10 days · 4 links courses · 2 hotels
This journey has two parts. It starts with three days in Edinburgh, a city I know very well and love, and there is no golf in it. I like the idea of a trip that is not only about golf.
Then you move to St Andrews, unpack once and stay for six nights at Marine & Lawn Rusacks. From there, you drive out to four very different links courses: Lundin and Elie in Fife, and Panmure and Montrose in Angus.
In between, you try to get a tee time on the Old Course. Nobody can promise you one. That is why this route leaves room for it.
Four courses, the Old Course as the fifth if you win the ballot, and a great city to start with.
Day 1
At the west end of Princes Street
Edinburgh Airport is the easiest gateway to this journey. You do not need a car yet. Take a taxi to the city centre, as you will be travelling with your golf luggage, and check in at The Caledonian.
Use the rest of the day to find your feet. Walk along Princes Street Gardens, with the castle above you.
On your first evening, you probably won’t want to have dinner too far from the hotel. I’ve got two suggestions that are just a few minutes’ walk away. Firstly, there is the excellent Indian restaurant Mowgli on Hanover Street. And secondly, there is The Palmerston on Palmerston Place, which is fantastic. I would definitely recommend booking a table at the latter.
You can then have a nightcap in one of the many pubs around The Caledonian.
Stay
For your three nights in Edinburgh, you stay at The Caledonian at the west end of Princes Street. It is not cheap, but the location is hard to beat, and the castle is only a short walk away. Whether you pay extra for a room with a view of the castle is up to you. I did not, and my room was wonderfully quiet.
Day 2
The Old Town and the castle
Today belongs to the Old Town. Start with Edinburgh Castle, and book your timed ticket online in advance. Then walk down the Royal Mile, past St Giles’ Cathedral and the narrow closes on both sides, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
If you have the energy, climb Arthur’s Seat. The climb takes 45 to 60 minutes from the palace, and the view over the city and the Firth of Forth is worth every step. A lazier alternative is Calton Hill, which is much shorter and best in the late afternoon. As for a restaurant near Calton Hill, I can highly recommend The Montrose on Montrose Terrace for the evening.
As an alternative to Calton Hill, a visit to the Bruntsfield neighbourhood is also well worth it. In summer, a pitch-and-putt course opens on Bruntsfield Links right in the heart of the city, and the famous (and very old) Golf Tavern is the perfect spot for a drink. You can have dinner at the excellent Leftfield, right next to the Golf Tavern. From there, it is about a 20-minute walk back to the hotel.
Day 3
The New Town, Dean Village and Leith
Today you can take it slower. Walk from the hotel along the Water of Leith to Dean Village, a surprisingly quiet corner only about 15 minutes from the west end of Princes Street. Continue to Stockbridge for coffee and the independent shops.
Stockbridge also has a really good tip for lunch or dinner: The Scran & Scallie, the gastro pub of the Michelin-starred chef Tom Kitchin. He runs his fine dining restaurant, The Kitchin, in Leith. I have never been to the latter, though.
In the afternoon, the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is a good choice for bad weather, and entry is free. In the evening, go to Leith for dinner. My tip is The Ship on the Shore, right on The Shore. Book ahead, as the popular restaurants fill up.
If you like whisky, the Bow Bar is a good place for a last drink before you leave the city. I am a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and can recommend it, but I am not sure whether it is open to non-members. A look at its website will tell you.
Day 4
Home of golf
After breakfast, pick up your rental car and cross the Forth towards Fife. The drive to St Andrews takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, so you arrive in time for lunch.
You will soon realise that St Andrews is a truly special place where every golfer’s dream really does come to life. The whole town lives and breathes golf. Yet it is also home to one of the best universities in the UK. Prince William and Princess Kate – but of course you know the story.
In the afternoon, walk down to the 18th fairway of the Old Course, right next to your hotel, and have a look at the Swilcan Bridge. Then continue to West Sands, the long beach where the famous running scene of “Chariots of Fire” was filmed.
Personally, I like to take a stroll through the town’s streets before dinner and soak up the hustle and bustle. If you fancy a drink whilst you are out and about, the Dunvegan is the epitome of golf. You can also enjoy your first dinner in town there.
One more task for today: think about the Old Course ballot. For a round on Day 7, you have to enter on Day 5.
Stay
Marine & Lawn Rusacks, St Andrews
Marine & Lawn Rusacks is the hotel I would choose again at once. It is the flagship of the Marine & Lawn Collection and stands right next to the 18th fairway of the Old Course. The rooms are tastefully furnished, the staff are friendly, and the little details are right. You stay here for six nights.
Day 5
Old Tom Morris and James Braid
Lundin Golf Club was founded in 1868, and Old Tom Morris laid out the first holes. In 1908, James Braid created a new nine, and the course still stands largely as he left it.
The views over the Firth of Forth are simply stunning, and so are most of the holes. The greens are lightning fast. The R&A uses Lundin as a final qualifying course for The Open, so it is well tested. The pro shop staff are amazingly friendly.
The 14th hole is a par 3 played downhill. It is called “Perfection”, and it is spectacular, not least because a shot that misses the green to the right ends up on another golf course. That one belongs to Leven Golf Club. Another hole I remember as particularly beautiful is the 2nd, The Quarry. It is a par 4, and you tee off from a plateau with a wonderful view of the Firth of Forth.
On the way back, stop in Lower Largo, the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the real-life model for Robinson Crusoe. You will find his statue on a house in the village.
For dinner, we stay in the hotel today. My recommendation is 18, with a wonderful view of the Old Course. You must reserve a table.
