Golf and the Good Life Podcast
Your Guide for Golf Travel Across the Pond
Planning a golf trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England comes with plenty of questions. Which courses belong on your list? How do you secure the tee times you want? What should you know about caddies, costs, and the experiences beyond the course that make a trip truly memorable?
Golf and the Good Life brings together practical advice, firsthand insight, and conversations with people who know these destinations best. Hosted by D.J. Jones and Connor Evers, PGA, the podcast explores the details that make a great golf trip, helping you plan with greater confidence and get more out of every Expedition.
Whether you're researching your first trip, exploring a specific course, or simply dreaming about your next journey across the pond, you'll find useful guidance and plenty of inspiration here.
Browse the latest episodes below, search by topic, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Latest Episode
The Case for October Golf Trips Across the Pond
In this episode, Connor and D.J. explore the advantages and trade-offs of an October golf trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England. From potential access to marquee courses like Muirfield, The Old Course, Royal Portrush, and Royal County Down to playing overseas while your game is still in season, October has plenty to consider. They also cover the realities of autumn travel, including the weather, course maintenance, and what to keep in mind when planning the off-course experience.
92 of 92 episodes
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92
The Case for October Golf Trips Across the Pond
In this episode, Connor and D.J. explore the advantages and trade-offs of an October golf trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England.
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91
Stuff Happens: Common Golf Travel Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Most trips run to plan, but when something goes sideways, it's usually from the same short list of problems. Connor and D.J. walk through how each one gets handled.
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90
Just Returned: Nick Papadakes, PGA - Onwentsia Club
Nick Papadakes, PGA Head Professional at Onwentsia Club, on the Morcott Challenge at Royal Dornoch and what overseas golf travel really asks of a group.
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89
South West England – Uncharted Territory
Devon and the cliffs of Cornwall are territory most traveling golfers never reach, and Connor returns from ten nights there with the case for going.
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88
Caddies Revisited
Three years and eighty episodes after first covering caddies, a full update on how they work in Scotland, Ireland and England.
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87
Ayrshire & Scotland's West Coast
A deep dive into the Birthplace of The Open, from Royal Troon, Prestwick, Western Gailes and Turnberry to the supporting cast that earns its place.
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86
North Berwick Golf Club – Legendary Links
Unranked twenty-five years ago and twenty-fifth in the world today, North Berwick's climb and the puzzle of pairing it with Muirfield.
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85
Follow Your Captain: Tips for When You're Along for the Ride
Advice for the ninety percent who did not volunteer to be Captain, and what it takes to be a great traveler in someone else's group.
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84
England's Golf Coast - A Deep Dive
With The Open returning to Royal Birkdale, Mike Walters joins for all three Royals and the deep supporting cast that usually gets overlooked.
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83
Part 3 - Key Decisions for Planning Your Golf Trip Across the Pond
The decisions that arrive later in planning: where you sleep, the case for caddies, packing, dinners and your time off the course.
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82
Part 2 – Key Decisions for Planning a Golf Trip to Scotland, Ireland, and England
The choices that give a trip its shape: when to go, where to go, which courses, how much golf, and how you get around.
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81
Key Decisions for Planning a Golf Trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England: Part 1
The five decisions every group faces before planning really begins, starting with the type of trip and the invite list.
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80
Scotland's North Coast 500
D.J.'s long-awaited solo drive of the North Coast 500, with rounds at Royal Dornoch, Wick and Durness and the descent of the Applecross Pass.
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79
Packing Revisited: How to Pack Like a Pro
Seventy-two episodes after first covering packing, a fresh look at golf gear and luggage, from shipping clubs to the AirTag rules worth knowing.
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78
2027 Planning Update: Where Things Stand
A clear-eyed update on where 2027 planning actually stands, past the noise of deadlines, applications and limited tee sheets.
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77
Why Your Golf Trip Needs Some Downtime
The case for building breathing room into an itinerary, and why Captains should plan for it upfront rather than improvise.
