Over the last several years, many of our members have traveled for a week, played a selection of world-class golf courses, enjoyed the famous sightseeing, and done it all without changing hotels.
You might think of these single destination trips as a golf cruise on land.
Although Haversham & Baker does not offer traditional golf cruises, these Expeditions provide many of the same benefits of enjoying the game on the high seas.
They also offer some additional advantages not found with golf cruises.
But most importantly, they provide the same immersive and customized experience which our travelers have come to expect from an H&B Expedition.
“It was a great experience. Next time I plan to focus in a particular area where all courses are within 1 hour and where the group can stay at a single hotel.”
~Topper Mathews, Belle Meade Country Club
Advantages to Single Destination Golf Trips – Golf Cruises on Land
Play Great Courses Twice
For most golfers traveling across the pond, the aim is to squeeze as many bucket list courses as possible into the time allotted.
An understandable mindset, especially if it’s your first golf trip to Scotland or Ireland.
In contrast, many experienced golf travelers wisely plan a second round at the marquee course(s) on their itinerary.
They understand that links golf courses can be a bit fickle. Thanks to the unpredictable winds and weather, they rarely play the same from one day to the next.
If you happen to visit Royal Dornoch during a monsoon, you’re likely to walk away wondering why it’s one of the best golf courses in the world.
On the other hand, the group playing the next day in glorious sunshine may put their names on the waiting list for membership.
One of the key advantages of a single destination golf trip is you usually end up with extra time for another crack at the headliner.
And the second time might be the charm.
Slow the Pace
As the old saying goes, sometimes you need a vacation from your vacation.
During a golf trip across the pond, you’re likely to play more rounds in a week than you might in two or three months back home.
As a result, one of the most common pieces of advice from H&B travelers is to plan a day off the golf course.
By staying in a single destination, it’s easier for you and your travel companions to slow the pace.
Even if you don’t take a full day off of golf, you’re likely to end up with extra free time that would have otherwise been spent commuting to your next destination.
Time that can be spent reading on your balcony overlooking The Old Course at St. Andrews or recharging at the hotel spa, keeping your mind, body, and game sharp for the rounds ahead.
The best piece of advice is one that was not put together by us, but playing two rounds at RCD was the best choice we made. In addition, I think doing just 18 holes per day made for the perfect amount of down time and allowed for a leisurely departure each morning. Finally, choosing to not stay anywhere for less than 2 nights made it easy on the packing and allowed us to slightly settle in at each location.
~Zack Sweet, PGA – Cape Cod National Golf Club
Sightseeing
Although golf may be the main objective of the trip, any H&B traveler will tell you that their time off the course was just as valuable to the overall experience as their time on it.
We call that time the Good Life, and our commitment to the experience off the links has distinguished Haversham & Baker from other golf travel companies for decades.
By slowing the pace and staying in one destination, you’ll have more opportunities to immerse yourself with the local heritage and culture.
Perhaps you take in a personalized guided tour of The Highlands or enjoy a glamorous dinner aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.
The enriching experiences off of the golf course are only limited by the hours in the day and your imagination.
Repack Just Once
One of the great advantages to golf cruises is the ability to unpack the suitcase just once.
In contrast, most land based golf trips across the pond usually require at least one or two hotel changes.
With a single destination golf trip, the logistics are considerably easier.
Just like a golf cruise, you can unpack, settle in, and only pull out the suitcase when it’s time to head home.
Stop and Smell the Roses
One of the benefits of a single destination golf trip is the time and freedom to just see where the trip takes you.
Whether it’s a morning stroll through the St. Andrews cemetery, an extra round as the sun fades at Cruden Bay, or hours of celebratory pints on the patio at Old Head, how you spend your time on an H&B Expedition is entirely up to you.
Because you’re the Captain of this ship.
Best Destinations for Golf Cruises on Land
St. Andrews
If you want to play golf in Scotland without having to change hotels, St. Andrews is the place to do it.
The golf speaks for itself.
The Old Course, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns belong on the bucket list of every golfer.
But it’s the range of lesser known golf courses near St. Andrews which truly sets it apart.
If they were anywhere else in the world, courses like Crail Golfing Society, Panmure, Dumbarnie Links, and Lundin Links would be the highlight of any trip.
In St. Andrews, they fill out a week-long golf trip in the role of understudy.
Although golf is the main attraction in town, there are an abundance of ways to enjoy the Good Life while in St. Andrews.
