantly, it's better to choose a course you wouldn't mind skipping if something goes sideways with your flights and you lose miss the first day entirely.

Sometimes, the only option for that big name course is on your arrival day. In that case, see the "Go early" point below.

Not Playing Arrival Day Golf? Stay Active

If you’re not golfing on arrival day, don’t just collapse at the hotel. Keep moving.

A walking tour through Edinburgh, Dublin, or St. Andrews is a great way to stay active and start immersing yourself in the experience.

Arrival day is also the perfect time to check off notable sites like the Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, or Edinburgh Castle. In fact, it might be one of your only opportunities for sightseeing if your golf itinerary is a bit ambitious.

The goal: stay up until at least 7:00 or 8:00 PM, have a good meal, and then crash hard. You’ll wake up the next morning far more refreshed and ready to play.

Tips for Arrival Day on Golf Trips Oversaes

The Expedition led by Conor Yunits from Thorny Lea Golf Club explores the St. Andrews Cathedral & Cemetery

Consider Going a Day Early

Another strategy: arrive a day ahead. Especially for groups coming from the West Coast of the U.S. or with complex flight itineraries, this extra time can be a lifesaver.

Beyond acclimating to the time zone, an early arrival helps you absorb any flight delays, lost luggage, or travel surprises without immediately derailing your itinerary. And yes, that includes your golf clubs.

Think of it as a buffer and a chance to breathe before the pace picks up.

Make it Special

You’ve waited a long time for this day. So make it special.

Plan a welcome dinner. Book a private whisky tasting. Whatever it is, create a shared experience that marks the start of your trip.

Even better, use that moment to cover a few essentials: talk through the itinerary, introduce any games or wagers, confirm everyone has local currency for caddies, and set the tone for the days ahead.

If you’re the group captain, this is your opportunity to rally the team. Not with a clipboard and whistle, but with a glass raised in hand and a little camaraderie.

Golfers enjoying toast on first day of golf trip

Group Captain Bill Stiles and Friends raise a glass to their journey at The Criterion in St. Andrews.

One Final Detail

If your group is arriving early in the morning (as most do), be aware: your hotel room probably won’t be ready until the afternoon.

If freshening up upon arrival is a must, consider booking your room for the night before. It's the only way to ensure your room is available when you get in.

For those not traveling with H&B: be sure to notify the hotel that you're a red eye arrival.

Starting Strong

The arrival day might not include the most anticipated events of your journey. But it’s often the most pivotal day of the trip. A smooth start lays the foundation for everything that follows.

Talk early. Coordinate flights. Don’t overreach. And if you have questions or need ideas, our team will help keep you in the fairway.

Here's to a great beginning.