Caddie Golf Tours

The author of  'A Course Called Ireland'  Tom Coyne and has settled into St Andrews with his family for a couple of weeks while he golfs around the area before continuing his quest to play the links courses of Scotland which he will record in a book to be called 'A Course Called the Kingdom' to be published next year. Tom Coyne & Boyne after our round at Kinghorn GC I met up with Tom last Sunday, 10th May, to golf with him on an Old Tom Morris course called Kinghorn GC about 30 miles south of St Andrews. It was windy but it did not spoil our fun on a super wee links golf course. Tom Coyne tees from the 1st Old Course St Andrews The following day at 08:40am I caddied for Tom on the Old Course St Andrews. He had a decent front 9 that had a couple of birdies but also included a couple of bogeys and one unfortunate double. Pitching to the Old Course 17th green  The back 9 holes started with him driving the 10th green but landing on the right side ...

We have been updating our 2015 golf packages over the last month and a selection of classic Scotland links golf offers are now on our web site at caddiegolftours The Gailes Golf Experience includes three rounds of classic links golf, one each at Glasgow Gailes Golf Course, Western Gailes Golf Course and Dundonald Links that will surely satisfy the most enthusiastic of golfers.   Glasgow Gailes was established in 1892, re-designed by legendary Willie Park Jr of Musselburgh in 1912, and is a wonderful traditional links. It is held in such high regard that the R&A have selected it as the sole Final Open Qualifying course in Scotland for 4 years, 2014 - 2017.  Glasgow Gailes GC 14th tee Western Gailes, circa 1897, is a Scottish links golf course that should be on every golfer's must play list. It has been host for Final Qualifying when the Open Championship was played at Royal Troon and Turnberry and has hosted the Curtis Cup and 8 Scottish Amateur Championship...

Golfers, the time has come when after the final Major, a thrilling 2014 PGA Championship won by the golfer of the year Rory McIlroy, that our thoughts turn towards organising your 2015 Golf Tour to Scotland the Home of Golf.  The iconic Old Course at St. Andrews We at Caddie Golf Tours are ready and waiting to organize, advise and answer your many questions about golf, travel and accommodation in Scotland. This weekend, after golf at your club, would be a good time to raise the question with your golfing partners to the long talked about golf tour to Scotland. If golf on the the legendary Old Course is to be part of the golf tour it should be noted that the Open Championship returns to the Old Course in St. Andrews, for the 29th occasion, next year and this legendary venue will be closed to visiting golfers between 20th June - 21st July 2015. We look forward to hearing from you and answering your many questions about golf in Scotland...Fore!

A fantastic couple of days at Turnberry for our 8 New York golfers, The Bamundo Party, who golfed the Ailsa Championship and up the road at Royal Troon Golf Course. Turnberry Hotel, Ayrshire, Scotland The sun shone and the legendary Open venue of the Ailsa Championship course played and looked absolutely beautiful. This is truly one of Scotland's greatest links golf courses and should not be left off any visiting golf party's itinerary. 18th green Ailsa Championship Course, Turnberry Putting out on 18th Ailsa Championship, Turnberry The recent sale of the Turnberry Resort to the American Donald Trump will see some alterations to the actual hotel rather than any major changes to the golf course and I am sure the R&A will be heavily involved if any are planned.

The annual golf match between the Vikings and Celts took place on Saturday 26th April at the magnificent Kingsbarns Golf Links, situated 7 miles south of St. Andrews. Vikings & Celts 1st tee Kingsbarns Golf Links Our Swedish golfers have been coming to St. Andrews for over ten years and strong friendships have been forged which has resulted in this grand match against the Caddies and members of the St. Andrews Caddies Golf Club. Boyne & 'Viking' Kenneth 12th tee Kingsbarns Golf Links This year nine matches were played and Celts narrowly win by 5 1/2 - 3 1/2 points. My game against Kenneth ended with Boyne holing a 5 foot putt on the 18th to secure a halved match. No pressure! The Captains and the Trophy A big thank you to all the competitors, the staff and caddies at Kingsbarns Golf Links for their contribution to a super day of golf at such a wonderful location. We know we are very fortunate and look forward to the return match in 2015...Fore!

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...

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 ...

Yes a great accolade from  Golf Digest Magazine   that highlights the quality of three classic Scottish links golf courses at Royal Dornoch (6) in the romantic and rugged Highlands, the Old Course (7) in the historic town of St. Andrews and at Muirfield GC (8) venue for Phil Mickelson's 2013 Open triumph and located just south of Scotland's capital Edinburgh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Image from and of Royal Dornoch GC   With a little bit of planning all golfers can have the opportunity to tee it up on these legendary courses. No need to find a member to sign you on, some forward planning with Caddie Golf Tours and you can golf here...Fore! http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2014-02/worlds-100-greatest-golf-courses More of Scotland's golf courses feature in the full list of 100 published by Golf Digest with the world famous Turnberry (19), Carnoustie (31), Kingsbarns (50), Trump International Links (56), Machrihanish (57), North Berwick (65), Crud...

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.

