Why a chauffeur on a golf trip
Golf trips mean early starts, long days and a drink in the clubhouse afterwards. With a driver, nobody in the group has to stay sober, nobody has to find an unfamiliar course at half six in the morning, and four sets of clubs go in one vehicle instead of two hire cars. You change your shoes in the car park, put the bag in the back, and that's the end of your logistics for the day.
For four players with full-size bags we use the Mercedes-Benz V-Class. Tell us how many bags and suitcases you're bringing when you ask for a quote. Tour bags take more room than carry bags, and we'd rather know now than at the airport.
Scotland: Fife and Angus
From Edinburgh, St Andrews is about an hour and a half and Carnoustie about an hour and three quarters, so a base in either can cover a week of golf without long transfers.
St Andrews Links runs seven public courses, the Old Course being the famous one. Part of its tee times are allocated through a daily ballot, so keep one day free in case your name comes up. If it doesn't, the New and Jubilee courses share the same stretch of links. The Old Course is closed for play on Sundays. Kingsbarns, six miles down the coast, books up early in the season.
Carnoustie's Championship course is often called the hardest of the Open venues, and its closing holes over the Barry Burn have earned it. Panmure and Monifieth are close by if you want a second round in the area.
Scotland: East Lothian and Perthshire
North Berwick, Gullane and Dunbar are all within an hour of Edinburgh, which makes East Lothian the easiest golf you can play from a city hotel. North Berwick's West Links has the original Redan, the 15th, copied on courses around the world. Gullane has three courses on the same hill. Muirfield, next door, only takes visitors on certain days, so arrange that one before anything else.
Gleneagles in Perthshire is about an hour north-west of Edinburgh, with the King's, Queen's and PGA Centenary courses on one estate.
Scotland: the Ayrshire coast
Royal Troon, Prestwick, where the first Open was played in 1860, and Turnberry run down the Ayrshire coast south-west of Glasgow. Western Gailes is a quieter links between Troon and Irvine. Turnberry is about an hour from Cairnryan, which makes Ayrshire the natural last stop before the ferry crossing to Belfast, or the first after you arrive from Ireland.
Northern Ireland
From Belfast, Royal County Down at Newcastle is under an hour south, with the Mourne Mountains behind the course. Royal Portrush, which hosted the Open in 2019 and 2025, is about an hour and a quarter north on the Causeway Coast. Portstewart and Castlerock are both within a few miles of it, so two or three nights on the north coast gives you plenty of golf.
Dublin and the south-west
Portmarnock is a short drive from Dublin Airport, and Royal Dublin sits on Bull Island in the bay. The European Club at Brittas Bay in Wicklow is about an hour south. County Louth at Baltray is an hour north and is quieter than the big names.
The south-west links, Lahinch in Clare and Ballybunion in Kerry, are three hours or more from Dublin. They suit a few nights in the west and not a day trip. Waterville and Tralee are further on again.
A sample week across both countries
- Days 1 to 3. East Lothian, St Andrews and Carnoustie, staying in Edinburgh or St Andrews.
- Day 4. Across to Ayrshire, with a round at Troon or Prestwick on the way.
- Day 5. Morning ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast. Afternoon round at Royal County Down.
- Day 6. Royal Portrush, staying on the north coast.
- Day 7. Down to Dublin for a last round at Portmarnock and the flight home.
That's a starting point, not a package. We build the driving around the tee times you've secured.
Tee times, caddies and dress codes
Most clubs open visitor bookings a year or more in advance, and the famous names fill first. Book your rounds, send us the times and we'll plan the driving around them. Bring a handicap certificate; several of these clubs ask to see one. Caddies are booked through each club, usually at the same time as your tee time. Clubhouse dress codes vary, so pack a jacket if you're planning to eat in the dining rooms.
Non-golfers in the group can take a day tour on the same days. If golf is part of a bigger trip, look at a longer tour across Ireland, Scotland and England.
Links weather
Scottish and Irish links are exposed to the sea, and a round can go through four seasons. Waterproofs, a spare glove and a warm layer earn their space in the bag even in July. If the wind is up, allow longer for the round than you would at home.
