UK & Ireland Travel Information

Scotland Restaurant Recommendations

Upon arrival at your destination, you will be met by a Premier Golf representative who will direct you to your ground transportation discuss your itinerary; give you driving directions and set you on your way. They can also discuss sightseeing and provide restaurant recommendations in addition to what is included in your final documents.

1. BREAKFAST: Breakfast is included in the hotel restaurant during appropriate restaurant hours each day of your tour (with the exception of your arrival day). 
2. RENTAL VEHICLES: Our rental vehicles are all automatic transmission, and many have Satellite Navigation. You will need a valid driver’s license and a credit card at pickup. Our package includes damage, airport taxes and surcharges, etc. Some insurance coverage is included with a deductible (a second driver charge is a small additional add on fee), but lower deductibles can be supplemented at the airport upon collection, depending on your preference. The deductibles are required if there is an accident or damage, plus a small daily fee for a second driver, which will be charged to your credit card at pick up (we cannot do it in advance because they must witness the driver’s license). Extra insurance may be offered on site. Your vehicle will be filled with petrol/diesel at pickup and should be filled prior to drop off, or you will pay an expensive rate for fuel. International driver’s licenses are NOT required, just a normal state driver’s license will work. Drivers must be between 25 and 80 years old.
3. MOTORCOACH AND DRIVER: We will match one of our golf savvy drivers and, for your comfort, a van or motorcoach with your group. If you are like other previous groups, you will enjoy the company of a top-notch Premier Golf driver/guide hand-picked for you. Upon survey, time and time again, our clients tell us that our driver “made our trip”. A motorcoach or van with 8 or less passenger seats can pretty much be at your disposal all the time. However, any motorcoach with 9 or more seats must adhere to limits on how much he can legally drive each day. This varies by area, but often no more than 8 hours of driving in a 12-hour time span, and then at least 8 hours off. These rules are computer tracked (electronic tachograph) by the local government and are not negotiable. Driver Gratuity: At the end of the trip, it is customary to tip the driver €10-15 per person per day of driving.
4. TRANSFERS / DRIVER: We will arrange drivers for specific transfers from the airport to the hotel, hotel to golf courses, etc. The price of just having transfers is considerably less than having a full time driver at your beckoning call all day, as he is free to do other transfers at other times of the day. So, if you are in the hotel and need a restaurant transfer or something that was not planned in advance, consider using either a taxi or call the driver we provided and ask him if he is available and the cost. Any transfers added in this manner will have to be paid in cash to the driver onsite. Your driver can also be hired for sightseeing trips.
5. MONEY: Use ATMs or credit cards wherever possible for the best possible exchange rates. Hotels, airport exchange booths and banks do not always give favorable exchange rates. We suggest calling your bank card issuer and/or credit card issuer in advance so they do not suspect fraud when your first few charges start appearing from Europe. Also consider asking your credit card company about withdrawing funds using your card and a secret pin number while abroad – it will be necessary to set this up in advance. Remember you will need local currency cash each day for caddies, so visit the ATM before heading to the golf course!
6. MOBILE PHONES: Not all cell phones will work in Europe; you should call your provider to see if yours will work and if your rate plan allows for calls overseas. Often, you can purchase a temporary international roaming plan which will save you money in the long run. There are also local phone rental options in the arrival’s hall at major airports.
7. HANDICAP: You must travel with a handicap certificate (printed or electronic) because some courses, such as The St Andrews Old Course, can deny your spot if you cannot provide a valid handicap proof prior to teeing off! We suggest that you keep your proof of handicap in your golf bag or on your mobile phone at all times! Maximum handicap restrictions apply on some courses; please ask if you have any participants that might not have a current handicap or a high handicap and we will advise possible solutions or optional courses.
8. CADDIES: Most visitors will request caddies, and when they show up, you are responsible to pay them. Caddies want to be paid in the local currency, not in US Dollars. Caddies are normally available, and we request caddies for all our guests, unless Premier Golf is specifically notified that you do NOT want caddies. Talk to your local Premier Golf staff if you are unsure about caddy costs and procedures! Caddies are typically £80-110 per bag per round including gratuity, depending on course. Carts are not widely available on the traditional links courses, but we can advise which courses do have some if requested (often a medical certificate or an official letter from your Physician is required).
9. TRAVEL COVER: We recommend bringing a small carry golf bag inside a soft travel cover. The hard-shell heavy-duty plastic travel covers (“coffins”) may seem safer on the airlines, but storage in your vehicle will be a big problem and are highly discouraged.
10. ABOUT PREMIER GOLF: Premier Golf LLC is a subsidiary of Your Golf Travel from London, England, the largest golf travel company in the world. Premier Golf LLC is Travel Partner of The PGA of America, Authorized Distributor for St Andrews Links tee times, The Open Championship, The Ryder Cup, The Solheim Cup, and exclusive wholesaler of certain golf resorts such as The Bandon Dunes Resort.
11. SCOTLAND: Our Scotland office in St Andrews (located at The St Andrews Fairmont Hotel) is managed by Euan Findlay, your Premier Golf Tour Manager. He and his staff of five full-time employees will share local tips, sightseeing suggestions and restaurant recommendations to round out your golfing pleasure. Since about 20% of our travelers are non-golfers, they will provide information and insights on the best sightseeing in your destinations. Euan attended University of Kansas on a golf scholarship and spent years working with affluent American golfers at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and aboard Seabourn Cruise Line, from where he was hired to work for our company in 1998. Your Premier Golf Tour Manager and team in St Andrews are always on call and will keep in contact with you frequently during the trip.
12. SHIP STICKS GOLF BAG DELIVERY: For excellent golf bag or luggage shipping service we recommend our partnership with Ship Sticks for golf bag or luggage delivery before or after your tour. First time users can save 10%. They will pick up at your club or at your home and are VERY reliable. For a free quote visit SHIPSTICKS or call (561) 429-3900 for price quotes and bookings. When calling remember to identify yourself as a Premier Golf traveler.
13. GOLFSAFE TRAVEL INSURANCE: If we learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that travel insurance is a really good idea! For golfers, the best policies are available from GolfSafe, a division of Travel Safe / Trawick International / Nationwide Insurance. Since 1971, TravelSafe Insurance has been helping travelers manage the risks associated with travel. Now, you can protect your trip, yourself, and your equipment from unexpected hazards with travel protection made for golfers, by golfers. Pre-existing conditions can be covered if you purchase your plan within 21 days of paying the initial trip deposit. There are also CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) options, plus a “10 day free look” period. You can review FAQ’s here or get a SAMPLE QUOTE here. Golf Safe Travel Insurance: https://golfsafe.travelsafe.com/affiliate/home/1861
14. PASSPORTS / VISAS: A valid passport, good for six months after your scheduled return, is required. Begin your application process now if your passport has or will expire soon. No special Visas are required for the UK or Ireland for American citizens but citizens from other countries should consult their respective Consulates.
15. ST ANDREWS OLD COURSE: This is the busiest golf course in the world. About half of all tee times are allocated a year in advance through the “direct application process”, where less than half of applicants actually get a tee time through this process. The remaining half of all tee times are split between local clubs of which five local clubs consider The Old Course as their home course: The R&A, St Andrews GC, St Andrews New GC, St Rule Club, and St Regulus Club, plus The University community and out of town visitors, all through “The Ballot” lottery. Therefore, the majority of visitors must use the “Ballot” lottery for their tee time and here are the ways we can assist you to get on The Old Course:

