Scotland Golf Travel - 150th Open 2022

[maveric74]

Hi all,

Just browsing internet the other night and realised the next edition of The Open (now postponed to 2021) is at Royal St. Georges in Kent which is where my wife's parents are! About an hour away. I am definitely keen to do this trip in 2021 provided travel to the UK is allowed by then (here's hoping).

Also looked up The Open website and realised the 150th edition is at St Andrews (home of golf). I have looked at a couple of tour options and also signed up to The Open tickets program so fingers crossed. Reading up on Scotland golf was exhilarating. Some outstanding courses. My very sketchy dream would be to attend Sat/Sun at The Open 2022, followed by a walk up ballot to Old Course @ St. Andrews and then play a few days of golf around the area.

Has anyone done Scotland golf tours and been to The Open? Love to hear some thoughts..

P.S. Have mentioned this to the CFO already and she rolled her eyes

[PerryGroves]

I hope we are back going in 2021. Golf around London and down into Kent will be difficult not to mention expensive.

Regarding the 2022 trip, making a massive assumption its first "normal" Open post Covid, the joint will be swarming with punters (Americans mainly).

My idea would be to watch the Open for a couple of days and then get as far away from the area as possible, go play in Ireland or maybe head across to Ayrshire or down to Merseyside, play around Southport (Birkdale, Hillside, Lytham, Hoylake, West Lancs, Southport, Formby). It's such an underrated area for golfers that assume heading to Scotland and Ireland is where it's at.

[maveric74]

Thanks @PerryGroves. Yes crowds are to be considered for sure. But the goal would be to try and book as early as possible if/when tickets come through (hoping for Sat/Sun tickets).

I’ve played around Kent and there are a ton of golf courses but yeah during the Open, it will be busy. Have never played in Scotland/Ireland or visited but I’m guessing St. Andrews is busy every summer?

My other consideration was to minimise driving around to get to some of the courses. Ideally, I want to watch the final weekend of Open and then play 2-3 days around the area and head back to the UK to join the family. Got a 2 yr old now and she will be 4 in 2022 so a longer trip won’t be possible I don’t think.

I’ll research Southport & Ayrshire as well though. Thanks for the recommendation. A long way to go for the 2022 edition but love to dream

[markTHEblake]

I am going to Northern Ireland on a trip with a bunch of friends next Summer there, one of the organisers is a former R.StG open champ.

They will very likely line this up with The Open so very much looking forward to two weeks in golfing nirvana. See you all there.

It will be my 2nd trip to NI but my first to Scotland.

[backintheswing]

I was booked to go this year to the open. We were going to camp on the course at Royal St George and then go to St Andrews before hand. Not sure what we will be doing now as I cancelled all the tickets and cant see international travel en masse happening any time soon.

[markTHEblake]

Thats a good point. I am not confident we will be freely travelling in 12 months time, and trips like this need 3 months lead time for planning at least.

[maveric74]

agreed 100%. In saying that, I would be shocked if international travel wasn't allowed at some stage next year most likely by June 2021..

[maveric74]

Hope this pans out mate..Keep us posted..fingers crossed..

[jimandr]

As some on here would know, I was going to be at Troon next month for the Women's Open. Obviously, I won't be going. I've put any Scotland plans back on the shelf until a more suitable time.

That suitable time will not be the Men's Open in 2022. Many who have attended, including our own Marcel and Bushy, have reported that the Open is an absolute madhouse, with an almost unmanageable number of spectators.

I would much prefer a Scottish Open or a Women's Open, because I would really like to see one of the great old links courses under tournament conditions. But I'll be envious of anyone who gets to attend any UK golf event over the next few years.

[maveric74]

As some on here would know, I was going to be at Troon next month for the Women's Open. Obviously, I won't be going. I've put any Scotland plans back on the shelf until a more suitable time.

That suitable time will not be the Men's Open in 2022. Many who have attended, including our own Marcel and Bushy, have reported that the Open is an absolute madhouse, with an almost unmanageable number of spectators.

I would much prefer a Scottish Open or a Women's Open, because I would really like to see one of the great old links courses under tournament conditions. But I'll be envious of anyone who gets to attend any UK golf event over the next few years.

Yeah it will be an absolute madhouse for sure but boy! 150th anniversary at the home of golf?? Shut up and take my money I attended Presidents Cup Sunday in Melbourne last year and it was insane. Wish I had gone on practice day Wed or Thurs/Fri instead. Friends said you could get right up to players on the first few days..

[Ron Burgundy]

I was at the Sunday of the open at St Andrews in ‘05. It was cool in a bucket list box ticking way but was a mission to actually get around and see much golf. If you’re doing it in that spirit you’ll be fine but the viewing experience may be better in the pub.

I was quite looking forward to this year. Was supposed to have landed last Sun morning, played 2 rounds, watched the last of the final round of the open from a pub in St Andrews then lined up overnight to get on the old course on the Mon. By now I’d have made my way up to Dornoch. Oh well.

[BUSHY]

Yeah it will be an absolute madhouse for sure but boy! 150th anniversary at the home of golf?? Shut up and take my money

Madhouse is an understatement. The place will be absolutely insane.

Even in peak golf season with the Open down the road St Andrews can be a diabolical place to be.

Don’t expect to be playing golf anywhere local, hotels in town will be booked out, finding food will be like an episode of Mission Impossible and getting anywhere by car will be a nightmare. Tough gig.

[Stuart]

Went to the Open at Muirfield with my ten year old son back in 2013. Awesome experience, and never had any problems with crowds. We happily wandered around the course for half a day, nearly got brained by a wayward tee shot from Tiger (landed about ten foot behind us), and followed Geoff Ogilvy around for a while (didn't do him any good, as he bogeyed about three in a row while we were watching).

I suspect that St Andrews next time would be quite different though, as it isn't really setup for great viewing with huge crowds. Also, getting to Muirfield from Edinburgh via train was really easy, but St Andrews is a bit of a hike from anywhere if you are trying to avoid paying a fortune for local accommodation.

Played in both Scotland and Ireland a few times now, and my recommendation is to not go in peak season ... the best time I found was actually early November. The weather is a bit of a gamble, but hasn't really yet become totally hideous, and you are never fighting the crowds. I turned up mid-morning at North Berwick (my favourite course in the world) in November and there was only one other person on the entire course (and it was a nice day).

[maveric74]

Went to the Open at Muirfield with my ten year old son back in 2013. Awesome experience, and never had any problems with crowds. We happily wandered around the course for half a day, nearly got brained by a wayward tee shot from Tiger (landed about ten foot behind us), and followed Geoff Ogilvy around for a while (didn't do him any good, as he bogeyed about three in a row while we were watching).

I suspect that St Andrews next time would be quite different though, as it isn't really setup for great viewing with huge crowds. Also, getting to Muirfield from Edinburgh via train was really easy, but St Andrews is a bit of a hike from anywhere if you are trying to avoid paying a fortune for local accommodation.

Played in both Scotland and Ireland a few times now, and my recommendation is to not go in peak season ... the best time I found was actually early November. The weather is a bit of a gamble, but hasn't really yet become totally hideous, and you are never fighting the crowds. I turned up mid-morning at North Berwick (my favourite course in the world) in November and there was only one other person on the entire course (and it was a nice day).

Thanks Stuart..What wonderful memories you describe..Makes sense with regards to crowds and viewing experience..will need to factor this in. I have been to the WC in South Africa in 2010 so would like to experience that rush of being in the moment..again