If you love the links, then a trip to the Home of Golf should be on your bucket list.
By Jack Houvouras
HQ 109 | SPRING 2020
Most avid golfers dream of playing the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland at least once in their lifetime. As the oldest course in the world, it is internationally known as “The Home of Golf.” And it was there that the game was born in the early 15th century. Over the years the course has hosted 29 British Open championships won by some of the greatest players in history, including Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. For most golfers, the rolling links at the Old Course are hallowed ground.
But if you’re going to travel all the way to Scotland, it seems silly to play just one course. Instead, you might as well make a week of it. Because it is such a small country, a bevy of world-renowned courses to play are all within a short drive of one another.
Recently I decided to make the pilgrimage to Scotland and invited my brother Drew, nephew Alex and good friend Michael Landry to join me. Unfortunately, Michael begged off at the last minute fearing his back couldn’t handle fives days of golf in a row. Nevertheless, the three of us forged on.
The first thing you need to know about planning a golf excursion to Scotland is that it isn’t easy to secure a tee time at the infamous Old Course. You need to plan ahead — way ahead. We’re talking at least six months. Even then, it helps to have a connection.
The easiest way to grab a tee time is to find a reputable travel agency that specializes in golf trips — most have an inside track to the best courses. I chose Golfbreaks.com who took care of everything including picking the courses we would play, reserving tee times and arranging a car rental and lodging. They even recommended a few pubs to try. All we had to do was book our flights.
Next, I went online and found a checklist of items to bring that included layers of clothes — lots and lots of layers, a good rain suit, waterproof gloves, two pairs of waterproof shoes to rotate, a bucket hat, hand warmers, plenty of towels, a plethora of socks, lip balm (for windburn) and more. The weather in Scotland is wildly unpredictable, so you have to be prepared for anything.
We chose the month of June for our sojourn and once we had checked off all the items on our travel list, we packed our bags and flew to the promised land. The following is an account of our trek through the land of whisky, kilts, bagpipes and, most importantly, golf, based on my notes and itinerary. You can decide for yourself if our adventure deserves to be on your bucket list.
DAY 1. We landed at the Edinburgh Airport early in the morning and then stood in line for an eternity waiting to sign papers for our rental car. Tip No. 1: Be sure to rent a car from one of those outfits that allows you to walk straight to your car and drive away. After piling all our clubs and luggage into a roomy van, we drove three hours north to Inverness and checked into the Macdonald Drumossie Hotel, a charming establishment that more than suited our needs. After a dinner of fish and chips, we sipped some beer and then headed to bed early in preparation for our first day of golf.
DAY 2. We woke early, ate a hearty breakfast and then drove two hours north to the Royal Dornoch Golf Club, where a noon tee time awaited us. On the first tee we were greeted by a 33-mph howling wind and temperatures in the mid-50s. We were all a bit intimidated by the brutal conditions and the fact that we would be playing a course that Golf Digest magazine ranked as No. 5 in the world. Despite having on four layers of clothing, we were all damn cold. The wind chill made it feel like it was 35 degrees. I recall thinking to myself, “I didn’t see long johns listed on any of those travel checklists.” Tip No. 2: Pack long johns. If we could have taken a rain check (or wind check) we would have. But this is Scotland, so we had to gird our loins and play.
The course rests beside the Dornoch Firth and its spectacular broad beaches. The ridges, hillocks, dunes and undulating land have all the features of a links course. It seemed like every hole was into the wind, making the course all the more challenging. The wind was so intense that I recall standing over a few putts where my ball was oscillating on the green. That was a first for me, and I had a hard time pulling the trigger. Every par 4 played like a par 5, and every par 5 played like a … well, you get the idea. By the end of the round we were all physically and mentally exhausted. I’m a decent golfer — at one time a 6 handicapper — and I struck the ball well that day. Even so, I only managed to shoot 92. What a humbling welcome to Scotland!
DAY 3. After a good night’s rest, we made the 11-minute drive from our comfy bed-and-breakfast to Castle Stuart Golf Links for a 9:30 a.m. tee time. The day was nominally better with temperatures nearing 60 degrees and the wind howling at 29 mph. Opened in 2009, Castle Stuart was named the top new international course that year by Golf Magazine and today is ranked No. 59 in the world by the publication. The layout offers spectacular views of the Moray Firth, a triangular inlet in the North Sea. It played host of the Scottish Open from 2011-2013, including Phil Mickelson’s win the week before he won the British Open at Muirfield.
The sun came out and we were able to shed one of our four layers of clothing and enjoy a challenging test of golf on a beautiful stretch of land. After our round we grabbed a late lunch before loading up the van and driving three hours south to historic St. Andrews. There we checked into Six Murray Park — a quaint B&B in the heart of the town owned by a delightful and accommodating couple. We grabbed dinner at a pub just down the street and then stumbled upon a wonderful gelato shop for dessert. With our stomachs full and bodies tired, we hit the hay as soon as the sun set.
