How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland
Planning a golf trip to Scotland is exciting, but can feel a bit overwhelming. If you break it into steps, it’s very doable. Here’s a clear, practical way to approach it, with tips for all budgets.
1. Decide what kind of trip you want
Scotland offers everything from legendary championship links to affordable hidden gems.
Ask yourself:
- Do you want bucket-list famous courses (e.g. St Andrews Old Course, Turnberry, Carnoustie)?
- Or a mix of great value, scenic courses without the eye-watering fees?
- Do you care more about golf intensity (playing every day) or golf + sightseeing/relaxing?
- Are you travelling solo, as a couple, or a group?
This affects everything else: budget, locations, and pace.
2. Pick your regions
Don’t try to cover every course in the country! Scotland is small, but travel times add up, especially as road conditions can be slow or difficult between locations. Most trips focus on 1–3 regions, depending on the duration of the trip.
Popular golf regions:
- St Andrews & Fife – the “Home of Golf”, lots of classic courses close together
- East Lothian (near Edinburgh) – Gullane, North Berwick, Muirfield area
- Ayrshire & West Coast – Turnberry, Prestwick, Troon
- Scottish Highlands – dramatic scenery, quieter, incredible courses (e.g. Royal Dornoch)
- Aberdeenshire – Cruden Bay, Trump International, beautiful and underrated
Tip: A first trip often works well with: Edinburgh & St Andrews or Glasgow & Ayrshire coast. These pairs of locations are not too far apart, and each offers plenty of other activities for downtime in between rounds.
3. Set a realistic budget
While making plans, you’re probably going to wonder, how much does a golf trip to Scotland cost? The good (or bad) news is that costs can vary massively.
Typical ranges (per person):
- Green fees:
- Famous courses: £150–£350+ per round (if you’re wondering how to play golf at St Andrews, Scotland, the answer is it won’t be easy or cheap!)
- Excellent lesser-known courses: £40–£120
- Accommodation: £80–£250 per night, depending on style
- Car hire: £40–£70/day
- Food: £25–£60/day
- Flights (from within UK/Europe): Varies widely, but often reasonable
So, how much is a golf trip to Scotland? You can absolutely do a brilliant trip without spending £3,000+, but it really depends on where you are coming from, if you want top-of-the-range accommodation, and how many rounds you want to play. On the lower end, allow at least £4,000 for 2 people for 5 days.
4. Choose the best time to go
You probably know that Scotland isn’t famous for its great weather! However, golf is available year-round, even in winter. Consider the following when choosing a month for your trip:
- May–September: best weather, longest daylight, but busiest and most expensive
- April & October: great value, fewer crowds, still good golf
- Winter: cheap, but weather and course closures are a risk, limited daylight hours
Peak months (June–August) book up very early for top courses, so be sure to start planning your trip early if this is when you want to go.
5. Book the key courses first
For famous courses, especially:
- St Andrews Old Course
- Muirfield
- Turnberry Ailsa
- Carnoustie
You often need to:
- Enter ballots (like the Old Course daily ballot)
- Book months in advance
- Or use authorised tour operators
For most other courses, booking directly online is easy.
6. Plan logistics
This is where trips succeed or fail.
- Hire a car unless you’re only staying in one town
- Avoid cramming too many courses far apart
- Allow recovery time between heavy links courses (they are physically tough!)
- Build in non-golf time: whisky distillery, castles, walks, good pubs
Tip: For many travellers, a good rhythm looks something like this: Travel day → Golf → Golf → Rest/sightseeing → Golf → Travel day
7. Decide if you want a tour company
Golf tour operators handle:
- Tee times
- Hotels
- Transfers
- Course recommendations
They cost more, but save time and reduce stress. They’re especially worth considering for first trips or groups wondering how to play golf in Scotland.
Example Golf Itinerary: 7 Days in Edinburgh & St Andrews
To help you plan your schedule, here is a quick recommended day-by-day breakdown:
- Day 1: Arrive in Edinburgh, explore the city
- Day 2: Gullane No.2
- Day 3: North Berwick West Links
- Day 4: Drive to St Andrews, play St Andrews Jubilee
- Day 5: Old Course ballot attempt (backup: Elie or Crail)
- Day 6: Kingsbarns or St Andrews New Course
- Day 7: Depart
A week like this offers a mix of iconic, authentic, and manageable costs.
