[TNSooner]

Guys/Gals...

I know there are quite a few of you on the board from the British Islands and many who have planned/gone on golf trips to the British Islands, so I'm looking for input in any form/fashion that I can get...


I'm contemplating planning a trip for my father and I before he gets to where he can't walk 18 holes anymore (and before our new president decides to take all of my hard earned money and "spread it around" and I can't afford it). He hasn't ever played in the British Islands and I'm sure that it would be the highlight of his life. He's about a 8 hdcp. and I used to play professionally, but never in the BIs...

What I guess that I'm looking for is a trip planning service that can set us up with the entire shebang. I'm interested in getting him on the classics, but are there any places (other than the obvious ones - St. Andrews, Prestwick, Ballybunion, etc...) that are must plays that I can ask the trip planner to put on our "play list"? Scotland, Wales, Ireland, GB...all of those are definitely in play for me. Also, when is the best time of the year to plan a trip like this? That's going to be pretty important to my dad.

TIA

[DaveyH]

For Wales id go for..
North- Conwy (Sam Torrance's Favourite links supposedly)
Mid-Celtic Manor
South-Royal Porthcawl

England
Hoylake or Birkdale
Wallasey is similar but far cheaper
Lytham

[jaskanski]

May/June is the best for golf in the UK IMO - not too hot or dry - just right.
Try a mix of parkland, heathland and links courses while you're over - there are literally hundreds, it all depends where you want to go and how long you've got! A lot of people will naturally gravitate towards St. Andrews, but I prefer Carnoustie FWIW. Muirfield is still one of the best as well; I'd play both in preference to St. Andrews.
Don't forget about the Open this year - it may be difficult to get a game a Turnberry. Plenty of nice courses on the west side of Scotland though, including Prestwick. Largs is a great parkland course to visit.
If you're off to Ireland, Royal County Down is a must - Ballybunion is a bit touristy now. Plenty of top notch courses.
Try the Surrey courses while in England - Wentworth and Sunningdale are superb. Try Sandwich (Royal St. Georges) if you like a challenge. Woburn has a couple of very nice courses too.
Wales - Celic Manor of course, but my own favourite is Tenby - a classic.
Happy golfing in the UK.

[DaveyH]

Carnoustie is amazing.
Trevose in cornwall.

[elwhippy]

Will try to break this down

For pure history play the Old Course and the New at St.Andrews and the new Castle Course for the views.

Top class but expensive.

Birkdale, Sunningdale, Turnberry, Royal Troon, Muirfield, Loch Lomond, Roysl St Georges, Kingbarns, . Royal Lytham is getting some serious earthworks done so avoid.
You can get great deals at Woodhall Spa, the old course is a masterpiece but location is miles from anywhere else worth playing.
At Gleneagles play Kings and Queens, avoid PGA Centenary, first two made by nature, PGA by Caterpillar!
Royal Dornoch is fabulous but very inaccessible.

Lesser known but superb.. Southerness, Hollinwell at Nottingham, Saunton, Tenby, Royal Aberdeen, Ganton, Alwoodley. The Berkshire, St.Georges Hill, Wallasey, Formby, Little Aston, Western Gailes, Conwy, Princes and Royal Cinq Ports, Rye, Chart Hills, Lindrick,

Over priced Wentworth,at least 100 %, for poseurs not real players. Prestwick, they make visitors play off very forward tees.

Avoid like the plague. The Belfry and Celtic Manor, both very poor courses with excellent marketing teams...also The Grove, East Sussex, The Carrick.

E-mail me on mag2112@aol.com and I can give your more advice nearer the time you travel.

[M0stly Harm13ss]

People tend to gravitate up to Scotland (and with good reason!) but there are a number of fantastic courses around the country. In my opinion, the best of those are either links or near to the coast, heathland (sort of an inland links) and the sandbelt area of Sussex.

Hope this list helps...

North Wales
Nefyn
Conwy
Royal St davids
Holyhead

South Wales
Pennard
Royal Porthcawl
Ashburnham
Pyle and Kenfig

Cornwall
Trevose
Saunton
Royal North Devon
St Endoc

Norfolk (SEast England)
Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster)
Hunstanton
Sheringham
Royal Cromer

Lancashire/West Coast England
West Lancs
Hillside
Southport and Ainsdale
Royal Birkdale
Royal Lytham (as noted above though, some major works going on at the current time, but the Ladies British Open is on in July so I would expect things to be finished May/June)
Castletown (actually on the Isle of Man off the Lancashire coast)

North West England (very South West Scotland)
Sollith on Solway
Southerness

South West Scotland (Ayrshire)
Turnberry
Western Gailes
Glasgow Gailes
Kilmarnock (Barassie)
Troon

Fife (East Coast Scotland)
Kingsbarnes
Crail
St Andrews (Old, New, Dukes) NOT, the new Castle course. A couple of friends whose opinion I value think its a terrible design.

Lothian (East Coast Scotland)
North Berwick
Luffness
Dunbar
Muirfield
Gullane

Way, way, way up North East Scotland
Cruden Bay
Royal Aberdeen
Murcar
Royal Dornoch

[smuhunter]

Check your PM box. I have a good friend who owns a travel company that can help you out. I make at least one trip over each year to visit him and play golf.