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76
Royal County Down with Bill Donald, General Manager – Legendary Links
General Manager Bill Donald on stewarding Royal County Down, balancing global demand against member tradition, and the refinements underway.
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75
Royal Liverpool Golf Club with Andy Leadbetter – Legendary Links
Andy Leadbetter of Royal Liverpool on Hoylake, what hosting The Open truly involves, and how those weeks shape a club long after the grandstands come down.
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74
2027 Golf Trips Across the Pond – What You Need to Know
Why the 2027 planning window opens far earlier than most expect, and which marquee tee sheets move first.
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73
Recent Travels & New Discoveries
A year-end look back across Great Britain and Ireland, from Royal County Down and Portrush to Liverpool and the London heathland.
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72
AI and Golf Travel Planning: What It Gets Right and Where It Falls Short
A candid look at what AI gets right when planning a trip, where it falls short, and why research is not the same as execution.
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71
Meet Your Hosts - The Backstory to Golf and the Good Life
After seventy episodes, Connor and D.J. finally share how each of them came to the game, to H&B, and to this podcast.
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70
The Best 36-Hole Days Across the Pond
Where to play thirty-six in a day, from Muirfield and Sunningdale to smart pairings and underrated second courses.
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69
Play It Twice - Why You Should Play a Course a 2nd Time on Your Golf Trip
Why playing one course a second time tends to produce better golf, sharper memories and a more relaxed week.
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68
Swilcan Package – Applying for Old Course at St. Andrews Tee Times
How the Swilcan Package application works, why the long odds are still worth taking, and what to know before you apply.
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67
Where We'd Host the Irish Open
With the next venue unannounced, where Connor and D.J. would stage the Irish Open, from the usual suspects to a few logistical long shots.
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66
What to Read Before Your Golf Trip Across the Pond
A curated reading list for the weeks before an Expedition, from the legends of Old Tom Morris onward.
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65
Arrival Day Tips - How to Start Your Trip in the Fairway
How to start a trip in the fairway, covering flight arrivals, realistic tee time expectations and what to do with the first afternoon.
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64
How Overseas Golf Travel Differs from the U.S.
The real differences between golf travel at home and across the pond, from private clubs and tee times to hotel rooms and daily logistics.
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63
Royal Portrush & The Open Championship
Rather than another Open preview, a reflection on personal memories of the championship and what makes Portrush and its surroundings special.
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62
Why We Love Links Golf – And Why It Keeps Us Coming Back
Mike Walters joins to talk about what draws all three of them back to the links game, year after year.
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61
The Case for the Shoulder Season
Why spring and autumn travel keeps gaining ground with experienced Members, and what you trade for it.
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60
Just Returned: Dan Wood – Reflections from Ireland and Beyond
Longtime Member Dan Wood of the Currahee Club on recent highlights in Ireland and what three Expeditions have taught him.
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59
10 Questions to Ask Your Golf Tour Company – Part 2
Five more questions worth asking a golf travel company before you commit, aimed squarely at Captains.
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58
10 Questions to Ask Your Golf Tour Company – Part 1
The first five questions that help you choose the right golf travel company and set the tone for everything that follows.
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57
Fresh Finds Across the Pond: A Recap from Scotland & Ireland
Connor quizzes D.J. on recent travels through Scotland and Ireland, from The Highlands to Killarney.
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56
Royal St. George's with Colin Sinclair – Legendary Links
Secretary Colin Sinclair on Royal St. George's Open legacy, the new Hagen 54 event, and why the Channel Coast deserves more attention.
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55
Old Course at St. Andrews Tee Times - Revisited
The four ways to book a round at St. Andrews, how the process has shifted, and what The Open in 2027 does to availability.
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54
Staying Organized Before & During Your Golf Trip
Practical ways to keep decisions, deadlines and logistics straight, both before you leave and once you are there.
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53
Cruit Island Golf Club – Legendary Links
A look at a course few have heard of and fewer have played, and why everything about Cruit Island earns the name Legendary.
