Scotland - a Golfers Paradise (Edinburgh courses, St Andrews & Gleneagles)

Itinerary

• Scotland

  Scotland is known for its expansive spaces, majestic and rugged highlands and whisky distilleries.  The country however, has much more to offer the curious of mind. From austere castles, to bucolic landscapes and picture perfect towns and villages, bussling cities and stunning coastlines, Scotland has much to offer the traveller.

• Edinburgh

  Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and considered one of the most charming cities on Earth. Regardless of the time of year, there is plenty to see and do. The city is breathtakingly beautiful, on multiple levels with strayed buildings in brooding grey granite. Eclectic bars, fine dining, and national art collections and museums can be found all over the city. The vast student population keeps the atmosphere upbeat and vibrant, even in the downpours that periodically soak the city.

• Gleneagles

  Gleneagles is a glen which connects with Glen Devon to form a pass through the Ochil Hills of Perth and Kinross in Scotland. Gleneagles House at the northern entrance to Gleneagles comprises a 1750 extension to an earlier 17th-century building that is approached by an avenue of lime trees planted to commemorate the Battle of Camperdown. Little remains of Gleneagles Castle, the early 16th-century tower house of the Haldanes.  The Caledonian Railway Company used its name for the Gleneagles Hotel and golf course they built some distance from the glen at the edge of Auchterarder. The hotel hosted the controversial G8 conference in July 2005, which earned the area the description of "the most fortified golf course in Scotland" due to extensive security.

• St. Andrews

  The town of St Andrews is known worldwide as the "home of golf". This is in part because the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, founded in 1754, exercises legislative authority over the game worldwide (except in the United States and Mexico), and also because the famous links (acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four major championships. Visitors travel to St Andrews in great numbers for several courses ranked amongst the finest in the world, as well as for the sandy beaches.

• • Edinburgh
  • Balmoral exterior

  Day 1: Edinburgh

  Meet your driver for your private airport transfer today.

  Consider a panoramic city tour of Edinburgh to see all of the main sites of the city. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you are interested in adding this to your itineray. Places of interest on the panoramic tour include Old Town & New Town, Royal Botanic Gardens, Arthurs Seat, Royal Mile.

  Consider relaxing and having one of the many treatments available at the Balmoral Hotel - a perfect way to get into vacation mode!

  Accommodation: Balmoral Hotel (5*)

  The Rocco Forte Collection's Balmoral is a luxury five star hotel located in the very heart of Edinburgh. The Balmoral offers 188 opulent suites and stylish rooms, many with views towards Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town. Enjoy all the facilities The Balmoral has to offer - a Finnish sauna and Turkish steam room, 15-metre crystal-clear pool, air-conditioned fully equipped cardiovascular gymnasium and exercise room. The Balmoral recently won a place on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List (US edition) within "The best hotels in the world for location".

• • Gullane Golf Course
  • Edinburgh Castle

  Day 2: Edinburgh

  Golf clubs, buggies and carts can all be typically rented and paid for locally. Golf clubs can be reserved in advance. If you wish this, please let your Sales Advisor know so this can be arranged prior to your arrival.

  After breakfast depart your hotel for your first day exploring some of Scotland's finest Golf Courses.  This morning you can choose to play one of the famous courses at Gullane, beautifully situated alongside the East Lothain shore and near the historic Club House Pub where you may like to take your lunch. Gullane Golf Club offers championship quality links golf courses with dramatic views across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh and Fife. The three golf courses do not have names but simply numbers which reflect their age.  Gullane No. 1 has a long history of hosting international Championship golf events and is an Open Championship Qualifying course. The No. 1 Course will be hosting local final qualifying for the Open in 2013 when the Championship is played at Muirfield. Gullane No.2 has also been used for Open Championship Qualifying and the Seniors Open Amateur. Gullane No.3, whilst being the shortest of the three golf courses, still provides a stern challenge for golfers of all abilities.

