FAq

It depends on your needs and wants. June through August is the high season when the temperatures are best, the links run fast, there is less rain but courses are more crowded, tee times are harder to come by and are more expensive. The two shoulder seasons – April to May and September to October – are wonderful times to visit. Temperatures are cooler and there is more rain in the Fall but course and accommodation availability are better. The same is true in the Spring with the added benefit of the gorse that lines many fairways is in full yellow bloom.

Golf in N. America is largely “parkland” golf with tree-lined fairways and golf here is typically an aerial game where players hit higher shots that stop with very little roll. Links golf is played beside the largely treeless seashore over sandy ground that is rolling and humped, and where golf balls take unexpected bounces. These links feature deep, rivetted bunkers, high grass and heather that act as hazards that strengthen a courses’ defenses. Links golf is played more so along the ground with players playing more bump and run shots into greens. This is due to the fact that this is what links courses allow and it serves as a way to reduce the impact of heavy wind on the flight of golf balls.

Golf in the British Isles is traditionally a walking game that is played quickly in 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Every course offers push carts (trolleys) and many offer caddies to make the walk easier, and more enjoyable. Lately, most courses have added a small, limited number of golf carts (buggies) and some courses require a doctor’s note in order use a cart on their course.

As an experience-based company, one of our greatest joys is exposing our travelers to the local culture and off-course activities of the countries in the British Isles. Here is a partial list of non-golf activities:

The world has become a smaller place and the British Isles now has fantastic food options and restaurants. There are plenty of world-class restaurants in the UK and Ireland with world-renowned chefs serving creative dishes plus local or regional favorites. The region is known for its’ fresh fish, local grass-fed beef and lamb. Our personal favorites are bacon rashers at breakfast and fish & chips for dinner.

England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland all part of the UK. These countries are subject to UK law, are not a part of the European Union and their currency is the Pound Sterling. The Republic of Ireland lies below N. Ireland, is a part of the European Union and its’ currency is the Euro. All of the British Isles countries pride themselves on being different from one another but to N. Americans, the differences are very subtle. It’s reminiscent of the modest differences between life in the US vs. Canada. Everyone speaks English across the British Isles albeit with a slightly different accent and people are generally very friendly.

A travel agent is usually a generalist who is capable of arranging travel anywhere in the world. Travel agents provide a valuable service and rely on their experience to negotiate better deals on all aspects of travel. They provide air travel, local transportation, accommodations and local sightseeing excursions. Tour Operators like Royal Links Golf Tours are typically not generalists but rather specialists in a given area or geography. Our expertise at Royal Links Golf Tours is in providing world class golf experiences to the British Isles. Period. That’s all we do.

Most of our travelers prefer to make their own air travel reservations. This has changed quite a bit over the last 20-years. With the increased availability of air travel and the advent of airline credit card mileage/points programs, most of our travelers pay for all or part of their airfare through their points or miles programs. However, we have a Travel Agent partner that we use to help our clients who want their air travel paid for as a part of their package and we are delighted to provide that service.

Yes, your clubs can be shipped in advance of your trip and/or shipped home from your trip. It's typically best to ship your clubs to your accommodation vs. a golf club due to secure storage capabilities. We recommend Europe's largest supplier of club/luggage shipping services, Luggage Forward. To learn more or to get a quote, please click here.

Yes, we always recommend travel insurance and protection. Multiple elements of a British Isles golf trip are non-refundable and international travel can be unpredictable so we strongly suggest that our client's insure their investment by acquiring travel insurance. We recommend Generali Global Assistance and to learn more about their plans or to get a quote, please click here.

Yes, we work with successful organizations who want to treat their best clients or employees to world class overseas golf experiences. Golf trips to the British Isles are an unforgettable way to recognize a company’s high performing employees or to reward clients for their business and loyalty. These travel and golf experiences cement relationships, forge lifetime bonds and build long-term loyalty to your company. Let us show you how we can help your company improve its’ bottom line.

We are passionate about providing world class golf experiences where the fun off the course rivals the fun on the course. Every trip we build is custom to the client – no two clients are alike and no two trips are alike. We work side-by-side, one-on-one with our clients to create trips that meet their every need and desire. Our trips are worry free and we like to tell our clients, “All you have to do is pack and show up at the airport. We do the rest!”.