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ABOUT SCOTLAND GOLF PACKAGES


By Bill Hogan - Wide World of Golf President

 

 



Scotland Golf Tours and Scottish golf packages come in many different forms with the major price differences being duration and type of hotel. For instance, Wide World of Golf offers packages from as little as $1750 all the way up to $15,000. The difference? Are you going for 7 days or 14? B&B’s and rental car, or castle hotels and helicopters? Most everyone wants the world-ranked links courses: St. Andrews Old Course, Muirfield, Royal Dornoch, Turnberry, Carnoustie etc (read more…)

 

What You Should Know...

 

 

Most Scotland golf packages combine one or more of the major golf geographical areas: The West Coast, The East Coast, and The Highlands.

The West Coast features top golf links such as Turnberry Ailsa, Turnberry Kintyre, Royal Troon (which now allows women visitors on the championship course), Western Gailes, Old Prestwick, Glasgow Gailes (Glasgow Golf Club), lovely Machrihanish and the new Southern Gailes. Loch Lomond is perhaps the most beautiful course in Europe but open to members and their guests only. Accommodations on the West Coast include the world-famous Westin Turnberry Resort, One Devonshire Gardens in central Glasgow, the quaint Lochgreen House in Troon and a plethora of other small hotels and B&B’s.

The East Coast links are led by Muirfield (which usually sells out about a year in advance), the St. Andrews Old Course, Kingbarns, Carnoustie, Gleneagles (3 courses), North Berwick, Gullane, and the other 8 or so courses in the immediate St. Andrews area. The Gleneagles Hotel and The St. Andrews Old Course Hotel lead the way in accommodations, with St. Andrews Bay, Rusacks, The Balmoral in central Edinburgh and many, many others at all price points.

The Highlands are Scotland’s treasure, with mountains, rivers and lochs combining to make a kaleidoscope of color and beauty. Royal Dornoch is easily the best course up north, but Nairn, Cruden Bay, The Carnegie Club, Brora and Lossiemouth often get high rankings. Skibo Castle, the former estate of Andrew Carnegie, is truly a world-class lodging experience from beginning to end. The Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch, The Newton, and small personal hotels like The Windsor or The Claymore in Nairn are always warm and comforting...and great values!

So, how do you choose where to play and stay?

 

 

Top Ranked Scotland Hotels

 

 

WESTIN TURNBERRY RESORT - Turnberry
This famous landmark hotel is one of the world’s finest golf resorts. Set among 360 acres of Ayrshire coastline with panoramic views of the Ailsa and Kintyre golf courses, the famed lighthouse, and the vast granite mass called The Ailsa Craig jutting from the sea in the distance beyond. With 129 bedrooms (half are deluxe ocean view), the hotel provides a fantastic spa, superb dining and other activities like fishing, shooting, riding and more. WWG Rating: A+

GLENEAGLES HOTEL - Auchterarder
Set within its own 830-acre estate amidst breathtaking Perthshire scenery, this prestigious 5-star hotel (highest rated in Scotland) is as famous as the adjoining golf courses (Kings, Queens and PGA Centenary). Site of the 2014 Ryder Cup, Gleneagles matches luxury with outstanding dining (Andrew Fairlie Restaurant has a Michelin star), unrivaled leisure facilities, equestrian center, shooting school, Spa, tennis and a fine swimming complex. WWG Rating: A+

THE OLD COURSE HOTEL - St. Andrews
An imposing hotel with 125 bedrooms set in a spectacular location overlooking the famous 17th Road Hole and the historic Royal and Ancient Clubhouse. All bedrooms have views overlooking the Old Course or towards the countryside and hills. There is a Spa and Fitness Center and two excellent restaurants, The Road Hole Grill and Sands. WWG Rating: A

 

 

Top 10 Questions:

 

Determine the answers to these Top Ten Questions before you call Wide World of Golf, and we can give you a turn-key, no obligation quote within 48 hours. We’ll make it easy for you:

1. When do you want to go and for how long? Most people travel between June and September, but we’ve found great deals, better availability, smaller crowds and perfectly acceptable weather in April, May and October.

2. How often do you want to play golf? Most like to play 3 or 4 days and then one day off. Some like to mix in 36 hole days. However, we do not recommend playing 36 holes every day, as the exhausting schedule and wear and tear on the body translates into poor scores and a lack of sightseeing while in Scotland (which has so much to offer).


