Have you made your plans to come to Scotland in 2010 yet? Monarchs House is now taking reservations for the new season.

If you haven’t been in awhile, there are new courses to play. The Castle Course, featured to the left, is just a mile from Monarchs House and is the 12th course in St Andrews. The course everyone is talking about is the Highland gem, Castle Stuart.  Read the review of the new course by downloading here.

If golf isn’t your primary concern, visit for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with something for everyone: theatre, comedy, music, dance, exhibitions and much more. Or come instead for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the world’s most spectacular Tattoo will host a celebration of talent from four continents including pipers, gymnasts, singers, dancers and an amazing motorcycle display team.

There is truly something for everyone and we at Monarchs would be delighted to host you.

Contact us for rates and availability now.

Monarchs House's Chef Kevin Low

Kevin Low has been the chef at Monarchs House since we opened in 2001. And if well over a thousand visitors to Monarchs House are to be trusted, Kevin is St Andrews’ best chef.  Naturally, we wholeheartedly agree but it is his demeanor, in addition to his cooking, that makes Kevin such a pleasure to be around. He is as equally quick with a smile as he is with a whisk.

Over the years, Monarchs House has hosted many visitors during the holidays and that will be the case again this year. Thanksgiving is solely a US holiday but on many occasions, Kevin has prepared a beautiful Thanksgiving meal for our visitors. We asked Kevin to share  his menu for this Thanksgiving at Monarchs. What do you think?

Thanksgiving – Thursday, 26 November 2009, Monarchs House – St Andrews

Rocket Salad with Oranges, Pomegranate seeds and goats cheese

Orange and Mustard Basted Turkey
Served with Apple Cider-Mustard Gravy and Apple and Sage Stuffing,

Maple Butternut Squash Puree
Peas and Turnips with Scottish Back Bacon and Dill Butter
Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots and Cardamon

Sticky Toffee Pudding and Caramel Sauce

Everyone who journeys to Scotland for golf, whether for the 1st time or the 50th time, is keen on playing the Old Course in St. Andrews. And who can blame them. It is the ultimate golf destination for the golf aficionado. This is the home of golf and a place where you can play a circuit that has regularly hosted the (British) Open Championship since Tom Kidd won there in 1873. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and James Braid have each won the Open twice in St Andrews. Palmer won two Open Championships in a row but a life regret was that neither win took place at the Old Course. Bobby Jones won there as an amateur in 1927 and remarked later:

…although I have played it many, many times, its charm for me increases with every round. The more I study the Old Course, the more I love it, and the more I love it, the more I study it.

This is the charm of the Old Course. The average golfer can walk in the footsteps of the great and near great. While you cannot take a swing at a 95 mile an hour fastball at Yankee Stadium or volley for serve at Wimbledon,  the Old Course is open to the rich and poor, men and women, young and old. It is one of the reasons why everyone wants to play there at least once.  For first time players, there is nothing like the feeling that washes over you as you stand on the first tee preparing to strike your inaugural shot on the Old Course. (Oddly, professionals will tell you that they feel the same “giddiness,” awe and sense of history.)

Since Scotland is all about the democratization of golf, the administrators of the Old Course (The Links Trust) implemented a system that gives everyone a fair and equitable opportunity to get a tee time. While your chances improve if you are local St Andrean, a member of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (or another club in town), a resident of the county or serving at the military base in neighboring Leuchars, everyone is subject to a lottery of sorts. If for example, you submit your group’s name on the first Wednesday in September for the previous year you wish to play, that grouping goes in a bucket for a drawing at near year end. Also, there is a daily lottery, or ballot, for next day play. You submit your request by 2 P.M. the day before play. If you are a single or twosome, get up early to visit the starter. He will tell you if there’s any chance of playing. Your odds are very good but likely will require a wait. A quick note, don’t bother trying to grease the skids with the starters. It’s more likely to set you back. If money is no object and you positively must play the Old Course, call the Old Course Experience. They will get you on the course but prepare for great expense. Lastly, your concierge or General Manager sometimes has slots that he or she may be able to help you with but prepare for a hit or miss experience.

Good luck in your quest to play the Old Course. If you arrive in Scotland with a flexible itinerary, there is a good chance that you can get a slot. If you don’t…there are eleven other courses in town and 65 other championship courses within an hour ride. Try again the next day. This is where a stay at Monarchs House will help.

Usually there are two things people ask first when inquiring about a golf trip to Scotland: can you get me on the Old Course and when is the best time to go? The Old Course question is a story for another posting. This time we’re talking about Scottish weather.

Does Scotland deserve its reputation as the home of the constant shower?

When you talk to a native Scot they would have you believe that their weather is bad all the time. We never understood that. Why say your weather is bad when it’s not? There may be a secret campaign to convince visitors not to expect much and then, when the weather is grand, you have exceeded expectations. Here, we are only dealing with facts.

