Tips & Advice from 2025 H&B Travelers

Valuable Insights from the 2025 Golf Travel Season

Each year, our Members return home with more than just memories — they come back with perspective.

After every Expedition, we ask a simple but revealing question:

What advice would you give to future H&B travelers?

The answers from the 2025 season offer candid insight, thoughtful tips, and the kind of practical wisdom that only comes from experience.

Whether you're a first-time Captain or a returning Member planning your next journey across the pond, we hope these reflections from fellow travelers help guide the way.

Tom Gilbert, PGA with his Gulph Mills Golf Club members at County Sligo.

Packing Tips & More

Layer up. You can get 4 seasons in one day.

Bob Holmes – Washington Golf & Country Club

Definitely use AirTags on all checked luggage. All outfit planning should include layers. Ladies bring a belt bag for walks and for attaching personal items to your golf bag when playing. Carry a knit hat as well as a brim hat for when the wind picks up.

Debbie Knowles – Huntington Crescent Club

You are investing thousands of dollars in the trip (flight, package). Don't skimp on your clothing options. Invest money in a variety of layers that will make the golf experience enjoyable!

Jeff Fountaine

Follow H&B's advice regarding packing. And I found it better to bring currency with me for the week.

Patrick Kelleher – Old Sandwich Golf Club

Packing is always a challenge. Find out what dressier clothes you may need and what is prohibited by some of the courses.

Brian Sullivan – Boulder Ridge Country Club

Despite the weather forecasts in Ireland and Northern Ireland, pack enough shorts.

Brian Weeks – The Country Club at Muirfield Village

Pack Less.

Matthew Pipho – Dubuque Golf & Country Club

Pack Less.

Marte Cook – Des Moines Golf & Country Club

Pack Less.

Mark Bixler, PGA – Kirtland Country Club

The Expedition led by Jerry Seidel from Cattail Creek Country Club at Muirfield.

Planning Advice

I would break up our trip to have a day in between rounds of golf to give ourselves a break. You are pretty sore after playing that many rounds and taking that many swings.

Blake Serpas – Camden Country Club

Plan a day-off in the middle of the trip. This allows you to enjoy being a tourist and rest the body. Stay 3+ nights at Galgorm Resort. I'm bringing my wife back here soon!

Luke Cureton

Play fewer golf courses and play them twice.

Cristina Pardo – Fort Lauderdale Country Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee

18 holes of golf a day is the perfect amount - don't try and push it and do 36. Take that time to enjoy the local culture - history, restaurants, bars, etc.. If you can make it work, arrive a day early. We arrived in Edinburgh on Wednesday and got picked up on Thursday. This gave us some time to explore Edinburgh and also get some sleep before embarking on our journey North.

Peter McLean

Take a day off. Our trip to Dingle was great and we benefited from a break from the links.

Robert Willis

Take a day off of golf. We did a day pass at the Fairmont St Andrews spa which was well needed and helped slow the cadence of the experience.

Jeff Eisel – Dubuque Golf & Country Club

Limit group size to 8 - which we did. In comparing this experience with past excursions my group has undertaken, there is no way we would have enjoyed our Ireland experience to the extent we did had group size been larger than 8.

David Faddis – The Plateau Club

Coordinate with other members of your group on travel plans.

Jeff Berry

Consider fewer hotels. Packing and unpacking is a pain.

Neil Willian – Meadow Club

Plan ahead. It will make your trip easier.

Bob Turner

Picking a single destination for the entire trip would allow for a more cohesive trip. We went to East Lothian and St Andrew's and the golf and experience in both spots were terrific we never were fully settled until we got to St Andrews and were able to fully unpack our bags.

Dan Pondel – Crystal Woods Golf Club

Group Captain Al Pondel and Friends soak up the sun at the Jigger Inn.

Travel & Logistics Tips

I’d probably ship clubs over ahead of time or avoid Heathrow. I couldn’t ship mine early enough and 2 of our bags got left in London. If not for an amazing British airways employee we wouldn’t have had clubs until 3rd round. All 8 bags were left in London on the way home. Delivered by airport 2 days later.

Matt Doherty – Firethorne Country Club, Providence Country Club

Push dinners back a bit so people have time to have a drink or two at the club house and still have time to get ready for dinner.

Steve Lim – Los Altos Golf & Country Club

Begin watching currency exchange rates several months in advance. We were hammered on caddie fees on rate of exchange. Give your group enough time arriving back in the States to go through Customs as there can be delays, in order to make any connections.

David Kittle – Nevel Meade Golf Club

Avoid Heathrow if you can.

Larry Adams – Des Moines Golf & Country Club

Don't book connections too close together if you're not flying directly to Scotland.

Justin Schmidt – Golf Club of Houston

Think about your timing and your travels. Ours might have been a bit ambitious and did not allow for enough down time to enjoy the experience after rounds. Listen when H&B says pack less.

Jon Walden – York Golf Club

Try to focus on one area for your trip instead of driving all over.

Greg Poulis

We had some travel issues on the way over to Scotland. Next time I would leave day 1 open (maybe a tour instead of golf) in case flights are delayed/canceled or bags don’t make it.

Carole Ferrero – Trump National Golf Club, Charlotte

Spend 1-3 days in Edinburgh both ways. On arrival, the Fringe Festival and city amenities were great to take in while recovering from some jet lag. On leaving, it is difficult driving early in the morning on the departure date. Use your golf bag carrier as overflow of dirty laundry and such for the return trip.

