General tips
The Golfing Season & The Weather
In Troon we play golf on summer greens all year round, but winter tees may be in play November – February. My own experience is that golfing conditions are very good from 1st of April until end of October, but the high season is considered to be May until mid October, and corresponding to that, green fees are lower in April and October. Winter rates typically apply November until end of March.
Early May you can play until 9 PM and late October until 6 PM. For details, see https://sunsetsunrisetime.com/sun/troon. In April and May you will find the gorse on links in vibrant yellow and in August and september the heater is blooming in purple.
The Troon area enjoys a micro climate and typically receives less rain than the rest of the west coast. Beside the occasional really rainy day, the few showers we get in the summer seldom last longer than a cup of cappuchino before they have blown past. That said, still bring waterproofs if you happen to be unlucky with the weather.
A statistical average for the 2022/23 trips in September-October is rain on 10% of the holes, such as 111 holes played and rain on 12 of them.
What to Wear
With an average summer temperature ranging between 15-23c (60-74f) and an unpredictable climate, a woollen sweater and waterproofs are worth keeping at hand as the weather (especially at the coast and on the higher ground) can change pretty quickly. Most clubs now have a dress code incorporated in their rulebooks. Jeans and collarless shirts are not permitted. As mentioned elsewhere, some clubs like Western Gailes and Royal Troon require you to wear proper trousers, a tucked in shirt, jacket and tie on both arrival to the club and when you leave.
Carrying, pulling, driving or use a caddie?
Old-school as we are, we believe the best way to enjoy a course is walking it and, if you can afford it, to play with a caddie. We can require caddies but cannot guarantee them. You also have the possibility to use our HGT host as a caddie since your host/driver is available to your group for the whole day. Most clubs have trolleys either included in the green fee or at a fee, some also rent out electric trolleys. Carts/buggies are sometimes available, but note that at Royal Troon you need one of their caddies to drive it for you. If you need a buggie for medical reasons tell us well in advance. However, golf is best as a walking game.
Handicap Certificates
Some courses in Scotland require that visitors belong they belong to a recognised golf club and hold an official and valid handicap card or certificate. You may need to show a handicap certificate from your club secretary, but nowadays it will normally be OK to show your digital handicap from a system like the Swedish GIT. HGT can accept no responsibility for clients who are refused golf for not being able to show proof of their handicap.