Unlike the United States, golf in Scotland is a walking sport. There are few courses where you can take a motorized cart or buggie with out a Doctor’s note. If you start with that premise, Scotland has the perfect weather for golf and walking. It is neither too hot or cold. Yes it rains but much less than you think, unless you’re on the west coast (region A, if you’re following along). There it rains 300 days out of 365. On the east coast (regions B, C, D & E) it rains far less than you might imagine.  St Andrews, for example, has less average annual rainfall than Rome and far less than New York City.

Scotland’s visitor golf season (locals play all year round) is between the months of May and September, with the shoulder months of April and October providing some great golf opportunities as well. Here are some handy charts that will help you plan your next trip.

Temperature (warmest to coolest/min -max temps in F°)
July (56-72)
August (54-68)
June (50-65)
September (50-62)
May (42-58)
October (40-55)
April (38-50)

Rainfall (driest to wettest)
April
June
May
July
August
October
September

On the West coast, you should consider that during the months of August, September and October rainfall levels are double that of April, May and June.

Personally, we favor golfing in April and October. During those months there are fewer crowds, better opportunities to make tee times and if you are a price sensitive consumer, there are more bargains.

Buddy trips are a wonderful way to have both a great time and get some economies of scale on the cost side. The only issue with this type of trip is in the details and the details are what makes a trip marginal or fantastic. The first and most important decision that needs to made above and beyond anything else is who is going to be the lead person on the trip. You cannot do this with more than one person heading up your group. Look at this person as your benevolent dictator.

At the outset, the lead person should attempt to coalesce opinion from the rest of the travel team. These are the types of questions that need to be asked with a deadline for response:

* How much golf does the group want to play during the time frame of the trip?

* How much money do you want to spend on golf?
* Do you want to walk or take a cart/buggie on the courses?
* If you want to walk, do you want a caddy?
* Do you prefer to stay local or take road trips within the context of your trip?
* Do you prefer to travel by taxi, van or bus?
* Are you allergic to any type of food?
* How much are you budgeting for the trip (exclusive of airfare)?

Once your fellow golfers respond, you can then begin building your trip. You shouldn’t ask for any more input while you are constructing the trip. You are the benevolent dictator who is now responsible for eight people’s happiness including yourself. If you do the work early, you can enjoy the trip while you are there. Remember, you can’t please everyone and no one should be allowed to ruin the trip for the rest of the group.

Once you have put in place all of your tentative bookings, circulate the worksheet to the rest of your group. Give them a deadline for their comments or suggestions. Once agreed upon, either by consensus or flux, this becomes your trip. If someone complains during the trip (and someone always will), tell them as firmly and politely as you can that this plan was circulated in advance and anything that is changed now is subject to penalties. Also, point out that you worked on this plan in advance so that you could enjoy the holiday in the same way that he/she is. You have to assume the role of autocrat or your golf trip will fall apart and you will be miserable.

The key to buddy trips, no matter where you go, is the advance work. Keep everyone informed early and your troubles should end before they even begin.

The Monarchs House Championship

Post the best score on the Himalayas Putting Green while staying at Monarchs House and we will engrave your name and score on the Claret Jug replica for time immemorial.

The Himalayas is the historic putting green alongside of the Old Course and the home course of the St. Andrews Ladies Putting Club founded in 1867. The course, resembling an ancient burial grounds for elephants, is laid out weekly and enjoys many competitive matches and 50,000 rounds per annum by the general public.

Congratulations to this year’s (2009) winner, Paul Flynn.

Use this  calendar to help plan your trip.

One of the services included with a Monarchs House let is constructing and booking your golf itinerary. As a result, we are frequently asked to give our opinion on the definitive Scottish golfing itinerary. While  we are not the hem and haw type,  we also know that the answer is not the answer most golfers are waiting to hear. When a group of golfers first approach the idea of playing golf at the Home of Golf, their inclination is to line up all of the courses that they have heard about without considering the geography of the itinerary. Scotland’s land mass covers over 30,000 square miles and while the country’s infrastructure is far above average, driving can still take considerably longer than it might in the United States. Trips that are arranged to cover Scotland’s most notable courses are trips that are spent in an automobile.

Before we get into specific itineraries, let’s look at the courses themselves. This table shows the primary list of courses that most people think about when playing golf in Scotland. Undoubtedly, this is a great list of courses and with the exception of Kingsbarns, all have hosted an Open Championship at one time or another. It’s no wonder why everyone wants to play them. The question then becomes, is this a practical itinerary? The answer is, it is certainly doable. But what you need to ask yourself is, do you want to spend 9 hours and 30 minutes (more if you return to a central location) in a car during your week’s holiday? My guess is you’d do it and at week’s end you would need another holiday.

