Planning a buddies’ trip to Scotland? Here are 5 things to know

Scotland is regarded as the birthplace of the game. But it isn’t just a cradle. It’s an adult playground and a popular draw for buddies’ trips. If you’re planning such a getaway, here are five things to know before you go.

1. A couple of courses are already sold out

A few weeks ago, a high-powered American executive decided he wanted to play the Old Course this summer, so he pulled out all the stops, pinging all his well-placed contacts and offering top dollar for a slot. Guess what that executive is not doing this summer? Playing the Old Course. The moral of the story is that premium courses book up quickly. And “uber premium” courses are already sold out through 2025. “Uber premium” is a term used by Gordon Dalgleish, president of leading travel company PerryGolf, and in Scotland he applies it to the Old Course and Muirfield. Both were “effectively full,” Dalgleish says, shortly after opening their 2025 times earlier this year (slots for Muirfield in 2026 will open in March of next year; Old Course books will open two months after that). If you know a Muirfield member, you could ask them to host. And you could always try the daily ballot at the Old Course, which opens 48 hours before your desired day of play. But those methods won’t work if you’ve got a big group, and they’re far from ideal on any type of buddies’ trip when you’re looking for a guarantee.

2. Other headline layouts can be tough gets, too

Turnberry. Royal Troon. Royal Dornoch. The bigger the name, the scarcer the openings tend to be. But that doesn’t mean you can’t land tee times. There are still some open slots on many first-rate courses, Dalgleish says, with availability ranging “from excellent to decent.”

3. Consider lower-profile courses

Close to Royal Dornoch is a sweet course called Golspie. Not far from Carnoustie, first-rate Arbroath awaits. You get the point. For almost every marquee venue, there are lesser-known alternatives within striking distance. Though many of these lower-wattage spots are courses much busier than before COVID, they are nowhere near as crowded as their more famous neighbors. In most cases, you can book them last minute, and (trust us) you won’t wind up feeling like you’ve lost out.

4. Caddies are worth the cost

In contrast to the U.S., no courses in Scotland require you to take a caddie. But, Dalgleish says, the “vast majority” of American golfers do so anyway, and not just for the course knowledge. Enlisting a looper enhances the experience. Going without one, Dalgleish says, “is like drinking a great wine from a plastic cup.”

5. Keep a regional focus

Scotland is roughly the size of South Carolina, so not a huge country but also not a place you can cover thoroughly in six or seven days, the common duration of a buddies’ trip. Unless you plan to hire a chopper (an extravagant proposition that can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars), plan on sticking to one region, or maybe two, max. East Lothian, for instance. Or the area around St. Andrews. Or perhaps the Highlands or the Ayrshire coast. Almost any spot you pick will abound in options. Keeping it local won’t just save you time and money, Dalgleish says. “It will give you a chance get to know the area,” including the local pubs.