• DIRECT APPLICATION: Those that plan long in advance will have a chance to obtain a pre-allocated Old Course tee time through “Direct Application” (if your trip is deposited by mid-August the previous year). We’ll help you submit the application in August, and if successful, it will be announced in October for the following season. This is the most cost-efficient way to play. The St Andrews Links Trust requires that another of their courses be added to the application, such as the New, Jubilee or Castle Courses.
• AUTHORISED PROVIDER: Premier Golf is one of a handful of companies in the world appointed “Authorised Provider” of Old Course tee times by the St Andrews Links Trust. These limited and premium priced tee times are sold 18-24 months in advance sell out early, but we will monitor your dates in case some become available through other sources, and we will notify you of the potential options. 2024 and 2025 AP times are already sold out.    
• BALLOT: Those booking closer in to dates of travel, or those who did not get a Direct Allocation or Authorised Provider tee time, must rely on the “Ballot” lottery for their tee time, in which case we recommend at least four days in St Andrews for best chances (Wed to Sat is best). With the ballot, applications are made in groups of 1 to 4, and if you have a larger group, the tee times will most likely be split up and you probably won’t all play together. The exact schedule of your golf while in St Andrews may be switched around to accommodate availability on The Old Course. For example, your round at Carnoustie or Kingsbarns may be flipped with dates for the Old Course if the ballot is successful (this may affect your group games). Our local staff will manage the process for you: we will enter you in “the ballot” lottery every day and the results are announced at about 4:30pm two days prior. Do not attempt to do your own ballot, as any duplicate names or applications will be disqualified and they have ways to check names through hotels, golf associations, etc. Do not attempt to bribe the starter either, as that too will result in disqualification (they have seen it all!). We will enter your group each day until hopefully you are successful, and our local office will contact you with the results. 
• SINGLES DAILY DRAW: This is the latest system introduced in March 2024. Single golfers can register, in person, between 9am - 5 pm, at the Links Clubhouse or Pavilion, the day before play. They will be contacted by Links Trust at 5pm whether they are successful or not.
• NOTE: Handicap proof is always required on the day of play (max 36 for anyone) with a golf association handicap card (USGA GHIN), phone app verification or a handicap printout. April through July are the best months, whereas August, the first week of September and October are more difficult. The Old Course is always closed on Sundays. The Old Course is normally closed to visitors the last three weeks of September due to the R&A Autumn Meeting and the Dunhill Links Championship. Our goal is to get everybody on The Old Course! However, success is becoming more difficult each year. If we are not successful, we will find tee times on one of the other local courses, and refund any difference in green fee, if applicable. But rest assured, we’ll do our best.