  Alternatively play on the Musselburgh Links course not far from central Edinburgh. Musselburgh Links, The Old Golf Course, is officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the “oldest golf course in the world”. Open to the public all year round, you can experience a piece of golfing history and for a truly unique experience you can hire hickory clubs and play the course as it was in its heyday! Please let your Sales Advisor know of your course preference.

  Stats: Gullane 1: 18 holes, par 71, yards: 6,548. Gullane 2: 18 holes, par 71, white yards: 6,385, yellow yards: 5,976. Gullane 3: 18 holes, par 68, yards: 5,259. Musselburgh Links: 9 holes, par 34, yards: 2,874.

  Consider taking a tour of Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace today. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like to add this to your days' itinerary.

  Accommodation: Balmoral Hotel (5*)
• • St. Andrews
  • Royal Mile
  • The Old Course Hotel

  Day 3: Edinburgh - St. Andrews

  Today you will be driven by private car and driver to St Andrews, the home of Golf. Enjoy a look around this historic town. (Approx. 1hr30mins)

  Enjoy a round of golf on either The Dukes Course or the Jubilee Course.  With a spectacular setting above St Andrews, the championship The Duke's gives magnificent panoramic views over the surrounding countryside to the sea. It is highly regarded as one of the finest heathland championship courses in the British Isles and a 'must play' course for any golfer.  Its style ranks alongside the great inland challenges which demand accuracy and inventive play as well as power golf.  With five separate tee positions at every hole, The Duke's has the flexibility and challenge to appeal to golfers at every level.  

  Now well into its second century of life, the Jubilee Course has developed from a basic 12-hole layout into what many consider to be the toughest test of golf at St Andrews. Created on a narrow strip of prime golfing land between the New Course and the sea, the Jubilee was originally intended for ladies and beginners. It was laid out by John Angus junior and made ready in only three months. In 1988 the re-design of the Jubilee to championship standard was carried out by Donald Steel. The teeing grounds were raised, not only providing wonderful views of the Links, but also exposing the golfers to the winds which sweep in from the bay. Mr. Steel's redesigned course now plays at 6,742 yards and is a real test for all golfers. The Jubilee has hosted the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay Championship, the Boys' Home Internationals, the British Mid-Amateur Championship and, in 2004, it was the venue for the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship. The course hosts the St Andrews Links Trophy in alternate years with the New Course. Please let your Sales Advisor know if you have  preference of course today.

  Stats: Dukes Course: 18 holes, par 71, yards: 7,002 (blue). Jubilee Course: 18 holes, par 72, yards: 6,742 (mens/yellow).

  This afternoon you may also like to visit the British Golf Museum - a must for golfers visiting St Andrews. Today, you may also like to enter the famous Old Course ballot and see if you are lucky enough to get chosen to play on this historic course tomorrow.

  Accommodation: The Old Course Hotel (5*)

  The Old Course Hotel is a luxurious 5 star hotel located on the world’s most famous golf course, in St. Andrews. There are 144 lavishly refurbished bedrooms and suites, designed with rich red divine opulence, silk lined walls, private balconies. The Old Course Hotel offers an outstanding collection of bars and restaurants to suit all including Sands Grill for relaxed dining and The Jigger Inn, fondly referred to as ‘the towns best 19th hole’ and much loved by the many celebrities who visit. Guests can enjoy the 20 meter pool, relaxation area and rooftop hot tub, as well as the 11 golf courses around the hotel, including its own championship course.

• • The New Course

  Day 4: St. Andrews

  If you entered the Old Course ballot yesterday and were lucky, today may see you playing on this world famous course. Please note that, if you are successful in securing a tee-time on the old course, the green fees need to be paid for by you directly. (approx. 160GBP per person). Any pre-booked golfing times at other courses that coincide with your tee-time at the old course will be non refundable given the nature of the late cancellation.

  Stats: 18 holes, par 71, yards: 6,721 (mens/yellow).

