Caddie Golf Tours

I registered for the 2014 Caddie season on the Links at St. Andrews in early March and began carrying a bag at the end of the month with our returning golfers from Ireland being my first clients. Always good to see the lads from Cork and Dublin...with a pint or two enjoyed in good company post round. 17th fairway Old Course St. Andrews The caddying has been a little stop and start for me on the St. Andrews Links this April due in part to the high number of caddies that have been taken on at the beginning of the season, and the rotation system thus employed, but also the interest in Caddie Golf Tours over the last couple of years has lead to an increase in Scottish Golf Tours and inquiries for 2014/15 that the team are now concentrating on and enjoying organising. The range of nationalities arriving this year encompasses our very own Scotland, neighbours England and Ireland, France, Sweden, Canada and the USA who are all looking to Caddie Golf Tours for advice and guidance to v...

Specialised travel company Thistle Dubh, our friends over in Centennial Colorado USA, were in touch a few weeks ago to introduce two of their clients travelling to Europe, Scotland and golf at St. Andrews. They asked if we could arrange to get their golfers onto the Old Course which would round out their weekend of golf with the New Course and Carnoustie Championship already in the mix. Old Course St. Andrews Well, with a little bit of good fortune the two golfers from San Francisco, Tim a 10 hdcp and John a 9 hdcp, will be joining our very own John Boyne on the 1st tee of the Old Course on Friday at 07:00am. We three have the first tee time of the day and to paraphrase Colonel Kilgore "I love the smell of a golf course in the morning"...Fore! Here is Friday's official tee time draw sheet for the Old Course at St.Andrews: http://www.standrews.org.uk/Ballot/Ballot-Results

Lorna, our loyal Caddie Golf Tours 'Intelligence Officer' , looks forward to her 2014 golf season. Now that we are finally into the Spring, I’m looking forward to the 2014 golf season getting up and running. Having promised myself that I would definitely take some golf lessons over the winter, but once again I haven’t yet got round to it. LB slips on to the Old Course St. Andrews in February 2014 Of course (ahem...) there’s been some practice at the driving range and a couple of rounds on the Links, including my once a year round on the Old Course, a round on the New and of course the Eden. Oh, and not forgetting the putting competition at Dinosaur-land crazy golf! Jurassic Parr Golf Although it’s the start of the golf season for me, I am already aware that I’ve missed a few competitions through my golf club, St Regulus in St Andrews, and this year I definitely aim to play more club games. St Regulus Ladies Golf Club in St Andrews    This weeken...

Mike Thomas & buddies prepare to golf the Old Course Our client Mike Thomas who came to St Andrews with Caddie Golf Tours in August 2012 has decided that it has been way too long since that first visit to golf in Scotland and has decided to use the tough winter weather in Pennsylvania as an excuse to return to St Andrews. Mike Thomas (on right), his 4Ball  & John Boyne Mike will once again stay for one week, this time at the end of April, join the St. Andrews Golf Club for the week, purchase the great St. Andrews Links 3 Day Golf Pass which offers unlimited golf on the New (est. 1895), Jubilee (1897), Eden (1914) and Castle (2008) courses here at the St. Andrews Links over a five day period. A wonderful variety and quality of classic links golf courses and all on your doorstep. Mike teeing off from the Old Course 1st tee, August 2012 Mike will be prepared to golf on the Old Course every day that he is here and we at Caddie Golf Tours fully expect to get him...

I have a scheduled meeting with the Caddie Department of the St. Andrews Links Trust on Friday 21st February to discuss the 2014 golf season and my registration for what would be my 13th year as a caddie on the links courses at St. Andrews. Putting on 1st green Old Course St. Andrews If we have time there is the possibility of a round on the Old Course in the afternoon as the BBC Weather forecast for Friday is looking fairly decent if a wee bit windy. The Ballot tee time draw for golf on the Old Course has plenty of spaces after 12 noon, as one would expect at this time of year.

A list is a list and it will tend to be subjective and that is surely the case when compiling the World’s Top 100 golf courses as Golf Digest did recently. But it was rather gratifying for we golfers in Scotland to see that fourteen of our greatest golf courses were named on it and all but one of them can be accessed without resorting to a member taking you out for a game of golf (Loch Lomond). Royal Dornoch GC Your golf party could easily be playing on one of the following courses anointed by Golf Digest, not forgetting to include a few of the other classic courses from the +500 dotted around our wee country. Here are the Scottish golf links and their positions on Golf Digest's World's 100 Greatest Courses : 6. Royal Dornoch GC 7. Old Course St. Andrews 8. Muirfield 19. Turnberry Ailsa Course 31. Carnoustie Championship 50. Kingsbarns Golf Links 56. Trump International Links Trump International Golf Links 57. Machrihanish GC 65. North Berw...