Day 6
The periscope
The fun begins before you hit your first shot. The first tee is blind, so the starter uses a periscope to check that the fairway is clear. It was taken from the Royal Navy submarine HMS Excalibur in 1966.
Golf has been played on the links at Elie since at least the 16th century. The course has no par 5s and only two par 3s, which sounds strange, but works very well. James Braid, five times Open Champion, was born next door in Earlsferry, and he called the 13th hole the finest in the country. I agree. Just do not try my tee shot on the 12th.
On the way back, stop in Anstruther for fish and chips at the Anstruther Fish Bar, which has been named UK Fish & Chip Shop of the Year.
Back in St Andrews, North Street has a good number of pubs to choose from. If you want something different, try T-Square Social, founded by Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake. It has a cinema, a sports bar and a golf simulator, and it is St Andrews all over.
Day 7
Try your luck
The Old Course is the most famous golf course in the world, and for most of us, getting on it is a matter of luck. You enter the ballot online, by phone or at the Old Pavilion, no later than 14:00 two days before the day you want to play. The result follows later that day. You need an official handicap, with a maximum of 36. The Old Course is closed on Sundays.
My own experience: I have never had luck in the ballot, and my tries were halfhearted anyway. To be honest, I am also a little intimidated by the atmosphere and by the many double greens.
If the ballot does not work out, you have a very good plan B. St Andrews Links has six more links courses: the New, the Jubilee, the Eden, the Castle, Strathtyrum and Balgove. The Craigtoun Course is also new with the Links Trust, but it is an inland course, not a links. My own fallback is a tee time at Leven, which I will play for the first time in early summer 2027.
For dinner, try Ham’s Hame Pub & Grill. If you played the Old Course today, celebrate at Ondine Oyster & Grill at Seaton House Hotel.
Day 8
Hogan’s bunker
Panmure Golf Club was founded in 1845 and lies at Barry, right next to the Open venue of Carnoustie. In 1953, Ben Hogan prepared here for two weeks, almost alone with his caddie, before he won his only Open Championship at Carnoustie. The bunker on the 6th hole still carries his name, and he is said to have suggested it himself.
Panmure has served as a final qualifying venue for The Open several times. The course is a gem, and it is quieter than its famous neighbour. My favourite is the par 5 14th, where I made a birdie.
The drive from St Andrews takes you across the Tay Road Bridge and through Dundee. It is a longer day than the ones on the Fife coast.
For dinner back in St Andrews, try the Jigger Inn at the Old Course Hotel. From Rusacks it is a walk of under ten minutes, past the Road Hole green.
Day 9
The fifth oldest golf course in the world
Golf was first recorded at Montrose in 1562, and the links claims to be the fifth oldest golf course in the world. Today’s 1562 Course, formerly the Medal Course, was laid out by Willie Park Jr. in 1903.
The course has some very nice holes with views of the North Sea. My favourite hole is the third, a par 3 with a green on a dune plateau. It is a real card wrecker. The clubhouse is, in my opinion, not the most beautiful one in Scotland, but I loved the place anyway, as the people are incredibly nice.
The drive from St Andrews is the longest of the golf days, so be ready for a long day. On the way back, a stop in Arbroath for an Arbroath smokie is a good idea.
It is your last evening in St Andrews. I would have dinner at Rusacks again, or take a stroll to the Dunvegan for a final pint.
Day 10
Home from the Kingdom of Fife
After breakfast, the drive to Edinburgh Airport takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. If your flight is in the afternoon, you still have time for a last walk along the 18th fairway of the Old Course.
Return your rental car at the airport. If you would like to stay longer, add a night in Edinburgh at the end instead of the start.
WHY THIS ROUTE
This route changes hotel only once. In Edinburgh you stay at The Caledonian, in St Andrews at Marine & Lawn Rusacks. From St Andrews, every course is a day trip, and you never have to pack a bag between two rounds.
Lundin and Elie lie on the Fife coast and are the shortest drives. Panmure and Montrose are in Angus, on the other side of the River Tay. They are further away, so each of them gets a day of its own.
The Old Course day sits in the middle of the week on purpose. The ballot is drawn two days before play, so you enter on Day 5 for Day 7. If you win a tee time, you play the most famous course in the world. If you do not, you still have a good day on another St Andrews course.
Kingsbarns, Crail, Carnoustie and Leven are all within reach of St Andrews and well worth considering as alternatives. They are not part of this route.
Driving times stay moderate, apart from the days to Panmure (Day 8) and Montrose (Day 9).
Best time: April to November.
The Old Course: Tee times are not guaranteed. Most visitors try the daily ballot, which is drawn two days before play. The Old Course is closed to play on Sundays. Check the current rules and the busy dates on the website of the St Andrews Links Trust before you book your flights. In 2027, the 155th Open takes place at St Andrews, so availability will be limited, and grandstands are built on the course beforehand. That can be nice, because you feel like a pro, except for the precision around the green.
Tee times: Book Lundin, Elie, Montrose and Panmure as early as you can. Panmure is a private members’ club, and a look at the club website helps to find the different times for green-fee players.
Rental car: You do not need a car in Edinburgh. Pick it up on the day you leave for St Andrews. I always follow two rules. First, book an automatic. It costs more, but when you are driving on the left, you will be glad not to change gear with your left hand. Second, choose a smaller car. On the narrower roads, you will be glad it isn’t too wide.
Edinburgh: Book timed tickets for Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse online before you travel. In summer, the castle tickets sell out.
Weather: Pack waterproofs and warm layers, even in summer. The wind is part of every round.
Getting home: From St Andrews, Edinburgh Airport is about 1 hour 20 minutes away.