3. Are your handicaps under 18 or 24 for Gents, and under 30-36 for Ladies? Courses vary on their handicap restrictions, but many ask for proof so you must carry your handicap card at all times. If your group has higher handicaps, talk to a WWG manager about which courses will accommodate all players.

4. Do you want caddies or do you like to carry our own bag? Except for some of the “secondary” courses, golf carts cannot be found in Scotland on the famous courses. Caddies range from about $40-70 per bag, depending on course, so they are not cheap, and must be paid on site in cash and can’t ever be 100% guaranteed (although we can normally get them if requested in advance).

5. Are you most comfortable in luxury 5-star resorts with spas, or will smaller hotels and B&B’s suffice? Many people combine a little of both!

6. Twin or double rooms or single rooms? Beware that single rooms are often double your accommodation cost, so bunking up with a friend will save you a lot!

7. Do you want to limit the changing of hotels, and drive a little more each day, or is it acceptable to move around a lot to get closer to the golf courses? 3 different hotels in a week is about the most we recommend, but some groups want all the top courses and therefore must change hotels about 4 or 5 times per week. Some insist on staying 4 or 5 nights in each place, and really get to know a town!

8. Do you want the service of a professional driver-guide in a luxury car or motor coach, or drive yourself in a rental car or van? Wide World of Golf’s brand new Ultra VIP Land Yacht (good for 8 to 16 people) features wide leather seats with the most recline on the market, card tables, DVD with personal headphones, stocked bar and many other luxury amenities. It costs a little more, but it’s worth it!

9. Who’s in charge of your party? Experience tells us that one person should be the main contact. When too many generals try to command a battle, it’s the infantry that suffer.

10. Do you like having a great time, seeing beautiful scenery, and thoroughly enjoying a wonderful, safe country filled with fantastic golf courses and hospitable people? Then you have made an excellent choice: Scotland with Wide World of Golf.

 

Scotland's Top Ranked Golf Courses

 

Bill Hogan, Wide World of Golf President, and GOLF Magazine Panelist to rank the Top 100 Courses in the World, lists his own Top 10 Scotland golf courses based on “overall enjoyment:

1 - MUIRFIELD (The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) (6,894 yards – par 71) - One of the oldest clubs in the world, dating back to 1744, and site of numerous British Open Championships (ranked #9 in the world by Golf Magazine). WWG Grade A+

2 - LOCH LOMOND GC (7,053 yards – par 71) - Perhaps the most beautiful course on earth, but very private club open to members and guests only (ranked #52 in the world) and site of the annual Scottish Open. WWG Grade A+

3 - TURNBERRY AILSA (6,848 yards - par 71) - Below the stately hotel is one of the best links in the world and site of many exciting Open Championships, the last won by Nick Price in ’94 (ranked #18 in the world). WWG Grade A+

4 - KINGSBARNS GOLF LINKS (7,100 yards - par 72) - Superb links from a similar layout over 80 years ago, opened in 2000 and already ranked #46 in world (see it to believe it!). WWG Grade: A+

5 - ROYAL DORNOCH GC (6751 yards - par 70) - Golf dates back here to 1616, but the current layout dates back to 1886 in a design by Tom Morris, and later redesigned by local resident Donald Ross (ranked #15 in the world by Golf Magazine). WWG Grade A+

6 - ST. ANDREWS OLD COURSE (6,933 yards - par 72) - The most famous course in the world dates back to the 1500’s (ranked #5 in the world). WWG Grade A

7 - CARNOUSTIE GOLF LINKS (6,692 yards – par 72) - A municipal course frequently called “evil”, and “brutal”, and site of the 1999 Open Championship (ranked #22 in the world). WWG Grade: A

8 - CRUDEN BAY GC (6,402 yards - par 71) - Often a favorite of visitors because of the dramatic ocean front holes, Cruden Bay requires all clubs in the bag (ranked #55 in the world). WWG Grade: A


9 - GLENEAGLES KINGS COURSE (6,452 yards–par 71) - One of those beautiful parkland courses through the hills and for many years site of the Scottish Open. WWG Grade: A-

10 - ROYAL TROON GC (7,067 yards – par 72) - One of the most famous clubs in the world and part of the Open Championship "rota" (ranked #40 in the world). WWG Grade A-

 

Contact Us:

 

For more information, call 800-214-GOLF (4653)

E-mail request@wideworldofgolf.com; or contact

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(831) 375-8840


Ireland: Quin, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland

 

Scotland: Dron Ct, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9YA


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