The Village at Machrihanish Dunes on the rugged and breathtaking Mull of Kintyre in Scotland continues to garner awards for its excellence with golf industry leaders Golf Tourism Scotland and the readers of Scotland's golf magazine Bunkered naming it 2013 " Resort of the Year" and "Scotland's Best Golf Experience" respectively. 9th green at Machrihanish Dunes Our Exclusive Golf Offers , in conjunction with the Village at Machrihanish Dunes , provides Stay & Play Packages throughout the Spring, Summer and Autumn of 2014. Ugadale Hotel at Machrihanish Village March Offers  Bed & Breakfast at Ugadale Hotel & golf at Machrihanish Dunes GC 1 nights stay, 1 round of golf - £88 per person 1 nights stay, 2 rounds of golf - £119 per person 2 nights stay, 2 rounds of golf  - £175 per person Spring April Offers Bed & Breakfast at Ugadale Hotel & golf at Machrihanish Dunes GC 1 nights stay, 1 round of golf - £119 per ...

Delight in the Five Star luxury of the  Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa  at St. Andrews   with this Spring Golf offer available 1st - 15th May 2014.  2 rounds of golf at the Dukes and Castle courses with an overnight stay including breakfast -  £320  per golfer. Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa Golf - Dukes Course, 2014 venue for the European Amateur Championship, regarded as the 4th Major in the World Amateur Championships. Golf - Castle Course at the St. Andrews Links with marvelous clifftop views across St. Andrews Bay. 146 yard Par 3 third hole - DenHead - Dukes Course Relax in the wonderful Kohler Waters Spa at the Old Course Hotel, one of only three Spas in Great Britain to be a  member of the Leading Spas of the World . Cost is based on twin or double occupancy and subject to availability. Please contact Caddie Golf Tours for information.

There had been talk for a number of years about the suitability of the Old Course Caddie Pavilion and the number of caddies that use it day in, day out, whether it really was 'fit for purpose' now that we are into the second decade of the 21st Century. There will be 140-160 registered caddies working the St. Andrews golf courses during the height of the season and this wee building has had its' day. It was demolished at the end of the 'official' 2013 golf season, in November, and a temporary pavilion has been installed 100 yards down the right side of the 1st fairway. A little bit of the romance may have disappeared, but it is temporary. I have known this old building since the spring of 2002 when I first came, anxiously, strolling past the R&A Clubhouse and 1st tee of the Old Course to be accepted, hopefully, into the ranks of St Andrews' caddies. With a score or more guys hanging around the outside of the pavilion, and another 20 or...

Advanced Old Course tee times for the 2014 golf season can still be purchased through Caddie Golf Tours. Late notice has informed us that we have access to the Old Course in April, May, June with a few spots still remaining in July. Swilken Bridge Old Course, St. Andrews For those golfers interested in making the golfing pilgrimage to St. Andrews for two, three or more nights, please let us know your preferred month of travel by January 7th 2014 and we can begin to put in place your trip to the Home of Golf.

I have been expecting this vital news in the lead up to Christmas and the Gleneagles 2014 Ryder Cup merchandise has not disappointed. It might be a wee bit pricey but I am sure we will find something to purchase for our Scottish winter golf season. Click the following link to view the gear: http://for-email.com/JLM-1ZJQ5-EF61LZGW29/cr.aspx

Four golfers, from London, have been back in contact with Caddie Golf Tours to arrange their golf trip to the Highlands of Scotland next May, 2014. Castle Stuart Golf Links, Par 4 3rd green. The request is to use same template as this years trip to Aberdeen: fly in, golf 7 rounds over 4 days, fly out. The details for next years superbly intense Highland Tour follow: Day Date Activity Accommodation 1 Wed 21 st May Arrive Inverness Airport on  EasyJet at 10:55am Golf at Boat of Garten 14:00pm Strathness House Inverness 2 Thu 22 nd May Golf at Royal Dornoch GC 07:56 & 08:04am as two 2Balls 12:04pm Strathness House Inverness 3 Fri 23 rd May Golf at Nairn GC 09:40am & 15:40pm Strathness House Inverness 4 Sat 24 th May Golf at Castle Stuart Golf Links 08:3...

Caddie Golf Tours are preparing for 2014 and beyond with the addition of backroom support, now official, from Lorna Boyne and Andrew Thomson. Lorna & John Boyne My beloved wife Lorna's support and professional advice, through the initial years of Caddie Golf Tours, has proved invaluable and now moving into our 8th year we are in a position to build upon the momentum arrived through that hard work. The arrival of Andrew Thomson, my long suffering golf partner, into the Caddie Golf Tours fold has been long overdue and his golfing knowledge of Scotland and business acumen will be a great asset. Andrew Thomson, Old Course Hotel St Andrews The team at Caddie Golf Tours will continue to promote the Home of Golf, Scotland, to our overseas golfers with enthusiasm and optimism. We look forward to seeing you tee up the wee white golf ball on our great golf courses...FORE!