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52
What's Ahead in 2025 – In Their Own Words
Recorded at the PGA Show with a dozen golf and accommodation partners on what is new across the pond for the season ahead.
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51
Short Stay Golf Trips Across the Pond
The case for four or five nights in a single location, and which travelers these shorter itineraries actually suit.
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50
Cabot Highlands with Jeremy Matte – Legendary Links
Jeremy Matte on the arrival of Old Petty, the legacy of Castle Stuart, and how Cabot Highlands keeps evolving.
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49
2026 Golf Trips to Scotland, Ireland, and Beyond – What You Need to Know
The leading destinations for 2026, the dates that matter, and how to navigate a narrow planning window.
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48
Road Trips to Pair with Golf Across the Pond
Drives worth pairing with golf in Scotland and Ireland, for the days you are not on a tee sheet.
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47
Post-Trip Recap from Scotland & Ireland
News from St. Andrews plus a recap of the annual journeys through Scotland and Ireland, from Dornoch to Portrush.
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46
Scotland & Ireland: Playing Both Countries in One Epic Trip
Combining both countries is achievable with the right approach, and this is the honest accounting of time, distance and trade-offs.
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45
Exploring Aberdeen: Golf and the Good Life in Northeast Scotland
A closer look at an often overlooked region with excellent golf, interesting sites, and a far more forgiving planning window.
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44
Cruden Bay Golf Club with Ru Macdonald – Legendary Links
Lifelong member Ru Macdonald joins for an in-depth look at Cruden Bay and its place among the world's top hundred.
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43
Tips for Golf Trip Captains – Leading Your Group Like a Pro
Essential advice for the Captain, a role that can quietly turn into a part-time job.
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42
Edinburgh & East Lothian – Part 2
Part two turns to the Good Life, covering your time off the course in and around Scotland's capital.
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41
Edinburgh & East Lothian – Part 1
Part one covers the exceptional golf around Edinburgh and East Lothian, which may be Scotland's best balance of golf and the Good Life.
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40
Do You Really Need a Golf Travel Company?
An honest answer to the question most golfers are too polite to ask, including the cases where the answer is no.
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39
Tips & Advice from 2024 H&B Travelers
With the season half complete, the most useful advice shared by Members who had just returned.
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38
Royal Troon Golf Club – Legendary Links
A visit to the host of the 2024 Open, covering Royal Troon's history, its notable holes and the Good Life nearby.
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37
Small Group Golf Trips – Essential Advice and Insight
The particular hurdles and quiet advantages of planning an overseas trip for a small group.
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36
Tips for Traveling with Your Golf Clubs
Essential advice for getting your clubs there and back, ending with an unlikely story from a recent Expedition.
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35
Our Favorite Par-3s in Ireland
Favorite par-3s from every marquee region in Ireland, ranging from the famous to the infamous.
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34
Our Favorite Par-3s in Scotland
Favorite par-3s from across Scotland, from the celebrated to the quietly brilliant and off the beaten path.
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33
The Channel Coast of England
Why the Channel Coast deserves more attention than it gets, covering where to play, where to stay and what to see.
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32
Lahinch Golf Club – Legendary Links
An in-depth look at Lahinch, its history, its famous goats, and why it belongs on any Southwest Ireland itinerary.
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31
Our Favorite Spots in St. Andrews
Favorite places off the course in St. Andrews, from restaurants to 19th holes to the right cup of coffee.
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30
The Old Course at St. Andrews Ballot and Singles Daily Draw
How The Old Course Ballot works, how the Singles Daily Draw differs, and the questions both reliably produce.
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29
Prestwick Golf Club – Legendary Links
The Birthplace of The Open, its history, its unusual course, and why it belongs on any west coast itinerary.
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28
Dublin's Golf and the Good Life
Dublin has all of it, from renowned courses and rich history to lively pubs, vibrant culture and a famous export.
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27
Northern Ireland Golf Trips – Beyond the Royals
Northern Ireland beyond Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, and the courses that earn a place on your itinerary.
