Itineraries · Scotland · Ireland · Wales
British Isles Links Circuit: Scotland, Ireland & Wales
Overview
The Old Course. Ballybunion. Royal Porthcawl. The British Isles done properly.
A ten-night circuit of the British Isles' greatest links — the trip Callum has been quietly building for sixteen years. Start at St Andrews with the Old Course secured. Drive south through Ayrshire. Cross to Belfast for Royal County Down. Ferry to Dublin. Drive west to Lahinch and Ballybunion. Fly to Cardiff for Royal Porthcawl. This is the definitive British Isles links pilgrimage.
Who this is for
The definitive links bucket list for golfers who want to play the best of Britain and Ireland in one trip — St Andrews, Carnoustie, Lahinch, Ballybunion, Royal Porthcawl. Expect wind, rain, firm turf, and some of the purest golf you'll ever play. City-hotel golfers who need sunshine and buggies will be miserable. Everyone else will talk about it for years.
Difficulty
Serious golfers (0–20 handicap)
Walking
Demanding — walking links, no buggies at most courses
Flight
1.0h · Drive or short domestic flight to Scotland; ferry or fly to Ireland; Wales is a drive from London (3hrs)
Highlights
The Courses
Where You'll Play
The Old Course, St Andrews
18 holes · Par 72
The most famous golf course on earth — shared fairways, the Valley of Sin, double greens the size of tennis courts.
⛳ 17th Road Hole: par-4 drive over the old railway sheds to a green guarded by the most famous bunker in golf
The Old Course, St Andrews
The most famous golf course on earth — shared fairways, the Valley of Sin, double greens the size of tennis courts.
View on Google Maps →Lahinch Golf Club, Clare
18 holes · Par 70
Classic West of Ireland links — blind shots, dune ridges, wind off the Atlantic, and a completely natural routing.
⛳ 5th Dell: blind par-3 to a green completely hidden in a hollow between dunes, marked only by a white stone
Royal Porthcawl, Wales
18 holes · Par 72
Wales's finest links — every hole has a sea view, the wind is relentless, and the closing stretch along the Bristol Channel is as tough as links golf gets.
⛳ 18th: long par-4 along the shoreline back into the prevailing south-westerly, green hard against the sea wall
The Journey
Day by Day
Conditions
When to Go
May to September is the only realistic window — links golf in British winters is brutal. June and July give the longest daylight (rounds finishing at 9pm in Scotland). September is superb: courses firm, fewer tourists.
If this trip is full
These trips work on the same seasonal window and are rarely booked at the same time:
Limited availability — popular dates fill early
Price per person
£4,200 pp
Includes flights, transfers, accommodation & golf
No obligation — James replies personally
WhatsApp us"James sorted everything — flights, tee times, even a surprise upgrade at the hotel. Genuinely the best golf trip I've taken."
— Mark T., South Africa trip 2024
What's included
Return flights from any UK airport
10 nights at links-adjacent hotels and guesthouses
6 rounds including all green fees
Old Course ballot management and tee time guarantee
Private hire car Scotland and Ireland
Daily breakfast
Ferry Cairnryan–Belfast or Holyhead–Dublin (as itinerary requires)
Trip details
Best for
Getting there
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Ready to make this yours?
This itinerary is a starting point, not a contract. Every Dormie journey is built around you — your handicap, your group, your budget. James will respond personally within the hour.