Planning Your European Golf Vacations

If you live in the USA, then just the thought of planning your European golf vacations might be daunting. With the way the dollar is positioned against the Euro or the Pound Sterling, you don't get much bang for your bucks. Most of Europe is expensive compared to the USA anyway, especially the UK. But if you have your heart set on going to Europe, here are a few pointers to get the most out of your visit.

Most Americans when thinking about going to Europe for golf vacations always think about playing at St. Andrews. I will not be covering golf in St. Andrews or the east coast of Scotland in this article because I wrote one a while ago titled Golf Courses Scotland - The East Coast - You can find it at EzineArticles.com if you are interested.

Ireland and Scotland golf vacations

Two very popular places in the UK to visit on a golf vacation are Ireland and Scotland. To make it easier, why not visit the two countries in one visit. By concentrating on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland (Northern and Eire), you can kill two birds with one stone.

If you are lucky enough to have two weeks for your vacations, then why not stay one week in Ireland and make your home base in the beautiful city of Dublin. The other week you can stay in the cultural city of Glasgow on the west of Scotland.

Golf Vacations Ireland

As Ireland is quite a small island, by staying at Dublin in Eire, you can visit several golf courses in both Northern Ireland and Eire. One factor to take into consideration, when planning a golf vacation, is the weather. In Ireland, as in Scotland, it rains quite a bit and also you can get gusting winds on the coast.

The rain is something unpredictable and out of anyone's control, just be prepared with your golf umbrella, towel, and waterproofs. The wind, on the other hand, is an element often associated with the links courses in Scotland and Ireland: it is what makes playing there so special because you have to invent new shots - like a bump and run to the green instead of a traditional high wedge shot.

There are over 400 golf courses in the island, but let's take a look at a few of the best golf courses in Ireland. Starting close to Dublin you will find Portmarnock Golf Club in County Dublin. This is a challenging 18 hole links course with the added difficulty that no two consecutive holes play in the same direction; therefore, you have to always adjust to the wind direction.

On the west coast of Ireland in County Kerry, you have The Old Course of Ballybunion Golf Club. This is a natural links course set beside the wild Atlantic Ocean and the River Shannon. Tom Watson considers the course; "one of the best and most beautiful tests of links golf anywhere in the world."

Mount Juliet Golf Course, Thomastown in County Kilkenny is a new course designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1991. I is actually a golf resort, boasting a luxurious hotel which was originally an 18th Century mansion. This is a parkland course and has recently been voted Best Parkland Golf Course in Ireland by Backspin Golf Magazine in March of 2008.

Over the border in Northern Ireland, is Royal Portrush Golf Club at Portrush in County Antrim. The Open was played here in 1951, making it the only venue for The Open that was held outside of Scotland or England. The course was granted the title of 'Royal' in 1895, seven years after it was founded, when the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, was invited to become a patron.

Scotland Golf Vacations in the west of Scotland

On the west coast of Scotland there are many golf courses, but let's check out a few that are near to Glasgow. Probably the most famous west coast golf course is Royal Troon Golf Club in Ayrshire, just south of Glasgow. The Old Course is one of the finest links courses in Scotland, with the inward nine generally accepted as the most challenging and demanding anywhere. Royal Troon has held The Open a total of eight times, the most recent being in 2004.

To play at Royal Troon you will have to book and there is a handicap limit of 20 for men and 30 for women; you will have to provide a handicap certificate as well.

Also in Ayrshire is the Ailsa Championship Course at the Turnberry Hotel Golf Club. This course has seen three thrilling Open Championships; once in the seventies when Nicklaus and Watson battled it out all the way to 72nd hole, with Watson winning by a stroke; once in the eighties when the likes of Woosnam, Ballasteros, Faldo, and Norman all had chances to win, but the Aussie was on the top of his game and one by five strokes.

The Aisla course is a legend in the World of golf and it is one of the Championship courses you can enjoy on your Scotland golf vacation. And it seams that Turnbrry will continue its tradition of holding The Open once a decade because the 2009 Open will be held there.

If you thought St. Andrews was historic, then you are in for a treat if you decide to play at Prestwick Golf Club. Although no longer as famous, as it hasn't held The Open since 1925; Prestwick was where it all started. The first Open was held here in 1860 and hosted it 24 times. Visitors are welcome mostly on weekdays and there is a maximum handicap of 24 for men & 28 for women - because of its history, suitable golfing attire is required.

So, if you are planning your European golf vacations, why not choose Ireland and the west coast of Scotland. You are not limited by the golf courses highlighted in this article as there are literally hundreds to choose from. Playing these links courses (and parkland course) will be an experience of a lifetime, especially The Championship courses.

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