DAY 4. With two courses down and three to go, we decided to take the day off and do some sightseeing around St. Andrews. We strolled the grounds of the University of St. Andrews where Prince William first met Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge. We toured St. Andrews Castle, St. Andrews Cathedral, the British Golf Museum and an assortment of charming shops. We hit the local pub again for dinner and watched an authentic football match on the telly. From there it was off to bed in preparation for the next day, which promised to be the highlight of the trip.
DAY 5. Following a delicious breakfast of French toast, eggs, lox and bacon, we grabbed our golf bags, strapped them over our shoulders and walked a few short blocks to the Old Course clubhouse. The sun was shining and the thermometer read a brisk 58 degrees when we arrived for our 11 a.m. tee time. The wind was blowing out of the northeast at 25 mph.
Standing on the first tee, I felt a combination of excitement and anxiety. This was the main reason we were here. This was the birthplace of golf.
Because the course was built on the edge of the town, there was a small gathering of people watching us tee off which only heightened my angst. Nevertheless, I somehow managed to stripe my drive right down the middle. We were joined that day by our host’s son, Tom Watson (I kid you not), a young, aspiring professional golfer who hit the ball a country mile. The four of us then strolled down the first fairway en route to one of the most memorable days of my life.
Ranked No. 6 on Golf Digest magazine’s list of the “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” the Old Course features tightly hewn fairways, steep mounds, large double greens and 112 bunkers, many of them deep. I didn’t play particularly well that day, but did hit a few good shots, the most memorable at the 16th hole. Aided by a 25-mph tailwind, my tee shot on the 345-yard hole traveled 335 yards. Even young Tom was impressed.
We arrived at the 18th hole, and, with the townsfolk looking on, we all hit good tee shots down the fairway. We then posed for a photo on the iconic Swilcan Bridge and proceeded to complete our round. Finally, in the shadow of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews building that overlooks the 18th green, we all shook hands and marveled at what a fine day we had been afforded.
DAY 6. We rose early and set out on a two-hour drive south to North Berwick. After getting lost in the charming seaside town on the Firth of Forth, we finally arrived with just minutes to spare before our 10:54 a.m. tee time on the West Links course. Founded in 1832, North Berwick Golf Club is the 13th oldest golf club in the world. And much like St. Andrews, the golf course cozies up against the town.
It was a sunny 65 degrees and the wind a modest 15 mph when we started our round. We immediately took note of a feature we had never seen before on a golf course — stone walls in the middle of some fairways and in front of some greens. Most were no more than waist high, but they are an important part of the course’s history. My nephew Alex encountered one such wall early in the round, but it was well in front of him and could easily be cleared. Unfortunately, he “thinned” his shot and struck the wall directly which sent his ball hurling back over his head. He had to duck to avoid it. This sent my brother Drew and me into hysterics, and we literally fell to the ground laughing.
After the round we all agreed that the course was one of the most unique, challenging and enjoyable we had ever played. Perhaps that’s why Golf Digest called North Berwick the most underrated golf course in the world.
DAY 7. We rose before dawn, enjoyed another delicious breakfast at the inn and made the short 17-minute drive to Kingsbarns Golf Links for a 9:10 a.m. tee time. This was our final day of golf, and the weather certainly cooperated. It was a balmy 68 degrees and the wind had calmed to a mere 13 mph when we teed off.
A new course that opened in 2000 to rave reviews, Kingsbarns blends so seamlessly into the landscape that it’s hard to believe more than 300,000 yards of earth were moved to create the bunkers, dunes and fairways. As we made our way around the course we noticed that the North Sea could be viewed from nearly every hole. We all agreed that this was easily the most scenic course on our itinerary. We weren’t the only fans of the beautiful layout. Golf Digest ranked it No. 30 on its list of the “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” while Golf Magazine ranked it No. 11 on its list of the “50 Greatest Courses Created in the Last 50 Years.”
By the time we completed the round, we were all beat. Outside of the clubhouse, Alex was yawning and sampling a fine Scottish whisky, while Drew and I lay on the ground stretching our sore old backs. All that remained was a short drive back to the inn to pack up our gear before heading to the airport.
Reflecting on our pilgrimage to Scotland, we each agreed that it lived up to all the hype. In fact, in nearly every aspect it surpassed our lofty expectations. For me, the golf courses, scenery, inns, pubs and people made it one of the best trips of my life. Sharing the experience with my brother and nephew made it all the more memorable. Would I ever do it again? In a heartbeat.
