Lesser-Known Golf Courses Of… The Scottish Highlands

Graylyn LoomisFeatured Post, Scottish Golf Travel4 Comments

My original idea with this “Lesser-Known Golf Courses” series was to feature courses around popular towns or golf destinations. For the Highlands, the obvious choice is to feature lesser-known golf courses around Royal Dornoch, but I’ve decided to cast a wider net and talk about the Highlands more generally. Some of these courses are near Royal Dornoch and could easily … Read More

Lesser-Known Golf Courses Of… East Lothian, Scotland

Graylyn LoomisFeatured Post, Scottish Golf Travel4 Comments

Earlier this year, I sent out a survey to everyone on my email list. One of the most common responses was a request for more content about the lesser-known courses of Scotland. Those requests have inspired me to start a series of articles called “Lesser-Known Golf Courses Of…” that features underrated courses around Scotland. I’m going to group courses by … Read More

So You Didn’t Get an Advance Old Course Tee Time… Now What?

Graylyn LoomisFeatured Post, Scottish Golf Travel, St. Andrews2 Comments

A few days ago I received a dreaded email… “Thank you for your application for an Advance Old Course Tee Time at St Andrews Links in 2024. Unfortunately, your High Season application has been unsuccessful.” After waiting for a month, dreaming about the Old Course, and planning ahead, it’s a gut punch to not get an advance tee time. That said, it’s not the end of the … Read More

How to Plan a Scotland Golf Trip for a Big Group

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel3 Comments

Avid readers of this site have read dozens of tips and pieces of advice for planning a Scottish golf trip. After years of speaking to readers and helping them plan their trips, I’ve realized more and more that a different set of advice is required for large groups. What comprises a large group? I consider any more than a four … Read More

State Apparel – Maker of the Best Pants for a Scotland Golf Trip?

Graylyn LoomisProduct Reviews5 Comments

Loyal readers know I’m always on the lookout for cool golf companies. I love telling their stories and helping spread the word about what they’re doing. Jason Yip—founder of State Apparel—reached out to me earlier this year when planning a golf trip to Scotland. The conversation led to his San Francisco-based golf clothing company and a product he claimed was … Read More

Best Time of Year to Visit Scotland for Golf

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel31 Comments

This post is the third in a series about planning a golf trip to Scotland. The first post was How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland and the second covered Where to Play on a Golf Trip to Scotland – enjoy! When golfers think about a golf trip to Scotland, “where to play” is the first thing that comes to … Read More

How I Planned My Own Dream Scotland Trip

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel20 Comments

Much of this website is dedicated to planning Scottish golf trips, and while I’ve helped hundreds of people take trips of their own, I still get very excited every time I get to plan one for myself. Over the last year I’ve been piecing together a trip to Scotland with a group of my best buddies. It will be a … Read More

Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse ReviewsLeave a Comment

When I recently visited Skibo Castle and the Carnegie Club, the main purpose of the weekend was to see the recently renovated Carnegie Links. The course had long been on my Scottish to-visit list, but it was always a tough trip to make because of the club’s location and exclusivity. In the end, the round happened years after moving back … Read More

Durness Golf Club Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews9 Comments

As far as golf courses go, Durness is one of the remotest that I’ve visited. Durness is north of Moscow and on a similar latitude to Anchorage, Alaska. It is the most northwesterly golf course on the British mainland and to put that in perspective, the course is a 2+ hour drive north of Royal Dornoch. What a rewarding and … Read More

Brora Golf Club Review

Graylyn LoomisCourse Reviews6 Comments

Brora Golf Club was another stop on my North Coast 500 drive, and apart from Royal Dornoch, it was the course I’d heard the most about on my itinerary. Brora is located only 35 minutes north of Dornoch, yet relatively few people make the journey past north of Dornoch on their itineraries. I stayed at the nearby Royal Marine Hotel … Read More

Are Guaranteed Old Course Tee Times Worth the Money?

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel3 Comments

Well, the first answer is that all guaranteed St Andrews Old Course tee times aren’t created equally. You have the advanced ballot tee times allotted by the St Andrews Links Trust, you have a select number handed out by local B&Bs or hotels, and then you have the allotment from golf tour companies. All of these options may get you the … Read More

Where to Play Golf on a Trip to Scotland

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel19 Comments

This post is the second in a series about planning a golf trip to Scotland. The first post was How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland – enjoy! Deciding where to play golf in Scotland may seem like a simple choice of ticking off the best courses, but the decision can make or break your trip in many ways. … Read More

How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel30 Comments

This article is the first in a series about maximizing your time and money in planning, booking, and experiencing a golf trip to Scotland! The second article is Where to Go on a Golf Trip to Scotland! The key to planning a successful golf trip to Scotland is knowledge. One of the goals of this website is to provide golfers … Read More

Visiting Scotland’s Distilleries

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel5 Comments

I am going to use this post to not only describe my favorite whisky distilleries in Scotland, but also to show off some of the lesser seen beauty of the country. Adding a non-golf point of interest to your golf trip can add great depth and enjoyment to the overall trip. I took the photos below on various adventures (all including … Read More

Should I take a Caddie in Scotland?

Graylyn LoomisScottish Golf Travel7 Comments

I spent a full season caddying at Kingsbarns Golf Links, just outside of St Andrews, Scotland. Over the course of the season, I have averaged five “bags” a week. I have caddied for everyone from CEOs and former European touring pros to people who have only been playing a few months. All of the photos in this post are taken at … Read More