We think the most practical way to look at golf in Scotland is to break the country down into golfing regions. Then you can look at the density of golf courses by region and better plan the trip of a lifetime. You may not get to everywhere on your list on the first try but guaranteed you will return to your home with a new list of places for your friends to visit and you won’t be exhausted from driving to the ends of the earth.

(Double Click for a clearer picture)

There’s no doubt one could break down Scotland’s golfing regions differently than we did but let’s start here for the sake of argument. We have roughly drawn five regions where there is a significant density of golf courses. Take a look at the map. Regions A, B & C are fertile territory for golf and all of the above courses are in one of those regions. Our suggestion for first time visitors is for you to stay in St Andrews if at all possible (of course, we are biased). Is it more expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? A thousand fold yes. If you are staying in St Andrews, you can take one road trip and it won’t ruin the vacation. All other regions are well within reach.

When planning a trip, try to play some of the Open Championship rota courses as above but also sprinkle in a course or two with historic significance and 1 or 2 hidden gems.

The table below shows the some of other notable courses in Scotland by region. Include any of these in your road trip within the region you are staying for guaranteed results.

COURSE REGION
Machrahanish A
Western Gailes A
Glasgow Gailes A
Dundonald A
Kilmarnock (Barassie) A
Irvine A
North Berwick West B
Dunbar B
Gullane I & II B
Musselburgh (Old) B
Braid Hills (No. 1) B
Crail (Balcomie) C
Elie (Golf House Club) C
Lundin Links C
Downfield C
St Andrews (New) C
St Andrews (Castle) C
Montrose (Medal) C
Panmure C
Royal Aberdeen D
Murcar D
Cruden Bay D
Fraserburgh (Corbie) D
Peterhead (Old) D
Grantown-on-Spey E
Royal Dornoch E
Nairn E
Brora E
Moray (Old) E
Boat of Garten E
Tain E
Fortrose & Rosemarkie E

Have a look at this sample itinerary for a recent stay at Monarchs House. It is by no means definitive but represents the group’s interest. We can tailor your trip any way that you would like.

By no means is this the definitive list of golf in Scotland.There are plenty more courses for you to discover. This is a guideline if nothing else. We know all of these courses well and can tell you this: you will be warmly welcomed, play a challenging round of golf and never forget your experience. What more could you possibly want?

Golfers who like to travel will ultimately face this dilemma; should we go to Ireland or Scotland? For us the seminal last word is a piece in Links Magazine by George Pepper about the differences between the two countries. Keep in mind this is a bit like picking between Kate Beckinsale or Charlize Theron, you really can’t go wrong with either. But you do have to make a choice and hopefully this piece will help.

Here is our two pence worth, quickly. Both trips are wonderful but Scotland come out on top for us for a few reasons. (Sure, we’re biased but we want to be certain that you understand why.)

1. There is no density of golf in Ireland which means you are constantly traveling.
2. Scotland’s infrastructure is better (by miles).
3. Scotland has St Andrews full stop.

Here’s a sample of the Links Magazine piece:

Imagine awakening one morning and being told that a Maserati and a Ferrari were parked in your driveway, ready to roll. Or that 10 cases each of Dom Perignon and Roederer Cristal were on ice in your rec room, or that Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox were perched provocatively on the arms of your La-Z Boy. All you had to do was choose one of them. That’s how I felt when the phone rang and an editor instructed me: “Take a good look and tell us which is the better destination for golfers, Scotland or Ireland.”

I was verging on clinical giddiness when the realization hit: This would be an impossible task. After all, on the surface Scotland and Ireland are indistinguishable. Both have gorgeous countryside, charming little towns, craggy castles, quaint pubs, tweed-jacketed men on bicycles and more sheep than people. Both have huge shirt logos and tiny vegetables, long summer days and short soda cans, feeble water pressure and powerful winds, too few ice cubes and too many Indian restaurants, terrific fish and terrible hamburgers.

And those are the good bits. Feel free to enjoy George’s piece that you can find here.

It doesn’t matter what time of year that you are traveling, this is what you need for a seven day trip to the east coast of Scotland.

PACKING ITEMS

4 pair trousers
3 golf shirts (you’ll buy others in Scotland at courses you play)
2 turtlenecks
2 sweaters (wool)
1 sweater (cotton)
2 pair waterproof* golf shoes
2 dozen balls (much more expensive in Scotland)
2 golf gloves
2 waterproof golf tops
1 pair waterproof golf trousers
1 pair rain golf gloves
1 golf umbrella
1 rain hat

Jackets are certainly not required in the majority of places but if you are planning an upscale evening out, you may want to wear one while traveling.

passport
tickets
handicap card
letters of confirmation (Monarchs House will supply for our guests)

*waterproof not water resistant

We cannot guarantee that shorts can be worn!!

THE LAST WORD

Wool and cashmere are your best friends in Scotland especially in the evening. You will never complain of cold if you include them as the top layer of clothing.