For those golfers that desire to golf in Scotland next year, 2014, may I suggest that now would be an excellent time to confirm your travel dates, tee times and accommodation. Golf Guru Tony, 2nd tee of Old Course St Andrews, July 2013 The planning of the Scottish golf tour is always exciting and to arrive at the Home of Golf, St Andrews is rather special. There are so many astounding links courses to choose in Scotland that one can get giddy and gre edy! Please take the time to talk to Caddie Golf Tours and together we shall produce the golf trip you want. Kingsbarns Golf Links, Par5 12th, a tremendous golf hole

My two golfing guests, Andy & David, duly arrived from Glasgow this morning at the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse where I was waiting to inform that we were teeing off from on New Course at 10.24am. Plenty of time to enjoy a bacon sandwich, coffee and tea before hitting the astounding New Course. Post bacon sandwich at St. Andrews Links Clubhouse  A wee bit cold with cloud cover and winds from the east that eventually burned off and the second nine was bathed in sunshine that progressively warmer as our round continued, excellent. Par 3 ninth tee & scores are checked while we wait to tee off A Stableford Competition was played today: 1point Bogey, 2 points Par, 3 points Birdie, 4 points eagle. I played rather poorly today and only hit 24 points but David and Andy shot 32 & 31 respectively in tricky windy conditions. Good putting from both...and they lost less golf balls than I!!! Andy and  David in front of the St. Andrews Golf Club After our lunch ...

Two of my golfing friends, Gary & Matt, from the USA have returned to St. Andrews this week and will be staying in the town for the next 4-6 weeks, playing golf on the links most days. Gary & Mark walking past Caddie Pavilion on route to New Course Like returning migratory birds these two golfers have been arriving in St. Andrews at the end of May or beginning of June for the 12 seasons that I have been caddying here at St. Andrews. Matt always travelled with his father, the legendary Jinx who sadly passed away a couple of years ago, for their stay in the town and it is great that he has continued to visit his second home. Gary a retired pilot is involved with the St. Andrews Golf Club and assists with the prestigious top amateur event held on the Old Course at this time called the Links Trophy. Marvelous.

The Coffey golfers from Boston, USA, arrived at Edinburgh Airport this afternoon and after picking up their car from the ever reliable Arnold Clark they followed me up the road to St. Andrews, stop at a very sunny Jigger Inn to chat about the golfing week to come over a deserved beer and enjoy the iconic view across the Old Course. Alongside 1st fairway of Old Course at St. Andrews It was then onward and a 5 minute journey to their accommodation at the Fairmont Hotel where Caddie Golf Tours job is done for today. Time to let the couples have some relax time, acclimatise and look forward to their stay in Scotland.  1st tee Eden Course St. Andrews The boys golf tomorrow on the Eden Course here in St. Andrews which will be perfect for their 'warm-up' round before tackling the adjacent Old Course on Monday 27th and New Course on Tuesday. I do hope this lovely change in the weather continues and the Coffey's enjoy a sparkling St. Andrews and Scotland.

Caddie Golf Tours at Machrihanish GC Caddie Golf Tours are heading to Scotland's Mull of Kintyre for a weekend of golf, luxury and good food with the Oystercatchers Golf Society this Friday 15th March. This is our annual Spring Meeting and our thanks must go to The Village at Machrihanish Dunes for their assistance with our luxury accommodation in the Ugadale Cottages, Ugadale Hotel and our tee times. Marvelous.

The build up to the release of the MUST READ golf book of the year is only a couple of weeks away from my old (read really young & talented) friend and fellow Old Course Caddie Oliver Horovitz. This is the first review I have seen. Expect to see and read a few more. Oliver is going to be on CBS This Morning with Charlie Rose to talk about his book on Monday 18th March and I expect he may get on a few more shows...we do (not) expect fame to change him!?! I wrote a wee promotion about the book a month or so ago and it can be found on my Blog at the following link: http://caddiegolftours.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/american-caddie-in-st-andrews.html If you haven't pre-ordered your copy yet, you can do it right here, right now: http://amzn.to/WbvTVM.

Wrapped up after a February round on the Old Course St. Andrews I truly love this time year...sure it is cold and one has to wear the appropriate clothing but it is good to get out on the golf course and swing a club. Golf 2013 is just around the corner with the, hoped for, warmth of a Scottish Spring replacing the brutal cold of January and February.

John tees off from 9th tee, Old Course St. Andrews Andy drives from 18th tee Old Course, St. Andrews Victory! Today Team Boyne won the annual St. Andrews Golf Club 'Winter Texas Scramble' played over the Old Course at St. Andrews.  All my golfing life I have wondered what it is like to win a golf competition on the Old Course at St. Andrews and, though competing in the Open Championship has passed me by..., through my membership at the wonderful St. Andrews Golf Club there are regular competitions ... Expand this post »

John Boyne, Caddie. I began my caddie career at the St. Andrews Links by chance not by design. My wife had encouraged me to attend a four day course being held in St. Andrews by the then Caddie Master, Rick MacKenzie, who after it was finished invited me to join his caddie Team for the summer of 2002. I thought that one summer caddying on the Old Course was too good an opportunity to miss for an enthusiastic golfer like myself, so I accepted. I am still here. There is a lot to enjoy about working on the St. Andrews Links not least the friendships that have been made with my fellow caddies and golfers from across the world. These are ties that remain strong and true. It is also amazing to think that you have become a link to caddies and golfers that have gone before stretching back centuries.     A few golfers that stand out from the +1500 rounds I have caddied at St. Andrews were the courageous blind lady golfer who went round the Old Course in 124 sho...