As we leave the month September and enter October many golfers will be turning their attention to a golf tour of Scotland next year, 2014. We here at Caddie Golf Tours are available to set up and advise about securing tee times, accommodation and travel arrangements throughout the Home of Golf, for real golfers. Old Course St. Andrews Many Scottish golf tours are built around acquiring an Old Course tee time and Caddie Golf Tours can assist your golf group in attaining this goal by you, the 'Lead Golfer', forwarding a few details of the proposed golf trip: number and names of golfers taking part handicaps of golfers golf club membership of each golfer preferred date of golf tour & an alternative date other courses to be played during the golf tour  Par 3 15th at Kingsbarns 'Rocky Ness' These simple details are required by the 9th October, 2014, to ensure we have an opportunity to attain your Old Course tee times. Please do not hesitate to c...

A quick update for golfers looking to play upon the Old Course next year, 2014, that the Advanced Application Form is available from the St. Andrews Links Trust web site and will be accepted this Wednesday 4th September at 10.00am British Standard Time. Information and the Advance Application Form can be found using the following links: http://www.standrews.org.uk/Play/Courses/Old-Course/Booking-the-Old-Course http://www.standrews.org.uk/getmedia/f36d4930-47ab-469c-a75c-569b895f49aa/Advance-Reservations-Form-2014.pdf If further information is required about golf in St. Andrews and Scotland please do not hesitate to contact me at caddiegolftours@gmail.com or via our Google+ page.

Now is the time for all golfers to look forward to the 2014 Golf Season and the organising of their golf trip to Scotland, the Home of Golf.  Iconic view towards Old Course 18th Green & R&A Clubhouse  With good forward planning tee times at the Old Course, Muirfield GC, Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Royal Dornoch and so many others can be secured in advance. Caddie Golf Tours are based in the beating heart of Scottish golf, St. Andrews, and invite all golfers to contact us for good honest advice on the best route for your 2014 golf tour to succeed. Applications for 2014 Old Course tee times will be made available from Wednesday 4th September from the St. Andrews Links Trust web site and the Official Form will be available from 19th August 2013. Information can be found at the following link: http://www.standrews.org.uk/getmedia/d9095e66-a3ac-454b-969e-2ab06c0de462/Advanced-Reservations-2013.pdf Caddie Golf Tours are here to assist with any questions you may ha...

Lindsay Golf Tour St. Andrews 2013 (11 photos) More photos from Caddie Golf Tours Team photograph on the Old Course St. Andrews Caddie Golf Tours' 12 golfers from the Chicago area enjoy their first full day golfing in St. Andrews. I believe I heard the word 'awesome'...it is.

A quick visit to the Scottish Golf Show in Glasgow yesterday and I managed to introduce myself to the iconic Ryder Cup trophy which was on display at the Gleneagles stand. It is really golden! The Ryder Cup & Caddie Golf Tours' Boyne I managed to see, visit and get most of the information I required from the Golf Show within a couple of hours. It was the last day and towards the middle of the afternoon when I arrived but still managed good chats with Gleneagles, Carnoustie Country, Machrihanish Dunes, Turnberry and the Scottish Golf Union representatives who all had excellent booths. 

the new St. Andrews Links Trust web site has been released onto the internet.  http://www.standrews.org.uk/ The re-branding of the signage on the courses, shuttle carts, clothing etc with Black & Gold that began last year continues throughout the site.   The revamped iconic 1st tee box on the Old Course It looks clean, shiny & new.  The important thing is the content and from my initial click through all your questions about golf in St. Andrews will be answered. The site has a good simple and concise layout that is easily followed. Good touch to get the 2014 Ryder Cup Captain, Paul McGinley, to do a wee video promotion of the Old Course. Both he and the Links share Allianz as a sponsor. http://www.standrews.org.uk/Play/Courses/Old-Course/Lesson-Plans/ Please remember to take advantage of the 'insider information' that Caddie Golf Tours have built up over 12 years caddying and 40 plus years of golfing in Scotland. I can answer all your r...

There has been a noticeable increase in interest from visiting golfers to the classic links golf courses in the Aberdeen area. This has undoubtedly been because of astonishing Trump International Golf Links which was unveiled to the golf world last year and the wonderful Royal Aberdeen Golf Club being named as the venue for the 2014 Scottish Open Championship. Trump International Golf Links We will be delighted to assist in organising your bespoke 2013 golf trip to the North East of Scotland and the golf at  Aberdeen. It is accessible from Glasgow and Edinburgh being approximately three hours drive and also through it's own International Airport.   Royal Aberdeen  Golf Club Caddie Golf Tours had many golfers visit Aberdeen for one, two and three night breaks last year and also as part of longer tours that took in the magnificent links golf in the Highlands of Scotland.  We have a number of partner hotels to chose from ranging from three to five st...