Ken & Jen Langdon

The 2025 NCCAA Expedition – dressed for success at Royal County Down.

Enjoying the Good Life

Stay at the Old Course Hotel! It was worth every penny. There is nothing like waking up to the sunrise over the Links Clubhouse and sipping coffee from your balcony as the greenskeepers prepare the Old Course below you, or watching tee shots on the Road Hole while getting ready for dinner. It was simply stunning.

Conor Yunits – Thorny Lea Golf Club

Use H&B...I repeat, use H&B! They are simply the best from their research, own experiences, and lessons learned. Details are not overlooked and their suggestions (meals, sights, etc.) are spot on. When at Slieve Donard, Brunel's is a must!!!! Villa Vinci was so good the night before but Brunel's was the unanimous choice for "best dinner venue"!

Dan Wood – Currahee Club

Be clear on what you want to achieve on the trip. Review the H&B recommendations closely because they are very good. Our restaurant experiences and tours were excellent. The Driver/Host is a wealth of information and ideas and wants you to interact and use them.

Bob Hyman

Hootananny was super fun. Mustard Seed was very good. (Inverness, Scotland)

Chris Myers – Wisconsin Club

Get out and see the sites and interact with the people. The golf is fabulous, but some of our best memories were outside the courses.

Ken Gillis – CommonGround

Take more photos, take more photos. Take the time to explore all of the history at each facility. Visit the Cavern Club and surrounding entertainment district.

Larry Drehs, PGA – Hyde Park Golf & Country Club

I loved dinner at 1826 Adare!

Mike Kootman – Meadowbrook Country Club, Toscana Country Club

Explore the pubs and restaurants. The Guinness tour and Bushmills tour were great.

Donnie Miller – The Country Club at Muirfield Village

Group Captain Dan Borsky and Friends from The Country Club at Muirfield Village at the Bushmills Distillery.

Invaluable Notes

Find an ATM and get local currency; prepare in advance to pay for caddies, tour guide and driver. Get envelopes. Write a thank you note when able for the tour guide and driver.
Caddies are worth it.
Bring the correct electric converters to Scotland.
READ up on each of the areas BEFORE you go. There is so much history. And it’s not all about the Netflix show - Highlander.
Make sure your alerts are turned on for your airlines.
Create a google share drive for photos. Keep a daily journal.
Be mindful of your the space in your luggage. Pack your dirty clothes in your golf bag. Highly recommend a hard shell golf travel case.
Wear your golf outfit the night before going out to dinner.
BUY THE TRIP INSURANCE.
Don’t skimp on stuff. See that bottle of hard-to-find Scotch, buy it.
Sometimes you need down time from other travelers.
Look at the bright side of everything. You are traveling in Scotland. Enjoy it. Don’t sweat the small stuff you cannot control.
The Captain cannot possibly please everyone and cannot make all the decisions.
Communicate early and often with your group and H&B.

Craig Nelson – Neuse Country Club

Plan to play golf in what you wear to dinner the night before.
Comfortable waterproof golf shoes are a most. If you get the nice ones you only need one pair.
Spend the extra money for nice rain gear.
Leave room in your bag for souvenirs.
Get yourself in shape before you come or schedule a day off from golf in the middle.
We had one person pay for all of the meals and then settle up at the end. This really simplifies getting your check at meals.

David Baird – Green Meadow Country Club

No more than 12 golf balls needed. Caddies find everything. Converse with your caddies. They are a lot of fun. Pay caddies accordingly for very windy and wet days.

Tom Doherty

Don't overpack
Schedule a free day
Book your dinner reservations in advance
Appoint a Captain.

John Nicodemo – Allegheny Country Club

The Expedition led by John Nicodemo from Allegheny Country Club at Royal Portrush.

Pearls of Wisdom

Try and worry less about your actual golf game and take the time to enjoy the trip and the memories. This trip with my father, brother and uncle has created memories that will last a lifetime. That far outweighs your scorecard at the end of the day.

Bryan Meskell

Enjoy the journey, it goes fast when you are having fun.

George Frederick – Ridgewood Country Club

Don’t scrimp on the cost. Pay more for a great experience.

Hank Sandlas

While on the course, spend a few moments every now and then step away from the game to take in the scenery and enjoy the moment.

John Willis

Use H&B and Connor and ask for Keith as your driver if in Ireland!

Seth Silverman – Pittsburgh Field Club

Relax and enjoy yourselves!

Shaun McElroy, PGA – Estancia Club

If you’re looking for a First Class experience, trust H&B to setup your journey!

Rick Meskell – Meadow Brook Club

Walk a lot before showing up!

Henry Coffeen – Roaring Fork Club

Read your Final Marching Orders!

Mike Rosen – Heritage Oaks Golf Club

H&B handled our trip so well that I don't have any advice that would be worth mentioning.

Denise Doherty – Walnut Creek Country Club

Listen to H&B's advice and everything will go smoothly.

David Rocca – Steel Club

Be confident you picked the right golf tour company.

Hank Smith – Gulph Mills Golf Club

We’re grateful to our travelers for sharing their advice and tips to help future H&B explorers make the most of their golf journeys. Their insights reflect the spirit of camaraderie that defines every Expedition, and we’re proud to pass along their wisdom. As we look ahead to the 2025 golf travel season, we can’t wait to create even more unforgettable experiences of Golf and the Good Life.