golf in scotland
Links Trust Announces Changes
A week ago, the Links Trust, administrator of seven courses in St Andrews including the Old Course, announced that they were making a change to the daily ballot for play on the Old Course. It is a significant change. This from their press release:
All About Price – $241 vs. $552 per night
Whenever we are asked about golfing in Scotland, we are always answering 3 questions: can you get me on the Old Course, what’s the weather like at that time of year and how much is this trip going to cost on a per person basis. Fair questions all. We have answered questions about the Old here and weather here but we have never talked about prices before. Until now.
Monarchs House Announces Partnership
As anyone who has ever captained a golf trip knows, planning a golfing holiday with your mates can be at the least, challenging and at the most, exasperating. There’s organizing, scheduling, orchestrating, administering, and accounting to do to ensure for a seamless trip. For 10 years, Monarchs House has always lightened a golf captain’s burden by taking on much of this workload but for 2011, we have not only removed much of the captain’s challenge but also made the process a bit of fun as well.
We are pleased to announce a partnership with GolfTripGenius.com. GolfTripGenius.com delivers intuitive, easy to use, web-based software that makes great golf trips even better. The genius edition of the software, available to Monarchs House guests at no charge, helps a Captain with tournaments, parings, scoring, statistics, leader board, and tournament and trip accounting. As an added benefit, if you carry an iPad, you also get dynamic, on course tournament scoring. Once your trip is over, please accept with Monarchs House and GolfTripGenius.com’s compliments a wonderful full color remembrance of your trip. Shortly, we will link to a sample here. Captaining a golf trip has truly never been easier.
If you want to learn more about planning a golf trip and being a captain, GolfTripGenius.com has written, what we think is, the seminal piece on the subject. You can read it here.
We are delighted to add another great feature for our guests’ enjoyment at Monarchs House, your home at the home of golf and with GolfTripGenius.com on board, they make a great golf trip better.
Golf Week’s New List
The 12th at Kingsbarns
Golf Week Magazine just released their list of the greatest modern and classic golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland. Leading the way on the modern list is Kingsbarns. And the number two course on the classic list is the Old Course in St Andrews (trails Royal County Down of Northern Ireland). Nine courses from both lists are no further than 30 minutes away from the front door at Monarchs House.
If you are planning your 2010 trip to Scotland, there is no better base camp than St Andrews. And no better place to call home than Monarchs House – your home at the home of golf.
More on Weather
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.
A warm welcome from your home at the home of golf
If you are thinking about golf in Scotland, let Monarchs House be your St Andrews base camp for the buddy trip of a lifetime.
Not only can you walk to the Old Course but you can also tee it up at any of the 60 Championship Courses that are within an hour’s drive. All of this is worry free as the Monarchs House General Manager will arrange every detail of your trip from ground transportation, tee times and caddies, to whisky, Cuban cigars or anything else you might want, need or dream-up.
The house is one quiet street removed from the heartbeat of St Andrews and its 27 pubs and restaurants, all of which are within easy walking distance from Monarchs House.
With all St. Andrews can offer, right there on your doorstep – Monarchs House truly is your home at the home of golf. Whether it’s a first time trip or a return visit, discover how we can help you make your St Andrews dream a reality.
See our new ebrochure: 24 Hours at Monarchs House
