The tee peg is the pushed into the turf of the 1st hole on the Old Course at the St Andrews, the 6.30am, the starter (the blue blazer, the clip-board, the “gentlemen, you are the on the tee”), and the sense of the moment before the first drive of the round that will the remembered for the rest of the life is the reason the golfer travels. Taking the golfing holiday in Europe is the essential golf experience: the links of the Scotland and the Ireland are the best in the world, the resort golf of the Algarve is the best-value winter sun in Europe, and the parkland of the England is the most underrated. The golfing holiday is the planning, the expense, and the reward. Here is how to take one.

Taking a Golfing Holiday

• The destinations, the essential European golf: The Scotland, the home of the golf: the East Lothian (the “Scotland’s Golf Coast”, the 22 courses on the 30 km of the coast, the Muirfield, the most exclusive, the North Berwick, the quirky, the oldest continually played course in the world, the 13th hole, the original Redan, the most copied hole in the world. ~£120, and the Gullane, the 3 courses, the best value in the East Lothian. ~£80–120), the Ayrshire (the Turnberry, the Trump, the £400, and the essential strategy: the Open rota courses, the Muirfield, the Carnoustie, the Royal Troon, are the £200–400, and the best strategy is the play the 1 “dream” Open course and the fill the trip with the lesser-known links, the Crail, the Elie, the Brora, at the £50–80. The essential Scotland golfing holiday: the St Andrews, see the Top 5 Golf post #917 for the Old Course ballot strategy), the Fife (the Kingsbarns, the £300, and the best modern links in the Scotland. The essential: book the 12 months in advance for the summer Saturday tee times). The essential Scotland golfing holiday: the 7-day tour, the £2,000–4,000 for the flights, the accommodation, the car, and the 5–6 rounds on the top courses. The essential budget Scotland: the Highland links, the Durness, the Brora, the Golspie, at the £30–50, the accommodation in the B&Bs at the £60/night, and the best-value links golf in the world. More UK →
• The golfing holiday practicalities, the essential planning: The booking: the tee times for the top courses are the booked the 6–12 months in advance (the Muirfield, the tee times are the released on the 1st March for the following year, the St Andrews Old Course, the ballot and the advance bookings through the authorised providers), the tour operators (the Golfbreaks.com, the YourGolfTravel.com, the package of the flights, the accommodation, the tee times, and the best option for the first golf holiday. The essential: the book the 6 months in advance), the equipment (the travel bag: the soft travel bag, the £80–150, and the essential for the check-in luggage. The essential tip: the ship the clubs ahead, the Ship Sticks, the £50 each way, and the essential for the multi-course trip). The essential timing: the Scotland and the Ireland play the best from the May to the October (the daylight from the 4am to the 11pm in the June, the 36 holes a day is the possible, the weather is the unpredictable, the 4 seasons in the 1 round), the Algarve and the Costa del Sol play the best from the November to the March (the 18°C, the winter sun, and the best-value winter golf in Europe), the France and the Italy play the best from the April to the October (the parkland, the best food, and the most beautiful golf in Europe)