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26
Royal Dornoch Golf Club – Legendary Links
The series begins at a top ten course in the world, beloved by golfers everywhere and the standard against which links golf is measured.
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25
New Golf and Good Life Discoveries for 2024
What the team found fanning out across Great Britain and Ireland in the off season, including a few new options worth adding.
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24
2025 Golf Trips: What You Need to Know
Essential information for 2025 trips and why the time to begin planning had already arrived.
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23
Tips for Self-Drive Golf Trips Across the Pond
The flexibility of charting your own course, what you give up without a Driver-Host, and how to decide which suits your group.
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22
10 Golf Travel Mistakes to Avoid
The most common golf travel mistakes, and the tips that keep a journey in the fairway.
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21
Flight Tips for Golf Trips Across the Pond
The last hurdle before the trip begins, and the choices that improve the odds you, your luggage and your clubs all arrive together.
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20
The Highlands of Scotland
Once considered far flung and now among Scotland's most popular regions: where to stay, where to play and what to see.
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19
Must-See Sightseeing Stops
Favorite places to enjoy the Good Life across the pond, including a climb up a thousand-year-old tower.
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18
Let's Talk About Price
Clarity on what an overseas golf trip actually costs, and the key decisions that drive the number.
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17
Whisky & Golf – Perfect Pairings in Scotland & Ireland
Whisky tours are the most requested activity among H&B travelers, and these are the pairings worth building a day around.
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16
Future Open Championship Venues and 2023 Recap
A recap of the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool plus a detailed look at the future host courses for the championship.
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15
Royal Liverpool & England's Golf Coast - 2023 Open Championship
Royal Liverpool and the links of England's Golf Coast, a region often overlooked despite holding three members of The Open rota.
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14
Southwest Ireland – Part 3
The conclusion of the Southwest Ireland series, featuring the world's most scenic golf course and Payne Stewart's favorite links in Ireland.
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13
Southwest Ireland – Part 2
The series continues with a top twenty-five course in the world, plus the towns and scenery that make the region unforgettable.
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12
Southwest Ireland – Part 1
The crown jewel of Ireland golf trips, home to four Golf Digest World Top 100 courses and a future Ryder Cup venue.
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11
10 Tips for a Stress-Free Golf Trip Across the Pond
The average trip requires forty to fifty separate arrangements, and these are the ten practices that keep stress out of it.
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10
The Complete Guide to Royal County Down and Royal Portrush
The two hottest tee times in Ireland: the world's top ranked course and the newest host of The Open.
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9
The Best 19th Holes in Golf Across the Pond
Inspired by a LINKS Magazine piece on four memorable golf bars, an expanded list of favorite 19th holes across the pond.
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8
Caddie FAQs for Golf Trips to Scotland, Ireland, and England
Everything to know about caddies, from suggested gratuity to improving the odds that the right caddie ends up with your bag.
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7
Packing for Golf Trips to Scotland, Ireland, and Beyond
What to bring, what to leave behind, and how a common packing mistake can affect your scorecards.
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6
How to Book Tee Times at The Old Course at St. Andrews
The Old Course is genuinely public, but landing a tee time is not as simple as booking online, and this is how it actually works.
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5
A Guide to 2024 Golf Trips to Scotland, Ireland, & England
Record demand was already shaping 2024, and this is what golfers needed to know to get ahead of it.
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4
The MVP of Your Golf Trip Across the Pond
Transportation is the overlooked part of planning that can make or break a journey, and the case for a private Driver-Host.
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3
Northwest Ireland – Part 2
Off Ireland's well worn path into the rugged courses of Donegal, from a nine-holer at the edge of the earth to the region's first Top 100.
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2
Northwest Ireland – Part 1
The rise of Northwest Ireland has been one of the more interesting developments in golf travel, and the region is no one-hit wonder.
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1
Welcome to Golf and the Good Life
The first episode, introducing Connor Evers, PGA and Daniel Jones and what this podcast sets out to be.
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