  Spend a wonderful day golfing in one of the best places in the world for golf. Choose between a round at either the New Course or the Eden Course. The New Course is often regarded as the oldest "new" course in the world. A classic links course with undulating fairways and delightfully challenging greens, it was set out in 1895 by Old Tom Morris. Named the New to differentiate it from the original course at the Links which became the Old Course, the course remains one of the finest examples of Morris' work to be found anywhere. This classic links course offers a first class golfing challenge. The course has the traditional out and back layout, with the 18th green just to the right of the first tee. It also has, in the great St Andrews tradition, shared fairways and even a double green at the 3rd and 15th holes.

  The Eden was officially opened on Thursday, July 2, 1914 and was the fourth course to be built at St Andrews Links reflecting the growing demand for play on its sisters, the Old, the New and the Jubilee. Harry S Colt, whose other designs included Hoylake, Pine Valley, Sunningdale and Wentworth, was commissioned to design the course. His layout challenged golfers with severe bunkering, undulating greens and many carries off the tee to reach the fairways. His use of natural features and of partially buried field boundary walls gives the course an entirely natural feel. Alterations completed in 1989 under the direction of the golf course architect Donald Steel do not fall short of the high standards set by Mr. Colt. The result is a course of character but slightly less testing and more forgiving than the three courses lying on the seaward side.

  Stats: New Course: 18 holes, par 71, yarrds: 6,625 (mens/yellow). Eden Course: 18 holes, par 70, yards: 6,250 (yello/mens).

  Accommodation: The Old Course Hotel (5*)
• • Gleneagles
  • Gleneagles
  • Gleneagles Hotel

  Day 5: St. Andrews - Gleneagles

  Sit back and relax and take in the scenic countryside as you leave the coastal area around St Andrews and are driven to the interior around Gleneagles.

  Play a round of golf on one of the courses at Gleneagles. The King's Course, opened in 1919, is a masterpiece of design, which has tested the aristocracy of golf, both professional and amateur. James Braid's plan for the King's Course was to test even the best players' shot-making skills over the eighteen holes. Selecting the right club for each approach shot is the secret on the King's. It is certainly one of the most beautiful and exhilarating places to play golf in the world, with the springy moorland turf underfoot, the sweeping views from the tees all around, the rock-faced mountains to the north, the green hills to the south, and the peaks of the Trossachs and Ben Vorlich on the western horizon.

  The Queen's Course, in its long history, has played host to some of the world's golfing greats. Threading through high ridges on the north and west sides of the estate, the Queen's offers lovely woodland settings, lochans and ditches as water hazards, as well as many moorland characteristics. At 3,192 yards long, the challenge of the first nine can be deceptive, with even some of the best players finding it a test to make par into a fresh south westerly breeze. Please let your Sales Advisor know if you have a preference of course that you would like to play today.

  Stats: Kings Course: 18 holes, par 68, yards: 6,066. Queen's Course: 18 holes, par 68, yards: 5,660 (mens/yellow).

  Why not consider taking in a few activities in the sumpyuous surrounds of the Gleneagles property...Consider trying your hand at clay pigeon shooting, partake in a falconry session where you can see these marvellous birds of prey at close quarters, or take a land rover excursion into the countryside./ Please speak to your Sales Advisor if any of these activities are of interest.

  Accommodation: Gleneagles (5*)

  Gleneagles Hotel (5*) is one of the world’s most coveted 5 star resorts, and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, it is home to three of the top Scottish Championship Golf Courses (and will host the Ryder Cup in 2011), has the only PGA National Academy, and a wide range of exhilarating outdoor leisure activities. Throughout the hotel you will find the finest comfort – from the elegant restaurants to the luxury bedrooms and the calming environment of the spacious new destination spa by ESPA (voted Spa of the year by Conde Nast in 2010). The hotel has 232 spacious guest bedrooms, including a variety of luxury suites to suit all needs, tastes and desires. There is plenty to do, with a selection of shops to browse and free access to the leisure club, swimming pools and tennis courts as well as many optional activities on site such as a gundog school, archery, falconry etc. The property also has a teenage area with pool tables and a games room as well as a supervised kids play area to ensure fun for everyone - regardless of age.

