When someone approaches Haversham & Baker to plan a Scotland golf trip, they often arrive with an abundance of questions. The “who, what, when, where, and how” of overseas golf travel can feel a little daunting at first. If you’re just starting to plan your trip, our suggestion is to simply start at the beginning:
“How far in advance should I begin planning my golf trip to Scotland?”
The short answer: It depends. A variety of factors will determine how far in advance you should book your Scotland golf trip.
Here’s our advice for each of the best regions for golf Scotland.
St. Andrews
If you want to guarantee your spot on the tee sheet at The Old Course at St. Andrews, the timeline for planning a Scotland golf trip begins earlier than you might expect.
Haversham & Baker typically receives our allotment of Old Course at St. Andrews tee times in April of the preceding year. Our frequent travelers know these times go fast, however, and secure their place on our waiting list long before the ball drops in Times Square.
Another headliner in the area – Carnoustie – opens its tee sheet shortly thereafter. So whether you’re planning to book a guaranteed tee time through an authorized provider, attempting to hit the advance lottery, or trying your luck on the daily ballot for the Old Course, there really is no such thing as planning too far in advance.
Begin planning no later than January 1st of the year prior to your trip.
If you want the trip to include a tee time here, start planning your Scotland golf trip early.
Muirfield & East Lothian
The experience at Muirfield is one of the single best days in all of golf. It also happens to be one of the toughest tickets in Scotland.
The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers allows visitor play on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Muirfield tee times become available in March of the preceding year. They don’t last long.
Once that coveted tee time at Muirfield is secured, the rest of the trip can be built around it and at a more leisurely pace.
The West Links at North Berwick and Gullane Golf Club are two of the other marquee courses in this region, and their tee sheets are typically become available closer to summer.
Begin planning in January of the year prior to your trip.
The early bird gets the tee time at Muirfield.
The Highlands
As anyone who’s visited The Highlands of Scotland will attest, the clock seems to slow down from the moment you arrive. Everything runs at a more relaxed pace in the Scottish Highlands, and that even applies to the timeline for planning your trip.
As the #1 ranked course in Scotland by Golf Digest, Royal Dornoch is where you’ll want to begin your planning. From there, the likes of Castle Stuart, Nairn, and Brora Golf Club can fill in the remaining slots.
But there’s no need to pester your travel companions during the winter months. Embrace the relaxed nature of The Highlands and begin planning over post-round pints during a spring or summer afternoon at the club.
Begin planning 9-12 months in advance.
Aberdeen
Like The Highlands, planning a golf trip to Aberdeen requires less advance notice compared to St. Andrews and East Lothian.
Of the headliners here, Royal Aberdeen has the most limited visitor policy. But for many, Cruden Bay and Trump Aberdeen are the primary draws. One thing to keep in mind however, is that this region is often paired with plans already in place elsewhere around Scotland. This may limit your degree of flexibility, so don’t sleep on putting those Aberdeen times on the books.
Begin planning 9-12 months in advance.
Two pieces of advice for Cruden Bay…
Plan early and always consult these guides.
Ayrshire
There’s no shortage of outstanding golf to choose from in Ayrshire, with Turnberry, Royal Troon, Prestwick Golf Club, and Western Gailes all located along the same stretch of Scottish coastline.
Like Aberdeen, however, there’s a good chance that your time here is being planned around your golf in St. Andrews or East Lothian. For that reason, we’d advise filling out the rest of your trip with your rounds in Ayrshire as early as possible. Royal Troon tee times, in particular, often sell out very soon after they become available.
Begin planning in January of the year prior to your trip.
Tees and tee times alike are in high demand at Royal Troon.
As you can see, the amount of advance notice required to plan a Scotland golf trip varies widely based on the areas visited and courses played.
Planning a Scotland golf trip is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Getting from the box of pieces in your mind to the finished picture of an itinerary takes a large investment of both time and patience.
Of course, our Expedition Planning Managers put the entire puzzle together to ensure an unforgettable experience. All you have to do is tell us where you want to play, and we’ll take it from there.
Whether you plan to enlist the expertise and service of Haversham & Baker or tackle the puzzle on your own, these timelines offer a guide of when to begin planning a Scotland golf trip.
But in either case, our advice is always the same… Plan early.
Our free guide includes over 40 pages of valuable insight, plus links to nearly 50 additional resources, on Golf and the Good Life in Scotland.
For more insight on planning your golf trip to Scotland, visit the pages below, read our Scotland golf trip reviews, or have a look through our Yardage Book, where you’ll find answers to many of our most frequently asked questions.
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