Working in finalizing a Scotland golf trip in April. Staying in St. Andrews and have Kingsbarns, Old Course, and SA Castle course booked.

Trying to figure out if we round out our trip with Carnoustie or Trump International.

Carnoustie has the Open Championship history, is in the permanent rotation, and is ranked higher in the world golf course rankings. However, history aside I've read that it can be considered boring and not very scenic.

Trump International is a newer course with no Open Champioship history, but from everything I've read may be one of, if not the nicest, most scenic, and best conditioned courses in Scotland.

dbtexasag05 said:

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Carnoustie and it isn't close.

If you can play well at Carnoustie you can play well anywhere.

It's the hardest golf course I have ever played when the wind is up and the caddies will be awesome. It's strange as hell and not something you should miss.

Trump National is great…but assuming you never go back to Scotland, don't miss Carnoustie.

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This

Definitely Carnoustie. Not as dramatic as other links courses, but a tough, fair test of golf, plus the history. Plenty of memorable holes. I would play it again.

If you want incredible views with your golf, go to Ireland.

If you want a round you'll never forget, go to Carnoustie.

Carnoustie. Some pics when I was there in 2012

Turnberry

Carnoustie.

Well, good news. We're doing both.

Itinerary:
- Kingsbarns
- Old Course
- Castle Course
- Trump International
- Carnoustie

Perhaps I'll be able to make it back another time and hit some of the courses on the west coast and northern coasts

This guy is partial to Carnoustie!

Yes. He spent several days prior practicing at Panmure, learning links golf, which is very close and a nice little hidden gem to play if time permits.

JB!98 said:

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This guy is partial to Carnoustie!

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My pic of the plaque on the 6th tee
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DRE06 said:

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Well, good news. We're doing both.

Itinerary:
- Kingsbarns
- Old Course
- Castle Course
- Trump International
- Carnoustie

Perhaps I'll be able to make it back another time and hit some of the courses on the west coast and northern coasts

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Kingsbarns was my favorite there. Beautiful course.

Kingsbarns.....

Currently live in Aberdeen, can say Trump is amazing golf course. Can't go wrong with the list you have going.

I lived there for 24 years, Sept can be really nice, 'Indian summers' are common but you need to prepare for chilly, wet, windy conditions. I assume you have Old Course tee times arranged as the Old Course is closed for 2 weeks in Sept for R&A use. Plus there are fewer tee times available as the day light is rapidly shrinking by mid Sept.

Cavender Neutze said:

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If you want incredible views with your golf, go to Ireland.

If you want a round you'll never forget, go to Carnoustie.

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Nothing truer has ever been written

Just got back from the trip and it lived up to the hype and then some.

Ended up playing:
- Anstruther (we just used this a 9 hole warmup; included "The hardest Par 3 in Golf" Nobody in our group of 8 made a par
- Kingsbarns (84)
- St. Andrews Castle Course (91)
- St. Andrews New Course (85)
- St. Andrews Old Course (85)
- Trump International (91)
- Carnoustie (80)

Out of those courses, the Castle Course and Trump were far and away the most scenic, but they also played the most difficult. A lot of the caddies said Trump was one easily of the best courses in all of Scotland, but doesn't quite get the praise it deserves because its so new. I agree.

Walking 36 on Tuesday at the New Course & Old Course was a lot. My phone said I put in 16.2 miles that day.

Finally put it all together on the last day and shot 80 at Carnoustie. Not my lowest lifetime score (77), but easily the golf I've played in my life. Probably would have been sub 75 at my club.

Wow! Incredible lineup, what a trip.

Give Dundonald links a look. REALLY enjoyed this course when we were there in 2018. We went the more economical route versus playing the most Popular & expensive courses.

Would also highly recommend ballyliffin in Ireland. We did Scotland on front end and Ireland on back end.