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Golf Travel Guide To The Experience St Andrews

An Interview With Eric Walker, Professional Golfer

By Brian Weis


Looking to plan the perfect golf trip to The Experience St Andrews? Planning a buddies trip or a romantic golf getaway can be a full time job not to mention pressure filled to deliver a memorable experience. Below is an interview with Eric Walker , Professional Golfer who shares some insider information about golfing and traveling to The Experience St Andrews, must play courses, a sample itinerary and where you can go for more planning tools.

Give our readers an overview of your destination and why they should consider it for their next golf trip?
The Home of golf, St Andrews needs no introduction. The Oldest, Most famous golf Links in the world, St Andrews has it all. From that moment you arrive there is a feeling and atmosphere you truly are somewhere special. with 6 courses on the Famous Links land and the addition on the Castle course on the outskirts of town you are blessed to have the finest links golf Experience.
Any golfer who has hit a golf ball in anger will have St Andrews on their Radar, its the Bucket list Experience of them all and we are The Tour Operators who can make your dream become reality.

What are the must play courses in The Experience St Andrews?
There are several MUST play courses in the Home of Golf.

Top of the list being - The Old Course, St Andrews. where it all began and With over 600 years of history and being the Oldest Course in the world its the bucket list course for everyone.no other course can make you feel so nervous and yet excited like The Old Course can.

Kingsbarns, one of the worlds most stunning Links courses has it all, Big Skies, Coastal sea views from every point, demanding par 3s over water, risk and reward par 4s, this Links course is THE BEST modern links course in the world. and its the most returned played golf course in the country.

Carnoustie golf links. The world famous links is known as the Toughest Links in the world. none more than in 1999 Open when the winning score was +6, since that day every golfer wants to challenge and test their skills against the Brute that is Car(nastie).

The Castle Course is the newest addition to the Home of Golf and is truly Stunning, cliff top views of the Castle and Cathedral in town only add to its charm and with some of golf's most undulating and fun putting surfaces the Castle course is definitely one to Play.

Dumbarnie Links which opens in May 2020 is set to be Scotland's next shining star in golf courses. The Clive Clark design (former ryder cup player) is one of a kind and has all the hallmarks of being a world class Links course. Its unique risk and reward concept means this course ask the golfer so many questions. It's a special addition to the Links golf experience.

What is the hidden gem and/or best value course?
Crail, one of the Oldest golf clubs in the world, Balcomie Links at Crail is simply awesome, measuring barely 6000 yards its not long, but add a Scottish breeze and some slick greens this course is as tough as it is great fun.

Elie, Blessed with over 400 years off history, Elie is this gorgeous links Courses that offers so much to the Golfer, quirky par 4s , tough par 3s and stunning sea views. not to mention the Former Navy submarine Periscope used on the first tee to see if you can hit your opening tee shot. you always leave Elie with a story to tell.

Lundin, An Open qualifying course, Lundin has seen its fair share of Famous golfers on its halo Links turf. this gorgeous links course can challenge the best. the 14th Hole is called "perfection" it sits high on the course and you can see all 18 greens and tees as well as the coastline all the way to North Berwick. with the best putting surfaces in the county it really is a Hidden Gem.

Any pay as play / walk on courses?
The only course In St Andrews that has that luxury is the New Course. Every alternative tee time is available on a first come, first serve basis.
It is a great course to start your links Experience too as it's a little more open and just breaks the golfer in gently.

Are Golf carts/buggies Available at Most Courses?
So at almost every course we use buggies are available upon request BUT, you have to be registers disabled to get one. Scottish golf courses were and aren't designed for buggy golf. most courses only have 2 or maybe 3. So make sure you are well aware of this, also buggies at best can only be requested there is NO GUARENTEE.

Can you provide our readers with an ideal itinerary for a long weekend?
One of our most popular packages includes the following:
One guaranteed round on the Old Course
One round on the New Course or Jubilee Course
One round on Kingsbarns or Carnoustie
One round on the Castle Course or Crail Balcomie Links

4 Nights' Accommodation
hotel 5* Old Course Hotel situated on the Famous 17th Fairway.

Meals
dinner Full Scottish breakfast daily
Lunch each day in the Clubhouse Restaurants
Three-course dinner in Road Hole Restaurant on one evening

Executive Transfers
Daily transfers to and from the golf courses. Airport transfers to and from Edinburgh or Glasgow are not included but can be booked at an additional. Dedicated member of The Experience team with you throughout your stay.


After golf, what are the "must do" things or attractions to see?
There is so much more to the "Auld Grey Toun" than golf.

St Andrews is very historic. It has been a place of religious pilgrimage for almost a thousand years. Visitors can wander amongst the ruins of the ancient castle, cathedral and churches. The bloody history of Scotland's journey from a time when the relics of St Andrew were said to be held here, through the Scottish Reformation and the persecution of alleged heretics & witches, to today's calm existence can be seen on a walk around the old walls.

Taking in the myriad of pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and small locally owned stores is a wonderful way to spend a day. St Andrews can also offer walking tours, luxurious Spa experiences, a stunning beach (location for the famous "Chariots of Fire" scene) and a marvelous mix of non-golfing activities.

St Andrews does have a large University and graduation week is the last week in June, we try to advise to avoid this week as it can be Very busy in all hotels and restaurants, if this is your only week available, try to book EARLY!
Caddies can be requested prior to arrival, there is no guarantee you will get one due again to supply and demand but we endeavor to full all caddy requests best we can.
Programs can be extended from 4/5 nights to 7/8/9+ we cover not only St Andrews but the whole of Scotland and we can create a bespoke program to suit the golfers wishes.

What is the best time to travel?
A we all know Scotland's weather can "varied" and "challenging" the months to Play are always May & June, they are the busiest months too. July & august can be still be very good but tend to be the wetter months. as we are on the East coast of the country we are pretty much the driest too.
We always ask our clients to try and book at least 12-18 months in advance to make sure they get the tee times and program they require as demand massively out ways supply.

Anything else you would like to share about the The Experience St Andrews?
There are over 50 Golf courses in the Kingdom of Fife. not to mention some great 9 hole golf courses too. we have a very unique Hickory (Kingarrock) course, where you go back in time and play with clubs from 100 years ago. Fife truly is The Home Of Golf. We are also blessed with one of the most beautiful coastlines, with historic seas side villages and harbors none more than Anstruther 12 miles south of St Andrews

Where can golfers go for more information to research and plan their trip?
Visit our website -
www.theexperiencestandrews.com
The Experience St Andrews
International Phone: +44(0)1334479050
US Phone: 914-481-8594


Revised: 02/07/2020 - Article Viewed 17,122 Times - View Course Profile


About: Brian Weis


Brian Weis Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.



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