From strolls through the ancient cemetery and university quads, to tours of historic castles and the famous links, the heritage and culture of St. Andrews is found at every turn.
Another advantage to staying put in St. Andrews comes back to The Old Course…
If you’re planning to enter the daily ballot for The Old Course, the more chances you give yourself, the better.
Spending a week in St. Andrews versus just two or three days will certainly put the odds of crossing the Swilcan Bridge in your favor.
Dublin
The fact that a mention of Dublin brings thoughts of pints and Joshua Tree rather than golf says plenty about why it’s a great choice for a golf cruise on land.
There are enough great courses near Dublin to keep the golfer occupied for a week or better.
The options include a former Ryder Cup host and four hosts of the Irish Open, one of which is consistently ranked among the Top 100 golf courses in the world.
As one of the great cities of Europe, it’s the Good Life in Dublin which makes it a wise choice for a single destination golf trip.
Whether it’s touring the Guinness Storehouse, shopping on Grafton Street, or enjoying the legendary pubs, the sightseeing options in Dublin are almost endless.
And it can all be enjoyed without ever having to change hotels.
Edinburgh & East Lothian
The combination of outstanding links golf and the rich heritage at one of the world’s great cities, leads many H&B travelers to enjoy a single destination golf trip to Edinburgh.
Although St. Andrews is labeled “The Home of Golf,” the East Lothian region also has a fair claim to the title.
The headliner is Muirfield, home to The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and authors of the original rules of the game.
Nearby North Berwick, Gullane, and a variety of less heralded courses in East Lothian will provide plenty of additional options for golf.
Beyond the golf course, basing yourself in Edinburgh offers unmatched opportunities to enjoy the Good Life.
All of which makes Edinburgh the perfect choice for the golfer who wants to enjoy a trip across the pond but skip the hotel change.
The Highlands
Perhaps no other region is more suited for a golf cruise on land than The Highlands of Scotland.
The scenery is enchanting, the people are endearing, the golf is captivating, and the Good Life is enthralling.
Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Brora, and Nairn belong on the must-play list of every golfer.
But it’s the Good Life that truly separates The Highlands from the rest of Scotland and beyond.
After a short drive through The Highlands, it’s easy to see why Mary Todd Lincoln once said that “Glorious Scotland has spoilt me for every other country.”
England’s Golf Coast
You’ll notice that the destinations above all follow a similar pattern.
Each of these regions offers Golf and the Good Life in equal measure, making them an ideal choice for the golfer who wants to enjoy it all without changing hotels.
England’s Golf Coast is a little different.
While the region is heavy on the golf, tourists anticipating a week of sightseeing may come away a little underwhelmed.
For that reason, the region has never ranked high on our list for couples trips or other groups where touring is a high priority.
But for the ardent golfer, England’s Golf Coast is the ideal choice for a single destination golf trip, headlined by three members of The Open rota: Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, and Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
Additional Destinations
Belfast
Some twenty years have passed since the Good Friday Accord brought peace to the streets of Belfast. Since then, Belfast has transformed into one of the vibrant cities of Europe and become an ideal home base for a single destination golf trip.
From Belfast, you can play the likes of Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Ardglass, Portstewart, and Castlerock.
After your round, Belfast offers an unmatched array of award-winning restaurants and lively pubs.
And then there are the famous sites of the city – such as the Titanic Belfast museum – all of which are best explored via a personal Black Cab tour.
The one downside to basing yourself in Belfast is the windshield time. All of the courses on your itinerary will require commuting an hour or so from your hotel in Belfast.
But the convenience of never changing hotels, plus the outstanding Good Life found in the city, more than offset having to spend a little extra time in the coach.
London
London might be revered as one of the great cities of the world, but for golfers, His Majesty’s backyard is no less enticing.
For starters, the area is home to four members of the GOLF Top 100 Courses in the World list, more than any other region in Great Britain and Ireland.
On the outskirts of town in Surrey, the Old and New Courses at Sunningdale Golf Club are joined by Swinley Forest and St. George’s Hill with this illustrious ranking.
Thanks to the notorious and unpredictable traffic in London, we suggest skipping a stay in the city center in favor of basing yourself in Surrey.
From here, you’ll have easier access to the golf courses, and an array of famous sites like Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
To see the landmarks in London like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the British Museum, you’ll want to plan a day off the course for an excursion into the city.
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