• • PGA Centenary Course
  • Glenturret Distillery

  Day 6: Gleneagles

  After breakfast this morning, play the PGA Centenary Course, created by Jack Nicklaus and a modern classic. The tees are graded at each hole in five stages, including a challenging 6,815 yards from the white markers down to 5,322 from the red. Fittingly, the PGA Centenary Course begins by playing southeast towards the glen, sweeping up the Ochil Hills to the summit of the pass below Ben Shee which joins it to Glendevon. A feature of the course is the feast of views of the spectacular countryside in which Gleneagles is set. Putting on the two-tier second green, you are distracted by the lush panorama of the rich Perthshire straths. As you move westwards over the next few holes, the rugged Grampians come into view on the right, then distantly purple ahead, Ben Vorlich and the mountains above the Trossachs.

  Stats: 18 holes, par 73, yards: 6,366 (mens/yellow).

  This afternoon, enjoy a wee dram of world-class whisky when you visit the Famous Grouse Experience at the Glenturret Distillery.

  Accommodation: Gleneagles (5*)
• • Airport transfer to Edinburgh

  Day 7: Gleneagles

  Enjoy a private airport transfer to Edinburgh.

  Accommodation: Depart (Int`l Airport)

Accommodation

• • Balmoral exterior

  Balmoral Hotel (5*)

  The Rocco Forte Collection's Balmoral is a luxury five star hotel located in the very heart of Edinburgh. The Balmoral offers 188 opulent suites and stylish rooms, many with views towards Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town. Enjoy all the facilities The Balmoral has to offer - a Finnish sauna and Turkish steam room, 15-metre crystal-clear pool, air-conditioned fully equipped cardiovascular gymnasium and exercise room. The Balmoral recently won a place on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List (US edition) within "The best hotels in the world for location".

  • More information
• • The Old Course Hotel

  The Old Course Hotel (5*)

  The Old Course Hotel is a luxurious 5 star hotel located on the world’s most famous golf course, in St. Andrews. There are 144 lavishly refurbished bedrooms and suites, designed with rich red divine opulence, silk lined walls, private balconies. The Old Course Hotel offers an outstanding collection of bars and restaurants to suit all including Sands Grill for relaxed dining and The Jigger Inn, fondly referred to as ‘the towns best 19th hole’ and much loved by the many celebrities who visit. Guests can enjoy the 20 meter pool, relaxation area and rooftop hot tub, as well as the 11 golf courses around the hotel, including its own championship course.

  • More information
• • Gleneagles Hotel
  • Gleneagles - room

  Gleneagles (5*)

  Gleneagles Hotel (5*) is one of the world’s most coveted 5 star resorts, and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, it is home to three of the top Scottish Championship Golf Courses (and will host the Ryder Cup in 2011), has the only PGA National Academy, and a wide range of exhilarating outdoor leisure activities. Throughout the hotel you will find the finest comfort – from the elegant restaurants to the luxury bedrooms and the calming environment of the spacious new destination spa by ESPA (voted Spa of the year by Conde Nast in 2010). The hotel has 232 spacious guest bedrooms, including a variety of luxury suites to suit all needs, tastes and desires. There is plenty to do, with a selection of shops to browse and free access to the leisure club, swimming pools and tennis courts as well as many optional activities on site such as a gundog school, archery, falconry etc. The property also has a teenage area with pool tables and a games room as well as a supervised kids play area to ensure fun for everyone - regardless of age.

  • More information

The Fine Print

• Trip Operator

  Horizon & Co. (founded in 1963), is a privately-owned leading boutique travel company. Horizon designs and stages authentic and deeply personal travel experiences that are carefully choreographed to induce a life-long memory. In addition to offering published trips on seven continents, Horizon builds private custom trips for discerning individuals and small groups.

• Contact Information

  Horizon & Co.
  Tel: 1-800-387-2977
  Email: admin@horizon-co.com
  Web: www.horizon-co.com

• What's Included:

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• What's not Included:

  • Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

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